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Alex Kornswiet

Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are one of the most basic, if not the most basic, cookies you can make. And no, I don't mean basic as in that girl in a crop top and high waisted jeans, I mean basic as in original and delicious! With that said, there are millions of recipes out there and many take multiple steps, or end up frustrating people so they just want to buy the pre-made dough. This recipe will change your mind! It's simple, delicious, and doesn't require refrigeration! You just mix, shape, bake, and enjoy! And you can even just shape the dough into small rounds and press them down for the shape if you want to skip the rolling and cutting step! Easy peasy, and so delicious!
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes
Servings: 3 dozen
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup white sugar
  • 1.5 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Optional: Gel food dye of choice I used red for these*
  • 3 cups all purpose flour and more to roll/shape

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
  2. In a stand mixer or large bowl, add butter and sugar. Cream with paddle attachment (or handheld mixer for the bowl), until smooth - at least 3 minutes.
  3. Beat in vanilla and egg.
  4. Add baking powder, salt, and optional food dye. Mix until just combined.
  5. Add all of the flour, mix until combined. It will be crumbly, but you will shape it together with your hands, and the dough will come together.
  6. Take a workable portion of the dough, shape it into a large ball, and roll it out onto a floured surface - until about 1/4" thick. Cut into your desired shapes, and place onto a prepared baking sheet - a baking sheet with aluminum foil on it.
  7. Bake for 6-8 minutes (I prefer 6 minutes, as this makes it more doughy-but depends on your preference. 8 minutes will make them more crunchy).
  8. Let cool on a cookie sheet, and decorate as desired!

Notes

*Make sure this is a GEL food dye - not just the liquid regular type from the grocery store. You want the gel colors because it's thicker, and a lot goes a long way - you'll just need a few drops! And then it doesn't change the consistency of the dough.
DECORATION: For these cookies, I just mixed powdered sugar, a little milk, and some gel food dye. I added milk slowly until I had the consistency I wanted - it's a simple frosting, but perfect for these cookies! You could also use traditional buttercream frosting or royal icing!
STORAGE: Store securely in plastic wrap, or in a sealed plastic bag. Enjoy within 3-4 days for the freshest taste and texture.