Simple Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe

This easy sugar cookie recipe is as simple as it is delicious. The trick lies in using butter at room temperature. Soft, malleable butter blends smoothly with sugar, creating a creamy, light foundation for your cookies.

Allowing the dough to rest for an hour helps the butter firm up a little, which allows the cookies to maintain their shape when rolled out and cut into desired shapes. Use your favorite cookie cutters, then serve the sugar cookies as is. For a special touch, decorate them with icing. If you have extra dough, create an endless variety of easy sugar cookie creations. Some tasty options include: chocolate-hazelnut sandwich cookies, pecan logs, and jam-filled thumbprints.

Ingredients for Sugar Cookies

To make sugar cookies, you'll need a few common pantry essentials and popular ingredients.

• All-purpose flour - A must in every sugar cookie recipe. We prefer all-purpose flour for its versatility and easy availability.
• Baking soda - This ingredient helps the cookies rise during baking.
• Kosher salt - A pinch of salt brings out the full flavor of these sweet cookies.
• Unsalted butter - It ensures the cookies stay moist and rich.
• Granulated sugar - An essential ingredient for these cookies, since it’s right there in the name!
• Egg - This binds the dough and keeps it soft. Use a large egg for the best results.
• Vanilla extract - Adds a touch of vanilla flavor to the dough.
• Sanding sugar - Optional but recommended for a final sprinkle that adds a little sparkle to your cookies before baking.

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled, with extra for the countertop

• ¼ teaspoon baking soda

• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt

• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature

• ¾ cup granulated sugar

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• Optional: Coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar for finishing

Instructions

Combine the dry ingredients:

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until fully blended.

Cream butter and sugar, then incorporate egg and vanilla:

Using an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the egg and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Mix in the vanilla extract.

Incorporate the flour mixture and let the dough chill:

Lower the mixer speed to its slowest setting and slowly add the flour mixture, mixing until just combined (the dough will be thick). Form it into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.

While the dough rests, preheat the oven:

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Roll dough on a floured surface and cut into shapes:

On a floured surface, roll the dough out to ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to create your desired shapes.

Arrange cookies on baking sheets and top with sugar:

Place the cut cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, ensuring they're spaced about 1½ inches apart. Sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired.

Bake until golden and let cool:

Bake the cookies until the edges begin to turn golden, about 10 to 12 minutes. Allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheets before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.

Store in an airtight container:

Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.

Sugar Cookie Dough Variations

• Add a splash of color: Mix in a few drops of food coloring to brighten up your sugar cookie dough. Divide the dough into portions to create a rainbow of colors.
• Infuse with flavor: Enhance the dough with a few drops of almond extract, lemon extract, or vanilla bean paste to give it a unique twist.
• Make it chocolatey: For a fun variation, add a couple of teaspoons of unsweetened cocoa powder to your dry ingredients to create a chocolate version of your sugar cookies.
• Spice things up: Add a bit of spice to your sugar cookies! Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, allspice, or even pumpkin spice work well, but feel free to experiment with more adventurous options like black pepper or saffron.

How to Decorate Sugar Cookies

Before you begin decorating your sugar cookies, ensure they are completely cooled. Once cooled, you can use our royal icing, or any frosting you prefer. For a quicker option, simply sprinkle your cookies with colorful sprinkles.

How to Store Sugar Cookies

Store sugar cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. After this time, their freshness will start to fade. If your cookies are decorated with royal icing, you can stack them once the icing is dry. For cookies with soft icing, store them in a single layer, or place parchment paper between the layers. You can also freeze sugar cookies, where they will remain fresh for about three months. To freeze, wait until the cookies are fully cooled, then place them in a single layer on a parchment-lined baking sheet to freeze. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag, removing any excess air, and label with the date.

• If your cookies are undecorated or topped with royal icing, wait for the icing to set before freezing and then store them in freezer-safe plastic bags.
• If your cookies are decorated with soft icing, wrap each one in parchment paper before freezing in a plastic bag to prevent them from sticking together.

5 More Delicious Cookie Recipes to Try:

• Glittering Gingerbread Stars
• Jam-Filled Sandwich Cookies
• Traditional Angeletti Cookies
• Soft and Chewy Spice Cookies
• Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

• What sets sugar cookies apart from other cookies?

  Sugar cookies are often cut into various shapes, such as circles or intricate designs, and contain more flour to help maintain their structure. In contrast, other cookies, like chocolate chip cookies, are typically dropped onto a baking sheet and spread out as they bake.

• Should sugar cookies be soft or crisp?

  Soft sugar cookies are perfect! They’re easy to bite into and stay fresh for days after baking.

• Is a sugar cookie the same as shortbread?

  Shortbread is a denser, firmer cookie compared to sugar cookies. It also lacks any leavening agents, while sugar cookies use baking soda for a lighter texture.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)