Brown Sugar Cookies
- Level: Easy
- Yield: about 30 cookies
-
- Nutritional Analysis
- Per Serving
- Serving Size
- 1 of 30 servings
- Calories
- 168
- Total Fat
- 5
- Saturated Fat
- 3
- Carbohydrates
- 30
- Dietary Fiber
- 0
- Sugar
- 22
- Protein
- 1
- Cholesterol
- 18
- Sodium
- 28
- Total: 3 hr 55 min (includes chilling and cooling times)
- Active: 45 min
Ingredients
Cookies:
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, at room temperature
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Royal Icing:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup meringue powder
Food coloring, optional
Decorating sugar, for topping, optional
Sprinkles, for topping, optional
Directions
Special equipment:
Cookie cutters in desired shapes- For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
- Beat the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight.
- Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
- Gently gather any scraps into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
- For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
- Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.
Cook’s Note
When measuring flour, we spoon it into a dry measuring cup and level off the excess. (Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour, resulting in dry baked goods.)