Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
The perfect sugar cookie with crisp edges and a soft, tender center that melts in your mouth. This recipe has been tested and refined through dozens of iterations to create the ideal texture and flavor balance every time.
Equipment
- Electric Mixer
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Cutters
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour sifted, 343g
- 1 tsp baking powder aluminum-free preferred
- ½ tsp salt fine sea salt works beautifully
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened but still cool to touch, 226g
- 1½ cups granulated sugar superfine dissolves more evenly, 300g
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1½ tsp pure vanilla extract use real vanilla, not imitation
- ¼ tsp almond extract optional, adds subtle depth of flavor
Optional Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar 360g
- 3-5 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp pure vanilla extract
- food coloring optional
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This ensures even distribution of leavening agents.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. The mixture should change from yellow to almost white.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to your butter-sugar mixture. Beat until completely incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in three batches, mixing on low speed just until incorporated. Avoid overmixing. The dough should pull away from the sides of the bowl but still feel soft and pliable.
- Divide the dough in half, shape each portion into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden. The centers may look slightly underdone.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the optional icing: Whisk together powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. Add more milk as needed to reach desired consistency. Divide and add food coloring if desired. Decorate cooled cookies and allow icing to set completely before stacking or storing.
Notes
The almond extract is optional but adds complexity without making the cookies taste like almond.
For dairy-free cookies, substitute the butter with plant-based butter sticks (not spread).
For gluten-free cookies, replace all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend containing xanthan gum.
Don't skip the chilling step—it prevents spreading and improves texture.
Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week at room temperature.
Freeze unbaked dough for up to 3 months or baked cookies for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
Calories: 175kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 1.8gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 55mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 13g
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!