Description
Classic sugar cookies called Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies bring festive charm to holiday celebrations. Delicate shapes with colorful frosting invite bakers to create memorable treats that family and friends will adore.
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ½ tsps vanilla extract (or almond extract for a twist)
- 2 tbsps milk
- 3 cups (375 g) powdered sugar
- 2 tbsps meringue powder
- 46 tbsps water
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Dry Mixture Preparation: Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a mixing bowl, ensuring uniform distribution of ingredients for consistent texture.
- Butter Creaming: Beat butter and sugar using an electric mixer until the mixture transforms into a light, fluffy consistency with a pale, voluminous appearance.
- Wet Ingredient Integration: Blend egg, vanilla extract, and milk into the creamed mixture, mixing until completely smooth and homogeneous.
- Dough Formation: Gradually fold dry ingredients into wet mixture on low speed, carefully combining until a soft, pliable dough forms without overworking the batter.
- Chilling Process: Divide dough into two disks, wrap tightly in plastic film, and refrigerate for 1-24 hours to enhance flavor and facilitate easier rolling.
- Rolling and Cutting: Remove chilled dough, roll out on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness, and use cookie cutters to create desired shapes.
- Baking: Arrange cut cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, positioning them 1 inch apart. Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until edges are delicately golden, then cool completely on wire racks before decorating.
Notes
- Chill Dough Thoroughly: Refrigeration is crucial for preventing cookie spread and maintaining shape, so don’t skip or rush this step – aim for at least 1 hour, preferably overnight.
- Avoid Overmixing: Mix ingredients just until combined to prevent tough, dense cookies; overmixing develops gluten and can result in harder texture.
- Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Softened butter and eggs blend more smoothly, creating a more uniform dough with better texture and consistent flavor distribution.
- Dust Surface Lightly: When rolling out dough, use minimal flour to prevent dryness; too much flour can make cookies tough and alter the delicate, soft texture.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 30 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg