Are you craving the delightful crunch of a homemade sugar cookie but intimidated by complicated recipes? Fear not! This easy sugar cookie recipe skips the baking powder, resulting in a delightfully crisp and delicate cookie that's perfect for beginners and seasoned bakers alike. Forget those complicated recipes; this one is quick, simple, and yields delicious results every time. It's the perfect recipe for a quick dessert or a fun baking project with the kids. Let's get started on these incredibly easy, healthy-ish, and delicious sugar cookies!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions:
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Cream Together Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This is best done with an electric mixer, but you can use a hand mixer or even do it by hand if you're feeling strong! The key is to get the butter and sugar thoroughly combined for a tender cookie.
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Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract. Mix until just combined. Don't overmix!
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Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay. Overmixing will develop the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough cookies.
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Chill the Dough: This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough also makes it much easier to handle.
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Preheat Oven & Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
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Roll and Cut Cookies: On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about ¼ inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes. If you don’t have cookie cutters, you can use a knife to cut out squares or rectangles.
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Bake the Cookies: Place the cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving some space between each cookie. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown.
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Cool and Enjoy: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, enjoy your delicious homemade sugar cookies!
Tips for Success:
- Softened Butter is Key: Make sure your butter is truly softened, but not melted. Room temperature butter is ideal.
- Don't Overmix: Overmixing the dough will result in tough cookies. Mix until just combined.
- Chill the Dough: Chilling the dough is essential for preventing spreading and making the cookies easier to handle.
- Watch Carefully: Baking times can vary depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on the cookies to prevent burning.
Variations:
- Add Flavor: Experiment with different extracts like almond, lemon, or peppermint.
- Sprinkles: Add sprinkles to the dough before baking for extra festive flair.
- Glaze or Icing: Once cooled, decorate your cookies with a simple glaze or icing.
Nutritional Information (per cookie, approximate):
This will vary depending on the size of your cookies. However, a rough estimate per medium-sized cookie is:
- Calories: 80-100
- Fat: 5-7g
- Sugar: 8-10g
These easy sugar cookies are a fantastic homemade treat, perfect for any occasion. They’re a quick dinner idea for those wanting a sweet and simple dessert, and the recipe is easily adaptable to your preferences. Enjoy baking!