Best Sugar Cookie Ever
- auntlorabakes
- Nov 22, 2021
- 5 min read
In the past 2 years I have tried countless recipes for cutout cookies. No matter how hard I tried and how many different recipes I tried I always went back to the one on Sally’s Baking Addiction. There is literally nothing she hasn’t perfected. Sally (I refer to her by name like we are best friends or something) not only has amazing recipes, but she is a great teacher of baking. This is the link to her recipe. Sally's Best Sugar Cookie recipe
The recipe I use is merely adapted from hers. I added more flour because my goal is being able to make large batches of cookies that I decorate and either seal individually and ship, or ,make as a part of a set for local delivery. I also played with adding different flavors. Playing with flavors is something I truly enjoy about baking. There is no limit to our baking creativity if we’re willing to throw caution to the wind and try. And trust me when I say I have failed more times than I have succeeded. And I’m okay with that.
There are hundreds of recipes for cut out cookies. So, what makes mine so special? I’m glad you asked. Simply put, I like the way they taste. The beauty about baking is that we all have our own set of taste buds. What tastes amazing to me, might taste bland to you. So please, please don’t be afraid to play with flavor. If this recipe doesn’t rock your world then find one that does. And if you find another recipe that rocks your world I would love to see it so please share it with me. I’d love to give it a try.
This cut out cookie, by itself, without icing, tastes fabulous. They have the perfect balance of butter, sugars, vanilla, and caramel. They also make the perfect base for flavored icing for when you want to decorate them. All of these flavors are subtle enough to wake up your taste buds, but not strong enough to overpower the cookie. I keep a batch of these baked cookies in my freezer for those times I crave something wonderful. A few seconds in the microwave and BAM! I have a snack. Truth be told, these cut out cookies also make a perfect canvas for peanut butter. Don’t judge me. I’ll put peanut butter on almost anything.
Something else I love about this cookie recipe is the way the cookies mostly keep their shape. I say mostly because cookies spread in the oven. There’s no real way around that. Freezing the dough minimizes the spread as does putting the cookies in the oven straight from the freezer or the refrigerator. Most cookie makers (known as cookiers) reshape their cookies after they come out to the oven in order to get that perfect looking cookie that will photograph beautifully for their Instagram page. Don’t worry if yours don’t come out perfectly. No one’s does.
Remember my friends, you’re not competing with anyone. For me, baking is meant to be enjoyed and shared. If you make something and it turns out funny looking, still share it. If you make something that tastes horrible, move on and find a recipe that works for you.
We’re in this together,
Lora
As always, please post pictures of your Best Sugar Cookie Ever and include @auntlorabakes and #bestsugarcookieever.
INGREDIENTS
300 g All Purpose Flour
1/2 t baking powder
1 ½ t kosher salt
170 g unsalted butter at room temperature (not mushy, just soft)*
100 g granulated sugar
50 g brown sugar (light or dark)
1 egg at room temperature
2 t Vanilla Bean Paste (or vanilla extract if you don’t have it)
2 t Cookie Nip flavoring (I get mine from Amazon) *See note for substitution options
INSTRUCTIONS
In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter and sugars until light yellow and fluffy (about 3 minutes). I usually have to stop mixing at least once to scrape down the bowl and the paddle attachment to make sure the butter and sugars on the bottom of the bowl is getting mixed in.
Add the egg, vanilla, and cookie nip flavoring and continue to blend on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes. Again, I like to scrape down my mixing bowl half way through.
Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. (You can sift it into the mixing bowl if you want to, but I just stir it all together with a whisk before pouring it into my mixing bowl)
Add the flour mixture to your mixing bowl and mix on low just until the flour is mostly incorporated. Yes, I usually have to stop mixing at least once to scrape down the bowl and the paddle attachment to make sure the butter and sugars on the bottom of the bowl is getting mixed in.
Stop mixing and use a large spoon to finish mixing in the flour.
Take half the cookie dough and roll it out between to 2 pieces of parchment paper. I roll my dough to be ¼ inch. Repeat this process with the second half of the cookie dough. Place the rolled-out cookie dough on a cookie sheet, cover and chill for 1 ½ to 2 hours before using.
AFTER THE COOKIE DOUGHT HAS CHILLED
Pre Heat oven to 350°
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. When the oven is preheated, take out one portion of the rolled-out cookie dough. Cut out desired shapes and place them on the parchment paper lined cookie sheet. Make sure to leave some space between the cookie shapes.
Bake for 10 – 12 minutes. The outside of the cookies should be golden and the bottom of the cookie should have color.
While the cookies bake, re-roll the scraps from the cookie dough you just used and put it back in the refrigerator. Repeat the process with the remaining cookie dough.
Decorate using your favorite frosting or icing. Stay tuned for my royal icing recipe. If you subscribe to my page you will be notified when I post the recipe.
As always, please post pictures of your Best Sugar Cookie Ever and include @auntlorabakes and #bestsugarcookieever.
DOWNLOAD & PRINT RECIPE
NOTES
Flavor Substitutions- If you don’t have Cookie Nip flavoring simply increase the vanilla to 1 tablespoon and add in ½ - 1 teaspoon of almond extract.
Cold Dough- Putting the cut-out cookies in the oven as cold as possible is going to help the cookies spread as little as possible. All cookies spread in the oven. If you don’t like how a cookie spreads then gently try to reshape it after you get it out of the oven. Some bakers cut out their shapes and then put them back in the refrigerator before putting them in the oven. You can even cut out your cookies and store them in the refrigerator to bake another day.
Decorating- Your cookies must be completely cool before you start to decorate. I like to bake my cookies and start decorating on the next day. Store your baked cookies in an airtight container.
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