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Mom and children decorating cookies.

Are you looking for a sugar cookie recipe that can holds it shape after shaping it with a cookie cutter and baking it? How about that sugar cookie with the old fashioned sweet sensation? Looking for that glaze frosting recipe that will harden and compliment the cookie? How about a royal icing recipe that wont let you down? Look no further, Karen’s Cookies has you completely covered. It took us several years to find that “perfect” sugar cookie recipe. Once we found it, it was as if we had stricken a gold mine. We have used this recipe for every holiday on the calendar, including for party favours at events (see photos below). We can’t wait for you to try it and to hear what you think of it!

Ingredients to make sugar cookies on a wooden cutting board.

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Best Sugar Cookie

By Melissa Johnson
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Ingredients 

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup superfine sugar, or granulated sugar, processed in blender or food processor for 30 seconds

  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp Almond extract , optional
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Instructions 

  • Cream butter, sugar, and salt until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a mixer set at medium speed.
  • Add yolk, and beat well. Add whole egg, vanilla 
  • Add flour; beat at low speed just until flour is mixed in; do not overmix.
  • Divide the dough into halves or thirds and wrap it in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least one hour or up to 2 days.
  • Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Dust the work surface and rolling pin with flour. Roll the dough to 1/4" thick, sprinkling with additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  • Cut into desired shapes and place on parchment or silicone-lined pans. Bake in a preheated oven until cookies appear dry on the surface and are light golden brown on the edges, about 10 minutes depending on the size of the cookies.
  • Remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks and cool completely before decorating.
Tried this recipe?Mention @bestfriendsforfrosting or tag #bestfriendsforfrosting!

About Melissa Johnson

My bakery experience taught me the secrets to simple baking. Now, I share easy-to-follow recipes and party ideas through Best Friends For Frosting® and my cookbook, Celebrating Everyday, simplifying everyday cooking and holiday celebrations.

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2 Comments

  1. mick says:

    Hi Melissa,
    Thank you for sharing this recipe!
    Great looking cookies, and I’d really like to try making a batch.
    I have a question, though, and hope you may be willing to help.
    I use a scale to measure the ingredients properly, especially when it comes to flour, and was wondering if you can say how the flour should be measured here, or how much the 2 1/2 cups should weigh? (12.5 oz. or 11.25 oz., or something else?)
    Thank you!

    1. Melissa Johnson says:

      Aww thank you Mick!