Classic Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: Royal icing and sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or using a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together. Mix on medium-high speed for about 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the dough for a better texture.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Beat again until everything is well combined and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is incorporated.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Mixing the dry ingredients separately ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed so your cookies rise uniformly.
- Turn your mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour disappears and a soft dough forms. Do not overmix, or the cookies will become tough.
- Divide the dough into two flat disks and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour. Chilling is vital as it prevents the cookies from spreading too much while baking and makes the dough easier to roll.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite holiday cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. The cookies will still look a bit soft in the center, but they will firm up as they cool. Avoid overbaking if you want a soft bite.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they are totally cold, you can decorate them with royal icing, buttercream, or simple sugar glazes.