Description
Classic cut-out sugar cookies that are soft, buttery, and perfectly sweet. These cookies are easy to roll out and cut into fun shapes, then decorated with smooth, creamy icing and sprinkles. Perfect for holidays, parties, or whenever you want a classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled (344 g)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the Icing:
- 4-5 tbsp milk (60-75 ml)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (390 g)
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, add the softened butter and granulated sugar and cream together until light and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract, continuing to beat until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, salt, and baking powder to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined to form the cookie dough.
- Chill the Dough: Shape the dough into a disk, wrap tightly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour to firm up.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and prepare for baking.
- Roll Out Dough: On a well-floured surface, roll the chilled dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. If dough is too cold and hard to roll, let it sit at room temperature for 10-20 minutes before rolling.
- Cut Cookies: Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes.
- Chill Cutouts: Transfer cut cookies to the lined baking sheet and chill for at least 1 hour to help maintain shape while baking.
- Preheat Oven: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). If cookies are on one sheet, line another sheet with parchment paper.
- Arrange Cookies: Space chilled cookie cutouts about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.
- Bake Cookies: Bake 3 ½ inch cookies for 10-12 minutes or 2 inch mini cookies for 6-8 minutes, watching closely to avoid browning. Cookies should be light golden.
- Make Icing: Sift powdered sugar into a bowl. Add 4 tablespoons of milk and combine. If icing is too thick, add the remaining 1 tablespoon milk until desired consistency is reached.
- Decorate: Fill a piping bag fitted with a small circular tip or a bag with a tiny cut at the end with icing, then decorate cookies as desired. Add sprinkles on top.
- Dry and Store: Let icing dry completely before serving. Store any leftovers in an airtight container for up to four days for best freshness.
Notes
- Yields approximately 32 cookies sized 3 1/2-4 inches each or 64 mini cookies sized 2 inches.
- Measure flour properly by spooning into measuring cup and leveling off or use a kitchen scale: 1 cup flour = 125 grams to avoid dense cookies.
- Storing cookies in an airtight container for up to four days preserves freshness and texture.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (based on 32 cookies per batch)
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 19 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
