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holiday sugar cookie recipe

holiday sugar cookie recipe
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Ingredients

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  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 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 or buttercream for decorating
  • Optional: Festive sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Creaming the Butter and Sugar In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together. Use a medium-high speed and continue mixing for about 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy.
  2. Step 2: Adding Wet Ingredients Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract to the butter mixture. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure everything is incorporated.
  3. Step 3: Mixing Dry Ingredients In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. This ensures the leavening agent is evenly distributed so your cookies rise uniformly.
  4. Step 4: Combining the Dough Turn the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the flour streaks disappear. Do not overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. The dough should be soft but not overly sticky.
  5. Step 5: Chilling the Dough Divide the dough into two flat discs and wrap them tightly in plastic wrap. Place them in the refrigerator to chill for at least 2 hours. This step is crucial because it prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
  6. Step 6: Rolling and Cutting Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use your favorite holiday cookie cutters to cut out shapes and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets.
  7. Step 7: Baking to Perfection Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should be set and the bottoms should be just barely golden. The tops will still look pale. Do not overbake, or they will lose their soft texture.
  8. Step 8: Cooling and Decorating Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once they are entirely cool to the touch, decorate them with icing and sprinkles as desired.

Find it online: https://www.pleasecook.com/desserts/holiday-sugar-cookie-recipe/