The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe We Make Every Year
Homemade Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are one of the most classic holiday desserts, right up there with fudge, gingerbread men, peppermint bark, truffles and crinkle cookies. When you think about it, the sugar cookie has quite humble roots. Made with a combination of sugar, butter, flour, eggs and vanilla, they've been around for centuries and never fail to impress, given their soft, sweet, chewy texture.
Sugar cookies a treat for all ages! They're the most fun to make with kids (or to unlock your inner child) using cookie cutters, royal icing, sprinkles and a variety of other cookie toppings. Or, you can go the simple route and use pearl or raw sugar to top the cookies—they are called sugar cookies after all.
Related: Cookie Decorating Ideas To Make This Holiday Season Extra Bright
Making cookies from scratch with homemade sugar cookie dough is really the key to light and delicious cookies each and every time and Chef Jon Ashton is showing us his tricks to making the best sugar cookies at home, with this easy sugar cookie recipe. Enjoy!
Related: Reddit's 150-Year-Old Cookie Recipe Is Deliciously Easy
Ingredients Needed for the Best Homemade Sugar Cookies
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All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Baking soda
Egg
Vanilla extract
Salt
Sugar
Unsalted butter
Pearl or raw sugar, for decorating
Royal icing, for decorating
Tools Needed for Sugar Cookies
Food processor
Cutting board
Spatulas
Parchment paper
Rolling pin
Rolling pin rings
Cookie cutters
How to Make the Best Homemade Sugar Cookies
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1. Start by mixing your dry ingredients; add flour, baking powder and baking soda together and whisk until combined.
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2. Add wet ingredients (egg and vanilla extract) to a bowl and whisk until combined. Add a pinch of salt.
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3. Add sugar to the food processor and process for 20-30 seconds to break down coarseness, then add butter and process for 10-15 seconds.
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4. Add wet ingredients to the food processor and process for 20-30 seconds until well mixed.
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5. Next add the dry ingredients to the food processor and process for 30-60 seconds.
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6. Once the dough is at a balled-up texture, take it out onto your cutting board and use your heads to knead into one sugar cookie dough ball.
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7. Cut the dough in half then place on top of a piece of parchment paper. Pat it out to get it started and place another piece of parchment paper on top.
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8. Roll out dough to a thickness of 1/4 to 1/8 of an inch; refrigerate at least 3 hours or freeze at least 1 hour.
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9. Take the top piece of parchment paper off and use your cookie cutters to start making shapes.
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10. Add your shapes to a parchment paper lined cookie tray and if topping with sugar, use pearl or raw sugar to sprinkle over the shapes before baking. If using icing, you'll ice once baked.
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11. Bake at 300℉ in the center of the oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden.
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12. Let cool before icing with royal icing or basic decorating icing.
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Best Sugar Cookie Tips
Substitute superfine sugar if using a stand mixer.
Use can also use the side of a spatula as a guide when rolling dough out.
Pre-heat the oven at least 20 minutes to ensure it's up to temperature.
You can decorate sugar cookies with royal icing or pearl or raw sugar.
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Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (Video):
More Sugar Cookie Recipes to Try:
Homemade Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
2½ cups (12½ oz) all-purpose flour
¼ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 large egg
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 pinch salt
1 cup (7 oz) sugar
16 Tbsp unsalted butter, chilled
Pearl or raw sugar, for decorating
Royal icing, for decorating
Start by mixing your dry ingredients; add flour, baking powder and baking soda together and whisk until combined.
Add wet ingredients (egg and vanilla extract) to a bowl and whisk until combined. Add a pinch of salt.
Add sugar to the food processor and process for 20-30 seconds to break down coarseness, then add butter and process for 10-15 seconds.
Add wet ingredients to the food processor and process for 20-30 seconds until well mixed.
Next add the dry ingredients to the food processor and process for 30-60 seconds.
Once the dough is at a balled-up texture, take it out onto your cutting board and use your heads to knead into one sugar cookie dough ball.
Cut the dough in half then place on top of a piece of parchment paper. Pat it out to get it started and place another piece of parchment paper on top.
Roll out dough to a thickness of ¼ to ⅛ of an inch; refrigerate at least 3 hours or freeze at least 1 hour.
Take the top piece of parchment paper off and use your cookies cutters to start making shapes.
Add your shapes to a parchment paper lined cookie tray and if topping with sugar, use pearl or raw sugar to sprinkle over the shapes before baking. If using icing, you'll ice once baked.
Bake at 300℉ in the center of the oven 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden.
Let cool before icing with royal icing or basic decorating icing.
