Sugar Cookies
Whenever you make these cookies for someone, be sure to bring along several copies of the recipe! You will be asked for it, I promise! NOTE: I make icing with confectioners sugar and milk. I make it fairly thin, as I paint the icing on the cookies with a pastry brush. Thin enough to spread easily but not so thin that it just makes your cookies wet and runs off.
Whenever you make these cookies for someone, be sure to bring along several copies of the recipe! You will be asked for it, I promise! NOTE: I make icing with confectioners sugar and milk. I make it fairly thin, as I paint the icing on the cookies with a pastry brush. Thin enough to spread easily but not so thin that it just makes your cookies wet and runs off.
- Carbohydrate 152.938942827177 g
- Cholesterol 151.641666787788 mg
- Fat 57.5992153809888 g
- Fiber 3.37853339723838 g
- Protein 17.2683806807145 g
- Saturated Fat 35.8903760294538 g
- Serving Size 1 1 dozen (378g)
- Sodium 2117.03746895145 mg
- Sugar 149.560409429938 g
- Trans Fat 4.32583907041526 g
- Calories 1194 calories
Step-by-step
- In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
- Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.
Rolling sugar cookie dough to a thickness between one-quarter and one-half inch is essential for maintaining a tender interior crumb. Thinner dough results in brittle biscuits that lack structural integrity. Creaming softened butter and granulated sugar incorporates microscopic air pockets, which expand when exposed to the initial heat of a 400 degrees Fahrenheit oven. Chilling the dough for at least one hour prevents excessive spreading during baking. Standard rolling pins work well, but a straight dowel style without handles offers superior downward pressure control across large sheets of dough.
Accompaniments and Pairings
Because these cookies feature high amounts of butter and sugar, acidic beverages cut through the richness effectively. Pour hot black coffee or strong Earl Grey tea alongside each serving. The tannins in the tea balance the sweet icing notes. For an afternoon gathering, serve alongside tart lemon curd or fresh macerated berries. The fruit juices complement the subtle vanilla profile without overwhelming the pastry.
- If the dough cracks while rolling, let it temper at room temperature for five minutes.
- Bake in small batches to maintain consistent oven temperature regulation.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container with a slice of white bread to retain moisture for up to four days.
