Cut Out Sugar Cookies
My cut out sugar cookies stay soft, with lots of vanilla and a little almond, and they're the kind of cookie people pick up and look at before they eat.
Servings: 24
Calories: 146kcal
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 2½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Beat salted butter and granulated sugar together until creamy, about 1-2 minutes.1 cup salted butter, 1 cup granulated white sugar
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix until combined. Set aside for now.1 large egg, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- In a separate bowl, combine all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.2½ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a dough forms.
- Divide the dough in half, place each half between two sheets of parchment paper, and roll out to ¼ inch in thickness.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours or overnight.
- Once chilled, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough.
- Place cookies on a large sheet pan and place cookies and pan into the refrigerator for an additional 10-15 minutes or until cold to the touch.
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Bake on a parchment-lined baking sheet for 6-8 minutes or until the bottoms are set and barely starting to brown. Do not overcook.
- Transfer cookies to a cookie rack to finish cooling before frosting.
Notes
Tips:
- I chill the cut shapes on the sheet pan for another 10 to 15 minutes before baking. The dough warms up while you cut, and cold dough is what keeps the cookies from spreading.
- I pull them when the bottoms are set and barely starting to brown, without waiting for golden edges, so they stay soft.
- I let them cool completely before decorating.
- If you only have unsalted butter, use it and add a little more salt.
Storage:
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. The dough keeps in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 days. Freeze undecorated cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months, and decorated cookies for up to 1 month.
Nutrition
Calories: 146kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 112mg | Potassium: 14mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 246IU | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 0.5mg
