Sugar Cookie Cutouts Recipes

SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl.
• Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on medium speed until pale and fluffy. Mix in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Divide dough in half; flatten each half into a disk. Wrap each in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees with racks in upper and lower thirds. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough between two pieces of plastic wrap to 1/4 inch thick. Remove top layer of plastic wrap. Cut out cookies with a 4-inch one-piece-shaped cookie cutter. To make an ornament, cut out a hole from the center of the neck about 1/4-inch from the edge using a straw. Transfer cookie dough on plastic wrap to a baking sheet. Transfer baking sheet to freezer, freeze until very firm, about 15 minutes. Remove baking sheet from freezer and transfer shapes to baking sheets lined with nonstick baking mats. Roll out scraps, and repeat. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
• Bake, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks.

SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in cream. Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle., On a generously floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 6-8 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool. , In another large bowl, cream butter, sugar, vanilla and enough cream to achieve spreading consistency. Add food coloring if desired. Frost cookies. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

EASY CUT-OUT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
• Combine flour, baking powder and salt in small bowl; set aside.
• Place sugar and butter into bowl of heavy-duty stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment. Beat at medium speed until well combined. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract; beat until well mixed. Gradually add flour mixture, beating at low speed until just combined.
• While removing dough from bowl, knead to incorporate crumbs and form smooth dough. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/8-inch thickness.
• Cut into shapes with 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place onto prepared cookie sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes or until just beginning to brown around edges. Cool on cookie sheet 2 minutes; remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.
• For directions to achieve a marbled look, follow the steps in The Royal Icing Technique You Need to Know This Holiday Season.

SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Sift together the flour and baking powder, stir into the creamed mixture alternately with the heavy cream. Cover dough, and chill for 2 to 3 hours, until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease cookie sheets.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared cookie sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.
• Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottoms and edges of cookies are light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks. Store in an airtight container.

HILLS FAMILY SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Sift the flour with baking powder and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Using an electric mixer, cream the butter for a full minute, then add the sugar and beat at medium speed until light, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla until fluffy and very light, another 2 to 4 minutes. With a wooden spoon gradually work the flour into the creamed mixture. Divide the dough into two portions and wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, at least several hours or overnight.
• Heat the oven to 400°. On a floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thick, using more flour for the rolling pin, sprinkled on the dough, and additionally on the floured surface as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters and place on cookie sheets.
• This dough works beautifully if gathered and rerolled; if it gets too soft, chill for about 15 minutes.
• Refrigerate or freeze the cut-out cookies on their baking sheets for 10 to 15 minutes so they will retain their firm edges as they bake; if you're in a hurry, go ahead and bake the cookies immediately. Bake for 5 to 8 minutes or until cookies are puffed and only just barely starting to brown at the edges: Start with the shortest amount of time and watch carefully, especially with very small cookies. As the cookies are fragile right out of the oven, let cool slightly before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
• When cool, glaze and decorate as desired.
• Makes up to 6 dozen cookies, depending on the size. This recipe can be easily doubled or tripled.
• Whisk the egg white and salt until loosened and beginning to foam. Add oil, confectioners' sugar, and cream gradually and whisk, adding more sugar and cream until the glaze is of spreading consistency: You want it to be thin enough to spread easily over the cookies to their edges, but not so thin it runs off the sides.
• Using an offset spatula or a smooth table knife, spread the glaze over each cookie, filling in the shape to its edges. While the glaze is wet, you can decorate the cookies with colored sprinkles, or leave the glaze plain, let dry, and add more decoration with Royal Icing.
• Before you start, make sure that all utensils and containers are clean and grease-free. Have ready several small containers for dividing the icing and tinting it with different colors, if desired. You will need to keep the royal icing covered with a damp cloth, plastic wrap, or tight fitting lid or it will dry out. Royal icing will keep, tightly covered, in the refrigerator for about one week. This recipe is proportioned for the firmest-textured icing; adjust the texture with the addition of water or sugar as explained below.
• If using egg whites, combine the egg whites, cream of tartar, and sugar and beat until the icing is thick and holds billowy peaks, about 6 to 8 minutes. Add glycerin for extra shine, if desired.
• If using meringue powder, whisk the meringue powder and sugar together in the bowl of an electric mixer. Add the water and beat on low speed for about 5 minutes, until icing is thick and holds billowy peaks. Don't overbeat or the icing texture will become hard to work with. Add glycerin for extra shine, if desired. To adjust the consistency of icing: To thicken, add sifted confectioners' sugar a spoonful at a time, whisking thoroughly until you reach the desired consistency. To thin, add warm water a few drops at a time, mixing with a spoon. Piped outlines and details require the thickest icing; flows of color over a whole cookie or in sections can be somewhat thinner.
• Royal icing hardens very quickly when exposed to air, so cover with a damp cloth, plastic wrap, or container lids when not in immediate use.
• Divide the icing into separate containers for each color to be used. Tint the icing with small amounts of food coloring until it reaches the color desired.
• To use, icing can be spread onto cookies with an offset spatula or table knife-even painted on with small, previously unused paintbrushes, such as the ones that come in a child's paint box-or it can be piped through a pastry bag and tips. For simple, plain outlines, use a zipper plastic bag with a tiny hole cut from one corner.
• Makes about 3 cups of icing.

EASY CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 375°F. In large bowl, stir cookie mix, flour, melted butter and egg until soft dough forms.
• On floured surface, roll dough 1/4 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with 3-inch cookie cutters. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheets to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 15 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat powdered sugar, 2 to 4 tablespoons milk and the 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 candy sprinkles and colored sugars. Let stand about 30 minutes or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

DECORATED SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, egg yolks and extracts. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Divide dough in half. Shape each into a ball, then flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour., On a lightly floured surface, roll one portion of dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Repeat., Bake at 350° for 13-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool completely. , For icing, in a large bowl, combine the confectioners' sugar, water, meringue powder and corn syrup. If desired, add extract and tint with food coloring; beat on low speed just until combined. Beat on high for 4-5 minutes or until stiff peaks form. Keep unused icing covered at all times with a damp cloth. If necessary, beat again on high speed to restore texture. Frost cookies. Let stand until set. , To decorate cookies, place melted candy coating in small resealable plastic bags; cut a small hole in the corner of each bag. Decorate cookies as desired.

SUGAR COOKIE CUT-OUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar with an electric mixer.
• Beat in the egg and vanilla.
• In another bowl, mix together the flour and baking powder.
• Add the flour/baking powder mixture one cup at a time, mixing after each addition. (The dough will be very stiff; blend the last flour in by hand.).
• Do NOT chill the dough.
• Divide dough into 2 balls.
• On a floured surface, roll each ball into a circle approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.
• Cut cookies into desired shapes, dipping cookie cutters in flour before each use.
• Decorate with gel and crystal sprinkle decorations, if desired.
• Bake on ungreased baking sheet on middle rack of oven for 6 to 10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.
• Cool 2 to 3 minutes before removing and cooling on a baking grid/cooling rack.
• You can sprinkle cocoa powder on the cookies if desired (looks good if you're making reindeer shaped cookies).
• Cookies may be frozen in a tightly sealed container for up to 2 months.

CLASSIC CHRISTMAS SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• In large bowl, mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, almond extract and egg until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 3 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half of dough 3/16 inch thick. Cut into assorted shapes with cookie cutters, or cut around patterns traced from storybook illustrations. If cookies are to be hung as decorations, make a hole in each 1/4 inch from top with end of plastic straw. Place on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In medium bowl, beat all frosting ingredients until smooth and spreadable. Tint with food color if desired. Frost and decorate cookies as desired with frosting and colored sugars.

PHILADELPHIA SUGAR COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Beat cream cheese and butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Add granulated sugar and vanilla; mix well. Gradually add flour, beating well after each addition. Refrigerate several hours or until chilled.
• Heat oven to 350°F. Roll out dough to 1/4-inch thickness on lightly floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with 3- to 4-inch cookie cutters; sprinkle with colored sugar. Place, 2 inches apart, on baking sheets.
• Bake 12 to 15 min. or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheets 2 min. Remove to wire racks; cool completely.

SUGAR-COOKIE CUTOUTS

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Beat together butter and sugar with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and gradually add flour mixture until combined. Shape dough into a disk and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm but still pliable, at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Transfer half of dough to a lightly floured piece of parchment; roll to just under 1/4-inch thick. Transfer dough on parchment to a baking sheet and freeze until firm, 30 minutes. Repeat with other half of dough.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Using a craft knife and the template (or a cookie cutter), cut out cookies and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake until golden on edges, 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool completely on sheets on wire racks.