Nov 22, 2010
5
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Classic Sugar Cookies

Cut into Christmas trees, wreaths, snowflakes, snowmen, candy canes, and every other holiday design imaginable, these are classic holiday treats in the U.S. The cookies themselves are pure buttery comfort, but when decorated with royal icing, sprinkles, dragées, and sanding sugar, they're elevated to cultural icons, beloved by children and grown-ups alike. Plus, they're almost as much fun to make as they are to eat.
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Classic Sugar Cookies Enlarge Image Credit: Todd Coleman
MAKES ABOUT 2 DOZEN LARGE COOKIES

INGREDIENTS

6 cups flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. kosher salt
3 cups sugar
1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 tbsp. vanilla extract
3 eggs
Royal icing, sprinkles, and sanding sugars, for decorating

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside. In a mixer fitted with a paddle, beat together sugar, butter, and vanilla until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time; beat. Add dry ingredients; mix. Transfer dough to a floured surface; divide into 4 pieces. Shape each piece into a flat disk; wrap each disk in plastic; chill 1 hour.

2. Heat oven to 325°. Working with 1 disk at a time, roll to 1/8" thickness on a floured surface. Using various large cookie cutters, cut out shapes and place on parchment paper—lined baking sheets, spacing cookies 2" apart. Reroll and cut scraps. Bake until lightly browned, 12–15 minutes. Let cool. Decorate with royal icing, sprinkles, and sugars.
Classic Sugar Cookies

This article was first published in Saveur in Issue #134

Ratings & Reviews (5)

noAvatar
Best sugar cookies ever!
noAvatar
So disappointed! They turned out hard as rocks. Only baked for 12 min.
I'm thinking too much flour. Wish I knew of a way to fix the rest of the dough so i'm not wasting all that butter. Any thoughts?
Please help!
Thanks
noAvatar
The worst sugar cookie ever!
noAvatar
Outstanding recipe. I rolled closer to 1/4 inch thick and baked for about 10 minutes, or 9 minutes at 325 degrees in a convection oven - mine were cut into stars, and i baked until just the corners of the stars were a tiny touch brown but no more. Made some on a double insulated baking sheet and some on a regular sheet; both were good, but insulated were softer. I let them cool for about a minute on the sheet, then transfered them to the counter to keep the bottoms from crisping up. I made a royal icing with the juice of 1 meyer lemon, confectioners' sugar, and half and half, to great effect. Once they were cool, I transfered to platters and covered; they were even better the next day. I will be making there every year!
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I made these cookies again, but my toddler dumped extra flour in the bowl. They still came out fine a little harder to roll out. I think decreasing the flour may help.
Classic Sugar Cookies 4 5 3 5

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