Classic Rolled Sugar Cookies
A reliable sugar cookie should be crisp at the edges and hold sharp lines from your cutters. The secret is patience with the refrigerator; if the butter warms up before the cookies hit the oven, the shapes will blur into puddles.
Temperature is your primary ingredient.
Ensure your butter is cool enough to hold an imprint but soft enough to blend without leaving chunks. If the dough feels sticky or tacky while rolling, stop and put it back in the fridge.
- Stand mixer with paddle attachment
- Rolling pin with spacers
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cookie cutters
What goes in.
- 1 cupunsalted butter, softened
- 1 cupgranulated sugar
- 1 largeegg, room temperature
- 1 tspvanilla extract
- 2.5 cupsall-purpose flour
- 0.5 tspsalt
Chilling keeps the shape
You must chill the dough twice: once as a disk before rolling, and again for 20 minutes after cutting the shapes on the tray. This firms the fat, which is the only way to stop the cookies from losing their definition in the heat.
The method.
Cream the base
Beat butter and sugar on medium-high speed for three minutes. Stop when the mixture transforms from a grainy yellow paste into a pale, fluffy cream.
Add aromatics
Add the egg and vanilla. Mix on low until just combined. Scrape the sides of the bowl to ensure no butter streaks remain.
Incorporate dry goods
Add flour and salt in two batches. Mix on the lowest speed until the dough clumps together around the paddle. Do not overwork it or the cookies will be tough.
Initial chill
Turn the dough onto a piece of plastic wrap, press it into a thick disk, and refrigerate for at least one hour.
Roll and cut
Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut your shapes, pull away the scraps, and chill the entire tray for 20 minutes.
Bake
Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. They are done when the edges are barely beginning to turn golden.
Other turns to take.
Lemon Zest
Add the zest of one lemon to the sugar before creaming to infuse the fat with citrus oils.
Almond Flour swap
Replace 1/2 cup of the all-purpose flour with almond flour for a shorter, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
When it doesn't go to plan.
Use a bench scraper to lift delicate cut-outs from the parchment to the baking sheet so they do not stretch.
If your kitchen is warm, work with only half the dough at a time, keeping the rest in the fridge.
Light-colored metal baking sheets are better than dark ones, as dark sheets can burn the bottoms before the tops set.
The ones that keep coming up.
Why did my cookies lose their shape?
The dough was likely too warm. If the butter melts before the flour structure sets in the oven, the cookie spreads.
Can I re-roll the scraps?
Yes, but only once. Re-rolling incorporates more flour into the dough, which makes the second batch noticeably drier.
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