Classic Buttery Sugar Cookies (Printable Version)

Tender, buttery sugar cutouts ideal for festive decorating and easy baking.

# What You'll Need:

→ Dough

01 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
02 - 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
03 - 1 large egg
04 - 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
05 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (345 g)
06 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon salt

→ For Rolling and Decorating

08 - Additional flour for rolling
09 - Royal icing, colored sugars, or sprinkles (optional)

# How to Prepare:

01 - Beat softened butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes.
02 - Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix until fully combined.
03 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
05 - Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk, wrap with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
07 - Roll one dough disk on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness; cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
08 - Place cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
09 - Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until edges begin to turn golden.
10 - Cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire racks until completely cooled.
11 - Decorate cookies with royal icing, colored sugars, or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • They're buttery and tender enough to decorate without cracking, which makes holiday decorating actually fun instead of frustrating.
  • The dough keeps in the fridge for days, so you can roll out cookies whenever the mood strikes without starting from scratch.
  • They taste like the cookies from the bakery, but cost a fraction of the price and feel infinitely more personal.
02 -
  • The dough absolutely must chill, or the cookies will spread into puddles and lose their shape—I learned this the hard way the first time I got impatient.
  • Room-temperature butter actually matters; cold butter won't cream properly and you won't get that light, fluffy texture that makes these cookies special.
  • Baking time varies wildly by oven, so watch the edges, not the clock—that's how you'll catch the exact moment they're done.
03 -
  • If you want crispier cookies, bake them an extra minute or two and let them cool completely on the baking sheet instead of transferring to a rack right away.
  • Sifting the dry ingredients together isn't strictly necessary, but it takes thirty seconds and guarantees the baking powder distributes evenly, which means more consistent results.
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