Classic Butter Sugar Cookies (Print Version)
Buttery, crisp-edged cookies with tender centers, perfect for decorating or enjoying plain.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2½ cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
04 - 1 large egg
05 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
06 - ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
07 - ½ teaspoon baking powder
08 - ½ teaspoon salt
→ For Decorating (Optional)
09 - ½ cup powdered sugar
10 - 1–2 tablespoons milk or water
11 - Food coloring, sprinkles, or colored sugar (optional)
# How to Make It:
01 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer until pale, light, and fluffy.
02 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated and smooth.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
04 - Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide the dough into two equal discs. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
06 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out desired shapes and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 1 inch apart.
08 - Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire cooling racks to cool completely.
09 - For the icing, whisk powdered sugar with milk or water until smooth and drizzly. Tint with food coloring if desired. Decorate fully cooled cookies and let icing set before serving or storing.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The dough comes together in one bowl with no fancy equipment beyond a mixer and a little patience.
- Those crisp golden edges give way to a center so tender it practically melts, making these just as good plain as they are decorated.
- Chilling the dough is the only real waiting game, and you can make it a day ahead without any loss in flavor or texture.
02 -
- If you skip the chilling step the dough will be sticky, impossible to roll, and your cookies will spread into unrecognizable blobs on the pan.
- Eight minutes yields a softer cookie and ten minutes gives you more crunch, so set a timer and check early because thirty seconds changes everything.
03 -
- Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper instead of flouring your counter, because it eliminates sticking without adding extra flour that can toughen the cookies.
- A light brush of water on the cookie surface before adding sprinkles makes them stick firmly without any icing needed.