Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe

Introducing the actual best sugar cookie recipe! My recipe makes simple, versatile vanilla sugar cookies; the dough is easy to roll and to work with and doesn’t spread when baking, so your cookies will always have sharp, defined edges! You can decorate these cookies with sanding sugar, or you can use my recipe below for a simple (and tasty!) pipe-able sugar cookie icing (one that’s not royal icing!).

If you’re looking for perfect cut-out Christmas sugar cookies, ones that hold their shape and don’t spread in the oven, come together easily with no strange ingredients, and that actually taste incredible, too, I’ve got you covered this year.

If you want a foolproof (and I do literally mean foolproof) easy sugar cookie icing that isn’t royal icing, one that dries firm but not break-your-teeth hard, well I’ve got you covered there too.

I’m adding this flawless sugar cookie recipe to my Christmas cookie tray alongside the gingerbread men, meringues, and hot chocolate bombs (am I the only one including these on my cookie list this year?) and would like to gently suggest you consider doing the same, I don’t think you (or your guests or gift recipients!) will regret it.

1. 1 cup unsalted butter , room temperature.
2. 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar , divided.
3. 2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled.
4. 1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but recommended)
5. rainbow sprinkles or nonpareils (optional, but recommended)

Easy Sugar Cookies & Sugar Cookie Frosting

My easy sugar cookie recipe yields tasty cookies that don’t spread! I also include instructions for a pretty and foolproof sugar cookie frosting. Recipe may be doubled!

Prep: 60min

Total: 190min

Yield: 40

Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximate, this will vary depending on size of your cookie cutters)

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 cookie (approximate, this will vary depending on size of your cookie cutters), calories 130 kcal, Carbohydrate 21 g, Protein 1 g, Fat 5 g, Saturated Fat 3 g, Cholesterol 18 mg, Sodium 48 mg, Fiber 1 g, Sugar 15 g

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened (226g))
• 1 cup granulated sugar ((200g))
• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract ((see note))
• 1 large egg
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour ((Plain flour) (315g) )
• ¾ teaspoon baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon table salt
• 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted ((375g) (weigh before sifting))
• 3-4 Tablespoons milk ((I use whole milk, but any kind will work))
• 2 Tablespoons light corn syrup ((see note))
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Gel food coloring (optional)
• Additional candies and sprinkles for decorating (optional)

Instruction:

1. Allow cookies to cool completely on cookie sheet before decorating.
2. Allow frosting to harden before enjoying, stacking, or storing (this took several hours for me and may vary for you depending on the consistency of your frosting).

Easy Sugar Cookies

Nothing says year-round holiday fun like baking easy sugar cookies and decorating them with family and friends.

Prep: 15min

Total: 264min

Yield: 48

Serving Size: 1 serving

Nutrition Facts: calories 80 kcal, Carbohydrate 10 g, Fat 4 g, Saturated Fat 2 g, Cholesterol 13 mg, Sodium 47 mg, Sugar 4 g, servingSize 1 serving

Ingredients:

• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup unsalted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 large egg (room temperature)
• 3 cups all purpose flour (*see note)
• 1 ¼ teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt

Instruction:

1. Combine flour, salt and baking powder in a bowl and set aside.
2. Place butter and sugar in a bowl and mix with a handmixer (or stand mixer) on medium speed until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
3. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until well combined and smooth.
4. Add the flour mixture, a little bit at a time, with the mixer on low until the flour is incorporated. Continue mixing until the dough holds together, up to 5 minutes.
5. Divide the dough in half, and form each half into a 5-inch disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill the dough for 2 hours or overnight.
6. Preheat oven to 375°F. While the oven is preheating, remove the dough from the fridge (if it has been in the fridge overnight, it may need to sit out 15 minutes before rolling).
7. Sprinkle the surface with a light dusting of powdered sugar or flour to keep the dough from sticking. With a rolling pin, roll the dough to ¼” thickness (you don’t want it to be too thin) and cut shapes with cookie cutters.
8. Place the sugar cookies 1-inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or just until cookies begin to brown on the edges.
9. Cool for 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, transfer to a cooling rack, and cool completely before decorating.
10. Once cooled, decorate with sugar cookie icing.

Sugar Cookies

Get Alton Brown’s simple Sugar Cookies recipe from Good Eats on Food Network, the perfect base for frosting, sprinkles and other sweet decorations.

Prep: 0 15min0

Total: 0 2h24min0

Yield: about 3 dozen-2 1/2 inch

Serving Size: 1 of 14 servings

Nutrition Facts: servingSize 1 of 14 servings, calories 277, Fat 14g, Saturated Fat 8g, Carbohydrate 36g, Fiber 1g, Sugar 15g, Protein 3g, Cholesterol 46mg, Sodium 68mg

Ingredients:

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 tablespoon milk
• Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Instruction:

1. Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
3. Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

Easy Classic Sugar Cookies | No Mixer Needed!

FAQ

What are the ingredients for sugar cookies?

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter for sugar cookies?

What does cream of tartar do in sugar cookies?