Holiday Sugar Cookies
These buttery, vanilla-scented sugar cookies hold crisp, clean edges when cut into festive shapes, making them the perfect canvas for royal icing and sprinkles. A holiday baking staple that's soft in the center and just slightly crisp at the edges.
By YumYum Editorial · Holiday & Seasonal
Prep: 20 min · Cook: 10 min · Total: 30 min · Serves 24
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- to taste Royal icing or glaze, for decorating
- to taste Holiday sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl; set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until smooth.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
- Divide dough into two disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a floured surface and cut into holiday shapes.
- Place cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets, 1 inch apart, and bake 8-10 minutes until edges are just barely golden.
- Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating with royal icing and sprinkles.