Easy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
User Reviews
4.9
Easy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Description
Easy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies start with a buttery dough that includes all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, and flavorings of vanilla and almond extracts. The butter and sugar are creamed until light, eggs are incorporated, and then dry ingredients are added to form a soft dough. Chilling improves handling and helps maintain shape during baking.
Once chilled, the dough is rolled to about ¼-inch thickness and cookies are cut with cutters. Baking at 350°F results in cookies with a tender crumb and slight crispness at the edges. The dough’s softness and moderate sugar level make it ideal for detailed shapes and stable baking.
The cookies can be decorated with royal icing made from powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water, which can be tinted and adjusted to flood surfaces or pipe fine lines. This flexibility allows for creative decoration styles suitable for holidays or special events.
Allowing dough to soften slightly before rolling can ease handling if too firm from chilling. Re-rolling scraps is possible, and decorating is optional depending on the desired presentation. Proper mixing and chilling times contribute to good texture and shape retention.
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt sea salt
- 1 cup butter 2 sticks, at room temperature, unsalted
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg large
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- royal icing for decorating, optional (recipe in the notes below)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix to combine, then mix in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing on low speed until combined. The dough will be soft.
- Divide the dough in half. Form each half into a ball, then flatten into a 1-inch-thick disk. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until about ¼-inch thick. If the dough is too firm to roll right away, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes, then transfer the cut-outs to the prepared baking sheets, re-rolling the scraps as necessary.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 9 to 11 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just beginning to turn golden brown. The cookies will seem underdone in the middle, but they will set up as they cool. The exact timing will depend on the size of your cookie cutters.
- Let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, decorate with royal icing or as desired.
- Makes about 30 cookies. Exact yield will vary based on the size of your cookie cutters.
Notes
- Royal icing is made from powdered sugar, meringue powder, and water for smooth, glossy decoration.
- Adjust icing consistency by adding water to flood or pipe fine details.
- Food coloring can be added to royal icing for customized colors.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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