How to Make Delicious Sugar Cookies

Often sugar cookies are flavorless and tooth achingly sweet. This recipe makes cookies that taste as good as they look. It is the only one I use and I get rave reviews every time.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• DOUGH
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 cup butter, room temp
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• FROSTING
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/3 cup butter, room temp
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• About 4 1/2 tablespoons milk

1. Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla, almond extract, and egg. Mix well.

2. Combine flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Stir into butter mixture until incorporated. Do not over mix.

3. Place finished dough inside a large ziploc bag and press until fairly flat. Alternately, place dough on a large piece of plastic wrap, cover, and press flat. Refrigerate at least one hour. Pressing it flat will speed the cooling process and also make it easier to roll out as it is already the shape you need.

4. When dough is cold, preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

5. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Return half to the refrigerator until ready to use. Spread flour on a clean, flat surface (such as a counter or table). Place the dough on top and sprinkle more flour on top. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to about 1/4 inch. Cut shapes with cookie cutter of your choice.

6. Place cookies on cookie sheet (do not grease the sheet). Place sheet in center of oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, or until the cookies are very light tan around the edges. Leave the cookies on the pan for about a minute, then remove to cooling rack. Cool completely.

7. For the frosting, mix powdered sugar and butter. Stir in vanilla. Add milk one tablespoon at a time. You can use less or more milk depending on the consistency desired. For these cookies, I use the full 4 1/2 tablespoons. Beat frosting until smooth.

8. 
    
   Some cookie designs made with this recipe

   Use food coloring to make various colored frostings (or leave it white!). Then decorate the cookies as desired. Allow the frosting to set. These cookies are best the next day after the frosting is fully set, but they can be eaten right away if you just can't resist!

Tips & Warnings

• This recipe make about 24 large sugar cookies, or more depending on the size of your cutter.
• You can decorate your cookies with more than just frosting - add sprinkles, colored sugars, nonpareils, or other candies . . . be creative!
• Use a piping bag (or a ziploc bag with the corner cut off) to apply the icing. You will have more control and less mess.
• If the frosting is not to your desired consistency, don't panic! Simply add more milk or more powdered sugar to adjust.
• I use a stoneware baking sheet for my cookies. It evenly bakes the cookies from top to bottom and side to side.
• Depending on the size of you cutter, you may want to roll the dough thinner or thicker. Adjust the baking time accordingly.
• Use gel type food coloring so that the frosting does not become too thin.
• Do not attempt to stack these cookies until the frosting is fully set (at least 24 hours). Even then, the frosting remains soft. It may be better just to display them in a single layer.

[Mandica]

on 12/2/2009 Jenlynlee, With the cookie cutters I use, it makes approximately 2 fairly large cookies. The frosting is so smooth because of the consistency of it. It has to be thin enough that it will smooth out on its own after you put it on. And I use a plastic piping bag, first to outline the shape, then to fill it in. I hope that helps. I actually have an article on the Snowman cookies with step by step pics: http://www.ehow.com/how_4663027_make-snowman-cookies.html

[jenlynlee]

on 12/2/2009 Approximately, how many cookies does this make? I know it depends on the shape you use.....maybe you can't answer if you don't know what shape I am using?? Also, how do you get the frosting on your snowmen to be so perfect? Do you swirl the frosting around in a circle and then smooth out or how? Maybe this is your secret, and just maybe you want to share it with me and the rest of the world?

[LissaK]

on 2/10/2009 I love your idea and recipe, sounds so worth a try!

[momoftwokids]

on 12/15/2008 I am looking forward to making these cookies for Christmas. I love the picture of the finished cookies.

[gailM]

on 12/13/2008 I grew up eating, making and baking these cookies. But still like eating the dough best. Great recipe!