Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Nothing screams celebration like a royal icing sugar cookie, be it a holiday or a birthday or a wedding. And you deserve a sugar cookie that is anything but basic. No more tooth-breaking bricks. No more bland, refined sugar taste. These buttery cookies will wow your guests with flavor.
Soft, yet crisp, these melt in your mouth. And you can make any flavor you can think of— lemon vanilla bean, almond, funfetti, you name it. For the holiday season, I love to do a vanilla bean cookie with a hint of cinnamon to warm things up.
Ingredients
425g AP Flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
175g powdered sugar
2 sticks softened butter
1 egg
1 Tb flavor of your choice (I like vanilla bean paste, but you can do any spice, zest, or extract of your choice)
Directions
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set to the side.
Cream the butter and powdered sugar with the paddle attachment until fluffy.
Add your egg and mix until incorporated, and then your extract.
Add the flour to the butter mixture on low and mix just until the dough is formed and even.
Dust your surface with powdered sugar and roll your dough out to 3/8 to 1/4 inch thickness. I like them a little thicky-thick, so I go with 3/8.
Cut out your shapes and place them on a silicone mat or parchment to bake. If you want really defined edges, pop your cut-outs in the freezer for 5 minutes at this stage.
Bake at 400F for 6-10 minutes depending on the size of your cookies. They are done when the tops look dry (not shiny). You do not want them to be golden all over.