Seriously Yummy Sugar Cookies Recipe

Few things are as satisfying as freshly baked cookies. There's just something about pulling those little sweets out of the oven, with the delicious scent wafting through the kitchen, and patiently waiting for them to cool just enough to take that first bite.

Making cookies at home is definitely achievable, even for the most novice of bakers. Say goodbye to purchasing store-bought packaged cookies or refrigerated dough, and get in the habit of prepping them on your own at home. We promise, they'll come together in just a matter of minutes, using simple and easy-to-find ingredients.

If you're looking for the perfect sugar cookie recipe, we've got you covered. Sugar cookies can sometimes get a bad rap, because of their simplicity. But that's why we think they're so good. With the flavors of butter, sugar, and just a hint of vanilla, this sugar cookie recipe is perfect for a quick afternoon snack, or even a holiday baking project. Use this recipe as a base, and dress it up any way you'd like for the ultimate sugar cookie experience.

Part of whipping up a batch of great sugar cookies is to start with great ingredients. Gathering all of the necessary ingredients for this recipe ahead of time will only make the process of making sugar cookies easier.

For this sugar cookie recipe, you'll need ½ cup, or one stick, of unsalted butter. Be sure your butter is softened before use. In addition, you'll need ¾ cup sugar, one egg, pure vanilla extract, two cups of flour, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, and ¼ teaspoon salt.

If you want to add sprinkles to your cookies, be sure those are ready and on-hand. Any type of color or shape of sprinkles can be used for this recipe. The vanilla extract adds great flavor to this recipe, but you can omit it if you don't have any on hand. Or, you can utilize pure almond extract for a unique, flavorful cookie as well.

These sugar cookies truly come together easily in just a matter of minutes. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees to allow it to heat up while you make your dough.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with the paddle attachment, add in the softened butter. It's important that the butter is softened to room temperature before adding it to the mixing bowl so it can be fully broken down and incorporated into the dough. If the butter is too hard, it will make the dough chunky and won't evenly distribute ingredients correctly. 

Once the softened butter is added, mix it on medium speed to break it up. Then, add in the sugar. Allow the sugar and butter to continue mixing until well-combined and soft clumps form.

Once the butter and sugar is creamed, add in the egg and the pure vanilla extract. Continue mixing until well combined before moving onto the next step.

Once your butter mixture is prepared, it's ready for the remaining dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. It helps to mix the dry ingredients all together in a separate bowl before adding to the butter mixture so each ingredient can be evenly combined.

Once your dry mixture is ready, gradually add it to the butter and sugar mixture while the mixer is still running. Mix all of the ingredients on medium speed until fully incorporated. As you mix, a soft dough will begin to form and pull away from the sides of the mixing bowl.

If your mixture seems a bit too wet, gradually add in a little bit more flour to bring the dough together. It shouldn't be sticky or too elastic. A good, firm dough will prevent the sugar cookies from spreading while baking.

Once your dough is ready, it's time to bake your cookies. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray. This will prevent your cookies from sticking to the baking sheet.

Take one-inch sized sections of dough and roll them into balls. Flatten each ball of dough slightly, and then place it on the baking sheet. If you want to add sprinkles or additional sugar on top of your cookies, sprinkle it on top before placing the baking sheet in the oven.

Allow your cookies to bake for 16 to 18 minutes, until the edges are just slightly golden brown. Once the edges have a bit of color, remove the cookies from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet on top of the stovetop. This will allow the centers to finish baking, ultimately providing a softer cookie. Remove the cookies from the baking sheet and allow them to finish cooling on a cooling rack or plate.

These sugar cookies are certainly delicious on their own. By combining simple ingredients, paired with notes of vanilla flavor, you'll have a tasty cookie in no time.

Rolling the dough into balls and baking these sugar cookies results in a simple, round cookie shape. However, you can absolutely switch this up if you're hoping to use cookie cutters to make your sugar cookies that much prettier. You can easily deck out these cookies for any occasion or to match any theme. 

Once your dough is prepped, roll it out on a flat surface with plenty of flour to prevent from sticking. Dip your cookie cutter into the flour, and then press it into the flattened dough. Transfer the cookie cut-out to your prepared baking sheet, and bake your cookies. Once your cookies cool, top them with icing or additional sprinkles for decoration.