This cookie meets all the criteria for the perfect rolled cookie to decorate; it holds it's shape, tastes delicious, and is easy to make. Your'e only limited by your imagination when you use the No Fail Sugar Cookie Recipe.
This recipe is GREAT when using complex cookie cutters. The dough holds its’ shape and won’t spread during baking. Make sure you let your oven preheat for at least 1/2 hour before baking these or any other cookies.
This recipe can make up to 5-dozen 3″ cookies.
No Fail Sugar Cookie – NFSC
Ingredients
2 cups unsalted butter
2 cups sugar (white granulated)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or desired flavoring
6 cups flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Instructions
Preheat Oven to 350 degrees F (176 C)
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
Mix dry ingredients and add a little at a time to butter mixture. Mix at low speed until flour is completely incorporated and the dough comes together.
Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see Hint below)
Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
Bake on ungreased baking sheet at 350 degrees F (176 C) for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.
HINT: Rolling Out Dough Without the Mess
Rather than wait for your cookie dough to chill, take the freshly made dough and place a glob between two sheets of parchment paper.
Roll it out to the desired thickness then place the dough and paper on a cookie sheet and pop it into the refrigerator.
Continue rolling out your dough between sheets of paper until you have used it all. By the time you are finished, the first batch will be completely chilled and ready to cut.
Reroll leftover dough and repeat the process! An added bonus is that you are not adding any additional flour to your cookies.
We tried this recipe yesterday for Halloween cutout cookies. I had made the dough the day before and chilled it. It was very crumbly to roll out and work with. But the cookies came out beautifully, and kept their shape. It says it makes 5 dozen cookies and we used bug cutters and got about 4 dozen or so.
I've made this recipe twice now, and they do taste great, keep their shape & all that; but, I had trouble rolling it out, it stuck to the rolling pin & was difficult to work with. Am I doing something wrong? Or is this the just the way this dough is?
I always roll it out between two pieces of wax paper with a little flour and never had a problem with it being too sticky. I also only use margarine and not butter every time, taste great and makes great cookies.
Just wondering what kind of flour? Self rising? All purpose? Can you use this for cookies on a stick? If so when do you put the stick in? My cookies spin! LOL!
SweetChick, All purpose is the type of flour used.
There are several posts that address how to attach sticks - most seem to prefer to add them to the back of the cookie after they are baked using either royal icing or softened/melted chocolate (any color).
I love these cookies, but I find they sometimes have a 'salty' aftertaste? Maybe its just me because my husband says they taste fine. lol. I mix the salt in the flour and ussually add all the flour.
I made these tonight wit 1 tsp of orange extract & the zest of one orange. I used Toba Garretts Glace icing also with orange extract (1/2 tsp) soooo good. Kept their shape well, better when chilled..icing is pretty, glossy and hard. Yum!!
This is the only sugar cookie I use for cut outs. I have tried several different ones and always come back to this one. I only put in 5 cups of flour and I roll them out immediately after I mix them up. I use the Doboard to roll them out and I never have a problem with them sticking. I put some flour on the board and then on top of the dough and they roll out perfectly. You can alter the taste by adding different extracts. I highly recommend this recipe!
I just tired the recipe, after everyone says how great it works. But I must've done something wrong, since my cookies did spread, and kind lost its shape. Some fo them even ended up bigger than others even when I used the exact same cutter. Can anyone tell me if there's a trick I'm missing?? Thx =)
I just made a batch, at first it was crumbling all over the place but I took small batches of the dough at a time and mixed together & viola it all came together. Love this recipe
sweetchick, I use this recipe all of the time for cookie pops. You have to roll it thicker for pops, then slide the stick in, very carefully flip it over, take a small piece of dough to cover exposed stick on the back, flip it back over and bake.
I LOVE this recipe because it is so easy to work with! They taste so good too!
I have frozen this dough and used it a month later and it was fine but for all of you haveing problems rolling it out listen to the not below the recipe spend like 3 dollars on some parchment paper and roll how she says to it makes all the difference in the world TRUST ME.
OMG....just used this recipe for the first time....WOW!!!! Awesome cookies. I have tried many sugar cookie recipes and this one by far is the best. Not only did they bake up perfectly and held their shape, they taste wonderful...don't even need frosting.
I've used this recipe a couple of times and love it. I was wondering how much cocoa powder needed to be added if I want to make the chocolate version of it.
i love this recipe because the cookies do not spread. but the one problem i had was the cookies had a flour after taste to them. what am i doing wrong.
Love this recipe! I adjusted the recipe to make them peppermint for Christmas cookies this year! I used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 peppermint flavoring and also added 1 cup of white chocolate covered peppermint pieces. YUM! So yummy I didn't even need to ice them, they were delicious plain.
I have used this recipe several times and every time they come out perfect! I have to cut the recipe in 1/2 as my mixer can't handle the full batch, but it is easier for me to make 2 batches. I roll the first one out between 2 sheets of wax paper and then place in the fridge. I make the 2nd batch and roll that one out. By the time I am done, the first batch in the fridge is ready to be cut.
Bake for 12 min and viola...perfect sugar cookies. Everyone at work loved them decorated with RI. My husband prefers them without the icing.
Mine were spreading a bit so I reduced the baking powder and added only 2 tsp to the next batch. I also chill the cookies after I cut them out, before baking and it prevents spreading. Now they are perfect! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
There is a reason for you to chill the dough besides making it easier to handle - makes the cookies rise better & more tender ... just in my opinion but also from the german bakery ladies back home in Cincinnati ... this is quite close to their sugar cookie recipe at Buskens - let me tell you those things are also addicting ... thnx!
Margarine can be used... but has any1 used butter flavored shortening? Just asking cuz don't laugh I'm outta butter and wanna make this now and CAN NOT find my car keys for the life of me. LOL Baking will calm me and then they'll pop up :D
I've tried this recipe a couple of times and loved it. I will be making some tonight and tomorrow for mother's day treats for some ladies at church using the hat, purse, and shoe cutters. Wish me luck everyonee.
aunticake...where did you get the rocking monkey...I love him.
I going to try them right now. Have my first order for a cookie bouquet on Monday. I think to avoid them loosing their shape before baking, I am going to put down a dollop of dough on my silpat, lay the stick in the dough and place cookie on top. That way, shoving the stick in won't mis shape the dough. I used to do that, but my perfect circles came out ovals.
I'm going to try this one. I really hope it works. It's starting to get hot here, so the cookie dough practically melts before you can get the shapes cut out.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. I use the popcorn salt...chill one hour before rolling out and they "never fail"! I found out that if you purchase a yard of vinyl from Walmart, you can cut two 2" square pieces. Put the dough between the pieces and roll them out. You won't need any flour and they peel right off. I only roll out small sections at a time so the dough stays chilled. Works great!
margarine in place of butter will work, but cookies may be softer and not crisp and will spread slightly more, but not too bad. Either way, these are some great cookies! I would reccomend 2 sticks butter and two sticks margarine, I use a half and half combo all the time with cookies.
Does anyone know how long you can refrigerate this dough? I just found some I had tightly wrapped in my frig but it's been there maybe 10 days. It's hard as a rock. I have no problem tossing it out but if it's still good I'll use it.
Thanks!
I will not use any other sugar cookie recipe, because this one is the best! I love that it is so simple and tastes so great. I would only use all purpose flour, real salted butter, and large eggs. I do not use salt. I always roll between 2 sheets of wax paper before chilling, too. These cookies come out perfect every time. I like to use MMF on the cookie. The sweetness really complements the cookie.
this is really a no fail recipe!! every once in a while, I must add a little more flour and they come out a little dry, but other than that, never a problem!! I am going to try the chocolate version today!! I usually ice mine with buttercream, they are never too sweet!!!
Just halfway through making a batch of these (half baked, half still chilling in the fridge) and have had to try one- GORGEOUS!! My baby girl had a mouthful too and was prising my hand open looking for more!
My only problem, and its nothing to do with the recipe, is that I cut circles out but by the time I lift them onto my baking sheet they're not quite such perfect circles. Maybe I'm rolling it too thin. Ho hum- still tastes great though and as I'm an at home baker, doesn't matter if they look home made ;)
Lemmers- If you roll it out on to parchment paper and cut out the circles and then just remove the excess dough you can just place the parchment paper with the cut circle on the cookie sheet with out disturbing the shape. Then they just pop right off of the paper!
i have one of those cookie makers. the one where you can put different shapes on the end of the gun................will this dough work in a cookie gun ?
true...holds their shape.....good taste.....My problem.....My problem forever and ever so any hints will be great....sugar cookies are always hard for me....I like chewy cookies....others make them and they are chewy...I've tried thicker, I've tried lower temp......What is the problem?
i just tried this recipe tonight. it was VERY dry and crumbly. I couldnt even get it to hold together after chilling for 2 hours. I was at a loss and then started to add water a few drops at a time until it somewhat came together. it finally rolled out without crumbling an they baked, held their shape wonderfully and taste amazing. i will use this recipe again but i think i will cut back on the flour or use jumbo eggs as stated by autiecakes. we have a very dry climate here so that could have been a factor.
I used this recipe last weekend for my son's dinosaur birthday cookies and they came out great! Next time I'll try adding lemon zest as mentioned earlier in the comments for added flavor. Thanks!
I have made the no fail sugar cookies many of time and have always turned out great.
However i haves a few questions to ask:
l) Can I use Vegan butter sticks instead of real butter and can I use Energ Egg Replacer instead of real eggs?????????
I tried this recipe once and wasn't a fan of it, like others said, very crumbly, etc. I have tried it two more times and it is definitely a different texture to work with. The more I have worked with it, the better it is. One thing I think I will try the next time is a little less flour or one more egg.
When rolling these out, they are cold enough that I just start with a big chunk and start working it out with the rolling pin. It just takes a little time to adjust from other recipes I've used, but like I said, it is getting easier to use.
If you only make this once and are ready to toss it out or give up, don't, just keep trying!
If its crumbly i would use less flour. I never refridgerate my dough after mixing. What I do is mix my dough, roll and cut out shapes, put on cookie sheet, and then put the cookie sheet in the refridgerator for about 8 mins, then bake, holds its shape nicely! I only use this recipe and I love it!
I have used a similiar, although not the exact, recipe for years and the dough can be hard to handle at times. What my mother taught me is to substitute some of the butter with shortening and it is easier to roll out than using all butter. My recipe also calls for another egg. These cookies are addictive, for sure.
I lost my wonderful sugar cookie recipe when we moved two years ago. I've been trying recipe after recipe since. I have to say, trying this one thrilled me! The dough was wonderfully easy to work with. It rolled out nicely, although did become crumbly after a few times of rolling the "scraps" and unlike my old recipe, could not be mixed into an unrolled portion to stop it. Made for a bit of waste, but nothing too horrible. It baked beautifully--spread a little on the larger, thicker cookies, but nothing at all on the average size cookie cutter and I had used stamps with many fine details, came out PERFECT. Baked evenly and easily. Nice texture when done. HOWEVER, I'm disappointed in the taste. With frosting, pretty good. Without, a bit bland. I thought it might just be me, but my husband and all 4 kids thought the same thing. Any way to make this a bit sweeter for when you don't want to frost???
I had a really hard time rolling out between the parchment paper. It kept sliding all around the counter, and then it would get stuck and I'd dent the dough with the rolling pin. It also doesnt state what tickness to use in order to get your 5 doz 3 inch cookies.
I did want to say though that I didnt find it crumbly at all, it was very soft and nice to work with. I sifted my flour first so I think that helped, I also used jumbo eggs. my issue is more with the instructions.
I tried this recipe for the first time today, using half butter/half margarine. Just wanted to see the difference from an all butter recipe. I can taste a slight difference, but boy, are these cookies yum. I used CK's Butter Vanilla emulsion instead of regular vanilla, and I think it added a great flavor. My dough was kinda soft, (I think from the margarine), but I always use parchment paper to roll, so it wasn't a problem. Not much spreading. My new favorite sugar cookie recipe! Thanks for posting it.
I made the dough 2 days ago and wrapped it and put it in the fridge. I couldn't make them until tonight though and I let them sit out for about 10 minutes. It was sooo crumbly and very difficult to work with. I warmed it a bit by kneading it with my hands. I made the first batch (very crumbly) and they burned at 7 minutes. Made the 2nd batch thicker and they were 'eh' at 6 but broke most of the petals (flower cutter) when I transferred them. Just an overall mess but my daughter loved playing with the dough so it was still fun time! I'll stick to my good ol' sugar cookie recipe on the side of the bag of sugar! :)
Made some of these today and they were great!!!This is now my favorite sugar cookie recipe.Had some dough left over and plan on making some more tomorrow using different cutters!
I am a first time sugar-cookie-maker and I was apprehensive about making these after reading so many reviews regarding crumbly dough. However, I had no problems whatsoever. I followed the advice below the recipe and rolled about a fourth of the dough out between two sheets of wax paper. No crumbling and no mess. Also, however, I did not refrigerate my dough before rolling it out. I made the dough, rolled it, cut my cookies & put them on a sheet, then put the entire sheet in the fridge. While those were in the fridge, I rolled out more dough and cut. By the time the second batch was cut, I put the first batch in the oven, second batch in the fridge and started rolling out the third batch. The cookies baked wonderfully and there was hardly any spreading. Regarding the taste, these are not too sweet and they are light. The texture is fantastic - not hard, but with a slight crunch. ♥ these cookies. Thanks so much!
I made this recipe with half butter and half margarine and chilled it for 45 minutes. (I only made half a recipe) The dough did fine being rolled out on to a flour dusted counter top. I was amazed at how well the cookies held their shape while baking. Everyone loved the taste and wanted to know what the recipe was that I used! :)
1st time..... PERFECT! This will be my go to recipe from here forward! I used the between two pieces of parchment method, easy to roll, great finish. Thank you for posting.
gosh this is alot of mix lol i cut it in half the cookies came out amazing!! not to sweet not salty nice and soft I had no problem rolling it... thanks
I have used this recipe many times and my family loves it. I use half vanilla and half almond flavoring and they are delicious. I roll mine out between parchment paper that I place on my largest silpat liner so it doesn't shift around. If you don't have a silpat you can wet the counter just a tiny bit so the parchment will stick but not get wet. I roll mine about a quarter inch thick and they are nice and soft.
This is the greatest receipe. I made 700 petroglyph cookies for my nephew's graduation. It was alot of work but using the hint when rolling them out makes the process go really fast.
Last night I made this recipe for the 2nd time and it is FANTASTIC! I'm making cookie pops and they are the perfect consistancy and hold the shape. This is my new go to cookie dough recipe.
Hmmm...i kinda like them but not quite convinced. I'm not sure where I went wrong. The dough, crumbly. Refridgerated for a very short time to chill the dough, and it was hard! i added a little water to be able to roll the dough, and when baked, they spread a little and tasted too flour-ey. I was hoping to make them for my son's bday party this saturday but I'm not sure how to fix this dough. I've got half of it left in my fridge. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I love this recipe and it is now my go to sugar cookie recipe. I made them for my dad's birthday party and covered them with MMF. Everyone loved them. And they stayed soft and I actually still have a few all wrapped up (bday) was Sept 5th) and they still taste fresh and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
So, I tried this and I love the fact that it holds its shape, However I did as stated in directions, and I love the taste but I think they are to hard, I used 1 cup less flour, because I noticed others saying the were to hard. That didn't seem to make a difference, I won't give up. I'll try with 1cup less flour and more eggs. If anybody has ideas please share.
you have to knead it before you roll it, it shouldn't be crumbly at all. The flour needs to be just regular cup NOT PACKED, if you packed than you get too much flour and yes they will become very dry. the heat of your hands warms up the butter. Make sure you roll it out between 2 pieces of wax paper and they are COLD or frozen before you bake them.
This is one of the best sugar cookie recipes I've tried....EVER! They taste amazing and they do hold their shape superbly......at 3 just to make sure! LOL! I used a large snowflake cookie cutter and halfed the recipe to test it out. The cookies held the intricate details of the cookie cutter without any spread at all. I did allow my oven to preheat, as always, for at least 30 minutes, and rolling between parchment is the easiest procedure and you don't have to use any extra flour for rolling which can potentially dry out the dough and give a flour taste after baking! Will be using this recipe for now on!! Thank you for sharing the recipe and for all the other posts. They help in the learning process!
I made some cookies for a Christmas party last week that did Not old their shape and have been looking for just such a recipe as this - Thank you for posting this and for all the comments!
I left out the salt completely and used salted butter. Great, great recipe! So tasty! I just tossed mine in sugar and sprinkled with disco dust while slightly warm (but not too soft) and they were so, so cute. Baby shower shapes. Sparkling stars, firetrucks, teddy bears, puppies…way cute! Use the parchment! I rolled as many sheets as I could and left them in the fridge until I was ready. It was so easy. Couldn't ask for more!
so i have been using this recipe for some time now and finally got the hang of it. i now only use extra large eggs and all the flour stated in the recipe. this seems to work just right for me. the dough does not come out dry at all anymore. also i have started rolling it out between very thin cutting mats that i get from the dollar store and putting them straight into zip top bags that are slightly bigger than the mats. i then pop them in the freezer to firm them up. with this method i dont need to flour the mat at all. its great because i can pull them out of the freezer and cut right on the mat and then transfer the cookies straight to the baking sheet and in the oven in very little time.
In order to make them into pops...Roll dough thicker than normally and bake a drop longer. When they come out of the oven, quickly stick the sticks into the cookie, being careful not to slant the stick so it doesn't come out the top of the cookie or bottom of the cookie. Let it cool a couple minutes on the pan, then transfer to a sheet. The cooling process will hold the stick in the cookie and not let the cookie spin.
I use this recipe only when I am doing pops since I find it has a bland taste but is really good with a sweet cookie icing. I have another great recipe for sugar cookies that are good to either eat plain, sprinkled with sugar, or frosted with icing.
I've been tinkering with this recipe for a few months now and everyone loves these cookies. I've even been asked to make cookies for parties and for favors. I do add high quality vanilla now as it makes a BIG difference in taste. I change up the combinations of the flavorings depending on the occasion. BUT...i have also noticed that they do spread a little at times and if the butter is too "melty" the cookies spread too much. This recipe has definitly turned my interest into cookie decorating.
Just finished my first batch. Outstanding recipe. Cookies didn't spread. Love the tip about rolling the soft dough and then chill. Thank you for sharing!
I made my Christmas cookies this year with is recipe. I must say the best SC recipe I've found. And I did like you suggested, after it was mixed, I layer out a ball of dough between 2 wax papers and tolled it out to the thickness I needed, then left it in the fridge for a few hours. Had no problem what so ever cutting them. They came out beautifully and none broke. Also 6-7 mi urea in the oven turned them out perfectly! Thank you again for posting it!
I LOVE this sugar cookie recipe. I have had trouble with sugar cookies in the past and have avoided them for a while. But a customer asked if I could make them to go with some other wedding cookies I was doing for her and this is the recipe I used. I could not believe how easy they were!! Rolling out between the two sheets of parchment made it super easy to roll and they baked beautifully. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
I don't normally make sugar cookies, I'm not a big fan but made this recipe over X-mas and used some pretty fancy, detailed cutters. These cookies held their shape better then I could have imagined. The cookie straight from the oven was a little bland for my liking, but once decorated with royal they were the perfect sweetness. We also brushed a few with an egg wash and sprinkled colored sugar on them before baking, they had an interesting texture, the egg wash made the outside crisp but still left the inside of the cookie moist and cake-like. They were really good.
Next time I make them I will use vanilla bean paste to get a more concentrated flavor, and rolling between parchment is key. I couldn't roll them the regular way.
Tried this receipt for my VERY FIRST TIME making sugar cookies...AMAZING!!!! They turned out PERFECT and taste great! I added about 1/2 cup more of flour, cut the salt in half and used almond extract. Tomorrow, I will attempt to decorate:p Pictures to follow. Wish me luck!
Made sugar cookies the first time tonight with this recipe. Loved them except for one problem...Once I pulled them out of the oven they had large air bubbles on the top. Is this normal? Anyone else have this issue and any ideas on how to fix it? I'm going to be decorating them tomorrow so hope the royal icing will still look smooth.
I follow the recipe and directions for rolling, chilling and cutting to the letter and have never ever been disappointed. These are the best cookies ever. I made my first batch for a bridal shower (iced in white and stamped with a blue bird) and they were such a success, that I got ten more orders the next day! Now I have an order for 150 "apple: cookies for teacher appreciation day at the local high school! Thanks for sharing such a fab and seriously NO FAIL recipe
Followed the recipe exactly and the cookies came out perfectly! Didn't have any problems with crumbling when I rolled them out. For reference, I used extra large eggs so I think that might be the problem some people are running in to. Definitely roll in between parchment paper, its great and no mess.
Made the cookies yesterday. After reading some of the reviews I used just 5 1/2 cups of flour. The only problem is that I ate about 5 cookies yesterday (quality control!) These cookies are really really good.
Can someone tell me if I need to sift the 6 cups of flour. I have to make poodle cookies for a little girls 1st birthday on Saturday and I don't want to make any mistakes. PLEASE HELP :)
I used these recipe twice now! Perfect cookies....I've even frozen the remaining batter and used it weeks later....I use the almond flavoring and decorate them with fondant...
Thanks
Thanks a lot for this recipe. My first attempts do sugar cookies were total failures before. But with this recipe and the tips to roll out the dough it was a pleasure to make them and to eat them.
I make this recipe every time for my sugar cookies. I always make sure the butter is softened, I never sift my flour, I use 2 tsp. Princess Emulsion and 1 tsp. vanilla. To guage thickness, I use two of the large paint stir sticks (like the ones you would use to stir up 5 gallon buckets of paint, and yes- they are clean, never used for anything else). They come out the perfect thickness every time!
Something New--Something Fail-Safe! I am going to bake these tonight for an order for later this week to see if they work FOR me and not WORK me. Wish me luck! I'll report back with post and photos.
I have tried this recipe but for me it seems to spread a bit when baking. The dough has a great texture and is a dream to work with and the flavor is perfect. I do not understand why my cookies are spreading though. Could this be not enough flour? I tried reducing the baking powder but that did not help much. Any ideas? Thanks.
People need to READ the recipe through first - then line up all the items. After reading the posts it seems most of the questions/problems can be solved easily.
Replacing butter: with margarine - use same amount margarine as indicated for butter in recipe.
Salty taste - the recipe calls for UNSALTED butter - if using margarine use UNSALTED margarine.
For vegans
Vegan margarine is simply margarine that does not use animal dairy products like milk. Look for margarine that has a kosher symbol and the word PARVE. Anything with that word is non dairy, guaranteed and not even made on equipment where dairy has ben used.
When rolling out dough that has been refrigerated you do not want to use too much flour on the surface of rolling pin. It makes the dough tough. Use the cheapest wax paper or if you have the money use parchment one on the bottom and one on the top. The dough will roll out well. Make the cut outs. and keep the cut cookies on the wax paper. Lift carefully and slide onto the cookie sheet. If you want to roll the dough first and then slide on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes the dough will not spread.
I think extra large or even jumbo eggs would be the right size eggs to use. The composer of the recipe should have stated a size.
replacing eggs with Ener-G, Bob's Red Mill egg replacer, or ground flax seed read directions of water to replacer formula and add as if using eggs.
There are three ways to handle flour
1. if it does not mention sifting don't sift at all.
2. if the recipe states 2 cups sifted flour - sift the flour first and then measure 2 cups.
3. If the recipe state2 2 cups flour, sifted - measure 2 cups and then sift it.
In New Zealand we use gram or ounce measurements for butter. I'd love to try this recipe but want to be accurate... I wondered if anyone knew the weight equivalent of 2 cups unsalted butter? Thanks :)
I am going to make these this afternoon - am looking forward to comparing them with my other 'go-to' recipe.
Two hints that I have found helpful are that sugar cookie dough usually does not take kindly to rough handling; they can become tough. Gentle encouragement with the rolling pin helps make for a soft cookie. Be careful on the re-rolls not to incorporate too much extra flour, too.
Second - that a cold cookie sheet will help the cookies hold their shape while baking. If you put a second batch of cold cut-outs on a warm cookie sheet, they'll almost certainly spread. As soon as I take a sheet out of the oven, I slide the parchment off onto a towel laid out on the counter, and put the sheet in the fridge to cool down again. I always use parchment or silpats. Just think - no cookie sheets to clean!!! How awesome is that!
I also invested in a huge marble floor tile that I glued rubber feet on to the bottom side. I stick this in the fridge or freezer while I make and chill the dough, then take it out and roll the cookies out on it instead of the counter. This also works well with pie crust.
INTERESTING reading al the comments. As a pastry chef I would like to reply and give all a little info. The brand of flour you use can make a difference. Measuring CORRECTLY is important. Since you are not weighing the ingredients, you must use a dry 1 cup measuring cut . Use a 1/4 or 1/2 cup to dip into the flour and pour this into the 1 cup measuring cup. Then level off the top by running a knife/spatula across the top of the cup. DO NOT pounce the cup down to level, then add more to fill it up to the rim as this will pack the flour down and you will be using more flour than called for. . Salty taste can come from the baking powder too. Make sure it is fresh and you are not using more than what a recipe calls for. Use measuring spoons. 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon. Better to use the 1 Tabl. Use unsalted butter as you can control the amount of salt you add (salted butter will keep for a longer time; markets can stock pile it. ALSO if using margarine, MAKE SURE IT IS 100% margarine, NOT a spread or whipped. Getting harder to find 100% margarine. Good luck to all and hope these hints help. I haven't made the recipe, just saw the site. When I do make it, I will also post. Chef~
ONE MORE hint...ROLLING OUT DOUGH. Roll the dough out onto baking parchment. Use cutter, leaving 1-2 inches inbetween, then REMOVE the dough AROUND your cutout, leaving your cooking on the parchment. Your cookies will stay in shape as you are not transferring them. As other have commented, you can then put the sheet in refrigerator for cookies to chill before baking. Then pop into hot oven to bake. Cakedreamer 101 made a very important comment...DO NOT put your cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet that just came out of the oven, as the cookie will start to spread. Have two or more cookie sheets to alternate.
ONE MORE hint...ROLLING OUT DOUGH. Roll the dough out onto baking parchment. Use cutter, leaving 1-2 inches inbetween, then REMOVE the dough AROUND your cutout, leaving your cooking on the parchment. Your cookies will stay in shape as you are not transferring them. As other have commented, you can then put the sheet in refrigerator for cookies to chill before baking. Then pop into hot oven to bake. Cakedreamer 101 made a very important comment...DO NOT put your cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet that just came out of the oven, as the cookie will start to spread. Have two or more cookie sheets to alternate.
Chef
I halved this recipe yesterday because just wanted to test adding different flavors to my sugar cookie. The thing I like about this recipe is that is rolls well.
*SIDE NOTE: I used parchment paper yesterday because I finally got some via Amazon, but two weeks ago when I was in a pinch, I used foil and wax paper. Foil on the bottom, wax paper on the top. I placed the rolled dough on my sheet, used the cutters, removed the excess and baked them on the foil. Nothing happened to them. They didn't cook faster or brown too quickly (IMHO)
If you want a very nice flavor for the fall, add 1/4 tsp of ground cardamom (sifted with dry ingredient) and orange zest (added after butter was creamed with sugar and egg) to taste (I used 1 tsp, but the hubby didn't taste any orange, so i'll use more next time). Also, its difficult to obtain, but using vanilla beans really sent the flavors of my cookies over the top. For the half batch I used one whole bean and a splash of vanilla extract. I can't even explain how good these came out.
If you want to try your hand with the actual bean, buy them from eBay. I got 30 beans for $10 and free shipping (Seller has 100% rating). You can YouTube how to open and scrape it (easy peasy). I am so happy with my little additions that its going to be my signature cookie from now on.
*IMPORTANT: The measurement for the cardamon is for the full recipe listed above. I used 1/8 tsp in my half batch yesterday and it was perfect.
Well, I have read every comment. I feel fully educated on how exactly to prepare and bake these cookies and I can't wait to try. I have a small bit of advice for some of you posting questions: Read ALL of the comments before asking your questions. I see the same issues asked and answered over and over. It must be frustrating for the author. Thank you for the Recipe!
I just want to thank you for taking the time to post this recipe and to thank all of the posters for the tips! I have learned so much from reading all the posts! Thanks again, Ladies!
I don't usually do decorated cookies - but a client asked for them to go with a cake I'm making. Before I try this recipe, I'd like to know the general texture of the baked cookie - soft, crisp, cakey, dry? I've tasted lots of decorated sugar cookies - like the large ones found in cookie bouquets - and I always think the cookie itself is very dry and tasteless, with all of the flavor coming from the icing. I want the cookie to taste wonderful on it's own - and not be dry. Is this the recipe for me?
There is no need to use a leavener such as baking powder. I use the same recipe without baking powder- and 3 tsp is a lot! I add milk a tablespoon at a time if my mixer is struggling. I also roll it out right away between parchment paper and pop it in the freezer if I'm in a rush. By the time the oven is heated, it's ready to use. My cookies keep their height and width and never move!
Thanks to everyone for such great tips....one more question...what does one cup of the flour weigh?
Sometimes my dough comes out drier or moister,and I think it is because the "cups" of flour are varying weights.Thanks again for your help.
These cookies hold their shape because there is 6 cups of flour! Not a fan of this recipe. Plus it needs at least a TABLESPOON of flavoring. A very bland, hard cookie.
Why Cake Central NFSC web sites does it call for either 1 teaspoon of baking powder and on another cake central site it calls for 3 teaspoons of baking powder??? Everything else is the same.... I just spent three hours baking-even putting the cut out cookies in the freezer and they Spread... Flowers looked like blobs and tulips...could not tell they were tulips...this was a recipe on cake central which called for the three teaspoons of baking powder...then I Just found this cake central site...both written by same person...I do not mean any offense...I just threw everything away...partially because I was mad and I really need these made, baked and decorated-Tonite! I need your website to be accurate, whether it was found on the site or on a search engine...
I made these for Easter and they were wonderful ! I didn't even bother icing them because they were so good. I used 4 sticks of unsalted sweet cream butter ( 2 cups). I also spoon my flour into my measuring cups, which helps to incorporate some air into it. Don't pack your flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off as many have been taught. You will have too much flour. People used to sift their flour. We don't do that anymore and we wonder why our baked products don't turn out as good. My favorite biscuit recipe calls for you to sift the flour , baking soda, salt, baking powder mixture three times before using, and they turn out wonderfully, and light.
I also did as some suggested and rolled my dough between parchment sheets on cookie sheets and placed them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before cutting the shapes out. Made rolling much easier, and also didn't add any extra flour to the dough. This makes for a very tender ( and yummy) cookie. I returned the baking sheet to the fridge until my oven was preheated. It took closer to 12 minutes to cook my cookies. Oven temps vary and cookie baking times vary, so watch yours closely. Have fun baking !
These were such a hit at a Baby Shower I did the desserts for. Even the picky kids were in love. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!! Definitely roll these out with Parchment paper. It helps a lot.
I actually halved the recipe, used King Arthur's AP flour. The dough was very crumbly and wouldn't come together so I added an extra egg. Needless to say I was skeptical that anything would come out of it. Rolled it out between parchment paper sheets, chilled it. Eventually baked it, and I got the most beautiful cookies. Some I chilled before baking, but some I didn't. Neither batch spread. They all kept their shape.
Has any one rolled out dough cut out cookies then freeze cut out to bake later? My daughter recipe allows her to do that but it's so different from this recipe. Thanks
@Memaw1961 ---I am making these for the very first time tonight. But, I don't see why you couldn't do what you are asking about. It would be no different than freezing the whole batch of dough for later use.
I rolled out my dough, cut the shapes and then placed them in the freezer for a little bit. They are in the oven now. I will say this about them so far. I baked them for the time recommended and they were no where near done. So I had to add time to them. So far however, they are holding their shape beautifully. I'll let you know how it turns out in the end.
this has been my "go to" recipe for sugar cookies for years. It came with my Dough Board when I purchased it several years ago. The only difference is the recipe I received uses 3 teaspoons of Baking Powder and 2 teaspoons of Vanilla flavoring. My cookies are always perfect. I roll them out as described too and put the cookie sheets into the fridge one at a time. By the time I have the last rolled out batch to be put in the refrigerator, the first cookie sheet is chilled and ready to be cut out.
What an excellent recipe ! Thankyou for ending my quest on finding a great cookie recipe .... we all loved it ! I rarely leave reviews but had to for this one.
I like this recipe but my cookies always comes out hard. I did over bake them for a couple more minutes until edges are slightly brown because I found that there’s an after taste like raw flour if I just bake them for just 8-10min. How long do you bake them and how do you make them that is soft and not hard after it’s baked. Thank you!
granulated sugar???
how many cookies can this recipe make?
Has anyone ever used margarine in this recipe instead of butter? Thanks
We tried this recipe yesterday for Halloween cutout cookies. I had made the dough the day before and chilled it. It was very crumbly to roll out and work with. But the cookies came out beautifully, and kept their shape. It says it makes 5 dozen cookies and we used bug cutters and got about 4 dozen or so.
I'm going to try this recipe with margarine, I'll let you know
i have used margarine instead of butter and it works the same, they still taste great!!
I've made this recipe twice now, and they do taste great, keep their shape & all that; but, I had trouble rolling it out, it stuck to the rolling pin & was difficult to work with. Am I doing something wrong? Or is this the just the way this dough is?
I always roll it out between two pieces of wax paper with a little flour and never had a problem with it being too sticky. I also only use margarine and not butter every time, taste great and makes great cookies.
Just wondering what kind of flour? Self rising? All purpose? Can you use this for cookies on a stick? If so when do you put the stick in? My cookies spin! LOL!
SweetChick, All purpose is the type of flour used. There are several posts that address how to attach sticks - most seem to prefer to add them to the back of the cookie after they are baked using either royal icing or softened/melted chocolate (any color).
I love these cookies, but I find they sometimes have a 'salty' aftertaste? Maybe its just me because my husband says they taste fine. lol. I mix the salt in the flour and ussually add all the flour.
could you tell me how long the cookies will keep and can youa freesze them?
try using popcorn salt (it's a finer grain than regular table salt), you can also dissolve the salt into the extracts and then add it in that way too!
I made these tonight wit 1 tsp of orange extract & the zest of one orange. I used Toba Garretts Glace icing also with orange extract (1/2 tsp) soooo good. Kept their shape well, better when chilled..icing is pretty, glossy and hard. Yum!!
This is the only sugar cookie I use for cut outs. I have tried several different ones and always come back to this one. I only put in 5 cups of flour and I roll them out immediately after I mix them up. I use the Doboard to roll them out and I never have a problem with them sticking. I put some flour on the board and then on top of the dough and they roll out perfectly. You can alter the taste by adding different extracts. I highly recommend this recipe!
I just tired the recipe, after everyone says how great it works. But I must've done something wrong, since my cookies did spread, and kind lost its shape. Some fo them even ended up bigger than others even when I used the exact same cutter. Can anyone tell me if there's a trick I'm missing?? Thx =)
CakeJediChic - what if you used half unsalted butter? Don't know if that would help any with the salty aftertaste?
I just made a batch, at first it was crumbling all over the place but I took small batches of the dough at a time and mixed together & viola it all came together. Love this recipe
sweetchick, I use this recipe all of the time for cookie pops. You have to roll it thicker for pops, then slide the stick in, very carefully flip it over, take a small piece of dough to cover exposed stick on the back, flip it back over and bake. I LOVE this recipe because it is so easy to work with! They taste so good too!
If you are having trouble w/crumbly dough, I use jumbo eggs and have never had a problem.
wow these were some helpfull tips eeryone iam going to try it tonight !
Can the cookie dough be frozen and used at a later date?
I have frozen this dough and used it a month later and it was fine but for all of you haveing problems rolling it out listen to the not below the recipe spend like 3 dollars on some parchment paper and roll how she says to it makes all the difference in the world TRUST ME.
After it is baked is it a soft cookie or hard?
super yummy when you use 1tsp mapleine, 1tsp vanilla, and some chopped pecans. they taste like the butter pecan ice cream!
kellyfinke: they are soft-and whatever icing you use will help them stay that way
I found these to be a little salty as well and cut the salt in half. I also add a 1/4 tsp of almond and love it. This is my go to recipe for cut outs!
OMG....just used this recipe for the first time....WOW!!!! Awesome cookies. I have tried many sugar cookie recipes and this one by far is the best. Not only did they bake up perfectly and held their shape, they taste wonderful...don't even need frosting.
I've used this recipe a couple of times and love it. I was wondering how much cocoa powder needed to be added if I want to make the chocolate version of it.
i love this recipe because the cookies do not spread. but the one problem i had was the cookies had a flour after taste to them. what am i doing wrong.
Love this recipe and use it all of the time for bouquets. I use Antonia74's RI on them and they are delicious!!!
Love this recipe! I adjusted the recipe to make them peppermint for Christmas cookies this year! I used 1/2 vanilla and 1/2 peppermint flavoring and also added 1 cup of white chocolate covered peppermint pieces. YUM! So yummy I didn't even need to ice them, they were delicious plain.
I have used this recipe several times and every time they come out perfect! I have to cut the recipe in 1/2 as my mixer can't handle the full batch, but it is easier for me to make 2 batches. I roll the first one out between 2 sheets of wax paper and then place in the fridge. I make the 2nd batch and roll that one out. By the time I am done, the first batch in the fridge is ready to be cut.
Bake for 12 min and viola...perfect sugar cookies. Everyone at work loved them decorated with RI. My husband prefers them without the icing.
Can someone post the chocolate version of this recipe thank you
Mine were spreading a bit so I reduced the baking powder and added only 2 tsp to the next batch. I also chill the cookies after I cut them out, before baking and it prevents spreading. Now they are perfect! Thank you for the wonderful recipe.
For the chocolate version I just substitute 1 cup of the flour with cocoa powder and add 3/4 cup extra sugar. They are yummy!
Does anyone know if the dough will "keep" in the fridge a week? I forgot to put it in the freezer.
There is a reason for you to chill the dough besides making it easier to handle - makes the cookies rise better & more tender ... just in my opinion but also from the german bakery ladies back home in Cincinnati ... this is quite close to their sugar cookie recipe at Buskens - let me tell you those things are also addicting ... thnx!
Margarine can be used... but has any1 used butter flavored shortening? Just asking cuz don't laugh I'm outta butter and wanna make this now and CAN NOT find my car keys for the life of me. LOL Baking will calm me and then they'll pop up :D
So do the cookies taste different or cook different with margarine instead of butter?
how long can I keep these cookies in an airtight container for before going bad?
I agree with the flour taste... any ideas why?
I've tried this recipe a couple of times and loved it. I will be making some tonight and tomorrow for mother's day treats for some ladies at church using the hat, purse, and shoe cutters. Wish me luck everyonee.
aunticake...where did you get the rocking monkey...I love him.
I going to try them right now. Have my first order for a cookie bouquet on Monday. I think to avoid them loosing their shape before baking, I am going to put down a dollop of dough on my silpat, lay the stick in the dough and place cookie on top. That way, shoving the stick in won't mis shape the dough. I used to do that, but my perfect circles came out ovals.
I'm going to try this one. I really hope it works. It's starting to get hot here, so the cookie dough practically melts before you can get the shapes cut out.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe. I use the popcorn salt...chill one hour before rolling out and they "never fail"! I found out that if you purchase a yard of vinyl from Walmart, you can cut two 2" square pieces. Put the dough between the pieces and roll them out. You won't need any flour and they peel right off. I only roll out small sections at a time so the dough stays chilled. Works great!
What am I doing wrong? I made this and its not doughy? What did I do wrong?
Can I use cake flour in place of all purpose?
Love love love this recipe! So much easier than using a mix! The cookies tasted great and held their cookie cutter shape perfectly! I'm a convert!
omg these cookies are good
margarine in place of butter will work, but cookies may be softer and not crisp and will spread slightly more, but not too bad. Either way, these are some great cookies! I would reccomend 2 sticks butter and two sticks margarine, I use a half and half combo all the time with cookies.
Does anyone know how long you can refrigerate this dough? I just found some I had tightly wrapped in my frig but it's been there maybe 10 days. It's hard as a rock. I have no problem tossing it out but if it's still good I'll use it. Thanks!
I will not use any other sugar cookie recipe, because this one is the best! I love that it is so simple and tastes so great. I would only use all purpose flour, real salted butter, and large eggs. I do not use salt. I always roll between 2 sheets of wax paper before chilling, too. These cookies come out perfect every time. I like to use MMF on the cookie. The sweetness really complements the cookie.
this is really a no fail recipe!! every once in a while, I must add a little more flour and they come out a little dry, but other than that, never a problem!! I am going to try the chocolate version today!! I usually ice mine with buttercream, they are never too sweet!!!
Just halfway through making a batch of these (half baked, half still chilling in the fridge) and have had to try one- GORGEOUS!! My baby girl had a mouthful too and was prising my hand open looking for more! My only problem, and its nothing to do with the recipe, is that I cut circles out but by the time I lift them onto my baking sheet they're not quite such perfect circles. Maybe I'm rolling it too thin. Ho hum- still tastes great though and as I'm an at home baker, doesn't matter if they look home made ;)
Lemmers- If you roll it out on to parchment paper and cut out the circles and then just remove the excess dough you can just place the parchment paper with the cut circle on the cookie sheet with out disturbing the shape. Then they just pop right off of the paper!
i have one of those cookie makers. the one where you can put different shapes on the end of the gun................will this dough work in a cookie gun ?
love the cookies. i use it for every order i get i just add a lil lemon zest .
true...holds their shape.....good taste.....My problem.....My problem forever and ever so any hints will be great....sugar cookies are always hard for me....I like chewy cookies....others make them and they are chewy...I've tried thicker, I've tried lower temp......What is the problem?
dcallar - I have the same problem! Any ideas?
i just tried this recipe tonight. it was VERY dry and crumbly. I couldnt even get it to hold together after chilling for 2 hours. I was at a loss and then started to add water a few drops at a time until it somewhat came together. it finally rolled out without crumbling an they baked, held their shape wonderfully and taste amazing. i will use this recipe again but i think i will cut back on the flour or use jumbo eggs as stated by autiecakes. we have a very dry climate here so that could have been a factor.
I used this recipe last weekend for my son's dinosaur birthday cookies and they came out great! Next time I'll try adding lemon zest as mentioned earlier in the comments for added flavor. Thanks!
Does anyone know how thin you should roll the dough? Thanks!
Does anyone know what the cocoa ratio is to make this recipe chocolate??
I have made the no fail sugar cookies many of time and have always turned out great. However i haves a few questions to ask: l) Can I use Vegan butter sticks instead of real butter and can I use Energ Egg Replacer instead of real eggs?????????
Can I use Vegan Butter Sticks instead of real butter? Can I use Energ Egg Replacer instead of real eggs?
I tried this recipe once and wasn't a fan of it, like others said, very crumbly, etc. I have tried it two more times and it is definitely a different texture to work with. The more I have worked with it, the better it is. One thing I think I will try the next time is a little less flour or one more egg.
When rolling these out, they are cold enough that I just start with a big chunk and start working it out with the rolling pin. It just takes a little time to adjust from other recipes I've used, but like I said, it is getting easier to use.
If you only make this once and are ready to toss it out or give up, don't, just keep trying!
If its crumbly i would use less flour. I never refridgerate my dough after mixing. What I do is mix my dough, roll and cut out shapes, put on cookie sheet, and then put the cookie sheet in the refridgerator for about 8 mins, then bake, holds its shape nicely! I only use this recipe and I love it!
I have used a similiar, although not the exact, recipe for years and the dough can be hard to handle at times. What my mother taught me is to substitute some of the butter with shortening and it is easier to roll out than using all butter. My recipe also calls for another egg. These cookies are addictive, for sure.
I am so happy with this recipe I would never use anything else.
I lost my wonderful sugar cookie recipe when we moved two years ago. I've been trying recipe after recipe since. I have to say, trying this one thrilled me! The dough was wonderfully easy to work with. It rolled out nicely, although did become crumbly after a few times of rolling the "scraps" and unlike my old recipe, could not be mixed into an unrolled portion to stop it. Made for a bit of waste, but nothing too horrible. It baked beautifully--spread a little on the larger, thicker cookies, but nothing at all on the average size cookie cutter and I had used stamps with many fine details, came out PERFECT. Baked evenly and easily. Nice texture when done. HOWEVER, I'm disappointed in the taste. With frosting, pretty good. Without, a bit bland. I thought it might just be me, but my husband and all 4 kids thought the same thing. Any way to make this a bit sweeter for when you don't want to frost???
I had a really hard time rolling out between the parchment paper. It kept sliding all around the counter, and then it would get stuck and I'd dent the dough with the rolling pin. It also doesnt state what tickness to use in order to get your 5 doz 3 inch cookies.
I did want to say though that I didnt find it crumbly at all, it was very soft and nice to work with. I sifted my flour first so I think that helped, I also used jumbo eggs. my issue is more with the instructions.
I tried this recipe for the first time today, using half butter/half margarine. Just wanted to see the difference from an all butter recipe. I can taste a slight difference, but boy, are these cookies yum. I used CK's Butter Vanilla emulsion instead of regular vanilla, and I think it added a great flavor. My dough was kinda soft, (I think from the margarine), but I always use parchment paper to roll, so it wasn't a problem. Not much spreading. My new favorite sugar cookie recipe! Thanks for posting it.
I made the dough 2 days ago and wrapped it and put it in the fridge. I couldn't make them until tonight though and I let them sit out for about 10 minutes. It was sooo crumbly and very difficult to work with. I warmed it a bit by kneading it with my hands. I made the first batch (very crumbly) and they burned at 7 minutes. Made the 2nd batch thicker and they were 'eh' at 6 but broke most of the petals (flower cutter) when I transferred them. Just an overall mess but my daughter loved playing with the dough so it was still fun time! I'll stick to my good ol' sugar cookie recipe on the side of the bag of sugar! :)
Made some of these today and they were great!!!This is now my favorite sugar cookie recipe.Had some dough left over and plan on making some more tomorrow using different cutters!
I am a first time sugar-cookie-maker and I was apprehensive about making these after reading so many reviews regarding crumbly dough. However, I had no problems whatsoever. I followed the advice below the recipe and rolled about a fourth of the dough out between two sheets of wax paper. No crumbling and no mess. Also, however, I did not refrigerate my dough before rolling it out. I made the dough, rolled it, cut my cookies & put them on a sheet, then put the entire sheet in the fridge. While those were in the fridge, I rolled out more dough and cut. By the time the second batch was cut, I put the first batch in the oven, second batch in the fridge and started rolling out the third batch. The cookies baked wonderfully and there was hardly any spreading. Regarding the taste, these are not too sweet and they are light. The texture is fantastic - not hard, but with a slight crunch. ♥ these cookies. Thanks so much!
I made this recipe with half butter and half margarine and chilled it for 45 minutes. (I only made half a recipe) The dough did fine being rolled out on to a flour dusted counter top. I was amazed at how well the cookies held their shape while baking. Everyone loved the taste and wanted to know what the recipe was that I used! :)
1st time..... PERFECT! This will be my go to recipe from here forward! I used the between two pieces of parchment method, easy to roll, great finish. Thank you for posting.
gosh this is alot of mix lol i cut it in half the cookies came out amazing!! not to sweet not salty nice and soft I had no problem rolling it... thanks
I have used this recipe many times and my family loves it. I use half vanilla and half almond flavoring and they are delicious. I roll mine out between parchment paper that I place on my largest silpat liner so it doesn't shift around. If you don't have a silpat you can wet the counter just a tiny bit so the parchment will stick but not get wet. I roll mine about a quarter inch thick and they are nice and soft.
This is the greatest receipe. I made 700 petroglyph cookies for my nephew's graduation. It was alot of work but using the hint when rolling them out makes the process go really fast.
Last night I made this recipe for the 2nd time and it is FANTASTIC! I'm making cookie pops and they are the perfect consistancy and hold the shape. This is my new go to cookie dough recipe.
Baked up beautifully. No spread! Yay - I have finally found my go-to recipe for cutouts!!!
made them a few hours ago, amazing! and your tip for rolling them out has changed my life, thank youuu!
Hmmm...i kinda like them but not quite convinced. I'm not sure where I went wrong. The dough, crumbly. Refridgerated for a very short time to chill the dough, and it was hard! i added a little water to be able to roll the dough, and when baked, they spread a little and tasted too flour-ey. I was hoping to make them for my son's bday party this saturday but I'm not sure how to fix this dough. I've got half of it left in my fridge. Any suggestions? Thanks.
I love this recipe and it is now my go to sugar cookie recipe. I made them for my dad's birthday party and covered them with MMF. Everyone loved them. And they stayed soft and I actually still have a few all wrapped up (bday) was Sept 5th) and they still taste fresh and delicious. Thanks for sharing.
So, I tried this and I love the fact that it holds its shape, However I did as stated in directions, and I love the taste but I think they are to hard, I used 1 cup less flour, because I noticed others saying the were to hard. That didn't seem to make a difference, I won't give up. I'll try with 1cup less flour and more eggs. If anybody has ideas please share.
you have to knead it before you roll it, it shouldn't be crumbly at all. The flour needs to be just regular cup NOT PACKED, if you packed than you get too much flour and yes they will become very dry. the heat of your hands warms up the butter. Make sure you roll it out between 2 pieces of wax paper and they are COLD or frozen before you bake them.
This is one of the best sugar cookie recipes I've tried....EVER! They taste amazing and they do hold their shape superbly......at 3 just to make sure! LOL! I used a large snowflake cookie cutter and halfed the recipe to test it out. The cookies held the intricate details of the cookie cutter without any spread at all. I did allow my oven to preheat, as always, for at least 30 minutes, and rolling between parchment is the easiest procedure and you don't have to use any extra flour for rolling which can potentially dry out the dough and give a flour taste after baking! Will be using this recipe for now on!! Thank you for sharing the recipe and for all the other posts. They help in the learning process!
I made some cookies for a Christmas party last week that did Not old their shape and have been looking for just such a recipe as this - Thank you for posting this and for all the comments!
I left out the salt completely and used salted butter. Great, great recipe! So tasty! I just tossed mine in sugar and sprinkled with disco dust while slightly warm (but not too soft) and they were so, so cute. Baby shower shapes. Sparkling stars, firetrucks, teddy bears, puppies…way cute! Use the parchment! I rolled as many sheets as I could and left them in the fridge until I was ready. It was so easy. Couldn't ask for more!
How the heck to I save this recipe?!
so i have been using this recipe for some time now and finally got the hang of it. i now only use extra large eggs and all the flour stated in the recipe. this seems to work just right for me. the dough does not come out dry at all anymore. also i have started rolling it out between very thin cutting mats that i get from the dollar store and putting them straight into zip top bags that are slightly bigger than the mats. i then pop them in the freezer to firm them up. with this method i dont need to flour the mat at all. its great because i can pull them out of the freezer and cut right on the mat and then transfer the cookies straight to the baking sheet and in the oven in very little time.
is there a way to save recipes like you do favorite pictures?
jenabbott00 I just copy and paste to word
jenabbott00 go back to the top and hit the heart right on top of the recipe title. "-".
In order to make them into pops...Roll dough thicker than normally and bake a drop longer. When they come out of the oven, quickly stick the sticks into the cookie, being careful not to slant the stick so it doesn't come out the top of the cookie or bottom of the cookie. Let it cool a couple minutes on the pan, then transfer to a sheet. The cooling process will hold the stick in the cookie and not let the cookie spin.
I use this recipe only when I am doing pops since I find it has a bland taste but is really good with a sweet cookie icing. I have another great recipe for sugar cookies that are good to either eat plain, sprinkled with sugar, or frosted with icing.
I've been tinkering with this recipe for a few months now and everyone loves these cookies. I've even been asked to make cookies for parties and for favors. I do add high quality vanilla now as it makes a BIG difference in taste. I change up the combinations of the flavorings depending on the occasion. BUT...i have also noticed that they do spread a little at times and if the butter is too "melty" the cookies spread too much. This recipe has definitly turned my interest into cookie decorating.
Forget George Clooney !! I'm in love with these cookies !! This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Just finished my first batch. Outstanding recipe. Cookies didn't spread. Love the tip about rolling the soft dough and then chill. Thank you for sharing!
I made my Christmas cookies this year with is recipe. I must say the best SC recipe I've found. And I did like you suggested, after it was mixed, I layer out a ball of dough between 2 wax papers and tolled it out to the thickness I needed, then left it in the fridge for a few hours. Had no problem what so ever cutting them. They came out beautifully and none broke. Also 6-7 mi urea in the oven turned them out perfectly! Thank you again for posting it!
I LOVE this sugar cookie recipe. I have had trouble with sugar cookies in the past and have avoided them for a while. But a customer asked if I could make them to go with some other wedding cookies I was doing for her and this is the recipe I used. I could not believe how easy they were!! Rolling out between the two sheets of parchment made it super easy to roll and they baked beautifully. This will be my go to recipe from now on.
I don't normally make sugar cookies, I'm not a big fan but made this recipe over X-mas and used some pretty fancy, detailed cutters. These cookies held their shape better then I could have imagined. The cookie straight from the oven was a little bland for my liking, but once decorated with royal they were the perfect sweetness. We also brushed a few with an egg wash and sprinkled colored sugar on them before baking, they had an interesting texture, the egg wash made the outside crisp but still left the inside of the cookie moist and cake-like. They were really good.
Next time I make them I will use vanilla bean paste to get a more concentrated flavor, and rolling between parchment is key. I couldn't roll them the regular way.
Tried this receipt for my VERY FIRST TIME making sugar cookies...AMAZING!!!! They turned out PERFECT and taste great! I added about 1/2 cup more of flour, cut the salt in half and used almond extract. Tomorrow, I will attempt to decorate:p Pictures to follow. Wish me luck!
Made sugar cookies the first time tonight with this recipe. Loved them except for one problem...Once I pulled them out of the oven they had large air bubbles on the top. Is this normal? Anyone else have this issue and any ideas on how to fix it? I'm going to be decorating them tomorrow so hope the royal icing will still look smooth.
I follow the recipe and directions for rolling, chilling and cutting to the letter and have never ever been disappointed. These are the best cookies ever. I made my first batch for a bridal shower (iced in white and stamped with a blue bird) and they were such a success, that I got ten more orders the next day! Now I have an order for 150 "apple: cookies for teacher appreciation day at the local high school! Thanks for sharing such a fab and seriously NO FAIL recipe
Followed the recipe exactly and the cookies came out perfectly! Didn't have any problems with crumbling when I rolled them out. For reference, I used extra large eggs so I think that might be the problem some people are running in to. Definitely roll in between parchment paper, its great and no mess.
Made the cookies yesterday. After reading some of the reviews I used just 5 1/2 cups of flour. The only problem is that I ate about 5 cookies yesterday (quality control!) These cookies are really really good.
I made these cookies and everything went well. Very easy to roll out. My question is...what thickness do most roll your cookies? Thanks, Mary
Can someone tell me if I need to sift the 6 cups of flour. I have to make poodle cookies for a little girls 1st birthday on Saturday and I don't want to make any mistakes. PLEASE HELP :)
love this recipe! Holds their shape..tastes awesome.... so happy to have found this recipe!!
@glicioscakes I don't sift my flour when I make it....
I used these recipe twice now! Perfect cookies....I've even frozen the remaining batter and used it weeks later....I use the almond flavoring and decorate them with fondant... Thanks
Thanks a lot for this recipe. My first attempts do sugar cookies were total failures before. But with this recipe and the tips to roll out the dough it was a pleasure to make them and to eat them.
I make this recipe every time for my sugar cookies. I always make sure the butter is softened, I never sift my flour, I use 2 tsp. Princess Emulsion and 1 tsp. vanilla. To guage thickness, I use two of the large paint stir sticks (like the ones you would use to stir up 5 gallon buckets of paint, and yes- they are clean, never used for anything else). They come out the perfect thickness every time!
Something New--Something Fail-Safe! I am going to bake these tonight for an order for later this week to see if they work FOR me and not WORK me. Wish me luck! I'll report back with post and photos.
I have tried this recipe but for me it seems to spread a bit when baking. The dough has a great texture and is a dream to work with and the flavor is perfect. I do not understand why my cookies are spreading though. Could this be not enough flour? I tried reducing the baking powder but that did not help much. Any ideas? Thanks.
People need to READ the recipe through first - then line up all the items. After reading the posts it seems most of the questions/problems can be solved easily. Replacing butter: with margarine - use same amount margarine as indicated for butter in recipe. Salty taste - the recipe calls for UNSALTED butter - if using margarine use UNSALTED margarine. For vegans Vegan margarine is simply margarine that does not use animal dairy products like milk. Look for margarine that has a kosher symbol and the word PARVE. Anything with that word is non dairy, guaranteed and not even made on equipment where dairy has ben used.
When rolling out dough that has been refrigerated you do not want to use too much flour on the surface of rolling pin. It makes the dough tough. Use the cheapest wax paper or if you have the money use parchment one on the bottom and one on the top. The dough will roll out well. Make the cut outs. and keep the cut cookies on the wax paper. Lift carefully and slide onto the cookie sheet. If you want to roll the dough first and then slide on the cookie sheet and refrigerate for about 15 minutes the dough will not spread. I think extra large or even jumbo eggs would be the right size eggs to use. The composer of the recipe should have stated a size. replacing eggs with Ener-G, Bob's Red Mill egg replacer, or ground flax seed read directions of water to replacer formula and add as if using eggs.
There are three ways to handle flour 1. if it does not mention sifting don't sift at all. 2. if the recipe states 2 cups sifted flour - sift the flour first and then measure 2 cups. 3. If the recipe state2 2 cups flour, sifted - measure 2 cups and then sift it.
I hope this was helpful
In New Zealand we use gram or ounce measurements for butter. I'd love to try this recipe but want to be accurate... I wondered if anyone knew the weight equivalent of 2 cups unsalted butter? Thanks :)
Are these soft sugar cookies? I am looking for ones that are not crunchy all the way through.
I am going to make these this afternoon - am looking forward to comparing them with my other 'go-to' recipe.
Two hints that I have found helpful are that sugar cookie dough usually does not take kindly to rough handling; they can become tough. Gentle encouragement with the rolling pin helps make for a soft cookie. Be careful on the re-rolls not to incorporate too much extra flour, too.
Second - that a cold cookie sheet will help the cookies hold their shape while baking. If you put a second batch of cold cut-outs on a warm cookie sheet, they'll almost certainly spread. As soon as I take a sheet out of the oven, I slide the parchment off onto a towel laid out on the counter, and put the sheet in the fridge to cool down again. I always use parchment or silpats. Just think - no cookie sheets to clean!!! How awesome is that!
I also invested in a huge marble floor tile that I glued rubber feet on to the bottom side. I stick this in the fridge or freezer while I make and chill the dough, then take it out and roll the cookies out on it instead of the counter. This also works well with pie crust.
INTERESTING reading al the comments. As a pastry chef I would like to reply and give all a little info. The brand of flour you use can make a difference. Measuring CORRECTLY is important. Since you are not weighing the ingredients, you must use a dry 1 cup measuring cut . Use a 1/4 or 1/2 cup to dip into the flour and pour this into the 1 cup measuring cup. Then level off the top by running a knife/spatula across the top of the cup. DO NOT pounce the cup down to level, then add more to fill it up to the rim as this will pack the flour down and you will be using more flour than called for. . Salty taste can come from the baking powder too. Make sure it is fresh and you are not using more than what a recipe calls for. Use measuring spoons. 3 teaspoons equal 1 tablespoon. Better to use the 1 Tabl. Use unsalted butter as you can control the amount of salt you add (salted butter will keep for a longer time; markets can stock pile it. ALSO if using margarine, MAKE SURE IT IS 100% margarine, NOT a spread or whipped. Getting harder to find 100% margarine. Good luck to all and hope these hints help. I haven't made the recipe, just saw the site. When I do make it, I will also post. Chef~
ONE MORE hint...ROLLING OUT DOUGH. Roll the dough out onto baking parchment. Use cutter, leaving 1-2 inches inbetween, then REMOVE the dough AROUND your cutout, leaving your cooking on the parchment. Your cookies will stay in shape as you are not transferring them. As other have commented, you can then put the sheet in refrigerator for cookies to chill before baking. Then pop into hot oven to bake. Cakedreamer 101 made a very important comment...DO NOT put your cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet that just came out of the oven, as the cookie will start to spread. Have two or more cookie sheets to alternate.
ONE MORE hint...ROLLING OUT DOUGH. Roll the dough out onto baking parchment. Use cutter, leaving 1-2 inches inbetween, then REMOVE the dough AROUND your cutout, leaving your cooking on the parchment. Your cookies will stay in shape as you are not transferring them. As other have commented, you can then put the sheet in refrigerator for cookies to chill before baking. Then pop into hot oven to bake. Cakedreamer 101 made a very important comment...DO NOT put your cookie dough onto a hot baking sheet that just came out of the oven, as the cookie will start to spread. Have two or more cookie sheets to alternate. Chef
I halved this recipe yesterday because just wanted to test adding different flavors to my sugar cookie. The thing I like about this recipe is that is rolls well.
*SIDE NOTE: I used parchment paper yesterday because I finally got some via Amazon, but two weeks ago when I was in a pinch, I used foil and wax paper. Foil on the bottom, wax paper on the top. I placed the rolled dough on my sheet, used the cutters, removed the excess and baked them on the foil. Nothing happened to them. They didn't cook faster or brown too quickly (IMHO)
If you want a very nice flavor for the fall, add 1/4 tsp of ground cardamom (sifted with dry ingredient) and orange zest (added after butter was creamed with sugar and egg) to taste (I used 1 tsp, but the hubby didn't taste any orange, so i'll use more next time). Also, its difficult to obtain, but using vanilla beans really sent the flavors of my cookies over the top. For the half batch I used one whole bean and a splash of vanilla extract. I can't even explain how good these came out.
If you want to try your hand with the actual bean, buy them from eBay. I got 30 beans for $10 and free shipping (Seller has 100% rating). You can YouTube how to open and scrape it (easy peasy). I am so happy with my little additions that its going to be my signature cookie from now on.
*IMPORTANT: The measurement for the cardamon is for the full recipe listed above. I used 1/8 tsp in my half batch yesterday and it was perfect.
Well, I have read every comment. I feel fully educated on how exactly to prepare and bake these cookies and I can't wait to try. I have a small bit of advice for some of you posting questions: Read ALL of the comments before asking your questions. I see the same issues asked and answered over and over. It must be frustrating for the author. Thank you for the Recipe!
I just want to thank you for taking the time to post this recipe and to thank all of the posters for the tips! I have learned so much from reading all the posts! Thanks again, Ladies!
I just did this recipe and it was perfect, and I have to say I never work you cookies before. Thank you so much. :)
I don't usually do decorated cookies - but a client asked for them to go with a cake I'm making. Before I try this recipe, I'd like to know the general texture of the baked cookie - soft, crisp, cakey, dry? I've tasted lots of decorated sugar cookies - like the large ones found in cookie bouquets - and I always think the cookie itself is very dry and tasteless, with all of the flavor coming from the icing. I want the cookie to taste wonderful on it's own - and not be dry. Is this the recipe for me?
OMG I love love this recipe came out perfect just hope I can decorate them properly now thank you to all who left tips and hints XXXX
There is no need to use a leavener such as baking powder. I use the same recipe without baking powder- and 3 tsp is a lot! I add milk a tablespoon at a time if my mixer is struggling. I also roll it out right away between parchment paper and pop it in the freezer if I'm in a rush. By the time the oven is heated, it's ready to use. My cookies keep their height and width and never move!
Thanks to everyone for such great tips....one more question...what does one cup of the flour weigh? Sometimes my dough comes out drier or moister,and I think it is because the "cups" of flour are varying weights.Thanks again for your help.
Hi,
One cup of flour = 140g. So 6 cups = 840g.
6 x 250ml= 1500ml
1500ml x 140g/250ml = 840g
White granulated sugar 250ml (1 cup) = 200g
Butter 1 cup = 230g
500ml x 230g/250ml = 460g 500ml x 200g/250ml = 400g
Hope that helps. I have a conversion table. Let me know if there is any other ingredient that you need the weight for. [email protected]
Has anyone used Gluten Free flour for these cookies?
These cookies hold their shape because there is 6 cups of flour! Not a fan of this recipe. Plus it needs at least a TABLESPOON of flavoring. A very bland, hard cookie.
We made these cookies over Christmas vacation... They came out so good! Even though some of our flour mixture spilled lol
Why Cake Central NFSC web sites does it call for either 1 teaspoon of baking powder and on another cake central site it calls for 3 teaspoons of baking powder??? Everything else is the same.... I just spent three hours baking-even putting the cut out cookies in the freezer and they Spread... Flowers looked like blobs and tulips...could not tell they were tulips...this was a recipe on cake central which called for the three teaspoons of baking powder...then I Just found this cake central site...both written by same person...I do not mean any offense...I just threw everything away...partially because I was mad and I really need these made, baked and decorated-Tonite! I need your website to be accurate, whether it was found on the site or on a search engine...
Please can someone tell me if I can omit the instant coffee granules in the Chocolate NFSC ? Thank you all.
I made these for Easter and they were wonderful ! I didn't even bother icing them because they were so good. I used 4 sticks of unsalted sweet cream butter ( 2 cups). I also spoon my flour into my measuring cups, which helps to incorporate some air into it. Don't pack your flour into a dry measuring cup and level it off as many have been taught. You will have too much flour. People used to sift their flour. We don't do that anymore and we wonder why our baked products don't turn out as good. My favorite biscuit recipe calls for you to sift the flour , baking soda, salt, baking powder mixture three times before using, and they turn out wonderfully, and light.
I also did as some suggested and rolled my dough between parchment sheets on cookie sheets and placed them in the fridge or freezer for a few minutes before cutting the shapes out. Made rolling much easier, and also didn't add any extra flour to the dough. This makes for a very tender ( and yummy) cookie. I returned the baking sheet to the fridge until my oven was preheated. It took closer to 12 minutes to cook my cookies. Oven temps vary and cookie baking times vary, so watch yours closely. Have fun baking !
These were such a hit at a Baby Shower I did the desserts for. Even the picky kids were in love. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!! Definitely roll these out with Parchment paper. It helps a lot.
Can I half this recipe ?
I actually halved the recipe, used King Arthur's AP flour. The dough was very crumbly and wouldn't come together so I added an extra egg. Needless to say I was skeptical that anything would come out of it. Rolled it out between parchment paper sheets, chilled it. Eventually baked it, and I got the most beautiful cookies. Some I chilled before baking, but some I didn't. Neither batch spread. They all kept their shape.
Has any one rolled out dough cut out cookies then freeze cut out to bake later? My daughter recipe allows her to do that but it's so different from this recipe. Thanks
@Memaw1961 ---I am making these for the very first time tonight. But, I don't see why you couldn't do what you are asking about. It would be no different than freezing the whole batch of dough for later use.
I rolled out my dough, cut the shapes and then placed them in the freezer for a little bit. They are in the oven now. I will say this about them so far. I baked them for the time recommended and they were no where near done. So I had to add time to them. So far however, they are holding their shape beautifully. I'll let you know how it turns out in the end.
@RhondaGossett -- Thank You!
this has been my "go to" recipe for sugar cookies for years. It came with my Dough Board when I purchased it several years ago. The only difference is the recipe I received uses 3 teaspoons of Baking Powder and 2 teaspoons of Vanilla flavoring. My cookies are always perfect. I roll them out as described too and put the cookie sheets into the fridge one at a time. By the time I have the last rolled out batch to be put in the refrigerator, the first cookie sheet is chilled and ready to be cut out.
Love reading all the comments on this recipe. Cant wait to try this weekend!
What an excellent recipe ! Thankyou for ending my quest on finding a great cookie recipe .... we all loved it ! I rarely leave reviews but had to for this one.
I like this recipe but my cookies always comes out hard. I did over bake them for a couple more minutes until edges are slightly brown because I found that there’s an after taste like raw flour if I just bake them for just 8-10min. How long do you bake them and how do you make them that is soft and not hard after it’s baked. Thank you!
I need a good icing for these cookies. I lost mine and want to make them for Christmas.