Its always fun and easy to make my best sugar cookie recipe. I also share my easy icing recipe and technique!
I love to bake and this is one of my first (and all-time favorite) recipes – frosted sugar cookies!
I’ve had this easy Christmas sugar cookie recipe since my high school cooking class just like my pie recipe.
few tips
Sometimes sugar cookies dough can become sticky when rolling it out so here are a few tips to ensure easy rolling of the dough:
- make sure to chill in the fridge at least one hour before rolling the dough
- use a generous amount of flour on the counter and the rolling pin when rolling out the dough
- don’t roll the dough too thin – a good 1/4 – 1/2 inch is good when cutting out sugar cookies
The kids had a great time decorating these holiday cookies. Sugar cookies are so fun to make with kids! They love cutting out different shapes and being creative with the decorating. Regular icing (or frosting) can be a bit challenging to decorate each cookie so I have a trick to icing them an easy way!
Icing/Frosting
Following my icing recipe below, mix the three ingredients together and warm the icing in the microwave (for about 20 seconds) then dip the cookie in the warm icing facedown.
There’s no need to spread out the icing with a knife and incredibly easy to ice three dozen cookies in no time flat!
You may need to reheat the icing every a couple of times to keep warm.
Have your kids decorate the cookies with candies and sprinkles! Make sure to add the sprinkles and candles when the icing is still warm so they stay on the cookie.
Here’s my printable recipe. Happy baking!
Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cup flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 cup flour (for rolling out dough)
Icing/Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter, softened
- 2 1/2 cup icing sugar / powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Instructions
Cookie Dough
- Cream butter and sugar together until fluffy (at least a few minutes).
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Mix together dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.
- Cut dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap and chill in fridge for 1-2 hours (easier to roll out dough half at a time).
- Roll and cut out on floured surface.
- Tip: Make sure counter and rolling pin are well floured, dough will be quite sticky. I use about a 1/2 cup flour total for rolling out dough.
- Cut into shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place on baking sheets and bake for 8-10 min at 350 deg F.
- Take out when edges turn golden brown.
Icing/Frosting
- Beat butter until smooth.
- Gradually beat in icing sugar and milk.
- Once cookies are cool, ice with warmed mixture. Decorate with sprinkles and candies while icing is still warm (you may need to reheat a few times).
Make sure to pin it for later!
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Yeah, I stole one after the shoot……. It was pretty darn fantastic! Thanks Jamie!!!!!!!
haha, thanks Tracey! And thank you for a wonderful day!!
Hugs,
Jamie
Thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome 😉
Jamie, we should have a bake-off! I have a mean cut-out cookie recipe as well! Tee Hee. These look delicious! Looking forward to trying the BEST sugar cookie recipe! Happy Holidays!
we totally should, Michelle. I must try your recipe too 😉
Merry Christmas,
Jamie
I tried these and I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I followed the recipee but could not get the dough to a point where I could roll it out. I just keps adding flour and finally had to toss it. They look delicious, but I never got to the point of tasting them.
Hi Trine,
I’m sorry these didn’t work out for you. Did you chill the dough before rolling out? That’s the ‘secret’ for it not being too sticky. Once you chill it for 1-2 hours in plastic wrap, you don’t need much flour. If you don’t, then you’ll need lots of flour. I put it in plastic wrap and squish it down to the size of a small plate and pop it in the fridge.
Hope you have a wonderful Christmas!
Hugs, Jamie
Hi again Jamie, I did chill them. I definitely want to try it again, they look yummy.
Merry Christmas to you too.
Oh no, I thought for sure that was the problem. Did you flour the countertop and the rolling pin? Make sure they stay chilled when rolling out. I find they are actually difficult to roll because they are so cold but definitely not sticky. You only need to roll it a few times and leave the dough 1/2 inch thick for cutting out. It will be much different to roll than pastry. Hope you’re enjoying the holidays!
Hugs, Jamie
That cake stand! Where on earth did you get it?
Staci, I got it at Crate and Barrel years ago but I know they don’t sell it anymore 🙁
Hugs, Jamie