Ah, Sugar Cookies — soft, buttery, and sweet, perfect for decorating or enjoying plain with a cup of tea or milk. 🍪✨
Here’s a classic recipe that yields tender, flavorful cookies that hold their shape beautifully.
🍪 Classic Sugar Cookies
🧺 Ingredients (Makes ~24 cookies)
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3–4 tablespoons milk (optional, for softer dough)
- Optional for decorating: extra sugar, sprinkles, or icing
🔪 Instructions
1. Preheat oven
- Preheat to 350°F (175°C).
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
3. Cream butter and sugar
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with a hand or stand mixer until light and fluffy (~2–3 minutes).
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
- Gradually mix in the flour mixture.
- Add milk 1 tablespoon at a time if dough feels too stiff.
- Dough should be soft but not sticky.
5. Shape cookies
- Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Flatten slightly with the bottom of a glass or your palm.
- Sprinkle with extra sugar if desired.
6. Bake
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until edges are just golden.
- Let cool on the sheet for 2–3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
🌟 Tips & Variations
- Soft cookies: Don’t overbake — remove when centers are slightly soft.
- Chewy cookies: Add 1–2 teaspoons of cornstarch to the flour.
- Decorating: Use royal icing, glaze, or sprinkles while cookies are slightly warm.
- Flavor twists: Add lemon zest, almond extract, or a dash of cinnamon for a fun variation.
If you want, I can give you a quick stovetop sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t require an oven — they’re soft and almost like little cookie pancakes!
