This Sugar Cookie Dough recipe is one that I’ve been making since the 1980’s. The dough rolls out perfectly for you to create delicious cookies with your favorite cookie cutter. Our favorite frosting recipe is a “crusting” buttercream. Whenever I make a platter of these, they are gone in no time at all!
I’m sure you’ve all seen those beautiful cut-out sugar cookies with gorgeous Royal Icing designs? They’re almost too pretty to eat. Well, I’m not one of those bakers! While my sugar cookies won’t win a beauty contest, they taste even better than their “rustic” look!
I’ve shared other delicious Sugar Cookie recipes that don’t involve rolling and baking. This recipe, however, is my favorite choice for holiday cookies.
It’s fun for me to search my collection of cookie cutters to fit the holiday/occasion.
Emily Hutchinson’s excellent cookbook “Creative Cookie Decorating: Buttercream Frosting Designs and Tips for Every Occasion“. Her tutorials have given me the courage to learn how to decorate home baked sugar cookies.
Buttercream frosting is my favorite way to decorate a traditional sugar cookie. For my husband’s birthday, I bake pumpkin shaped sugar cookies. His mother (bless her soul), baked them for him every birthday. I am happy to continue that tradition for him. I’ve shared this cookie recipe before in this post.
However, I haven’t shared how to make a “crusting” buttercream frosting. I learned how to make this type of frosting when I attended a Wilton cake decorating course many years ago. The combination of butter and shortening helps the frosting to harden, so the cookies don’t become a big mess to plate or eat! It’s high time I share this for you– and also for me to quickly look up the recipe when I need it.
If you don’t want to work with a piping bag and tips, just slather on an even layer of the frosting. I promise you, they will taste so good that nobody will pay attention to the lack of a fancy design. I promise!
TASTING NOTES: I believe it’s the powdered sugar that gives these cookies such a tender crumb. Personally, just a hint of almond extract is my favorite flavor, but you can leave that out if you prefer. The cookies are tender, and not too sweet. The frosting– well, it is sweet, but that’s what makes these such a special treat.
Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
Equipment
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper recommended
- piping bags and tips optional
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract optional
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
For the "crusting" buttercream
- 1 cup salted sweet cream butter room temperature
- 1 cup shortening I use Crisco; see notes
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract optional
- 9 cups confectioner's sugar sifted, to avoid lumps
- 3 Tablespoons heavy cream or milk
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Cream powdered sugar, butter, egg, vanilla and almond extract.
- Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Or, you can freeze this dough up to 3 months.
Bake:
- Heat oven to 375°F.
- Divide dough into halves. Roll each half about 3/6-inch thick on a lightly floured surface, making sure to add flour to your rolling pin.
- Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters.
- Chill the cookie cutouts for at least 15 minutes, before baking.
- Place on an ungreased cookie sheet (I use parchment paper).
- Bake until edges are light brown, 9 to 11 minutes, rotating halfway through for even baking.
- Allow to cool completely. Frost and decorate as desired.
For the frosting:
- Cream the butter and shortening until well incorporated.
- Once creamed, add the vanilla and almond extract (if using). Mix until well incorporated, about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the powdered sugar, to avoid a powdered sugar storm! Stop the mixer, and scrape the bowl to incorporate all of the powdered sugar.
- Add the heavy cream/milk one tablespoon at a time. You want the frosting to be silky enough to be spreadable, but not so thin that it's soupy. There's no need to over mix.
- To color the frosting I prefer Americolor gel food coloring.
Notes
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