Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are brilliant covered in buttercream and decorated or just made into a simple slice and bake with a sprinkle of sugar. Our easy cookie decoration tips will inspire you no matter what your skill level or time limitations.
We have also put all of our best cookie recipes together in one collection. During the holidays, we make them all and then give away tins that have a few of each type.
Of course, we have numerous cookie jars and none of them are ever ever empty! In our family, if you return the biscuit tin to the baker, you get a refill.
Slice & Bake Sugar Cookies
This recipe makes a lovely slice and bake cookies. Just roll the dough, cover in cling film and keep in the fridge. Slice biscuit dough to 1 and 1/4 inch thick and bake as normal.
I love doing slice & bake during the Christmas holidays. Each morning I will slice & bake a few biscuits so that the house smells like fresh baked joy & love every day.
Sugar Cookies v Shortbreads
Sugar Cookies, shortbreads and butter cookies are all close cousins. Taste of Home gives us the quick and comprehensive difference between them:
- Shortbread cookies have the highest ratio of butter to flour. Shortbread, usually baked at a lower temperature than the other two cookies, tends to be crumbly and very tender.
- While butter cookies still have a high proportion of butter, the amount of flour and sugar is increased, which means they will hold their shape better than a shortbread. Butter cookies are great for rolling and cutting into shapes, offer a sturdier texture, and tend to ship well.
- But if you’re looking for a cookie for cutouts, sugar cookies have the highest ratio of flour to fat, giving them a very sturdy dough. Sugar cookies also hold their shapes well for decorative work and ship nicely, too.
American Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
- Wire rack
- Glass mixing bowl
- Seasonal cookie cutters
Ingredients
- 75 grams butter
- 200 grams sugar caster
- 1 egg
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 250 grams plain flour
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and sugar.
- Mix in egg, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder and flour.
- Add in food colouring (if using).
- Either roll up like a log for “slice and bake” or roll out on a floured surface and use cookie cutters to make shapes.
- Transfer dough to a baking sheet.
- Bake at 180 C for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are brown.
- Cool on wire rack.
- Decorate as desired.
