Name: Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 38 min
Ingredients: 1 Cup unsalted butter; 1 Cup granulated white sugar; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon almond extract; 1 egg; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3 cups all purpose flour

Dec

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER

712 comments »

This post may include amazon links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

This is the BEST sugar cookie recipe- no chilling the dough, cookies keep their shape when baked, soft and flavorful, perfect for decorating.

The baked cookie…Perfect edges every time!

I have so much more to say but let’s cookie-talk for a minute. Throughout the year I have received many emails asking about my sugar cookie recipe so I’m going to lay it all out for you here. I have been using this recipe for over 20 years and it has never failed me. The texture is medium-soft but you can bake them longer if you prefer a crisp cookie. This Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER is my absolute favorite and I have spent many years perfecting it on friends and family.

It comes together quickly.

It does NOT need to be chilled.

It can be doubled easily.

It holds its shape with very little expanding when baked.

The recipe I am giving you makes a large batch of dough because I like to bake a lot of cookies. Also I like to roll and cut my cookies fairly thick…to hold a lot of frosting. Incorporating the last cup of flour may make you nervous. It will be dry and look crumbly. Turn out the dough and work with wet hands and/or more flour until the dough is smooth and ready to roll.

Most asked Q and A about this recipe:

The dough is sticky and/or crumbly. What can I do?

The final dough really comes together and has a texture close to Play-Doh. Wet your hands if you need to. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Don’t be afraid to use more flour and incorporate it in while you are “kneading” it into a smooth ball.
Forget everything you know about sugar cookie dough. Don’t be afraid of sprinkling more flour as you roll it out. Use the scraps! Mix them back into the unused dough and keep going.

Can I chill the dough? I want to chill the dough. Actually I need to make this 3 days in advance, is that okay?

If you need to make the dough in advance you can chill it. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator. Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling and cutting. You may need to use more flour on the countertop.

The cookies look under-baked. Can I bake them longer?

I almost always suggest pulling out these cookies and the 8-9 minute mark. They will continue baking on the cookie sheet for a few minutes while they cool and set. After cooling for about 5 minutes I use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.

What is your favorite Christmas Cookie Frosting Recipe?

I’m happy you asked! I like a soft, sweet frosting. Here is my favorite Christmas Cookie Frosting.

Click here for my Small Batch Royal Icing recipe (it dries hard, and is perfect for holding together gingerbread houses too!).

I hope you love this recipe as much as our family does! Merry Christmas!

Basic Sugar Cookie Dough from @katrinaskitchen

Print Pin

Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

Soft cut out sugar cookie recipe that keeps its shape and dough does not need to be chilled before baking- perfect edges every time!

Prep Time 30 minutes

Total Time 38 minutes

Servings dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 Cup unsalted butter
1 Cup granulated white sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 cups all purpose flour

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350° F.
In the bowl of your mixer cream butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes
Beat in extracts and egg.
In a separate bowl combine baking powder and salt with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff. If it becomes too stiff for your mixer turn out the dough onto a countertop surface. Wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8).
Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.

This giveaway is closed.

Congratulations to: Patricia #2026 “Thanks. I want to make Snickerdoodles.” I was not compensated in any way for this giveaway and as always opinions expressed are 100% my own. Good luck!

Items used in this recipe:

In Katrina’s Kitchen is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com.

All Recipes, Christmas, Cookies, Holidays