Lots of you know that I am pretty new to this blogging thing. I’m still learning every day. One of the big things I’ve learned along the way, it that it doesn’t make sense to have a cookie decorating blog without a cookie recipe, SO finally, I am posting one.
Keep in mind, this is the recipe I prefer. You don’t have to use this particular recipe to make beautiful cookies. Use the one that works best for you and adapt it to your personal taste.
What I can say for this recipe is that it’s easy, which is just my style. I’ve always said, I am not a baker, as much as an artist who happens to use cookies and icing as my medium.
To make my basic sugar cookies you need:
- 1 c. {two sticks} of REAL unsalted BUTTER, softened
- 1 1/2 c. confectioner’s sugar
- 1 egg
- 2-3 tsp flavoring {pick what you like, I prefer almond}
- 2 1/2-2 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
Cream together softened butter and confectioner’s sugar. Crack the egg into a separate bowl, and add the flavoring. I use emulsions, but extract also works well. Add that to the butter sugar mixture and mix until the egg is thoroughly incorporated. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then add little by little to the mixture.
Roll out on parchment to about 1/4 an inch thick, use flour for dusting as necessary. Then, cut and bake at 400 degrees for 7-8 minutes. This version makes 2-2 1/2 dozen, doubled, it makes 4-5 dozen.
A few notes about my recipe…
- The dough DOES not need to be refrigerated. That’s why I like it.
- The dough needs to rest a little after mixing, it will firm up a little bit after a minute or two
- The recipe doubles well
- Baking times are approximate. You must KNOW your oven. Watch them the first few times you bake them. Get a thermometer, and do not over bake. If the cookies are browning you have gone too far.
- This dough can be flavored any way you like.
- The cookies freeze well
- There is a lot of leavener in these cookies. This is not a typo. The general rule is less leavener so they don’t spead, but I’ve never been one to follow the rules.
- This recipe does spread a little. If you don’t like that add a little flour.
- Speaking of flour, start with 2 1/2 cups. Add another 1/4 of a cup if the dough seems to sticky.
- If you don’t like salt, leave it out altogether.
- If you only have salted butter, use that and reduce the salt.
- I prefer decorating day-old cookies. They are less likely to leach oil back into your icing if they have had a day or two to “dry out”. They are still soft, however.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It worked perfectly for me 2 out of 3 times and I’m now getting a feeling for what the dough should look and feel like to roll out well. Now on to icing . . .
I literally just took the last batch out of the oven and this recipe is by far my favorite to work it (and they taste great too! After reading your tutorial on Royal Icing, I have heard good and bad things about the way it tasted so before I decide to head out to Michael’s to buy clear Vanilla Extract, I added a little lemon zest to the cookie dough itself. It definitely added a little bit of “something”. I can’t wait to decorate these for Easter! Thank you for sharing your recipe and ALLLLL of your helpful tips!! Next up… ROYAL ICING
Flavor the heck out of it…I use clear vanilla almond and a bit of butter flavor. People say it tastes like marshmallows. They eat it off the spoon, no lie. I promise that flavor means everything!
I just made the Royal Icing. I added some butter & almond extract to it. D E L I C I O U S. I’m going to check out the website you suggested for all the different flavors. Thanks again!
Hi,
Should I add flour to the recipe for high altitude baking? I read through all the comments, but I didn’t see any questions about that.
Thanks!!
I am in love with you basic sugar cookie dough!!! I have made it twice and each time it amazes me the cookies bake up just like the shape of the cookie cutter. Thank you again for posting your recipe.
I was just wondering how your cookies don’t spread? I did one batch with your recipe exactly and it spread horribly, then I made a second batch and only added 1 tsp of baking powder and they spread just as much. I have an oven thermometer, so I know the temperature is perfect. I also refrigerate them before I put them in the oven to make sure they’re easy to handle and don’t get smushed. I had tried not putting them in the fridge first the last time I made them and they still spread. I love the taste of this recipe, but you can hardly see what shape my cookies are.
Thanks,
Jill
Hello I just had a few questions about roll out sugar cookies. I’m preparing for my son’s 1st bday and wanted to make Elmo cookies, i tried my 1st batch yesterday but they didn’t keep there shape.. after reviewing i noticed it was prob b/c i used baking SODA and not powder….
I then went to decorate them .. I used powder sugar recipe that i found in betty crockers cookbook… I was planning on making these cookies ahead of time and frezzing them..It dosen’t seam like the type of icing that i used is good for the frezer. it stayed soft.
So i was wondering if the recipe that you provide is a good one for feezing the already decoated cookies?
Thank you for doing these tutorials. I feel like baking and decorating right now. I will get all my ingredients and start in the morning.
One thing I would like to ask you is where do you get the little plastic bottles to decorate and also do they come with the tips? I have some a little bigger, but can’t use tips on them.
Thank you so much for sharing
I am a newb when it comes to sugar cookies. I had already tried two other sugar cookie recipes before I found yours and I was only some what happy with one of them. I tried your recipe and my search is over. Your sugar cookie recipe and royal icing are the perfect combination. I am grateful to have found your blog as you have armed me with a ton of information and helped me to overcome my fear of sugar cookies. Thank You.
This is by far the easiest dough to work with I have ever made! I’ve used this recipe several times now and it does not fail to produce great cookies!! Thank you SO MUCH for sharing!