Sugar Cookie Dough Recipes

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.

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.

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.

EVERYTHING SUGAR COOKIE (DOUGH!)

Steps:

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the sugar and butter on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the vanilla and eggs and beat on medium speed until just combined. Add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix everything on low speed until just combined. Stir in the pretzels. toffee bits and potato chips until you have an even mix.
• Using waxed paper, roll the dough into 3 logs (each about 12 inches long). If you want to enjoy these later, wrap the waxed paper logs in plastic wrap and pop in the freezer
• When ready to bake from fresh or frozen, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
• Slice the dough into 3/4-inch-thick slices with a sharp knife (no need to thaw), place on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the edges are light brown and the middle has set, about 15 minutes. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

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.

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE BY TASTY

Steps:

• Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese with an electric hand mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes, until fluffy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Scrape down the bowl as needed to evenly beat the mixture.
• Add the egg, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Add the salt, then sift the flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar into the bowl and fold to incorporate some of the flour. Then beat on low speed, just until incorporated and the dough comes together.
• Shape the dough into a flat disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3-4 days.
• When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
• Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cookie dough with a rolling pin to ¼-inch (6mm) thick.
• Dip cookie cutters of your choice in some extra flour and cut out shapes from the dough. Gather any excess dough into a ball and chill in the fridge to firm, then re-roll and cut out more cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and chill for at least 20 minutes to ensure they hold their shapes.
• Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just barely start to turn golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with royal icing or frosting.
• To make the royal icing, sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl and add the salt. On one side of the bowl, add the vanilla and egg whites.
• Where you added the liquids, begin whisking the powdered sugar into the liquids, gathering a bit more as you whisk to prevent lumps from forming, until all of the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add food coloring, if desired, and whisk to incorporate. You can divide the icing into smaller bowls to make more than one color. At this point, the icing should be a good consistency for piping borders. If you'd like the frosting to be looser to flood or dip your cookies, add a few tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
• Decorate the cookies as desired.
• Enjoy!

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.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks. To ice cookies, spread with the back of a spoon. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired.
• For the icing, sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in milk, water, or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, whisk in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid. Spread over cookies with back of a spoon. Add other decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.

BASIC COOKIE DOUGH

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Beat in eggs, milk and vanilla. In another bowl, whisk 7-1/2 cups flour, baking powder and salt; gradually beat into creamed mixture, adding more flour if necessary. Divide dough into four 2-cup portions. Refrigerate, covered, until needed., Basic Cookie Dough may be used to prepare the following recipes: Crumb-Topped Date Bars, Cherry Surprise Cookies, Chocolate Mallow Cookies or Jelly Sandwich Cookies.