Description
Explore the fascinating history of sugar cookies and learn how to bake the perfect batch — crisp on the edges, soft in the center, and rich with vanilla flavor. This recipe honors centuries of tradition while guaranteeing bakery-quality results.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 cups Sweet Cream Salted Butter (softened, cold but pliable)
- 2 cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs (room temperature)
- 2 tablespoons Pure Vanilla Extract
- 4 teaspoons Baking Powder
- 6 cups All-Purpose Flour (sifted)
Pro Tip: Butter temperature is crucial — too warm leads to spreading. Use high-quality butter for the classic melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and eggs. Mix for another 3 minutes until smooth and pale.
- Mix in baking powder until fully combined.
- Add flour gradually, two cups at a time, mixing only until incorporated. Dough should be firm but not dry.
- Divide dough, wrap in plastic, and chill for 1–2 hours for clean cuts and minimal spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out dough to 3/8-inch thickness and cut into desired shapes.
- Bake 6–10 minutes until edges just begin to brown. Cool on baking sheet 10 minutes before transferring to a rack.
Notes
Chill dough thoroughly before baking to maintain shapes. Avoid over-baking — cookies should be lightly golden at the edges. For gluten-free versions, use a 1:1 flour blend with xanthan gum.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 145
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 85mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Keywords: sugar cookies, cut-out cookies, holiday cookies, traditional sugar cookies, butter cookies