MY BEST SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
I’m very excited to share this post with you today. I’ve been making this sugar cookie for decades. I found the recipe in an old magazine. The recipe was titled “Simply Perfect Sugar Cookies”… and they are! They’re not too sweet, and have a nice crumb and the glaze on the top is a must. These delicious cookies are easy to roll and be cut out in any shape. I like to cut them into a fluted square with the glaze spread over them with sanding sugar sprinkled on the top. Scrumptious!
Today I’m part of a very sweet group of bloggers sharing…34 CHRISTMAS SWEETS AND TREATS! Make sure you check out all the delicious yumminess at the end of this post!
I hope you give these sugar cookies a try… they are that good!
SIMPLY PERFECT SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
- 4 cups cake flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup butter
- 1/3 cup vegetable shortening
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 TBS plus 1 tsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Cookie Glaze
- 1 TBS meringue powder
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 1 TBS melted butter
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking powder and salt in a large bowl.
- In another large mixing bowl cream the butter, shortening and sugars with an electric mixer until very light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat until incorporated. Beat in the milk and vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in thirds. Beat until just incorporated.
- Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap. Make a disk and wrap. Chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Roll out dough on a floured work surface to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out with cookie cutter and put on a parchment lined baking sheet 1/2 inch apart. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until the bottom of the cookies are just starting to get a little golden. The top of the cookie should not be browned at all. Cool completely on a wire rack.
Glaze
- Put powdered sugar, meringue powder and salt into a bowl. Mix. Add 1 TBS water, melted butter and vanilla extract. Stir to make a glaze. If the glaze is too thick add a little water in 1/2 tsp increments at a time. Use a knife to spread the glaze on the cookies and sprinkle with sanding sugar. Let glaze harden before eating.
You might want to add this to your CHRISTMAS or RECIPE Pinterest board! You can follow me and see what I am pinning HERE!
stonegableblog.com
Thank you Yvonne, these look like their name “Simply Perfect Sugar Cookies”. A MUST TRY for sure.
Question…is the string/twine you used to tie the pictured cookies waxed? My string is so thin and doesn’t look so pretty.
Can you share the brand you use? Thanks for all you bring to us.
I use regular baking twine. It’s not waxed so I trap it several times to make it more hefty. Hope this answers your question. Happy Day!
These cookies are so pretty! I bet they taste amazing too! I am going to make these today!!! These may be my new favorite!!
Thank you for sharing!
These cookies do look scrumptious! Is meringue powder something I could find at my local grocery store? Merry Christmas!!!
Is meringue powder the same as egg white powder?
These look so good. Can’t wait to try them.
Hi Mahala, Yes, I think it is. It is a substitute for 1 egg white. I prefer using Meringue powder for health reasons. Happy Sunday!
These look so yummy! Can’t wait to give them a try!
These looks SO yummy, Yvonne! Pinning!
PS- my link isn’t working in your lineup- would you mind updating please? http://unskinnyboppy.com/2014/12/homemade-cinnamon-rolls-christmas-morning/
Thanks friend!
Doing that now, Beth!
These look wonderful Yvonne!! And so pretty too, great recipe!
xoxo, Tanya
Oh my these looks delish and so pretty! pinned
Hi Yvonne. Is it possible to freeze these and if so, would I leave the glaze off or on? Thank you – I’m trying to get a headstart on my Christmas baking!
I bet you could. Give it a try and then let me know.
Hi Yvonne! I’m looking at my post from last year. I did make your delicious cookies and froze them. When I thawed them for gifts, I glazed them. They truly are the most scrumptious sugar cookies I have ever made and I look forward to baking them again this year! Thank you!
I’m so pleased you liked them. They are so scrumptious!
I am frantically searching for cookies to make for a cookie exchange party this week…these look great!
Shelley
Yvonne, these look amazing! I have never seen a sugar cookie recipe using cake flour. What a great idea! I love the square fluted shape too.
I saw someone post a tip about rolling out cookie dough while it was easier to do so and then chilling it in the fridge. After it is cold, then you cut out the cookies. Do you think that would work with these?
Thank you for you absolutely gorgeous blog. I have to check it at least a couple of times a day to see what awesome idea you have come up with!
Cathy
Putting the dough in the frig gives it a chance to rest and for the butter in the dough to get solid. I think it makes a flakier cookies when the butter is cold.
Oh my goodness! Yvonne, your cookies look mouthwatering. Mmm!!
I’ve never been good at rolled cookies, so I’ll be pinning these for sure and planning to give them a try. Then again, they sound like they just might be a little addicting. 😉
All the best for an extraordinary Christmas!
Christmas just isn’t the same without sugar cookies, and these sound and look wonderful!
In response to Cyndi’s question, sugar cookies freeze beautifully. In this case, I would probably freeze them unglazed.
I made these sugar cookies this afternoon and you’re right….they are delicious. I have many cookie cutters but inspired by your scalloped edge, I used my round biscuit cutter and they came out perfectly. Just over 8 minutes at the convection/bake setting. Will definitely be my go-to sugar cookie recipe from now on.
Oh, these look so yummy. I like how you have tied a short stack of them together – just the perfect amount for a give away.
Thanks for sharing the recipe – will be trying it.
I love sugar cookies! I can’t wait to try your recipe Yvonne! Thanks for joining us of this fun Sweets & Treats hop.
Yvonne, I don’t think we can get meringue powder here, so I guess I will try the pavlova mix they have in shops. I must say I usually or always make my cakes from scratch. Perhaps egg white, although it probably would make it too wet.
Hugs Kay
Not only do they sound delicious, but you make them look so pretty – almost too pretty to eat! Happy Monday, Yvonne!!
I invite you to add this yumminess to my Christmas Cookie linky xo
I’m going to try them now. I was able to find meringue powder at a bulk shop, so excited!
I’ve never used cake flour in a sugar cookie, this sounds very interesting and I will try them. Yours are very dainty with just the right amount of decorations!
Sugar cookies are my favorite!!! Yvonne your recipe looks so delicious, your presentation and photography are magazine worthy!! Wish I could come over for a cookie and a cup of hot cocoa and visit with you! Pinned! ~Heather
Oh they look and sound soo good Yvonne!!
two questions: Is it necessary to you cake flour versus regular flour? Is vegetable shortening Crisco or vegetable oil?
Thanks
Use cake flour… it is not necessary but makes a better crumb. Use crisco.
Any idea how many dozen cookies this recipe makes? Thanks!
Sorry! I’m not sure!
I love how you decorated these!
Your simply perfect sugar cookies look simply delicious! I can’t wait to try them. I’m thinking of making them for my fellow venders at our December Girls Night Out located at one of Chester County, Pa’s most awesome antique and collectables destination in Glenmoore, Pa. I’m sure they will be a hit!?
These sugar cookies are simply beautiful. Just looking at them makes me want to get started on my holiday baking. Can’t wait to try them.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. It looks wonderful and I am going to make these cookies on my next day off. I want to thank you for sharing the additional 36 sweets. These are going to keep me busy, my family gathers on the day after Thanksgiving to bake cookies and make candy for the holiday’s.
Thanks for sharing. will try to replicate for some little personal hostess gifts.
I love how pretty sugar cookies can be. I’ve made them in many different shapes, to eat and for decoration but I’ve never made them square tied with a ribbon… what a lovely little gift that would made. Love it!
When I roll out cookie dough, I use powdered sugar rather than flour–helps avoid toughness. I love the square cookies; so easy to cut out with little waste.
Always looking for new Christmas cookie recipes! Thanks and blessings to you!
You can order Meringue Powder online at Amazon or King Arthur Flour. I’m trying these cookies with my grandchildren. They look yummy!
I cannot wait to try this recipe. The cookies look beautiful and they will make wonderful gifts. Thank you for sharing.
Happy cookie baking season! I just printed the recipe and am looking forward to trying it. I hope to find meringue powder at my local grocery store. I love trying new recipes! Thank you 😀
Your sugar cookie recipe has become a holiday favorite for my family and this will be the third Christmas I will be making the recipe. Since we live at the beach I use a starfish cookie cutter and add white glaze with glistening sugar on top. Thank you for sharing and making our Christmas celebration special.
How pretty Donna! I’m thrilled your family like this cookie! Merry Christmas!
Made these last year using a snow flake cookie cutter. They were very pretty and your recipe is delicious…gave them out as guest favors at my annual Christmas dinner party. Everyone enjoyed them and I will make them again this year!
I. Love. Sugar. cookies!!!!! These look beyond gorgeous too!! Going to try them this month!!
My mom’s favorite! Will have to try!
The cookies are beautiful and sound delicious. I have found meringue powder in the past at Walmart with the Wilton cake supplies. That was a while ago, so I don’t know if they still have it, but, if not, maybe at another store with Wilton cake supplies.
Yvonne, I am reading this post from years back and still love the ideas that your group shares. I am making your sugar cookies today with my 3 year old grandson….should be interesting and fun. I have kept this recipe in my pins and today is the day!! Have a great week as we count down the last week before Christmas 2018!!
Cant wait to try the sugar cookies recipe. I wished the print button on the recipe worked so I could save the recipe in my cookbook.
Let me tell ya friend / I finally broke down and made your best sugar cookies. They are delious!!!!!
So easy to make / had all stuff ready the nite before
laid out. They rolled out super /cut out with a star cutter only / it went so fast/ yummy yummy
Thanks again for sharing
What a lovely endorsement!! They are delicious and easy to roll out! Thanks for letting us know!
Yvonne, do these cookies spread when baked? I struggle with dough that spreads in cut outs, then the baked cookie doesn’t look similar to what it is supposed to look like, lol.
No, but you must keep the dough very cold before it goes into the oven. When you cut out your cookies and put them on a pan, pop them into your frig for about 30 minutes and then put them right into the oven.