Classic Sugar Cookies Food

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Beat 2 sticks butter, 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar until fluffy. Beat in 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon orange zest. Whisk 2 1/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt; stir into the butter mixture, then chill 30 minutes. Roll tablespoonfuls into balls and flatten; sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 15 to 20 minutes at 350 degrees.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES (WITH VARIATIONS)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Cream butter and sugar in a medium bowl, using medium speed (electric mixer) until light and fluffy.
• Add egg and vanilla.
• Continue beating until well-combined.
• Combine flour, salt and baking soda.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
• Mix on low speed until just combined.
• Wrap dough tightly with cling wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes.
• Turn dough out on lightly floured surface.
• Roll to about 1/8" thickness.
• Using cookie cutters/inverted wine glass, cut out cookies and transfer to prepared baking sheets.
• Sprinkle the tops with sugar, if desired.
• Bake until cookies are set but not brown, 8-10 minutes.
• Transfer to cooling racks.
• You may roll the dough into a log shape and freeze until firm, then slice and bake.
• LEMON SUGAR COOKIES- Add 1 tablespoon finely chopped lemon zest and 1 tablespoon lemon juice to butter and sugar.
• RAISIN SUGAR COOKIES- Stir 3/4 cup raisins into dough after dry ingredients have been combined.
• NUT SUGAR COOKIES- Stir 3/4 cup finely chopped (toasted) walnuts/pecans/other nuts into dough after dry ingredients have been combined.
• SUGAR AND SPICE COOKIES- Add 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg and a pinch of ground cloves to the dough along with the flour.
• FROSTED SUGAR COOKIES- Omit the sprinkling of sugar on top of cookies.
• Beat 1 cup icing sugar, 1 tablespoon water/milk, 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and a few drops of food coloring (if desired) with electric mixer, on HIGH speed.
• Frost cookies after baking, while still slightly warm.
• CHOCOLATE COOKIES- Melt 2 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use 72%) in the microwave, stir until smooth, let cool slightly and add to the dough after the addition of vanilla.
• MARBLED/TWO-TONED COOKIES- Melt 1 oz. bittersweet chocolate (I use 72%) in the microwave, stir until smooth, let cool slightly. After the dough has been formed, divide it into two. Add melted chocolate into one part of dough, knead it gently to incorporate chocolate uniformly. Combine 2 doughs and roll out as usual.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the superfine sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Gently gather any scraps of dough into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
• For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer on medium-high speed in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
• Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• COMBINE shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Add milk. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
• COMBINE flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in separate large bowl. Mix into shortening mixture until well blended. Chill 1 hour.
• HEAT oven to 350°F.
• ROLL out 1 ⁄ 3 of dough at a time to about 1⁄4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars and decors or leave plain and frost when cooled.
• BAKE 6 to 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly golden. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
• BUTTERY CREAM FROSTING:.
• COMBINE powdered sugar, shortening and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer; slowly blend in milk to reach desired consistency.
• BEAT on high speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Tint frosting with food coloring, if desired.
• Spread a thin layer of frosting on cookies and decorate with sparkling sugars or sprinkles while frosting is still wet to ensure the decorations stay in place. If you're planning to pipe on frosting decorations, make sure to allow the base coat of frosting, and then each addition layer, to dry completely before adding another.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer at medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes in a stand mixer or 6 minutes with a handheld. Beat in egg and vanilla. Reduce speed to low and add flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
• Form dough into 2 balls and flatten each into a 6-inch disk. Chill disks, wrapped in plastic wrap, until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Put oven rack in middle position and preheat oven to 350°F.
• Roll out 1 disk of dough (keep remaining dough chilled) into an 8 1/2-inch round (1/4 inch thick) on a well-floured surface with a well-floured rolling pin. (If dough becomes too soft to roll out, rewrap in plastic and chill until firm.) Cut out as many cookies as possible from dough with cutters and transfer to 2 ungreased large baking sheets, arranging cookies about 1 inch apart.
• Bake cookies, 1 sheet at a time, until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Meanwhile, gather scraps and chill until dough is firm enough to reroll, 10 to 15 minutes. Make more cookies with remaining dough and scraps (reroll scraps only once) and bake on cooled baking sheets.
• If using icing and coloring it, transfer 1/4 cup icing to a small bowl for each color and tint with food coloring. Spoon each color icing into a sealable bag, pressing out excess air, and snip a 1/8-inch opening in 1 bottom corner of bag. Twisting bag firmly just above icing, decoratively pipe icing onto cookies. Let icing dry completely (about 1 hour) before storing cookies.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks. To ice cookies, spread with the back of a spoon. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired.
• For the icing, sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in milk, water, or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, whisk in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid. Spread over cookies with back of a spoon. Add other decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES BY CRISCO® BAKING STICKS

Steps:

• Combine shortening, granulated sugar and brown sugar in large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended. Add milk. Beat in eggs, one at a time. Add vanilla.
• Combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in separate large bowl. Mix into shortening mixture until well blended. Chill 1 hour.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Roll out 1/3 of dough at a time to about 1/4-inch thickness on floured surface. Cut out with cookie cutters. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased baking sheets. Sprinkle with colored sugars and decors or leave plain and frost when cooled.
• Bake 6 to 8 minutes or until edges of cookies are slightly golden. Remove immediately to cooling rack.
• Combine powdered sugar, shortening and vanilla in bowl of electric mixer; slowly blend in milk to reach desired consistency.
• Beat on high speed for 5 minutes or until smooth and creamy. Tint frosting with food coloring, if desired.
• Spread a thin layer of frosting on cookies and decorate with sparkling sugars or sprinkles while frosting is still wet to ensure the decorations stay in place. If you're planning to pipe on frosting decorations, make sure to allow the base coat of frosting, and then each addition layer, to dry completely before adding another.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, the softened butter, 1 teaspoon vanilla, the almond extract and egg with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon, until well blended. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Divide dough in half; shape dough into 2 disks, and wrap in plastic wrap. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F.
• Roll each disk on lightly floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutters into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place cutouts at least 2 inches apart.
• Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are light brown. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks. Cool completely.
• In medium bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk and 1/4 teaspoon vanilla with spoon until smooth and spreadable. If frosting is too stiff to spread, add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time. Tint with food color. Spread frosting on cooled cookies. Decorate as desired with colored sugar or candy sprinkles. Let stand about 4 hours or until frosting is set. Store covered in airtight container at room temperature with waxed paper between layers.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES (COOKIE EXCHANGE QUANTITY)

Steps:

• In large bowl, beat 3 cups powdered sugar, the butter, vanilla, 1 teaspoon almond extract and eggs with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Heat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease cookie sheet. Divide dough in half. On lightly floured surface, roll each half 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes with 3-inch cookie cutters. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet.
• Bake 5 to 7 minutes or until edges are light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes.
• In small bowl, beat all glaze ingredients except food colors on low speed until smooth. Divide among several small bowls. Stir desired food color, one drop at a time, into each until desired color. Decorate cookies with glaze and other decorations as desired.

CLASSIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Using 2-1/2-in. cookie cutters, cut out desired shapes. Place 2 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Leave plain or sprinkle with colored sugar. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool. Frost plain cookies; sprinkle with colored sugar if desired.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 180° C. Grease and line two cookie sheets.
• In a bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla extract and egg.
• In a separate bowl combine baking powder with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients. The dough will be very stiff.
• DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches, roll out onto a floured surface and cut into whatever shapes you desire.
• Bake for 8-10 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.