Classic Sugar Cookies
- Level: Easy
- Yield: 12 servings
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 12 servings
- Calories
- 262
- Total Fat
- 16
- Saturated Fat
- 10
- Carbohydrates
- 26
- Dietary Fiber
- 1
- Sugar
- 10
- Protein
- 3
- Cholesterol
- 71
- Sodium
- 131
- Total: 5 hr 10 min
- Active: 30 min
Ingredients
2 sticks unsalted butter (preferably Irish), room temperature, 16 tablespoons
2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste, or vanilla extract
Sprinkles and sugars (or other cookie decorations), optional
Directions
- Add the softened butter to the bowl of a standing mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment. Sift together the flour and salt and set aside.
- Cream the butter on medium speed. Add the egg and egg yolk to the bowl, and continue on medium speed.Add the sugars to the mixer, and mix on medium-high speed, until creamy and fluffy.Add the vanilla bean paste (or extract) to the mixing bowl, and continue to mix on medium-high, scraping down the bowl as necessary.With the mixer on low, add the flour in several batches, until it's all added.
- Cut 8 individual pieces of parchment paper and set aside.Divide the dough into 4 equal sized pieces, and roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper, to less than 1/4-inch thick. Refrigerate the sheets of dough for at least 4 hours.
- Remove one sheet of dough from the refrigerator. Peel the top sheet of parchment paper from the dough, and cut shapes with cookie cutters. Move the cookies to a baking sheet (lined with parchment paper) with a very thin, metal spatula. Decorate with sprinkles, and return the sheets to the refrigerator to chill again, for 30 minutes. Repeat with the remaining sheets of dough.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Remove the sheets from the refrigerator and bake for 7 to 9 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and the center is set.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks in an airtight container. Optional variations: Coconut Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting 1 tsp coconut extract for the vanilla. Lemon Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting 1 Tbsp freshly grated lemon zest and 2 tsps fresh lemon juice for the vanilla. Nut Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough. Sprinkle the tops of the cut-out dough with ½ cup chopped nuts before baking. (Don't use toasted nuts; the raw nuts will toast while baking.) Orange-Rosemary Cookies: Follow directions for making Sugar Cookie dough, substituting freshly grated zest of 2 oranges (1½–2 Tbsp) and 1 Tbsp finely minced rosemary leaves for the vanilla.