🍪 Classic Sugar Cookies Recipe – Perfectly Soft, Buttery & Decor-ready

Introduction: The Comfort of Sugar Cookies

Few baked goods inspire nostalgia like classic sugar cookies—their warm, vanilla-scented flavor and sturdy yet tender texture make them ideal for decorating. Whether you’re crafting festive cutouts for holidays, gifting sweet treats, or enjoying a simple snack, these cookies hit the perfect balance of buttery richness and delicate crispness.

In this guide, I’ll walk you through:

• The perfect dough-making process
• Rolling, chilling, and baking tips
• Frosting and decoration ideas
• Variations and dietary swaps
• Make-ahead strategies and storage advice
• FAQs to troubleshoot every baker’s concern

Ready to bake a batch that’s crowd-pleasing and Instagram-ready? Let’s go!

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Ingredients (Makes ~30 cookies; Serves 10–12)

• 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, for nuance)
• 1–2 tablespoons milk (if dough is too dry)
• Optional: sanding sugar or sprinkles for decoration

Icing (Optional, for decorating)

• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 2–3 tablespoons milk or lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Food coloring as desired

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Step-by-Step Directions

1. Prep

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Mix Dry Ingredients

• In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

3. Cream Butter & Sugar

• Using a mixer, beat butter and sugar on medium-high for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.
• Scrape down the sides.

4. Add Egg & Extracts

• Beat in egg, vanilla, and optional almond extract until well combined.

5. Add Dry Ingredients

• On low speed, gradually mix in the flour mixture until nearly combined.
• Add milk if dough feels crumbly.

6. Chill Dough

• Divide dough in half, flatten each into a disk (about 1 inch thick).
• Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to overnight).

7. Roll & Cut

• Lightly flour your work surface. Roll dough to ~⅛ inch.
• Cut shapes with cookie cutters, replace dough scraps and re-chill.

8. Bake

• Place cookies 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
• Bake 8–10 minutes—edges should be set, centers slightly pale.
• Let cool on sheets 2 minutes, then transfer to wire racks.

9. Decorate

• Once cool, ice using a simple glaze or royal icing.
• Decorate with sprinkles or sanding sugar. Let icing dry (2–4 hours).

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Tips for Perfect Cookies

Problem	Solution
Dry Dough	Add milk 1 tsp at a time until smooth and pliable
Spreading Cookies	Chill cut shapes for 10 minutes before baking
Thick Edges	Check oven temp (use an oven thermometer)
Sugar Graininess	Use superfine sugar or blitz granulated sugar before creaming
Cracked Centers	Don’t overbake, and let cookies cool on the sheet first

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Variations & Dietary Swaps

• 🍋 Lemon Sugar Cookies: Add 2 tsp lemon zest; replace vanilla with lemon extract.
• 🍁 Spiced Sugar Cookies: Add ½ tsp each cinnamon and nutmeg to dry mix.
• 🌾 Gluten-free: Use 1:1 gluten-free flour blend; chill dough thoroughly.
• 🥛 Dairy-free: Substitute butter with vegan stick butter and milk with almond milk.
• 🔒 Egg-free: Use 2 Tbsp applesauce or commercial egg replacer.

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Make-Ahead & Storage

Make-Ahead

• Chill disks of dough up to 48 hours or freeze up to 3 months. Thaw slightly before rolling.

Freezing Baked Cookies

• After baking and cooling, layer between parchment and freeze up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter.

Storing

• Store in airtight containers at room temperature for 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

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Nutrition (Per Cookie) ~115 kcal

• Calories: 115
• Fat: 6 g
• Sugar: 8 g
• Protein: 1 g
• Carbs: 15 g

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FAQs

Q: Why do I chill the dough?
Chilling solidifies the fat, preventing excess spread and making cookies easier to cut.

Q: Why do cookies dry out overnight?
Ensure airtight storage and add a bread slice in the container to retain moisture.

Q: Can I bake thicker cookies?
Yes—just increase bake time by 2–3 minutes and watch the edges.

Q: Why did my cookies brown unevenly?
Rotate baking sheets midway and verify even oven temperature.

Q: How do I get bright, smooth icing?
Use powdered sugar with smooth liquid and allow full drying time at room temperature.

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Conclusion: Sweet Memories in Every Bite

Classic Sugar Cookies are more than just treats—each bite is a moment of joy, nostalgia, and togetherness. From rolling out shapes with loved ones to decorating with a festive theme, these cookies are comfort, memories, and creativity baked into one.

With masterful dough handling, thoughtful chilling, and simple icing, you can produce bakery-worthy sugar cookies that delight all year long. So preheat that oven and let the sweet traditions begin! 🍬✨

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