The BEST Sugar Cookies (Nut Free)
These are the BEST sugar cookies. They are soft, buttery, and thick with crispy edges, these are perfect for icing and decorations.
Print Recipe
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Mixer
- Cookie Sheets
- Parchment paper
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 1/2 sticks, softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¼ or ½ teaspoon butter extract optional, but makes the flavor amazing*
- Royal icing or Easy Buttercream frosting
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, using a handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat ¾ softened butter and ¾ cup sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla, and ¼-½ teaspoon of butter extract (if using) and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough will be a soft, but if it seems too soft and/or sticky for rolling, add 1 more tablespoon of flour.
- Divide the sugar cookie dough into 2 equal parts and flatter into a disc. Wrap each disc in parchment paper or plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours (or up to 2 days).
- Once the sugar cookie dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove on disc of dough from fridge and on a lightly floured surface using a floured rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. It can be any shape. Using a cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut the dough into shapes.
- Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough.***
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart.
- Bake in preheated oven for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges, rotating the baking sheet halfway through bake time.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing or easy buttercream icing.
- Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for gifting or for sending. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days when covered tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Notes
*You can also use maple, lemon, orange, or peppermint extract.
***It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.
Feel free to tint icing with gel food coloring and sprinkles if desired.
You don't have to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set.
I like to decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet. This cuts down on the mess and makes it easy to stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help speed up the icing setting.
Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Wait for the icing to set completely before layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. To thaw, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. Prepare the dough through step 3, divide in half, flatten both halves into a disk wrap each in plastic wrap, then freeze. To thaw, thaw the disks in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 4, then chill rolled out dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes – 1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking.
***It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.
Feel free to tint icing with gel food coloring and sprinkles if desired.
You don't have to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set.
I like to decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet. This cuts down on the mess and makes it easy to stick the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help speed up the icing setting.
Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well up to 3 months. Wait for the icing to set completely before layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-friendly container. To thaw, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months before rolling it out. Prepare the dough through step 3, divide in half, flatten both halves into a disk wrap each in plastic wrap, then freeze. To thaw, thaw the disks in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 4, then chill rolled out dough in the refrigerator for 45 minutes – 1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking.
Servings: 36 cookies