The perfect sugar cookie? A superfluous title but one I truly believe in. While Marylin’s soft sugar cookies will always reign all, hi soft/chewy excellence. Today’s cookies are of the classic variety, sturdy enough to handle a very detailed cookie cutter and soft enough to sink your teeth into. When baked, they keep their shape and are ready for a whipped buttercream or crunchy royal icing alike.
If I may use this time to ask you what other things you want to see on the perfect series? More cakes? Higher difficulty? I’ve got a list going but your help would be so desired. E-mail, message, comment? I’m here for you.
We are starting out with mixing the butter, cream cheese and sugar together to make it light and fluffy before adding the room temperature eggs. If your eggs aren’t room temperature, soak them in an overly warm water bath for about 5 minutes. A splash of almond extract and vanilla will do these cookies some good. And, it all gets married together by all-purpose flour, salt and baking powder that we’ve already whisked in a separate bowl.
Some plastic wrap and chill-time is paramount before rolling out and shaping into whatever desired shape we can all agree on. Before you know it, we’ve got cooled cookies on racks scattered throughout our kitchen counters. It is good, it is right, it is perfect.
Just think about the cookies we can make with this very basic recipe. We can practice our flooding skills, we can keep some dough, airtight, in the freezer for when the occasion calls. We can make window cookies or just have a vehicle for that extra frosting in your mixer. I don’t know. I’m not here to tell you what you should do. Just to point you in a direction.
The Perfect Sugar Cookie
As far as the best, classic sugar cookie recipe goes – this is the one. Super flavorful and perfect texture.
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 57 minutes
- Yield: 24–30 1x
Ingredients
1 cup butter
2 ounces cream cheese
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
In a standing mixer, cream room temperature butter, cream cheese, sugar, vanilla extract, and almond extract together until creamed. Add in the egg and egg yolk and mix just until combined. Sprinkle in the flour baking powder and salt and turn the mixer on low. Combine batter until it comes together, cover in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for one hour.
Preheat the Oven to 350
On a clean, well-floured surface, roll out to 1/4th inch thick. Cut cookies using desired cookie cutters. Bake in the oven for 12-14 minutes.
Hi Karlee. I’m new to your blog but I am totally going to make your Dill Chicken this week! Wow that looks good, especially as the weather is getting hot. Recipe wise, I am particularly drawn to your Perfect series. I love to know people’s “bests”. I’m also interested in Starters and Sides, especially around Super Bowl. Gosh I have the hardest time with that. I also adore all Cake. It’s my favorite food which is sadly kept in check by diabetes. I usually avoid recipes that I have to roll out. I’m trying to get over that. And if you have a favorite peanut butter & chocolate pie, I’d be beholden. Ok off to read all your posts!!
Hey Jeanne! Yay! Welcome! gosh, that dill chicken salad is good.
and thank you for all of these suggestions! it’s so so SO good to hear, Jeanne!
Karlee
Not much of a baker , but I am definitely going to try your sugar cookies. And your onion dip looks amazing. Thank you for your recipes.
Do you use salted or unsalted butter?