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Perfect Sugar Cookies – I love sugar cookies. They’re one of my absolute favorites. The only thing I don’t like about them? Rolling the dough.
That’s why this recipe is perfect for me. If you’re a drop-cookie girl like me, they’re perfect for you too!
I’m super excited today. It’s Lisa’s baby shower day!
Almost two years ago I got an email from a reader. She had read my infertility post and wrote to me about it. Of course, touched that someone had taken the time to write me an email, I visited her blog, Wine & Glue. And I never left.
Lisa is one of the most inspirational people I know, and her blog reflects that. Since that email she and I have become fast friends. I know I can count on her anytime I need her. I was even able to meet her last October and from the second she sat down in my car it was nonstop talk until I dropped her back off at her hotel. We didn’t even stop to take a photo!
I am so happy for Lisa and her family and this new little life they’re bringing into the world. Some day soon I hope we can get our kids and husbands together and drink cocktails, eat pie, and eat cookie butter from the jar with a spoon.
Until then, congratulations Lisa! I’d give you a hug if we weren’t so damn far away from each other!
I hope you like these Perfect Sugar Cookies I brought to your shower today!
I’ve made these Perfect Sugar Cookies a few times now. They’re actually based on a recipe in my cookbook (hopefully out this fall). These are the perfect sugar cookies for several reasons:
1. You don’t have to roll them. That means flour stays in your flour bin and does not get all over you, the floor, the counter, and the dog.
2. I put almond extract in them. It’s optional, but wow does it make them good. (FYI, I could drink almond extract…if it tasted like it smelled, that is.)
3. It doesn’t need chilling. I KNOW, right? #soawesome #sounlikeme
4. The frosting makes the Perfect Sugar Cookies. I’m one of those people that is iffy about store-bought sugar cookies because either the cookie together with the frosting is just too much. But these? The cookie is just sweet enough that you could eat it alone, but the sweet frosting makes it perfect.
5. You can load them with sprinkles for any occasion. Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Christmas, pink for a baby shower…
FYI, it’s possible to eat about 6 of these Perfect Sugar Cookies in one sitting, not that I’d know or anything.
They’d be perfect for a baby shower. I know you’d love them Lisa! xoxo
**Update** For a funfetti cookie twist, skip the frosting and add sprinkles to the batter!
Perfect Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups flour
For the Frosting:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- Pinch of salt optional
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 5-7 teaspoons milk regular, low-fat, or fat-free
- Sprinkles and/or food coloring if desired
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with silpat liners or parchment paper.
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat in egg and both extracts. (Almond extract is optional, but adds amazing flavor!) Mix in baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly mix in flour. **See note for a fun funfetti twist**
- Scoop 2 tablespoon balls of dough (use a cookie scoop if you have one) onto cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes (10 for slightly underdone, 11-12 for more done). I like to take them out as soon as the bottom starts to turn brown (about 10 minutes for my oven). Cool 5 minutes before removing from cookie sheets. Place on a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
- Make the frosting: Beat butter until creamy with a hand or a stand mixer. Mix in salt if desired. Slowly add in powdered sugar until mixture is crumbly. (It will be very crumbly if using a hand mixer, more smooth if using a stand mixer.) Add vanilla and 3 teaspoons milk. Mix until the frosting comes together and becomes smooth, adding additional teaspoons of milk as needed for consistency. If you want your frosting to be a color, tint it now.
- Frost cookies and decorate with sprinkles. Store at room temperature loosely covered. Frosting will semi-dry and cookies are stackable but some frosting may transfer.
Recipe Nutrition
Click here to see more of my Christmas cookie recipes!
Please join us in celebrating a virtual baby show from Lisa of Wine and Glue. If you didn’t know already, it’s a girl!
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Thanks for reading!
How do I make Christmas red for sugar cookies? Please help, mine turn out pink.
I recommend using gel food coloring (like Americolor or Wilton) and using Super Red or bright red. That will color them darker than the grocery store stuff.
Fun and easy sugar cookie for me to make. I’m young and this was surprisingly easy and fun plus the cookies taste amazing 5/5 usually I find sugar cookies hard to bake. I also used these for lemon tarts.
Can I still roll this dough out and use cookie cutters? I’m fairly new at baking and just got some cute new cookie cutters and a mixer 😀
Try to roll it out when it’s still hot and soft, but work quickly.
Thank you Dorothy.
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