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Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 110 reviews

This classic sugar cookie recipe produces soft, buttery cookies with a hint of vanilla and almond extracts. Perfectly thick and tender, these cookies bake quickly and are ideal for decorating or enjoying plain with a glass of milk.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 1 Cup unsalted butter (226 grams)
  • 1 Cup granulated white sugar (200 grams)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 egg

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all purpose flour (360 grams)

Instructions

  1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350° F to ensure it reaches the right temperature before baking the cookies.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of your mixer, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This creates a light texture for the cookies.
  3. Add Extracts and Egg: Beat in the vanilla extract, almond extract, and the egg until fully combined for enhanced flavor and structure.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix the baking powder and salt into the all-purpose flour to evenly distribute the leavening agent.
  5. Mix Dry with Wet: Gradually add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients a little at a time. Continue mixing until the dough begins to come together. If crumbly, mix for an additional 30 seconds to one minute. The dough should start to pull away from the sides of the mixer bowl.
  6. Finish Kneading If Needed: If the dough remains too dry or stiff for the mixer, turn it out onto a floured countertop. Flour your hands slightly and knead gently until the dough forms a cohesive ball.
  7. Do Not Chill Dough: Divide the dough into 2-3 workable chunks. Roll each batch out on a floured surface to a thickness closer to 1/4 inch, which will keep the cookies soft and thick. Cut into desired shapes.
  8. Bake Cookies: Place the cut cookies on a baking sheet and bake at 350° F for 6-8 minutes. Once baked, let the cookies cool directly on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

  • Do not chill the dough before rolling as this recipe benefits from baking the dough immediately for best texture.
  • Roll cookies thicker (around 1/4 inch) to ensure softness and a tender bite.
  • Watch baking time closely as overbaking can cause cookies to dry out; remove them when edges are slightly golden.
  • If dough is too crumbly, additional gentle kneading or mixing can help bring it together without adding extra liquid.

Keywords: sugar cookies, classic sugar cookie recipe, vanilla sugar cookies, butter cookies, easy sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, holiday cookies

Find it online: https://dinewithdylan.com/best-sugar-cookie-recipe/