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Very rarely do I find a recipe that just beats all others. But THIS ONE IS IT! I have been using this perfect sugar cookie recipe for a few years now because it just is ABSOLUTELY PERFECT.
It is a NO CHILL recipe. Major win. Because who has time to plan ahead and actually chill dough?! Not me.
The cookies literally bake up perfectly every time I have made this recipe. They stay SOFT and the bottoms are perfectly GOLDEN. These make the perfect cookies to decorate because the EDGES keep their shape.
Must give credit where credit is due…
This recipe is from In Katrina’s Kitchen … “where dessert is always served first“. So, I know she knows her stuff. 😉 Check out Katrina’s site for more delicious sweets and treats or to link back to the original recipe. In Katrina’s Kitchen.
Why I love this Perfect Sugar Cookie recipe so much?
- No chill required. I can literally whip out some delicious sugar cookies in <20 minutes.
- They stay soft with perfectly golden bottoms.
- The flavor. Buttery with subtle almondy hints.
- Stackable. Perfect to make ahead and then decorate with the kiddos.
- They are slightly thicker than most sugar cookies = more awesome flavor in each bite.
- Easy to make.
- And most importantly DELICIOUS!
A Few Tips…
- I am glad I read the entire post first time because Katrina gives some very helpful tips…
- Make sure you roll the dough out to ~1/4 inch thickness. Don’t roll too thin.
- Do not over bake. I only baked mine for ~7 minutes. They did look a little naked at that point, but I promise the bottoms are perfectly golden and will continue to cook as they sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes.
I use this recipe year round! Obviously this is the perfect sugar cookie recipe for Christmas cut outs, but also Easter, Halloween, Birthday, or any other occasion you might need a perfect sugar cookie cut out!
The Perfect Sugar Cookie
Recipe from In Katrina’s Kitchen. Absolutely perfect sugar cookie, every time.
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter unsalted, I softened my butter to room temp
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
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In the bowl of your mixer, cream the butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes.
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Beat in the extracts and egg.
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In a separate bowl combine baking powder and salt with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff. If it becomes too stiff for your mixer turn out the dough onto a countertop surface. Wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
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DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8).
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Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
Recipe Notes
- You can use salted butter (just out the 1/2 teaspoon salt). In the past I’ve omitted the salt and the recipe is fine. It is more bland but these cookies are made for frosting.
- If you must chill the dough just leave it on the counter top for 10 minutes before rolling or work the dough with your hands for a few minutes.
- You can omit the almond extract if you do not have it available, however the taste is really fantastic with the hint of almond.
- Keep in mind that the recipe yield will vary according to how thick you roll your cookies and how large or small your cutters are.
- Bake for 6 minutes to test. They should be soft. Leave them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cool completely. If you reach 7-8 minutes and the edges turn brown your cookie will be crisper.
Perfect gift for those little bakers. 
Get it just in time for Christmas!
