Classic Sugar Cookies
These classic sugar cookies make a cut-out cookie that is light and buttery without being too sweet. They are perfectly soft and flaky with just a hint of vanilla. Yummy with a sweet buttercream icing or left plain, this sugar cookie recipe is perfect for any occasion, holiday, or birthday party.
Servings 36 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups butter(4 sticks) softened
- 2 cups sugar
- 4 eggs slightly beaten
- 4 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 6 cups baking flour
Instructions
- In a stand mixer(or a large bowl with a handheld mixer), cream together your butter and sugar. Then add the eggs(slightly beaten) and vanilla extract. Mix until combined.
- Then add the salt and baking soda. Mix until combined. Then gradually add in the 6 cups of flour scraping the sides to make sure all is incorporated.
- Once everything is mixed, lay out a 2-3 foot sheet of plastic wrap. Scoop out the dough on the middle of the wrap and then close it up on all sides to form a ball. The dough will be sticky at this point which is OK. Chill the sugar cookie dough for at least 2 hours up to 5 days.
- After the dough has chilled sprinkle your counter with a good dusting of flour and uncover and place the dough in the center of the floured surface. Sprinkle more flour on top of the dough. Taking a rolling pin, roll out the dough into 1/4-inch thickness, and then use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Keep the shapes close together so you don’t waste dough and save all scraps for the second round of rolling and cutting. Transfer the cut out cookie dough shapes to a non-stick cookie baking sheet.
- Bake these sugar cookies in a preheated 350 degrees Fahrenheit oven for 8-10 minutes. Once the edges are turning golden brown remove the cookies from the oven, let the cookies cool for at least 5 minutes on the baking sheet, and then transfer them to a cooling rack.
- Once cooled enjoy these sugar cookies plain or ice them with your favorite icing. We can't get enough of this simple buttercream icing and put it on everything. It's light and fluffy and the perfect addition to these cookies.
Notes
Tips for the Perfect Sugar Cookie:
- I am going to say it again, soften your butter, do not melt it. I always soften mine on our counter by simply setting it out the day before on the counter. However, if your house is too cold, try using your bread-proof button on your oven and place it in there for a few minutes up to 5 minutes. You should be able to dent your butter with your finger.
- When placing the dough on the plastic wrap, the dough will be sticky. The ball forms mainly once you pull up all the sides of the wrap. Placing the dough in plastic wrap saves you time and muscle from trying to get formed hard cookie dough out of a bowl later. Unwrapping it is so much easier!
- Chilling the dough is key. It keeps the dough from getting too sticky and helps the cookies keep their shape while baking. If the dough is getting sticky, chill it. If your shapes are spreading, chill your cut out cookie shapes on the sheets before baking them too.
- Also, try rolling your dough thinner(1/8th thickness) if your shapes are still spreading.
- To roll out the second round of dough, chill the dough in between sets if you have time and add more flour to the counter and top of the dough when rolling.
You are adding flour to every round of rolling out the cookie dough so make sure your shapes a spaced close together as to not waste any dough. - If the dough is not releasing from the cookie cutter, try dipping the bottom edges of the cookie cutter in flour first before cutting out the dough shapes.
- Try to bake cookies that are all the same size in each batch. Otherwise smaller cookies could burn while you are waiting on large cookies to bake.