Best 11 Easiest Sugar Cookie Recipes

facebook share image   twitter share image   pinterest share image   E-Mail share image

Baking sugar cookies is a classic and straightforward culinary pursuit that can provide delectable treats for any occasion. Whether it's the holiday season or a simple weekend baking project, sugar cookies offer a comforting and nostalgic charm. With a myriad of variations and flavor combinations, these cookies can be tailored to suit personal preferences, dietary restrictions, or specific themes. Whether you prefer crisp and crunchy cookies or soft and chewy ones, this article will guide you through selecting the perfect recipe for your next sugar cookie baking adventure.

Check out the recipes below so you can choose the best recipe for yourself!

QUICK, EASY SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE



Quick, Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe image

Quick and easy sugar cookies that taste like grandma's homemade holiday cookies but are as simple as slice and bake. This recipe evolved because friends were craving dessert but I only had pantry ingredients and NO baking powder. I used more baking soda as a substitution and they worked like a charm. Two dozen cookies, gone in a flash.

Provided by LJeffTheChef

Categories     Dessert

Time 18m

Yield 24 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 8

2 3/4 cups flour (all purpose is fine)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter (softened in microwave)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg (large)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon cinnamon
sugar (for rolling the dough balls in before baking)

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375°F In a bowl, mix flour and baking soda.
  • In a larger bowl, cream sugar and softened butter until smooth. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Blend in the dry ingredients slowly until combined. I first made these with a fork instead of a mixer and it was fine. Hand roll into balls (teaspoon size) and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. Optional: Roll the dough balls in a mix of cinnamon and sugar before placing on the baking sheet.
  • Bake 8 - 10 minutes or until light golden brown. Let the cookies cool for 2 minutes away from the heat before devouring.

EASY SUGAR COOKIES



Easy Sugar Cookies image

Quick and easy sugar cookies. This quick and easy sugar cookie recipe is perfect for any occasion, and can be made with just the basic ingredients you already have in your cupboard.

Provided by andrew

Categories     Dessert

Time 30m

Yield 48 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 3/4 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups butter
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit or 175 degrees Celsius.
  • Mix the flour, baking powder, and baking soda together in a bowl; set the mixture aside.
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
  • Once combined, slowly blend in the dry ingredients until evenly mixed.
  • Searate dough into tablespoon-sized balls.
  • Place onto an ungreased cookie sheet.
  • Place on center rack and bake for 5 to 7 minutes (or until golden brown). Let the cookies sit for 2 minutes before cooling on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 102.9, Fat 5.9, SaturatedFat 3.7, Cholesterol 19.1, Sodium 86.1, Carbohydrate 11.8, Fiber 0.2, Sugar 6.3, Protein 0.9

EASY SUGAR COOKIES



Easy Sugar Cookies image

Quick and easy sugar cookies! They are really good, plain or with candies in them. My friend uses chocolate mints on top, and they're great!

Provided by Stephanie

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Sugar Cookies

Yield 48

Number Of Ingredients 7

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). In a small bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually blend in the dry ingredients. Roll rounded teaspoonfuls of dough into balls, and place onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Bake 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven, or until golden. Let stand on cookie sheet two minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 85.9 calories, Carbohydrate 11.7 g, Cholesterol 14 mg, Fat 4 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 0.9 g, SaturatedFat 2.5 g, Sodium 60.1 mg, Sugar 6.3 g

THE EASIEST, YUMMIEST SUGAR COOKIES EVER!!!



The Easiest, Yummiest Sugar Cookies EVER!!! image

These babies are easy, sweet and very versatile! Once you lay your eyes on these sugar cookies, you will never need another recipe again!

Provided by LTMIEKO

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Sugar Cookies

Time 20m

Yield 36

Number Of Ingredients 9

2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
1 cup butter, softened
1 ¼ cups white sugar
¼ cup brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup milk
½ cup white sugar for decoration

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Stir together the flour and baking soda; set aside.
  • In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, 1 1/4 cups white sugar and brown sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then stir in the milk. Mix in the dry ingredients until just blended. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in the remaining sugar. Place cookies 2 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Bake for 10 to15 minutes in hte preheated oven, until the bottoms of the cookies are golden brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 122.3 calories, Carbohydrate 17.5 g, Cholesterol 19 mg, Fat 5.4 g, Fiber 0.2 g, Protein 1.2 g, SaturatedFat 3.3 g, Sodium 92.6 mg, Sugar 10.9 g

SUGAR COOKIES



Sugar Cookies image

Get Alton Brown's simple Sugar Cookies recipe from Good Eats on Food Network, the perfect base for frosting, sprinkles and other sweet decorations.

Provided by Alton Brown

Categories     dessert

Time 2h24m

Yield about 3 dozen-2 1/2 inch

Number Of Ingredients 8

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough

Steps:

  • Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until light in color. Add egg and milk and beat to combine. Put mixer on low speed, gradually add flour, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours.
  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  • Sprinkle surface where you will roll out dough with powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick. Move the dough around and check underneath frequently to make sure it is not sticking. If dough has warmed during rolling, place cold cookie sheet on top for 10 minutes to chill. Cut into desired shape, place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges, rotating cookie sheet halfway through baking time. Let sit on baking sheet for 2 minutes after removal from oven and then move to complete cooling on wire rack. Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week.

THE BEST ROLLED SUGAR COOKIES



The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies image

Whenever you make these cookies for someone, be sure to bring along several copies of the recipe! You will be asked for it, I promise! NOTE: I make icing with confectioners' sugar and milk. I make it fairly thin, as I 'paint' the icing on the cookies with a pastry brush. Thin enough to spread easily but not so thin that it just makes your cookies wet and runs off.

Provided by J. Saunders

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Sugar Cookies

Yield 60

Number Of Ingredients 7

1 ½ cups butter, softened
2 cups white sugar
4 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Steps:

  • In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cover, and chill dough for at least one hour (or overnight).
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Roll out dough on floured surface 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick. Cut into shapes with any cookie cutter. Place cookies 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheets.
  • Bake 6 to 8 minutes in preheated oven. Cool completely.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 109.5 calories, Carbohydrate 14.7 g, Cholesterol 24.6 mg, Fat 5 g, Fiber 0.3 g, Protein 1.5 g, SaturatedFat 3 g, Sodium 92.6 mg, Sugar 6.7 g

THE SOFTEST SUGAR COOKIES EVER RECIPE BY TASTY



The Softest Sugar Cookies Ever Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, unsalted butter, granulated sugar, egg, sour cream, vanilla extract, unsalted butter, powdered sugar, milk, food coloring, sprinkles

Provided by Julie Klink

Categories     Desserts

Yield 24 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 13

3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 egg
½ cup sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
food coloring, for decorating
sprinkles, for decorating

Steps:

  • In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to combine.
  • In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with an electric hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the egg and mix until fully incorporated. Add the sour cream and vanilla and mix until creamy. Add the flour mixture, a third at a time, until fully combined.
  • Lightly flour a work surface and turn out the dough. Press the dough together into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
  • Preheat the oven to 300˚F (150˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to about ½-inch thick. Cut out circles using a glass or cookie cutter.
  • Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch in between cookies. Bake for 8 minutes, until the cookie bottoms are golden brown and the tops are pale. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
  • Make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric hand mixer until fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the milk and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and velvety. Add food coloring, if desired.
  • Frost the cooled cookies and decorate as you wish.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 240 calories, Carbohydrate 29 grams, Fat 12 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 2 grams, Sugar 16 grams

3-INGREDIENT SUGAR COOKIES



3-Ingredient Sugar Cookies image

Butter, sugar and Gold Medal™ flour are all you need for this quick and easy sugar cookie recipe. The best part? It's a make-ahead and make-it-your-own recipe. After you mix up the dough, shape it into a log and chill before cutting the cookie dough into slices for baking. Decorate the cookies by rolling them in holiday sprinkles before chilling, or drizzle an easy powdered sugar icing over sliced tops after baking. Either way, it makes the perfect holiday cookie. However you complete them, it's a buttery, tender cookie that melts in your mouth with every bite. With easy 3-Ingredient Sugar Cookies, you can save time and focus on the decorating fun.

Provided by By Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 4h

Yield 20

Number Of Ingredients 8

1 cup butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
4 tablespoons holiday-colored nonpareils or coarse decorating sugar, if desired
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 to 3 teaspoons milk
Betty Crocker™ gel food colors, if desired
Holiday-colored nonpareils or coarse decorating sugar, if desired

Steps:

  • In large bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with spoon until well mixed. Stir in flour until moistened, using hands to mix if needed (dough will be crumbly). Knead 5 to 10 times or until dough is smooth.
  • Divide dough in half; shape each half into a log, 5 inches long by 2 inches in diameter.
  • Spread 2 tablespoons of the nonpareils or decorating sugar on plastic wrap; roll one log in nonpareils to cover. Repeat to cover remaining cookie log in nonpareils. Wrap dough logs tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate about 1 hour 30 minutes or until firm.
  • Heat oven to 350°F. Unwrap 1 of the dough logs; cut into 1/2-inch slices. On ungreased cookie sheet, place slices 2 inches apart, reshaping if necessary.
  • Bake 12 to 14 minutes or until edges are set. Cool 2 minutes; remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Unwrap remaining dough log, and repeat slicing and baking. Cool completely, about 40 minutes.
  • To make Powdered Sugar Icing Drizzle: In small bowl, mix powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons of the milk until well blended. If too thick to drizzle, add additional milk, 1/4 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Drizzle over tops of cooled cookies. Sprinkle with nonpareils or decorating sugar. Let stand about 1 hour or until drizzle is set.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 150, Carbohydrate 16 g, Cholesterol 25 mg, Fat 2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 1 g, SaturatedFat 6 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 75 mg, Sugar 5 g, TransFat 0 g

SOFT SUGAR COOKIES IV



Soft Sugar Cookies IV image

This Recipe is a State Fair Blue Ribbon winner. This is an easy sugar cookie recipe, you don't have to roll it out, and the cookies are soft and chewy, unlike other sugar cookies. Anybody can make these.

Provided by Laura Stearns

Categories     Desserts     Cookies     Sugar Cookies

Yield 24

Number Of Ingredients 9

⅔ cup shortening
⅔ cup butter
1 ½ cups white sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
⅓ cup granulated sugar for decoration

Steps:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
  • In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, shortening and sugar. Stir in the eggs and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt, stir into the creamed mixture until dough comes together. Roll dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in sugar. Place them on an unprepared cookie sheet about 2 inches apart.
  • Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottom is light brown. Remove from baking sheets to cool on wire racks.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 228.2 calories, Carbohydrate 29.4 g, Cholesterol 29.1 mg, Fat 11.4 g, Fiber 0.5 g, Protein 2.5 g, SaturatedFat 4.8 g, Sodium 180.1 mg, Sugar 15.4 g

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES



Classic Sugar Cookies image

As you might expect from Betty Crocker, these are the classic version of a sugar cookie-the kind your grandma or even great-grandma would recognize. These cookies are the originals that provided a sweet, universally lovable starting point for generations of bakers to riff on, and we stand by them just as they are. With a tender, short texture that comes from a good buttery base, they break with just the right balance of bend and snap. And the taste? When we recently baked up a few batches for pre-Christmas testing, person after person in the Test Kitchens said, "Now THAT is a sugar cookie." While flavor and texture are arguably the key criteria on which cookies should be judged, when it comes to sugar cookies, there's another important factor: how easy they are to decorate. It's crucial that sugar cookie dough can be easily turned into cookies that are equal parts decorative and delicious. During our most recent testing of this recipe, we also noticed that there were no instructions for a glaze in this recipe. Not wanting to leave you-or your cookies-high and dry, we tested a few glazes. The one we landed on is simple and made with common pantry staples, but the magic is in the ratio of ingredients-we ensured that it results in a glaze that's easily tintable, covers smoothly and dries firmly so that you can stack the finished cookies without fear of smudging them. However you chose to decorate them, dress these classic sugar cookies up in holiday style and they'll be the star of every Christmas gathering.

Provided by Betty Crocker Kitchens

Categories     Dessert

Time 7h50m

Yield 55

Number Of Ingredients 13

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup butter, softened
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 egg
2 1/2 cups Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 cups powdered sugar
3 to 5 tablespoons milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
Food colors, if desired
Colored sugar or candy sprinkles, if desired

Steps:

  • In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
  • Heat oven to 375°F.
  • Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
  • Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
  • In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

Nutrition Facts : Calories 90, Carbohydrate 14 g, Cholesterol 10 mg, Fat 1/2, Fiber 0 g, Protein 0 g, SaturatedFat 2 g, ServingSize 1 Cookie, Sodium 50 mg, Sugar 10 g, TransFat 0 g

HOW TO MAKE THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES RECIPE BY TASTY



How to Make the Best Sugar Cookies Recipe by Tasty image

Here's what you need: unsalted butter, granulated sugar, cream cheese, large egg, large egg yolks, McCormick® vanilla extract, McCormick® almond extract, kosher salt, all purpose flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, powdered sugar, kosher salt, vanilla extract, gel food coloring, water, pasteurized egg white

Provided by Scott Loitsch

Categories     Desserts

Yield 12 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 17

24 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
3 tablespoons cream cheese, softened
1 large egg
2 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon McCormick® vanilla extract
½ teaspoon McCormick® almond extract
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 ½ cups all purpose flour, plus more for dusting
½ teaspoon baking powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
4 cups powdered sugar
½ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
gel food coloring, of your choice
water, as needed
¼ cup pasteurized egg white

Steps:

  • Make the cookie dough: In a large bowl, cream together the butter, sugar, and cream cheese with an electric hand mixer on high speed for about 5 minutes, until fluffy and the sugar is mostly dissolved. Scrape down the bowl as needed to evenly beat the mixture.
  • Add the egg, egg yolks, vanilla, and almond extract and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the salt, then sift the flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar into the bowl and fold to incorporate some of the flour. Then beat on low speed, just until incorporated and the dough comes together.
  • Shape the dough into a flat disc and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or up to 3-4 days.
  • When ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  • Remove the dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly.
  • On a lightly floured surface, roll out the cookie dough with a rolling pin to ¼-inch (6mm) thick.
  • Dip cookie cutters of your choice in some extra flour and cut out shapes from the dough. Gather any excess dough into a ball and chill in the fridge to firm, then re-roll and cut out more cookies. Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheet and chill for at least 20 minutes to ensure they hold their shapes.
  • Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just barely start to turn golden brown. Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with royal icing or frosting.
  • To make the royal icing, sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl and add the salt. On one side of the bowl, add the vanilla and egg whites.
  • Where you added the liquids, begin whisking the powdered sugar into the liquids, gathering a bit more as you whisk to prevent lumps from forming, until all of the powdered sugar is incorporated. Add food coloring, if desired, and whisk to incorporate. You can divide the icing into smaller bowls to make more than one color. At this point, the icing should be a good consistency for piping borders. If you'd like the frosting to be looser to flood or dip your cookies, add a few tablespoons of water, 1 tablespoon at a time, until it reaches your desired consistency.
  • Decorate the cookies as desired.
  • Enjoy!

Nutrition Facts : Calories 610 calories, Carbohydrate 86 grams, Fat 27 grams, Fiber 0 grams, Protein 6 grams, Sugar 58 grams

Tips:

  • Use room temperature butter: This will help the butter cream together with the sugar more easily and create a lighter, fluffier cookie.
  • Chill the dough before baking: This will help the cookies hold their shape and prevent them from spreading too much in the oven.
  • Use a cookie scoop to measure out the dough: This will help ensure that all of the cookies are the same size and shape.
  • Bake the cookies until the edges are just beginning to brown: This will help prevent the cookies from overbaking and becoming dry.
  • Let the cookies cool completely before frosting: This will help the frosting set properly and prevent it from melting.

Conclusion:

These sugar cookies are a classic for a reason. They are easy to make, delicious, and perfect for any occasion. Whether you are baking them for a holiday party or just for a snack, these cookies are sure to be a hit. With a few simple tips, you can make these cookies even better. So next time you are in the mood for a sweet treat, give these sugar cookies a try. You won't be disappointed!

Related Topics