Description
This Best Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe delivers soft, chewy cookies that hold their shape perfectly without spreading. Accompanied by an easy-to-make frosting that hardens with a beautiful shine, these cookies are ideal for any holiday or special occasion. The recipe has been a cherished family tradition for over 30 years, combining classic flavors and simple techniques to create deliciously festive treats.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup salted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 4 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
- 3-4 tablespoons milk (room temperature)
- 2 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Prepare the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened salted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract and eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this dry mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until blended to form a soft dough.
- Chill the Dough: Divide the dough into two equal portions, flatten each into discs, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough, which helps the cookies retain their shape.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes, transferring them carefully to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges just begin to turn golden. Be careful not to overbake to keep them soft and chewy.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare the Frosting: In a mixing bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, milk, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and glossy. If desired, divide into portions and tint with gel food coloring.
- Decorate: Use the frosting to decorate the cooled cookies. Let them sit at room temperature until the frosting hardens with a shiny finish.
Notes
- The Best Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe! They are soft, chewy and don’t spread!
- Easy sugar cookie frosting that tastes great and hardens with a beautiful shine.
- Making these easy decorated sugar cookies has been our family’s holiday baking tradition for 30 years.
- Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve the best texture.
- Chilling the dough is important to prevent spreading during baking.
- Gel food coloring is preferred as it does not alter frosting consistency.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 111.3 kcal
- Sugar: 6.3 g
- Sodium: 89.9 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Saturated Fat: 3.7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 1.9 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.2 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 27.1 mg
