Learn how to make sugar cookies from scratch. This buttery and sweet sugar cookie recipe is just the thing to satisfy your sweet tooth. These cookies are easy to decorate but delicious on their own, too. This recipe makes about 18 cookies and is a fun project to do with the kids.
No need to dig out a rolling pin, find your cookie cutters or chill the dough for this sugar cookie recipe! Rolled in colorful sprinkles or sugar, these sugar cookies are quick and easy to make and even easier to customize.
This sugar cookie dough uses standard baking ingredients and is a great starter recipe for beginning bakers. We suggest rolling these cookies in sprinkles such as jimmies, nonpareils or sanding sugar. You can also try rolling them in chopped nuts, flavored sugars or dried fruits for added texture and flavor!
Homemade Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon imitation almond extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- Nonpareil Sprinkles or Sanding Sugar
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350℉ and line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. The parchment paper helps ensure your rolled sprinkles won’t burn or stick to the pan.
Step 2: In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy.
This should take anywhere from 1 to 2 minutes (it should be pale yellow in color).
Make sure your butter is softened (but not melted) before beating. The purpose of creaming the butter and sugar is to create small air bubbles. These air bubbles will help give your cookies a nice rise. If your butter is melted, the air bubbles will collapse and your cookies will fall flat.
Once pale yellow in color, add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt.
Step 3: Gradually add the flour and mix on low speed until just combined.
Once the dough comes together, stop mixing. This will help ensure you get that nice, soft sugar cookie. If the dough is overmixed, your cookies may come out dry and crumbly.
Portion the dough into tablespoon-sized balls. A small cookie scoop makes this easy and gives you consistent batches.
Step 5: Roll the dough balls between the palms of your hands to smooth out the shape and slightly warm up the dough.
The warmth from your hands will make the dough balls slightly sticky, which is perfect for rolling them in sprinkles!
Nonpareils, colored sanding sugar or even jimmies work great with these cookies. Try blending two or three colors together for a holiday or celebration. Or try combining all your jimmies for a literal explosion of color!
Though shaped sprinkles would look cute on these cookies, they will melt in the oven. Stick to jimmies and nonpareils for the best results!
Step 6: Place your sprinkle-coated dough portions 2 inches apart on the parchment-lined cookie sheets. Using the palm of your hand, slightly flatten each cookie to ensure even baking.
Place the cookie sheet with the prepared dough in the fridge for a couple minutes before baking. This helps make sure your sugar cookies don’t spread in the oven. While this step isn’t necessary, it firms the dough slightly and slows down the baking to produce a softer, rounder cookie.
And you always want to make sure your cookie sheets are cool before starting a new batch. Otherwise, your dough will melt and bake unevenly. You can run your sheets under cold water or pop them in the freezer for a bit to cool off.
How to Tell When Cookies Are Done
Bake your cookies for 15 to 17 minutes, or until they are semi-firm to the touch. Sometimes knowing when your cookies are done baking is tricky. This takes practice and some bonding time with your oven to find that sweet spot.
If you prefer your cookies on the softer side, stay on the lower end of the baking time. If you like crispy cookies, bake until you see them turning slightly golden on the edges.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the sheet on a cooling grid for about 2 minutes.
This allows the cookies to settle and finish baking. The cookies will firm up as they cool, making them easier to transfer to a cooling grid to cool completely.
How to Decorate and Frost a Sugar Cookie
These sprinkle-covered cookies are pretty fun on their own, but a little frosting never hurts! Spread some buttercream on top and add more sprinkles for a fun and colorful treat. Or top the buttercream with those shaped sprinkles you’re itching to use! Just make sure your cookies are completely cool before frosting.
How to Store Sugar Cookies
You can extend the life of your cookies by storing them in an airtight container or bag at room temperature. You can also freeze them for several months. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil, and freeze until ready to eat. When you defrost them, the moisture may cause the sprinkles to bleed a bit…but they’ll still taste delicious!
If you’re not ready to bake right away, you can also freeze the raw cookie dough. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Stored this way, sugar cookie dough will keep for several months. When you’re ready to bake, place the dough in the fridge to defrost, which should take about 24 hours.
Let’s go cookie crazy! Share a picture of your cookies on Instagram, Facebook or Twitter and tag us @wiltoncakes so we can see! Happy baking!
Looking for more delicious sugar cookie recipes? Check these out:
Easy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter 2 Sticks, Softened
- 1½ cups Granulated Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 1½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ teaspoon Almond Extract
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 2¾ cups All-Purpose Flour
- Nonpareil Sprinkles or Sanding Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare cookie or baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In large bowl, beat butter and sugar with electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, almond extract and salt.
- Add flour 1 cup at a time, mixing on low after each addition.
- Roll dough into 1-1/2 inch balls and roll in sprinkles. Place 2 inches apart on prepared cookie pan. Flatten cookies slightly with palm of the hand.
- Bake 15-17 minutes or until centers of cookies are semi-firm to the touch. Cool cookies on pan on cooling grid 2 minutes. Remove from pan to cooling grid; cool completely.
Is there supposed to be baking powder or some other leavening agent in this recipe?
Hi Elizabeth – Roll-out sugar cookies aren’t meant to rise so a leavening agent isn’t needed. The nice flat surface makes them great for decorating!