She Strengthens

Sugar Cookies 101: A Classic Recipe for Sweet Success

The Perfect Blend of Ingredients

When it comes to sugar cookies, simplicity is key. With just five essential ingredients – unsalted butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, fine salt, and all-purpose flour – you’ll be well on your way to creating a deliciously sweet treat.

Shaping Up: Two Ways to Create Your Cookies

Whether you’re a fan of classic round cookies or prefer to get creative with cookie cutters, we’ve got you covered. To make round cookies, simply form the dough into a log, slice it into rounds, and bake until golden brown. For a more intricate design, roll out the dough to 1/8 inch thickness, cut out your desired shapes, and bake until lightly golden.

Game Plan: Preparing Your Dough for Baking

To ensure your cookies turn out perfectly, it’s essential to plan ahead. You can store the dough in the refrigerator for up to three days or freeze it for up to two months. When you’re ready to bake, simply thaw the dough and follow the recipe instructions.

Yield and Difficulty Level

This recipe yields approximately 30 (3-inch) cookies and is considered easy to make. The total time required is 25 minutes, plus 2 hours for freezing and baking.

Ingredients:

• 2 sticks (8 ounces) unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup sifted powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 large egg yolks, at room temperature
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• Royal Icing, for decorating (optional)

Let’s Get Baking!

Preheat your oven to 350°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and salt, and beat until smooth and velvety, about 1 minute.

Incorporating the Egg Yolks and Flour

Reduce the speed to low and add the egg yolks, beating until incorporated, about 1 minute. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl and the paddle with a rubber spatula. Add the flour to the bowl, draping a kitchen towel over the mixer to prevent flour from flying everywhere. Make 5 (2-second) pulses on low speed to start incorporating the flour. Remove the towel and mix on low speed until the flour disappears into the dough, about 30 seconds.

Divide and Conquer

Scrape the dough onto a work surface, gather it into a ball, and divide it in half. For round cookies, shape each piece into a smooth log about 9 inches long. Wrap the logs tightly in plastic wrap and chill them for about 2 hours in the refrigerator or 45 minutes in the freezer.

Baking and Decorating

Slice each log into 1/3-inch-thick cookies and place them 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until light brown on the bottom, lightly golden around the edges, and pale on top, about 17 to 20 minutes. Let the cookies rest for 1 or 2 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack with a wide metal spatula. If desired, decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing.

Tips and Variations

For shaping with cookie cutters, place a ball of dough between 2 large pieces of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Flatten the ball into a disk, then use a rolling pin to roll the dough until it’s 1/8 inch thick. Cut out your desired shapes, transfer them to the prepared baking sheet, and bake until lightly golden. Gather the scraps, press into a disk, and roll between sheets of waxed paper or plastic wrap. Repeat cutting, baking, and cooling with the remaining dough.