Description
This Best Sugar Cookie recipe produces perfectly tender cookies with crisp edges that hold their shape beautifully. No chilling required, the dough is ready to roll immediately. Features buttery vanilla flavor, smooth texture, and works perfectly with cookie cutters. Includes royal icing recipe for professional decoration. Foolproof method that works every time.
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies:
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons milk
For the Royal Icing (optional):
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6 tablespoons warm water (plus more for consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
2. In medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In large bowl using electric mixer, cream room temperature butter and sugar on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy.
4. Add egg and vanilla extract to butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
5. Add milk and mix briefly just until combined.
6. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture.
7. Mix just until dough comes together and no flour streaks remain. Don’t overmix.
8. Divide dough in half for easier handling.
9. On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness using rolling pin.
10. Cut shapes using cookie cutters dipped in flour between each cut.
11. Place cut cookies on prepared baking sheets spacing about 1 inch apart.
12. Gather scraps, re-roll once, and cut additional cookies.
13. Bake 8-10 minutes until edges just barely begin to turn golden. Centers may look slightly underdone.
14. Remove from oven and cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes.
15. Transfer cookies to wire cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
16. For Royal Icing: Beat powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water in bowl with electric mixer until stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes.
17. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
18. Adjust consistency with additional water for flooding (thinner) or outlining (thicker).
19. Divide icing and add food coloring if desired.
20. Decorate completely cooled cookies with royal icing using piping bags or squeeze bottles.
21. Let decorated cookies dry completely, 4-6 hours or overnight, before stacking or packaging.
Notes
Use room temperature butter (60-65°F) that indents easily when pressed – not melted or cold.
Measure flour correctly using spoon-and-level method – too much creates dry, tough cookies.
Don’t overmix dough after adding flour or cookies will be tough.
No chilling required – dough is ready to roll immediately after mixing.
Roll to consistent 1/4-inch thickness for even baking.
Don’t overbake – remove when edges just barely begin to color. Cookies firm as they cool.
Re-roll scraps only once – second rolling is fine, more makes cookies tough.
Cool cookies completely before decorating or icing will melt.
For thicker cookies, roll dough to 3/8-inch. Bake 10-12 minutes.
Undecorated cookies store airtight at room temperature up to 1 week.
Decorated cookies store in single layers between parchment up to 1 week.
Freeze unbaked dough or baked undecorated cookies up to 3 months.
Royal icing dries hard for easy stacking and transport – perfect for gift-giving.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 95
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 55mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 18mg
Keywords: sugar cookies, cut out cookies, decorated cookies, christmas cookies, holiday cookies