Description
Homemade sugar cookies shine with buttery sweetness and delicate edges. Classic American treats bring comfort and joy to home bakers seeking simple, delightful desserts you can share with friends and family.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients:
- 2.25 cups (281g) all-purpose flour
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
Sweeteners and Flavor Enhancers:
- 0.75 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 0.25 or 0.5 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
Wet Ingredients:
- 0.75 cup (170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
Instructions
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, ensuring a uniform, lump-free dry mixture.
- Using an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar at high speed until the mixture becomes pale, fluffy, and smooth, approximately 3 minutes.
- Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the butter mixture, beating until thoroughly blended and creating a uniform consistency.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients using low-speed mixing, adjusting with additional flour if the dough appears excessively sticky or soft.
- Separate the dough into two equal portions, then carefully roll each section between sheets of parchment paper to achieve a consistent 1/4-inch thickness.
- Layer the rolled dough sheets with parchment paper between them, then refrigerate for 1-2 hours to firm up and enhance flavor development.
- After chilling, remove dough and cut desired shapes using cookie cutters, placing them on a prepared baking sheet with adequate spacing.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and bake cookies for 11-12 minutes, watching for delicate golden-brown edges as an indication of perfect doneness.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened at room temperature for smooth, even mixing without overmixing.
- Add extra flour gradually if dough feels too sticky, preventing tough cookies by maintaining delicate texture.
- Chill dough thoroughly to prevent spreading and maintain crisp, clean cookie shapes during baking.
- Experiment with flavor variations by swapping almond extract with other extracts like orange or lemon for unique taste profiles.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 143
- Sugar: 6g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 15mg