Desserts
Classic Sugar Cookies
Description
We consider this the best sugar cookie recipe out there—because it's the kind your grandma or even great-grandma would recognize. Baking homemade sugar cookies from scratch is a time-honored tradition, after all! With a tender, short texture that comes from a good buttery base, these sugar cookies break with just the right balance of bend and snap. And the taste? Perfection.
Ingredients:
- Cookies
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 to 5 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- Food colors, if desired
- Colored sugar or candy sprinkles, if desired
Directions:
- In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
- In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If icing is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread icing on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until icing is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.
