Sugar Cookies
This recipe yields classic sugar cookies with a delightful tender texture, perfect for cutting into various shapes and decorating. It emphasizes proper ingredient handling, crucial chilling time, and precise baking to ensure beautiful, consistent results that are ideal for any occasion.
Equipment
- 1 Electric Stand Mixer With paddle attachment
- 1 Fine-mesh Sieve For sifting dry ingredients
- 1 Rolling Pin
- 1 Cookie Cutters Assorted shapes for creativity
- 2 Baking Sheets Lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
Ingredients
Main
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Powdered sugar for rolling out dough
Instructions
- Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.
Notes
Achieving the perfect sugar cookie hinges on a few key factors. First, ensure your butter is truly softened, but not melted, for proper creaming and a light texture. Avoid overmixing the dough once the flour is added; overworking gluten will result in tough cookies. The two-hour chilling time is crucial: it firms the dough, making it easier to roll and cut, and helps prevent excessive spreading during baking, ensuring your shapes hold beautifully. When rolling, use powdered sugar instead of flour to avoid toughening the dough, and maintain an even 1/4-inch thickness for consistent baking. Baking until just the edges turn golden prevents dry, crumbly cookies, yielding a tender center. For enhanced flavor, a touch of vanilla bean paste can elevate the aromatic profile.