Sugar Cookies
 
Cook time
Total time
 
Author:
Recipe type: cookies, dessert
Serves: 30 three inch cookies
Ingredients
  • ½ pound (225 gms) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 egg, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 cups all purpose flour, plus more for rolling
  • pinch of salt (since I used salted butter, I did not add salt)
for Royal icing ( I made a third of the recipe)
  • 4lbs {two bags} confectioner’s sugar
  • ¾ c. meringue powder
  • 1⅓-1½ c. warm water
  • 2-4 tbsp. oil-free extract or flavoring
Instructions
  1. Beat the butter and sugar together until just incorporated. Do not over mix at this stage, else the cookies may spread while baking.
  2. Add the beaten egg and vanilla. Mix again on low speed, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as required.
  3. Add the flour (and salt). Mix on low speed till a dough is formed. The dough will clump around the paddle, which is normal and a good sign that the dough is the right consistency. the dough should not be sticky and should be easy to handle.
  4. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
  5. Working on a well floured surface, knead the dough slightly, squeezing it with your hands to flatten the ball into a disc.
  6. Roll it out to ¼ inch thickness.
  7. Cut out desired shapes from the dough and transfer to parchment lined baking sheet. Be careful not to stretch the cut out shapes or they will be distorted after baking.
  8. Refrigerate the cutouts for 30 minutes, which will help in giving them a crisp shape during baking.
  9. Bake in a 350 F preheated oven for 15- 20 minutes, or until golden brown around the edges.
  10. Let cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. Decorate cookies when completely cooled.
for the royal icing:
  1. Add the dry ingredients first. Use your mixer’s whisk attachment to incorporate the sugar and meringue powder.
  2. Add the extract to the water and slowly add it to the dry ingredients while mixing. At first the icing will be very liquid-like.
  3. Continue to mix it at medium-high speed until it is fluffy and stiff peaks form, about 7-10 minutes. Mixing times are approximate, keep your eye it icing and stop mixing as soon as it becomes stiff. Over mixing and oil-containing extracts can keep the icing from setting up, so keep this in mind as you work.
  4. Notes
  5. Royal icing will keep at least a month. I prefer refrigerating it, but it can also be left at room temperature.
  6. For icing consistency for different types of piping see Sweet Sugar Belle's posts.
Recipe by The Novice Housewife at https://novicehousewife.com/2013/03/04/sugar-cookies/