How To Make Sugar Cookies Easy Recipe

Can I Store The Cookies Or The Dough In The Freezer For Later

How to Make Easy Sugar Cookies | Cookie Recipe | Allrecipes.com

Yes! You can keep the unbaked dough, or baked cookies without any frosting, in the freezer for up to 3 months, as long as it is contained in an airtight container.

If you are wanting to freeze baked cookies, make sure to separate them with layers with parchment paper so they dont stick together. You can thaw them out in the fridge or at room temperature.

How To Make Easy Sugar Cookies

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These cookies are easy to make and taste amazing. Perfect for any time here is a short recipe for sugar cookies!

The Best Chewy Sugar Cookie Recipe

These soft, chewy sugar cookies stay soft for days, come together quickly and are a perfect drop-style cookie. I truly think this is the best sugar cookie recipe! These soft and chewy cookies are so easy to make anytime and taste amazing!

This is by far one of my most requested cookie recipes throughout the holidays, but also throughout the year. Heres how youll make them.

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Can I Freeze Gluten Free Sugar Cookies

Yes! Both the dough and baked gluten free sugar cookies freeze beautifully.

To freeze the dough: Divide the dough in half then wrap each half tightly in plastic wrap. Place inside a Ziplock freezer bag then freeze. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight then bake per recipe instructions.
To freeze the baked cookies: Cool cookies completely then layer in a Ziplock freezer bag and freeze. Eat or frost directly from the freezer they thaw quickly.

I hope you LOVE these sweet and chewy gluten free sugar cookies. Take it from me the girl who lost count of how many she ate theyre super fun to make, but even more fun to eat. Enjoy!

These Easy Chewy Sugar Cookies Are A Family Favorite Plus There Is An Easy Step

A few years ago, I hit the jackpot of ugly Christmas sweaters.

For years I had been on a mission to find the perfect Christmas sweater one that was a bit whimsy, filled with personality and obnoxiously, over-the-top Christmasy.

I had pretty lofty expectations, and I wasnt all that hopeful Id actually meet those expectations. BUT , I never expected I would find something that would actually exceed my expectations.

At this hole-in-the-wall thrift store, I found this fantastically tacky, bright red sweater with cartoon cats decorating a tree with the words, Meowy Christmas written across the bottom.

The only thing that could make it better would be if the tree lit up.

Now, Im pretty sure this was a handmade, one-of-a-kind sweater someone made for their cat-loving grandma. While I feel guilty wearing it in jest when it was probably made in earnest, its probably the most comfortable thing I own.

And I wear it proudly during this season.

And proudly when I eat these chewy sugar cookies .

Guys, Im practically a Christmas commercial.

I feel like its Christmas law that sugar cookies should be consumed during the holiday season.

It seems a little Scrooge-y and Grinch-like to skip out on a classic old fashioned sugar cookie like this, especially when you can top them with frosting , decorate with royal icing, roll them in sprinkles or spread some peppermint ice cream in between them and call it a day.

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Pro Tips For Sugar Cookies

I often use 1/2 cup of corn starch for this recipe as it gives you LASER sharp edges but recently reduced it to a 1/3 cup. This gives a slightly softer cookie while still retaining almost all of the shape during baking. If you want a really soft cookie just add a 1/4 cup and your cookie dough will still be pretty manageable.
If your butter isnt room temp just cut the sticks into a few slices and microwave on 50% power in 5 second bursts. Flip the butter with every burst.
Measure your flour correctly! Adding too much flour to the recipe is the most common mistake. The best, and easiest way to measure flour is by using a scale. If you dont have one then fluff your flour with a spoon, sprinkle it into your measuring cup, and then use a knife to level it off.
Scrape your bowl down a few times. If you have a glob or two of butter that doesnt get mixed with the flour then it will loose shape and melt when baked.
Use a high-quality vanilla if you can. Aside from the butter its the main flavor youll taste and worth the splurge!

Adding that 1/3 cup of corn starch really changes the dough. Youll notice it handles better at room temperature than other cookie doughs and really stays together instead of getting stuck to your fingers or the work surface.

How Can I Tell When The Cookies Are Done

You know how most cookie recipes say to cook until the edges are golden? Just say no! No, I tell you! Theyll be hard and crunchy instead of soft, tender, and chewy. You do not want the edges or tops to brown at all. The cookies should be barely browned on the bottom. When the cookies are baking, they will have a shiny surface on top. When they are fully baked, they will appear completely matte across the top, but not at all brown. Watch carefully! Over baking is a death sentence for soft cookies.

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Why Are My Cookies Flat

There are five things that can cause flat cookies

Your oven thermostat is faulty. This is a very common baking issue. To fix it, purchase a hanging oven thermometer to hang off the center oven rack. Then you can adjust your oven temperature accordingly.

You did not use parchment paper. Parchment paper is a magical baking tool to help cookies keep from burning on the bottom, spreading too thin, or creating a consistent bake. Dont skip the parchment!

You used melted butter instead of softened butter. Yes, it does matter. When butter is melted, as opposed to softened, it has a different chemical reaction in the oven. Softened butter that is creamed well with sugar will cause cookies to rise before spreading. While melted butter creates a denser chewier cookie.

You mismeasured your flour. Here in the United States, most bakers dont weigh their ingredients. Therefore, its easy to mismeasure things like flour, which can be sifted or packed into cups. To ensure the best results: When measuring flour, stir the flour in the bag to lift and lighten it. Then scoop the flour and use the flat edge of a knife to level the top.

Your leavening agents are old. Baking powder and baking soda can lose their lifting power over time. I suggest buying new ones at the beginning of the baking season, even if the old ones arent past their expiration date.

How To Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough:

How to Make Sugar Cookies, Easy Homemade Sugar Cookies Recipe

To freeze your sugar cookie dough, roll it into a ball or a log. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The dough will keep for up to 2 months before you need to use it. When you are ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, make sure it reaches room temperature before you shape your cookies and bake them.

How To Decorate Your Cookies

If youre looking to make sugar cookies for a holiday or an event, these cookies would be great rolled in sprinkles, instead of sugar. Use any color you like!
If you simply cant have a sugar cookie without it being frosted, check out my royal icing or my vanilla buttercream frosting. Even my cream cheese frosting would make a tasty addition. Any of them would be delicious!
For another fun spin on the sugar cookie, add some sprinkles for a confetti sugar cookie!

Why Do Recipes Ask For Unsalted Butter

Various brands of butter add different amounts of salt to their product. Using unsalted butter helps to control the amount of salt in a recipe and give people a uniform result no matter where they live. This is also why youll see recipes call for kosher salt. Different types of salt have smaller and larger grains the smaller the grain, the more salt each teaspoon will hold. Specifying kosher salt just calls for a standard grain size. All this being said you can usually use salted butter and just reduce or eliminate the added salt in a recipe.

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Tips For The Best Cookies

Although this soft sugar cookies are super easy to make, there are a few simple tricks you can use to make sure that your cookies come out perfectly. Heres what I recommend:

Make sure your butter is the right temperature. Room temperature can be a little misleading if your house is too warm or too cool. Your butter shouldnt be so soft that your finger goes right through it if you press on it, but it should also be able to make an imprint. If it wont, or it barely does, its likely too cold still.
Be sure to use just two tablespoons of brown sugar. It adds just enough additional moisture to the cookies to help them spread correctly and stay soft and chewy for days!
Dont over mix the dough after you add the flour. It can over develop the gluten and cause the cookies to not spread as nicely or be tough.
Make sure your cookie dough balls are 1 1/2 tablespoons each or youll want to adjust the baking time. I also found that size to be just right for spreading well.

Do You Need To Chill The Dough

Ok, lets talk. Chilling cookie dough is annoying. I get it. SO, this cookie recipe requires ZERO chilling. Are you excited? Lets talk about what that means

Use cold butter: To make the cookie dough slightly chilled right when its made. Just cube the cold butter when you mix it with your sugar and it will be fine! You mix the butter and sugar together for 2 minutes, so everything will be mixed. Just make sure to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl as necessary so everything is combined evenly.
Can I chill the dough if I want to? If you are prepping your holiday baking in advance and would prefer to chill the dough so you have things made ahead you ABSOLUTELY can. It isnt going to hurt the dough to chill it, you just dont have to!
What about complex cookie shapes? Does chilling help? What if you are using a VERY intricate cookie cutter and want to make sure you have precise edges? If I am using a very detailed cutter what I will do is make the dough, roll it out, cut out my cookie and pop it in the fridge to chill for 30 or so minutes. This isnt necessary, but if youre concerned, its a step that cant hurt!

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An Easy Sugar Cookie Icing

For the frosting for these cookies, I did not use a royal icing, which I know is popular. Truthfully, I dont really love the taste of royal frosting, and I know many of you dont keep meringue powder in your cabinets or feel comfortable making egg white frosting.

Instead, I used the same frosting that I used for my Galaxy Cookies. Its easy to make, easy to pipe, and dries hard for stackable cookies. This recipe uses light corn syrup for a nice shiny frosting.

I frosted my cookies and then topped a few of them off with colored sugars, but if you want to skip the frosting you can sprinkle your cut-outs with sanding sugar just before baking. This is the way my mom always makes her sugar cookies, they still taste delicious!

Overview: How To Make Sugar Cookies With Icing

Make cookie dough. You only need 7-8 ingredients. With so little ingredients, its important that you follow the recipe closely. Creamed butter and sugar provide the base of the cookie dough. Egg is the cookies structure and vanilla extract adds flavor. I almost always add a touch of almond extract for additional flavor and highly recommend that you try it too! Flour is an obvious addition, baking powder adds lift, and salt balances the sweet. So many *little ingredients* doing *big jobs* to create a perfect cookie. By the way, I also make chocolate sugar cookies too!

Divide in two pieces. Smaller sections of dough are easier to roll out.

Roll out cookie dough. Roll it out to 1/4 inch thick or just under 1/4 inch thick. If you have difficulty evenly rolling out dough, try this adjustable rolling pin. Speaking from experience its incredibly handy!

Chill rolled out cookie dough. Without chilling, these cookie cutter sugar cookies wont hold their shape. Chill the rolled out cookie dough for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days.

Cut into shapes. If you need suggestions for cookie cutters, I love Ann Clark brand. Some of my favorites include this heart set, dog bone, snowflake, snowman, leaf, and a pumpkin.

Bake & cool. Depending on size, the cookies take about 12 minutes.

See my suggested icings below.

Have a little flour nearby when youre rolling out the cookie dough. Keep your work surface, hands, and rolling pin lightly floured. This is a relatively soft dough.

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Can You Freeze Decorated Sugar Cookies

We dont suggest freezing decorated sugar cookies. If your cookies are topped with royal icing, the moisture from the freezer could cause your icing to weep or melt, ruining your hard work!

If your cookies are decorated, we suggest storing them in an airtight container at room temperature. They should stay fresh for about a week.

Looking for a festive baking project, but want to bake something more than a simple batch of cookies? Take a look through our list of easy Christmas cake ideas to get your mind in a merry mood.

What is your favorite go-to cookie baking tip? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to tag us on Instagram so we can see your amazing cookie and baking projects!

How To Freeze Sugar Cookies

How to Make Sugar Cookies – Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe

If you dont want to bake all the cookies at once, the dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, roll the dough into balls, let set on a baking sheet in the freezer, then place in a sealable bag and press out as much air as possible. Bake as needed directly from the freezer.

To freeze after baking, let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.

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How To Decorate And Frost A Sugar Cookie

These sprinkle-covered cookies are pretty fun on their own, but a little frosting never hurts! Spread some buttercream on top and add more sprinkles for a fun and colorful treat. Or top the buttercream with those shaped sprinkles youre itching to use! Just make sure your cookies are completely cool before frosting.

My Honest Review Of Grandbaby Cakes Sugar Cookies

Going into this taste test, I considered this cookie the defacto control recipe. The ingredients were basic, with nothing unexpected, and the procedure was clear and straightforward. Despite the simplicity these cut-out sugar cookies were the best I baked that day.

Most bakers will recognize the mixing method mix dry ingredients in one bowl, cream butter and sugar in another. Add eggs and vanilla to the butter, then slowly mix in the flour. The dough was slightly dry after mixing, but not crumbly. After spending time in the refrigerator, the flour absorbed some of the moisture and the fats hardened, making the chilled dough easy to roll and cut out. The dough was rolled thin which contributed to the cookies deliciously crispy texture, and they held their shape when baked. The only watch-out is to monitor the bake time, as these thin cookies can go from lightly golden to dark brown in an instant.

As promised, these cookies have a balanced vanilla-sugary flavor. In fact, these were the only cookies whose flavor and texture were perfect all on their own, even without a drizzle of icing or a sprinkle of sparkling sugar.

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How To Make Flourless Cookies

These cookies are very simple and only require a few steps. Heres a summary:

Whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, and salt. Stir in the chocolate chips and pecans. Add egg whites and stir until just combined

Drop batter by large tablespoons 3 inches apart onto parchment-lined baking sheets Bake for about 22-25 minutes, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until cookie tops are dry and crackled.

Transfer sheets to a wire rack to let cookies cool completely.

Carefully peel the cookies from the parchment if they tend to stick at all. Eat and enjoy!

My Favorite Soft Sugar Cookies

So I feel like Im a tad bit late with these cookies, since I just missed Christmas and all, but the truth is that sugar cookies are good all year round. In fact, next to a good Snickerdoodle, chewy sugar cookies are a total favorite of mine any day of the week. I feel like Cutout Sugar Cookies are the Christmas version of a sugar cookie while a classic drop cookie, like this one, is the year round version, you know?

And as with any classic, simple cookie that doesnt hide behind frosting or anything, it really needs to be just right. Soft and chewy for days, my friends. I dont want some cookie thats great for a day or so and then you have to toss them. No, these will call to you from the kitchen counter until theyre all eaten and it could be 4 or 5 days later .