There’s nothing more disappointing than biting into a gorgeous sugar cookie that doesn’t deliver in the taste department! Boo! That’s false advertising! Sugar cookies should taste as good as they look!
Well, I have good news! I love everything about these sugar cookies! I love making them. I love sharing them. I love eating them. They’re like little, edible works of art! There’s nothing hypocritical about these cookies because they taste even better than they look. They bake up beautifully and back up their looks with pure deliciousness! 
I make them for most holidays because one time per year just isn’t enough.
Easy Step-By-Step Instructions for Sugar Cookies
Start by lining your cookie sheets with parchment. or silicone baking mats. If you prefer to grease your baking pan, instead, that’s fine, too.
Combine and whisk the following:
6 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups sugar
Beat together
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup shortening
Add
2 eggs
Beat until well creamed.
Beat in
6 tablespoons cream or milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add to butter mixture, and beat another minute. Your dough will be fairly dry, and look a little crumbly. At this point you can refrigerate, or just start rolling them out.
When you’re ready to roll, preheat the oven to 400 degrees, and dust your surface with flour.
Using about half the dough, form a disc.
Roll it out very thin (approximately 3/8 in. or 1/2 cm.).
For Christmas, I use this holly leaf cutter.
It came in a set with other Christmas shapes, and get these Christmas cookie cutters right HERE
… start cutting out the dough.
This dough is tender and fragile, so use a thin spatula to scoop up the cookies and …
… transfer them to the prepared pan.
Bake at 400 degrees for 5-7 minutes. Watch them carefully. You don’t want them to brown on the edges.
When they come out of the oven, let them cool in the pan for 2 minutes, then remove them to a rack.
Easy Frosting Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, combine:
3½-4 cups powdered sugar
½ cup softened butter
¼ cup half and half (at room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
Pinch of salt
Sprinkles or decorations
Beat until very light and fluffy. If it’s too dry, add a few drops of cream. If it’s too sticky, add a little powdered sugar to adjust.
Add a few drops of food coloring, if desired. I divide it into separate bowls and use multiple colors.
Frost the cookies, and decorate with sugar or sprinkles. Refrigerate for an hour to allow the frosting to set, then store in an airtight container in the fridge.
DELICIOUS!
Free Printable Recipe for Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 eggs
- 6 tablespoons cream or milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 6 cups flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups sugar
- 3½-4 cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup softened butter
- ¼ cup half and half (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Pinch of salt
- 3-4 drops of food coloring (optional)
- sprinkles or decorations
- Mix together flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar with a fork.
- Cream butter and shortening together.
- Beat in eggs, cream, and vanilla.
- Beat until light and fluffy.
- Add dry ingredients to wet, and mix just long enough to combine.
- Chill for at least 2 hours,
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll out thin, and cut.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
- Combine sugar, butter, half and half, salt, and vanilla, and beat until fluffy.
- Add food coloring, if desired.
- Spread on cookies.
- Refrigerate cookies for an hour after frosting.
- Store in fridge.
- Yields 6-8 dozen cookies, depending on the size.
As I said, …
… we make these cookies many times throughout the year, and …
…. they’re always fun …
… to decorate and …
… to eat!