This recipe came from my daughter’s babysitter, Shirley, 25 years ago. I have made them every year for a very long time and now sharing the recipe so everyone can enjoy them. Shirley would make them every year as a treat for the parents. I believe it is the best sugar cookie recipe. They feature a buttery, sweet dough that’s easy to roll and cut into shapes. Perfectly soft with a light crunch, these cookies should be decorated with icing, sprinkles, or sugar, making them ideal for holidays or everyday treats.
Sugar Cut-out Cookies
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Category
Cookies
Cuisine
Cookies
Servings
24
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
8 minutes
Ingredients
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1 lb. Butter (4 sticks)
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1 ½ cups granulated sugar
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract
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2 eggs, beaten
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4 ½ cups flour
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1 Tablespoon baking powder
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2 ½ cups powdered sugar
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2 Tablespoons milk or water
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½ teaspoon vanilla extract
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Optional: 1 Tablespoon soft butter and 1 Tablespoon corn syrup
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Food coloring
Frosting
Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees
Cream together the butter, sugar, vanilla and eggs. Mix in flour and baking powder. Knead together until the dough is firm (you made need a little more flour if the dough is too moist).
Once combined, place dough in the refrigerator for 10 minutes before rolling out. Separate dough into 3 section, leaving the remaining dough in the refrigerator until ready to use. Once you cut out the cookies, place the remaining dough back in the refrigerator to keep it cold and reuse.
Roll out the dough leaving it about ¼ inch thick.
Bake at 375 degrees for 8 minutes. Cookies should not brown so they remain soft.
Frosting
Mix together all the ingredients until smooth and separate into bowls. Add your choice of food coloring to make desired colors.
Leave some frosting white for piping around the edges of the cookie. It should be thicker than the frosting you will use to “flood” the cookies. Use the colored icing to fill in using a small spoon. You may need to thin the icing to fill in the cookies.
Recipe Note
Buttercream frosting for decorating if desired. Use a piping bag with decorator tips for decorating.
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar
Food coloring
In a large bowl, whip butter for 3 minutes until fluffy. Add extracts and salt. On low add powdered sugar slowly and mix for 2-3 minutes until combined and creamy. Separate into bowls and add food coloring. Add to piping bag for decorating. Makes 2 cups.
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