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This easy buttercream sugar cookies recipe is the only one you will ever need. The BEST, soft, cut out, sugar cookies that taste good and hold their shape! Use your favorite cookie cutters and have fun decorating with buttercream frosting. Disclosure | This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Oh sugar cookies, how I love thee. 💗 If I could only have one cookie for the rest of my life, it would be these buttercream sugar cookies. They are just the right amount of sweet while perfectly soft and thick. Add a layer of buttercream and I am one happy girl. I often call these always perfect sugar cookies because they come out perfect every time. They keep their shape when baked with nice sharp edges. And they taste amazing; like a classic soft sugar cookie. This post was originally published in November of 2018 and has been updated with new photos and helpful information. The recipe remains the same. why you will love this simple cookie recipeSearching for sugar cookie recipes, specifically cut out sugar cookies yields a lot of different recipe options. Most of which claim to be "the best". I've tried many of them over the years, with varying degrees of success. I found this recipe from a local cookie gal, Jenny Keller, and it's the one I have used for many years now. The cookies come out perfect. every. darn. time.
Remember to pin this recipe to Pinterest! Use the button on the recipe card or the share buttons on the side or bottom of this page. ingredients needed {and substitutions}
video tutorialhow to make this easy cookie doughStart by whisking together the flour and aluminum free baking powder, then set aside. Next cream together the butter and salt until light and silky in appearance. Now add the granulated sugar, followed by the egg and vanilla extract. Again, mix until light and fluffy. Then slowly mix in the flour using the lowest speed on your mixer. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The dough should be soft, but not sticky. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and gently press the dough into a ball. Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1-inch thick disk. Then chill for a minimum of 30 minutes. how do you know when sugar cookies are done?Once the dough has chilled, roll it out to about ¼ inch thickness. Please don't be tempted to make them thinner. The thickness of the cookie dough helps to create the soft and chewy texture in the final cookie. I use this Williams Sonoma rolling pin, but many of my cookie friends swear by this rolling pin. You do not want to over bake these cookies. About 8 minutes is all they need in a 375°F oven. Yep, that quick. The cookies will appear slightly puffy when they are done and will have barely {if any} brownness to the edges. You'll let them rest on the pan for 2 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack to cool completely. tips for the best sugar cookies
troubleshooting for cut out sugar cookies
does buttercream frosting harden on cookies?Buttercream will harden if the cookies are stored in the refrigerator. When stored at room temperature the buttercream will get a bit of a "crust" to it, meaning that the top layer dries out and isn't sticky anymore, but it's still soft. Sugar cookies decorated with buttercream do not harden enough to stack and store them unless they are frozen. See below for tips on freezing. do cookies with buttercream frosting need to be refrigerated?The short answer is no. American buttercream can generally sit at room temperature for up to two days. The cookies should be stored in an airtight container in a cool and dry area. You can store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. My favorite way to store buttercream sugar cookies is in the freezer. It tends to keep them the freshest. The cookies will defrost at room temperature in about 30 minutes. Can I freeze sugar cookies decorated with buttercream?Yes!!! If freezing decorated sugar cookies, chill the cookies in a single layer first. The cookies can then be stacked and frozen in an airtight container. When you take the frozen cookies out of the freezer, be sure to unstack them before they thaw or the buttercream will stick the cookies together. For those of you that like a more royal icing like frosting, I am giving you an alternative to a royal icing in the recipe card. This icing dries firmly enough to allow for stacking of the cookies after they are decorated. It has a little honey in it which helps to keep the icing from being rock hard once it dries, and as a dental hygienist, I'd hate to see someone break a tooth on too-hard frosting.😂 Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these Buttercream Sugar Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking! more sugar cookie variations to try
If you make this recipe (or any recipe!) from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you! Prep Time 15 minutes Bake Time 8 minutes Total Time 23 minutes IngredientsSugar Cookies
Buttercream frosting
Instructions
Notes*If you want to use confectioners' sugar in the cookies, you can use ¾ cup granulated sugar (150g) and ½ cup confectioners' sugar (60g). **For extra flavor, you can add ½ teaspoon of pure almond extract. ***If you do not like almond extract, use vanilla in it's place. Yield of cookies will depend on the size of your cookie cutter. 24 is a good average. If the dough chills for longer than 1-2 hours, allow it to warm up on the counter for 20 minutes or so before rolling it out. If it's breaking apart, it is too cold. If the dough gets very soft during the rolling and cutting process, place the cut out cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up for 10 mintues before baking. I like to freeze the cookies once they have completely cooled, I think it adds to the softness of the cookies. I typically bake the cookies at least a day prior to decorating them (or bake in the evening and freeze overnight). You can also bake the cookies and freeze them for up to 2-3 months before decorating. Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. They also freeze well for up to 3 months. If freezing decorated cookies, chill the cookies in a single layer. The cookies can then be stacked and frozen in an airtight container. When you take the frozen cookies out of the freezer, be sure to unstack them before they thaw or the buttercream will stick the cookies together. Optional glaze versus buttercream: Mix honey (1 tablespoon), milk (2 tablespoons) and 1 teaspoon vanilla (or extract of choice) in a bowl until well combined. In another bowl, add 2 cups (240g) confectioners' sugar and mix in honey mixture until well combined. You may need to add a little more milk, if the consistency is too thick, add just a teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency. You want the glaze on the thick side, but still spreadable. Cookie recipe slightly adapted from Jenny Keller of Jenny Cookies Nutrition Information:Yield:24Serving Size:1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 0gSugar: 8gProtein: 2g The nutrition information is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. How do you smooth buttercream on sugar cookies?Steps for How to Smooth Buttercream Using the Freezer. Fill in the area you wish to be smoothed with your frosting. ... . Place your cookie(s) into the freezer for at least 10 minutes. ... . Take your angled flat spatula and smooth out the lines. ... . Lastly, just make sure to outline the edges again to really get a clean look.. How do you flood cookies with buttercream frosting?To flood cookies:. Using the buttercream frosting in the piping bag, pipe an outline around the border of the cookie. ... . When ready to flood, use extra piping bags or a small spoon to drizzle different colors of royal icing onto each cookie.. Use a toothpick to drag icing to the edges, without allowing it to spill over.. Does buttercream icing harden?How long does it take for the buttercream to harden? After spreading the buttercream on the cookie, you'll notice it harden up quite a bit within a couple of hours. Before stacking them, though, I would give them overnight to harden, and then stack them on top of each other.
How long does it take buttercream to harden?The amount of time it takes for the buttercream to crust depends on a couple factors, especially the temperature and humidity inside your kitchen. Generally, it will take your buttercream anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes to develop a crust. If it's a particularly warm and humid day, it may take longer.
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