For years, sugar cookies have thrilled palates as a beloved staple. Their delicate texture and delicate sweetness make them a must-have dessert for parties or a warm snack on a rainy day. Whether you like them plain or as a background for vibrant frosting and embellishments, their versatility is evident. Sugar cookies are appealing to bakers of all skill levels because they are soft in the center and perfectly crisp around the outside.
What You Can Learn From This Recipe?
Making sugar cookies teaches basic baking skills such as using cookie cutters to make fun shapes, rolling dough uniformly for even baking, and creaming sugar and butter for a soft and tender texture. Additionally, you will discover the significance of chilling dough for accurate shapes and the art of harmonizing flavors with vanilla.
What I Love About This Recipe?
The simplicity and versatility of sugar cookies are what I adore most about them. They allow for creativity while being simple to prepare. These cookies never fail to make people smile, whether they are made as a festive batch for a festival or as a regular sweet treat. In addition to being enjoyable, decorating them with icing is a great way to spend time with loved ones.
What’s the Best Way to Store Leftovers?
Remaining sugar cookies can be kept for up to a week at room temperature in an airtight container. You may keep the cookies from drying out by keeping a slice of bread in the container to keep them soft. Undecorated cookies can be stored for up to three months in a sealed bag; thaw at room temperature before serving.
What to Serve With It?
A cup of tea, coffee, or hot cocoa is a great accompaniment to sugar cookies. Serve them with a dollop of lemon curd, whipped cream, or fresh fruit for an entertaining dessert spread. They make a delicious addition to a dessert dish alongside other cookies or pastries during the holidays.
Sugar Cookies: A Sweet and Simple Classic
Description
The classic dessert for any occasion is a sugar cookie. Both children and adults love them for their crisp edges, subtle sweetness, and buttery base. These cookies are adaptable and simple to personalize, making them ideal for holiday decorating or for eating plain with a dusting of sugar. You are free to shape, frost, or decorate these delicate, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies anyway you like. Sugar cookies are the ideal fusion of simplicity and tradition, whether they are being served for a sweet snack, a joyous event, or a kind gift.
Ingredients
Instructions
How to Make Sugar Cookies
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Prepare the Dough
- In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing until combined.
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Combine Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add this mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough forms.
- If needed, add milk to bring the dough together.
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Chill the Dough
Shape the dough into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
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Shape the Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
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Bake the Cookies
- Place the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, ensuring they are spaced about 1 inch apart.
- If desired, sprinkle additional sugar on top.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges turn a light golden brown.
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Cool and Decorate
- Once baked, let the cookies sit on the sheet for 5 minutes to cool, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool fully
- Decorate with icing or enjoy plain.
Servings 24
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 120kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 7g11%
- Saturated Fat 4g20%
- Cholesterol 20mg7%
- Sodium 45mg2%
- Potassium 10mg1%
- Total Carbohydrate 15g5%
- Protein 1g2%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- For softer cookies, add an extra tablespoon of milk to the dough.
- Dough can be frozen for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
- Use festive cookie cutters and icing to make them seasonally themed.
Journey of Sugar Cookies
The history of sugar cookies as we know them now is lengthy and delicious, with roots in inventiveness and simplicity. The history of sugar cookies starts in the early eighteenth century in the Pennsylvanian hamlet of Nazareth. The custom of baking cookies with basic ingredients like flour, sugar, and butter was introduced by German immigrants. These early cookies, which were called after the town of Nazareth, were a great forerunner of contemporary sugar cookies since they were crisp, buttery, and subtly sweet.
A Recipe Born from Simplicity
To make comfortable treats during a period of limited resources, settlers turned to cupboard goods. The perfect answer turned out to be sugar cookies, which had a pleasing texture and flavor despite only requiring a few ingredients. The dough was a popular with bakers of all abilities since it was simple to work with.
Sugar cookies had established themselves in American homes by the 19th century. Bakers were able to create stars, hearts, and other festive motifs out of this simple dough thanks to the development of cookie cutters in a variety of forms. These developments turned sugar cookies from commonplace sweets into party favors.
An American Holiday Staple
As the 20th century went on, sugar cookies came to represent American holiday customs. Particularly around Christmas, families all around the nation made and decorated these sweets together. Sugar cookies evolved from a delicacy to a representation of happiness, love, and kinship due to their connection to festivities and gift-giving.
This traditional dish gained a creative twist with the popularity of adorned sugar cookies. Bakers were able to customize their products with icing, sprinkles, and edible decorations, allowing each batch to represent the occasion or season. Sugar cookies are now a blank canvas for creativity, from bright Christmas trees to pastel Easter eggs.
The Global Influence and Modern Popularity
Despite having a strong cultural connection to America, sugar cookies are popular everywhere. These delicious delicacies are made in many different nations, and each one has a somewhat different texture and flavor. Similar cookies are scented with cardamom or almond essence in Scandinavian nations, giving the traditional recipe a distinctive twist.
Sugar cookies have evolved beyond their modest beginnings. They are popular for weddings, birthday celebrations, bake sales, and more. Bakers are displaying creative creations that range from exquisite lace patterns to hand-painted masterpieces, reflecting the resurgence of creativity brought about by the introduction of social media.
A Timeless Treat for All Ages
Why do sugar cookies last so long? Their simplicity, which allows for countless alternatives, might be the reason. Perhaps it's their capacity to unite people—baking and decorating cookies is a way for friends, family, and even professional bakers to bond.
Sugar cookies serve as a reminder that sometimes the most profound things are the most basic. They convey comfort and joy, whether they are shared amid festive laughter or savored with a peaceful cup of tea.
I appreciate you being a part of this wonderful adventure!
