How to Bake & Decorate Sugar Cookies Like a Professional
A batch of freshly baked sugar cookies is the perfect treat for guests of all ages. The crisp edges of the sweet, tender cookies pack a rich flavor with each bite. Whether you are baking cookies for a birthday, a bake sale, mid-morning or afternoon tea party, you can easily bake and decorate a batch of sugar cookies that rival bakery made treats. While they are most often enjoyed during Christmastime, the easy-to-bake cookies are a year-round favorite. Decorate your cookies to enhance their appeal. Does this Spark an idea?
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Things You'll Need
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- Mixing bowl
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- Bowl
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp. ground apple spice
- Ziploc bag
- Knife
- Rolling pin
- Cookie cutter
- Cookie sheet
- Cooling rack
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- Food coloring (optional)
- Sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
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1
Add the butter to a mixing bowl and beat until creamy using a mixer set on medium-high speed. Reduce the speed of the mixer to medium-low as you add the eggs, vanilla extract and sugar to the bowl.
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2
Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and apple spice in a separate bowl using a spatula. Slowly beat the contents of into the other bowl until the resulting dough resembles a ball that pulls away from the sides of the bowl easily. Turn the mixer off.
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3
Remove the dough from the bowl and place it in a zip-close bag. Tamp the dough in the bag until relatively flat. Alternatively, cover the dough in plastic wrap and press until flat. Refrigerate the covered dough for at least two hours.
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4
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F when the dough is cold. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and cut in half. Return one half in the fridge to use within the next four to five days.
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5
Sprinkle a pinch of flour over a clean and dry section of the kitchen counter and spread so it covers an 18-inch by 18-inch area. Place the cut section of dough over the floured counter and roll it until 1/4-inch thick. Cover the rolling pin lightly in flour to keep it from sticking to the dough.
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6
Dip your desired cookie cutter in flour before placing it over the rolled dough. Press it all the way down into the dough and wiggle to cut out the shape from it. Repeat the process until you cut the dough into individual cookies.
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7
Spread the cookies on a cookie sheet, or a parchment-lined baking sheet, and place it in the oven. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the cookies rise and brown lightly around the edges. Pull out the cookies leave on the pan for a minute before placing on a cooking rack until completely cool.
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8
Mix powdered sugar and butter in a bowl for the frosting. Add vanilla extract and 3 1/2 to 4 1/2 tbsp. of milk, depending on the consistency you want. Beat the frosting until smooth.
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9
Pour two to three drops of desired food coloring to the frosting, or leave it white. Spread the frosting over the cookies with a spatula and leave to rest. Embellish the cookies with sprinkles or leave as they are.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Comstock/Getty Images
