Confectioners Sugar Cookies Recipes

BEST CUT OUT SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

Steps:

• Combine all ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or in a large mixing bowl if using a hand mixer). Mix on low, scraping the bowl occasionally, until the mixture forms a cookie dough. Be sure to start on low or the dry ingredients will fly everywhere!
• Divide the dough in half. Place a large sheet of waxed paper on a large cutting board or flat surface. Place the cookie dough on the wax paper. Place another large sheet of wax paper on top of the cookie dough. Press down into a flat disk with the palm of your hand, then roll out the dough between the two pieces of wax paper. After each 3-4 rolls, carefully lift the top sheet of wax paper off the dough, then replace it, flip the dough over, and carefully peel the other wax paper sheet, replace it, then continue rolling until the dough is about 1/4" thick. Place the dough, still between the wax paper sheets, on another cutting board or cookie sheet.
• Repeat with second half of dough. Place both rolled out cookie dough sheets in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or wrap them well with plastic wrap and chill overnight).
• When ready to cut cookies, preheat oven to 375°F.
• Cut cookies in desired shapes and place them on a parchment or silpat lined baking sheet. Save the scraps of dough and re-roll them as needed. Note: once you re-roll the dough, you may want to chill those cutouts for about 10 minutes before baking them so they'll keep their shape.
• Bake cookies for 6-10 minutes depending on the size. I take them out as soon as the bottoms start to brown because we like them softer. If you want crunchy cookies, let them cook longer. Cool completely before frosting and decorating.
• To make frosting, beat butter until smooth in a large bowl with an electric mixer. Slowly mix in powdered sugar, then vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk at a time until the frosting is the consistency you desire. Tint the frosting if you want it a color.
• Frost cookies, decorating them with sprinkles. Store loosely covered at room temperature.

MARY'S SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream together the butter and confectioners' sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg and stir in the vanilla and almond extract. Combine the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar; blend into the creamed mixture. Cover and chill for at least two hours.
• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Divide the dough into two parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll each piece of the dough out to 3/16 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto greased cookie sheets. Sprinkle cookies with plain or colored granulated sugar.
• Bake for 8 minutes in the preheated oven, until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

POWDERED SUGAR COOKIES I

Steps:

• Beat sugars, margarine, vegetable oil and salt very well. Add eggs and dry ingredients.
• Make into balls, roll in sugar and place 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 8 minutes. For holidays or special occasions, roll in colored sugar instead of white sugar.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the superfine sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Gently gather any scraps of dough into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
• For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
• Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Cream together the butter, sugar, salt and vanilla seeds in a medium bowl with an electric mixer on medium-high speed for 1 to 2 minutes. (Don't overmix or your cookies will not stay in shape when they bake.) Add the egg and mix just to combine, then add the flour, ginger and cinnamon and mix until it all looks uniform.
• Squidge the mixture into a ball and then pat it down into a disc. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill until firm, in the fridge for about 20 minutes or the freezer for 15 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Once firm, roll the dough out on a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick, then cut out your cookies using any cutter you like. You may need to re-roll the dough a couple of times to cut out all your cookies. If the dough gets too soft, put it back in the freezer/fridge to firm up. Put the cut-out cookies in the fridge for 10 minutes to firm up before baking, so they don't spread too much in the oven.
• Bake until the cookies are just turning golden brown, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with Royal Icing and your favorite sprinkles.
• Add the egg whites to a bowl and whisk until frothy soft peaks form. Add the confectioners' sugar gradually, mixing until the royal icing is uniform and nice and shiny. Add the lemon juice and whisk a little more to incorporate.

CONFECTIONER'S SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar.
• Beat until light. Add egg and vanilla.
• Beat until fluffy.
• Add dry ingredients. Stir just until mixed.
• Refrigerate. Roll, cut and bake for 6 minutes at 350° on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Cool, frost and decorate.
• Variations: Spread unbaked shapes with egg white and decorate with sprinkles-then bake. Add 1 cup chopped nuts (walnuts or pecans here in Texas). Roll in 1" balls.
• Bake, cool and toss in a paper lunch sack with confectioner's sugar to coat. Roll dough in 1" balls.
• Bake, cool and toss in paper bag with sugar/cinnamon mixture to coat. Add 1 cup of candied fruits to dough.
• Roll in 1" balls. Bake and cool.
• Divide dough in half.
• Color dough and use dough as basis of pinwheel cookies or checkerboard cookies.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 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 frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• 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.