To make sugar cookies, follow these steps for a classic, soft, and chewy result:
Ingredients
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Combine dry and wet: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Chill dough: Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 2 hours or up to 2 days. Before rolling, let it soften at room temperature for 15-30 minutes if chilled longer.
- Roll and cut: Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
- Bake: Place cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges start to brown.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate if desired.
This method yields classic sugar cookies that can be served plain or decorated with icing
. Alternatively, for soft and chewy drop-style sugar cookies, you can cream butter and sugar, add egg and vanilla, mix dry ingredients separately, combine, roll dough into balls coated with sugar, chill 30 minutes, then bake at 350°F for 11-12 minutes until edges are set and tops crackle
