All In One Sugar Cookie Dough Recipes

BASIC SUGAR-COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar on high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add eggs, vanilla, and salt; mix on medium speed until combined. With mixer on low speed, add flour in 2 batches, mixing just until incorporated.
• Divide dough into 4 equal portions. Place each on a piece of plastic wrap; flatten into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap; refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to 1 week.

ALL-IN-ONE SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk flour and salt together. In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and sugar until well combined and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla and beat until just combined. Reduce speed to low and gradually blend in the flour mixture; mix until just combined.
• For roll-and-cut cookies:
• Form dough into two equal-sized balls and flatten into discs. Wrap both in plastic and chill at least 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Prepare a well-floured surface and a well-floured rolling pin to help keep the dough from sticking. Working with one disc at a time, roll dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out as many cookies as possible with cookie cutters (if dough becomes too soft, chill until firm). Arrange cookies 1 1/2 inches apart on two ungreased baking sheets and chill 15 minutes. Gather scraps, form into a small disc, and chill until firm.
• Bake cookies until golden brown at edges (rotating baking sheets and switching position on racks halfway through), 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely.
• Roll out the second disc of dough and scraps (reroll scraps only once) and bake on cooled baking sheets. Transfer to racks to cool completely. Decorate, if desired.
• For slice-and-bake cookies:
• Halve dough and form into two logs, 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap logs in plastic and roll to form a more uniform round shape. Chill at least 2 hours.
• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch-thick rounds and arrange 1 1/2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake cookies until golden brown at edges (rotating baking sheets and switching position on racks halfway through), 16 to 18 minutes. Transfer to cooling racks to cool completely. Decorate, if desired.
• VARIATIONS:
• Pistachio-Cranberry: After blending the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, add 3/4 cup dried unsweetened cranberries and 3/4 cup chopped pistachios. Mix gently to incorporate.
• Lemon-Thyme: After blending the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, add 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon picked fresh thyme leaves. Mix gently to incorporate. After baked cookies have cooled, make a simple glaze, if desired: whisk together 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar and 1 to 2 tablespoons whole milk. Spoon a small amount onto the center of each cookie and top with additional lemon zest and thyme leaves.
• Chai-Spiced with Crystallized Ginger: When combining the dry ingredients, whisk in 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom, 1/4 teaspoon ground clove, and 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger. After blending the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, add 3/4 cup chopped crystallized ginger. Mix gently to incorporate. Sprinkle with sanding sugar or sugar in the raw, if desired, before baking.
• Carrot Cake: When combining the dry ingredients, whisk in 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon. After blending the flour mixture into the butter and sugar mixture, add 3/4 cup finely grated carrot and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts. Mix gently to incorporate.
• To make Carrot-Cake Sandwich Cookies: Follow the slice-and-bake method above to bake cookies. To make sandwich filling, use an electric mixer to beat 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter on medium-high until smooth and fluffy. Add 8 ounces room temperature bar cream cheese and beat until well blended. Add 2 1/2 cups sifted confectioner's sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix on medium-low until well combined. Spread 2 to 3 teaspoons of filling on the flat side of a baked cookie, and then top with another cookie (domed side up) to form a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.
• Mocha: Whisk 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 2 tablespoons instant espresso powder into the dry ingredients. Follow the rest of the procedure as written above in the base recipe.
• To make Mocha-Caramel Sandwich Cookies: Follow the slice-and-bake method above to bake cookies. To assemble the sandwiches, spread homemade or store-bought dulce de leche caramel on the flat side of a baked cookie, then top with another cookie (domed side up) to form a sandwich. Repeat with the rest of the cookies.

EASY SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
• Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

ALL-IN-ONE COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy. Add yolks, one at a time, scraping the bowl after each addition. Add vanilla. With mixer on low, add flour; mix just until combined. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, about 1 hour.
• Citrus or Spice: Whisk 1 tablespoon grated lemon, lime, or orange zest (or a combination), or 1 tablespoon pumpkin-pie spice into the flour before adding it to the butter mixture.

3-IN-1 SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Beat the butter and both sugars in another medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks, vanilla and orange zest mixing until fully incorporated. Slowly add the flour mixture, and continue beating until the dough comes together, stopping and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• For rolled cookies: Roll about a tablespoon of dough by hand into a ball. Dip 1 side of the balls into some coarse sugar and place them sugar-side-up on an ungreased baking sheet, leaving about 1-inch between cookies.
• For sliced cookies: Divide dough in half, roll by hand into 2-inch-wide logs, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Cut the logs into 1/4-inch-thick cookies and place them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between cookies.
• For cutout cookies: Divide dough in half, pat into disks, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours.
• Roll dough between lightly floured parchment, or waxed paper, until about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer sheets to a baking sheet and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut into desired shape using a cookie cutter, place them on ungreased baking sheets, leaving about 1-inch between cookies. (Gather the dough scraps together, pat into a disk, chill and reroll.)
• Refrigerate cookies while preheating the oven to 375 degrees F, for at least 30 minutes.
• Bake the cookies, until the bottoms are golden, about 10 to 15 minutes depending on shape. Cool on sheets until firm enough to transfer to a rack to cool. Decorate as desired and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 month.
• Combine all the ingredients, except the food coloring, in the bowl of a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix slowly until stiff enough to form peaks. The icing should be pure white and thick, but not fluffy and bubbly. If the frosting is overbeaten, it will get aerated which makes it harder to work with. If this happens, let the frosting sit to settle, then use a rubber spatula to vigorously beat and smooth out the frosting.
• Alternatively, combine ingredients in a large bowl, and beat with hand beaters on low speed until the frosting thickens to stiff peaks.
• Add up to 1 tablespoon food coloring and mix with a rubber spatula until the color is uniform. (Adding too much color reduces the sheen of the frosting and can break down the consistency of the frosting over a couple of days.) Store icing, covered, with plastic film on the surface of the icing.
• Yield: 1 pound royal icing (1 2/3 cup)

BASIC SUGAR COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• Cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy (1 to 2 minutes). Add egg and vanilla and continue beating until mixture looks smooth (2 minutes). Incorporate flour and salt into butter mixture in low speed. Scrape down sides if bowl. Shape into 2 disks. Wrap disks in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 45 to 60 minutes.
• Roll out, cut into desired shapes and bake in a preheated 350-degree oven on lightly greased cookie sheets for 8 to 10 minutes.