The Ultimate Sugar Cookie
Buttery, sugary, vanilla-scented cookies that transform into anything you want – from chocolate chip to Snickerdoodle, and from thumbprints to holiday-themed cut-outs.
Servings 36 Cookies
Calories 92kcal
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy (on medium-high speed), scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla.
- With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture and mix until blended.
- If you’re making cut-outs, transfer the cookie dough to a large piece of plastic wrap, shape into a disc and refrigerate until firm, about 30 to 60 minutes.
- For all other cookies, you can work with the dough right away; there’s no chilling required.
- For classic sugar cookies: Working with about 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls. Roll the balls in granulated sugar and transfer them to a baking sheet (either nonstick or parchment-lined). Press down to flatten the cookie slightly. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the bottom is just starting to turn golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet, on wire rack.
For thumbprint cookies: Working with about 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls. Roll the balls in granulated sugar and transfer them to a baking sheet (either nonstick or parchment-lined). Using your thumb, make in indentation in the center of each cookie. Fill the indentation with fruit preserves of choice, such as strawberry, raspberry, blackberry, apricot, and orange marmalade. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the bottom is just starting to turn golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet, on wire rack.
For Snickerdoodle cookies: Combine 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and mix well. Working with about 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls. Roll the balls in cinnamon-sugar mixture and transfer to a baking sheet (either nonstick or parchment-lined). Press down to flatten the cookie slightly. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the bottom is just starting to turn golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet, on wire rack.
For chocolate chip cookies (and all cookies with add-ins): Add chocolate chips to the dough (as much as you want), either while the dough is still in the mixing bowl, or with your hands or a spatula. Working with about 1 tablespoon at a time, roll the dough into balls and transfer them to a baking sheet (either nonstick or parchment-lined). Press down to flatten the cookie slightly. Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the bottom is just starting to turn golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet, on wire rack.
For cutout cookies: Refrigerate the dough until firm, about 30 to 60 minutes. Roll the dough out onto a piece of parchment paper (or a lightly floured surface), until about 1/4-inch thick. Cut into desired shapes and transfer the cookies to a baking sheet (either nonstick or parchment-lined). Reroll scraps and use the dough to make more cut-outs. Bake for 6 to 8 minutes, until the bottom is just starting to turn golden. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet, on wire rack before decorating.
Nutrition
Calories: 92kcal | Carbohydrates: 10g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 12mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 164IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 0.4mg