The best cut out sugar cookie recipe comes from my Nana! Perfect balance of soft and crispy, and not too sweet so you can decorate with icing and sprinkles!
Could there be any more classic Christmas cookie than a sugar cookie? I think not.
I have been indulging in sugar cookies since my mom let me get my little hands on them.
We have talked about my nana’s amazing baking skills once or twice, but today, I finally bring you her cream of the crop recipe. There is not only family gathering, party or dinner soiree without sugar cookies crossing the dessert table. And as today is my Nana’s birthday, I can not think of any other way to celebrate her than sharing my favorite recipe of hers!
Isn’t my Nana the cutest?! Happy Birthday!
Funny story about this sugar cookies actually. My cousins and I grew up much like best friends, rather than cousins. We were all around the same age which made it very easy for us to get lost for hours in the basement of our house playing made up games like Mad Dog. Don’t ask.
We had a simple rule. You don’t go get the parents unless you were bleeding. We were serious about our games. We were light years ahead of Hunger Games.
Back to the sugar cookies though. One Fourth of July, it was dinner time and my brother and my cousin Paul, decided a corn eating contest was necessary. Sixteen ears of corn later, they were both rolling around the yard with stomach aches. As they had already downed a few sodas, couple handfuls of Fritos, and unlimited hot dogs. This prompted my cousin Angela and I to join in. Except the corn we swapped for sugar cookies. More our style.
If you can guess, this went over not so well. A few dozen cookies later, we following in their footsteps and were rolling around with stomach aches complaining to why we ever thought that was a good idea. Oh to have the mind of an eight year old again.
Now I am not telling you to not indulge in endless amounts of sugar cookies this holiday season, but I will assure you will not be able to stop at one.
They are the perfect dough to make cut out sugar cookies for decorating as you can reroll the dough out as many times as you wish and no chilling is needed. The all butter dough makes them perfectly tender yet with enough body to hold them together and not crumble in your fingers.
The dough comes together quickly and freezes like a dream. Which reminds me, I have some leftover dough in my freezer.
Excuse me while I go reminisce on my eight year old self with a solo sugar cookie eating contest!
meal prep tips:
- this dough freezes wonderfully, so you can double the batch and freeze. Or prepare half the dough and freeze the rest! When ready to make, remove the dough from the freezer and let thaw, either in the fridge or on the counter.
- you can make these cookies ahead of time, then frost the day or day before serving. they hold so well in a sealed container!
The best cut out sugar cookie recipe comes from my Nana! Perfect balance of soft and crispy, and not too sweet so you can decorate with icing and sprinkles!
15 minPrep Time
10 minCook Time
25 minTotal Time
Yields 4 dozen cookies
Save RecipeIngredients
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup unrefined sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups flour
- For decorating: Icing and sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl with hand mixer or kitchen aid, cream butter and sugar.
- Add eggs and beat until fluffy.
- Add cream of tarter, baking soda, vanilla extract and flour. Add flour slowly!
- Chill dough for one hour.
- To roll out, lightly flour your surface or a tea towel. Add dough and slightly knead some flour from the surface into the dough. Create a uniform ball then using a rolling pin, roll dough out to 1/4 inch thick. Using a cookie cutter dipped in flour, cut shapes out. Repeat the rolling process until all the dough is used.
- Lay the cookies onto a cookie sheet.
- Add cookies to preheated oven and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to cool slightly. Then move from cookie sheet to cooling rack.
- Ice cookies with your favorite frosting or add enjoy as is!
Craving more cookies?
Flourless Peanut Butter Chocolate Cookies
Mint Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Chia Seed Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies
If you make this recipe, make sure to snap a photo and hashtag it #WITHSALTANDWIT. I’d love to see what you are cooking up in your kitchen!
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