Nothing embodies the spirit of the holiday season like a nice warm batch of classic sugar cookies, waiting to be decorated and given away! This will be your "go-to" recipe for the Christmas cut-outs you imagine! Because you want to get the texture and taste correct, be sure to have your measuring spoons ready!
Yields: About 3 to 4 dozen cookies
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Bake Time: 8-10 minutes per batch
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (use your measuring spoons for better accuracy)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Optional: Sprinkles, sanding sugar, or royal icing to decorate
Instructions:
- Cream Together Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together using an electric mixer. Continue mixing for about 2-3 minutes until it is light and fluffy.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Beat in the eggs one at a time and mix well after each egg is added to combine well. Once the eggs are fully incorporated, add the vanilla extract to the mixing bowl.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a second bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt together with a whisk. This step is quick but very important to make sure everything is evenly dispersed before it is added to the wet mixture.
- Mix Everything Together: Once everything is mixed, gradually add flour to wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. Do not over mix. This step is important to make sure cookies are light and tender. The cookie dough will be thick.
- Chill the dough: Divide dough into half, flatten each half into a disk, and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or for as much as 2 days). This step is an important step, it allows the dough to become easy to roll and limits how much your cookie shape- in into the oven.
- Preheat & Prep: When you're ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). You'll want to add a layer of parchment paper on your baking sheets to make cleanup easier later on.
- Roll and Cut: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the chilled discs of dough to an even ¼-inch thick. Now, the fun part! Begin using your favorite Christmas-themed cookie cutters by cutting shapes from the dough and carefully placing the shapes onto your parchment lined baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (Feel free to gather and re-roll the scraps as needed).
- Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are just lightly golden.
- Cool & Decorate: Allow to cool on the baking sheets for 2-3 minutes, and then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cookies have cooled to room temperature, feel free to let your imagination go wild with sprinkles, sanding sugar, or royal icing!
Tips for Success:
- Avoid Overworking the Dough: This is the number one rule for buttery cookies. Just mix to incorporate the flour then stop.
- Let Chill: Seriously, no need to rush this one. This is the key to cookies that keep their shape instead of turning into blobs.
- Even Thickness: Attempt to roll your dough to a consistent ¼-inch. That way all your cookies can bake evenly.
- Storage: Undecorated cookies can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for one week. Similarly, if there is icing on the cookies, make sure it has hardened completely before putting them in the container.
Enjoy the magic of making and sharing these beautiful Christmas Sparkle Sugar Cookies! They will bring joy to your holiday table.
