Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Flat cut out sugar cookies in different shapes with crisp, defined, no spread edges.

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Easy, delicious Cutout Sugar Cookies with buttery vanilla flavor are the perfect canvas for all kinds of decorating. The dough doesn't spread while baking and keeps perfect edges. Instructions included for no chill dough.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 20

chill time 2

Total Time 2 30

Servings -2" round cookies

Calories 82kcal

Author Wendy Sondov

Adapted from LilaLoa.com

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Ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon butter flavor baking emulsion or another teaspoon of vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
4 or 4 ½ cups all purpose flour

Instructions

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar just until combined.
Mix in the eggs, vanilla and butter flavor emulsion. Then mix in the baking powder and salt.
Gradually add flour, 1 cup at a time. NOTE: If making the cookies right away, use 4 ½ cups of flour. If refrigerating the dough for use in several hours or several days, use only 4 cups of flour.
To chill the dough: Form the dough into 2 disc shapes, wrap each disc with plastic wrap and refrigerate several hours or up to 3 days.
When ready to bake, pre heat oven to 350℉. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Bring the dough to room temperature, then roll out one portion of the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to ¼” thick.
Cut out cookie shapes as close together as possible. Scraps can be re rolled and more cookies cut out.
Transfer cutout shapes to a prepared baking sheet, about 1 inch apart. See notes for tips for tranferring intricate shapes.
Bake for 8-12 minutes. Time varies depending on the size and thickness of the cookies. Bake until bottom and bottom edge of cookies just begins to turn golden brown.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes then transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before icing or storing.
Plain cut out cookies without icing can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to one week. Icing or coating the tops of cut out cookies extends the shelf life to two weeks.

Notes

Be careful to mix the butter and sugar just until combined. Overmixing the butter and sugar causes too much air to be incorporated into the dough which can cause the cookies to rise and spread.
To avoid tough cookies, mix the dough minimally and roll out the dough a minimal number of times.
Using a rolling pin with thickness rings or rolling guides is essential to ensure even thickness of the cookies for even baking.
For best results transferring cookies with delicate shapes, either freeze the shapes before transferring or remove the extra dough around cut out shapes and transfer the entire parchment sheet with the cookies to a cookie sheet for baking.
Don't overbake the cookies. The tops and sides of the completely baked cookies should still be pale in color with no browning.

Nutrition