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Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe

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4.4 from 49 reviews

  • Author: Ava
  • Total Time: 3 hours 32 minutes (including chilling time)
  • Yield: 24 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are classic, tender cookies perfect for decorating with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. These cookies feature a soft texture with a subtle vanilla and optional almond flavor, making them ideal for holidays and special occasions. The dough is rolled out, chilled, cut into shapes, and baked to a delicate golden edge, then decorated to suit your festive or everyday style.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)

For Decorating

  • Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (royal icing is pictured)
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Prepare Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined and set aside.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment to beat softened butter and sugar together at high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes.
  3. Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) to the bowl and continue beating on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom as needed.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. The dough should be soft. If it feels too sticky to roll, beat in an additional tablespoon of flour.
  5. Divide and Roll Out Dough: Split the dough in half and place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each portion to about 1/4-inch thickness. Keep the dough evenly rolled out and use flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  6. Stack and Chill Dough: Lightly dust one rolled dough portion with flour and place the second rolled dough portion on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days to firm up.
  7. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Heat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  8. Cut and Arrange Cookies: Remove the top dough layer carefully from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, reroll scraps to use all dough. Place cookies on baking sheets about 3 inches apart.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake for 11–12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and set. Rotate pans halfway through baking if necessary. Cool cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
  10. Decorate Cookies: Once cooled, decorate cookies with royal icing, easy glaze icing, or buttercream. Use gel food coloring to tint icings. Decorate cookies on a baking sheet so you can refrigerate to speed icing setting if desired.
  11. Serve and Store: Enjoy immediately or wait for icing to set before serving. Store plain or iced cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days. Buttercream decorated cookies should be stored at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated up to 5 days.

Notes

  • If dough is too sticky for rolling, add a tablespoon of flour at a time until manageable.
  • Refrigerating the dough is crucial for cleaner cookie cuts and better texture.
  • Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking to ensure even cooking if your oven has hot spots.
  • Cookies can be decorated with a variety of icings and sprinkles for different occasions.
  • Storing cookies properly will help maintain freshness and the quality of decorations.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Find it online: https://quickandsweetrecipes.com/soft-cut-out-sugar-cookies-recipe/