Anyone know of a tried and true sugar cookie recipe that tastes great as well as doesn't spread and keeps its shape?

I've tried two recipes this weekend and have been disappointed.

Thank you in advance for any help.

It's funny, the NFSC recipe on this forum always made cookies that would spread for me. I like the Karen's cookies recipe!
http://www.karenscookies.net/Cookie-Decorating-Recipes_ep_68-1.html#recipe01

Give it a try!

I always use the NFSC recipe and if you cut back on the baking powder (i use 1 tsp) you should be fine. And this cookie is so versatile in that you can add any number of extracts/flavors and have the cookies as you like.

I also love the karens cookie site. love the icing , etc.

I use this one:

http://allrecipes.com/recipe/the-best-rolled-sugar-cookies/detail.aspx

But I up the flour to just over 5 1/2 cups, and halve the baking powder. Delicious!

I agree with mcaulir and JRAE33, cut down on the leavener in any favorite sugar cookie recipe.Or use a shortbread recipe, since these typically have no leavener.

You can really use any cookie with the word "rolled" in front of it (and cut out the leavening if you wish). Those kinds of cookies are designed to be rolled out and used with cutters so they don't spread. Hope that helps!

I use lilaloa's recipes for vanilla and chocolate sugar cookies. They're on her blog, just google lilaloa. The chocolate ones taste like brownies! They don't spread at all... I cut them pretty close together and slid the parchment I rolled them on right on to the cookie sheet and baked. I was so surprised that they looked the same as they did when I put them in, except baked!

I cut the baking powder in half and freeze the cookies, then bake them frozen. It's still hit or miss though. Hope this helps! - Helen

I use Sweetopia's sugar cookie recipe found here: http://sweetopia.net/2009/12/sugar-cookie-recipe/
But I cut out the baking powder entirely. She also has great tips on how to handle the dough to minimize spreading.

My general rules are:
- Make as few scraps as possible. The more you re-roll and handle the dough, the worse it will spread
- Bake dough that has been chilled for as long as possible (she recommends over an hour to overnight if I remember correctly.. I am usually in too much of a hurry for that, but I find the longer, the better)
- Make thinner cookies. I have noticed that when I bake thicker cookies, the bottoms spread out from under the cookie. Not pleasant.

And in a pinch, when a cookie has spread too much, I just re-cut it with the cutter when it first comes out of the oven. Not really a great solution but it works as a last minute fix.

Lilaloa's chocolate and vanilla sugar cookie recipes are an absolute JOY to work with absolutely no spreading and they taste GREAT!

I use Rose Levy Berenbaum's rolled cookie recipe called Traditional Rolled Christmas cookies from her book. No spreading at all and a shelf life of several MONTHS.

I make NFSC - only I weigh the flour. I did 4.25 oz per cup called for and they turn out AMAZING.

I use Sweetapolita's recipe which is similar to Sweetopia's as suggested above. Sweetapolita (and I) do not use any baking powder. My cookies are delicious and do not rise or spread. I have even placed my cookie cutter on top of the baked cookie to confirm that they haven't spread much and they don't.

I do refrigerate my dough when I have mixed everything and when I have rolled it out to cut shapes, and for a minute or two in the freezer prior to baking. May be a bit time consuming but the results are worth it to me.

I use this recipe, these cookies never spread)

    1/2 cup shortening
    1-1/4 cups sugar, divided
    2 eggs
    2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    2 cups all-purpose flour
    2 teaspoons baking powder
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon baking soda
    1/2 cup buttermilk
    1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

    In a large bowl, cream shortening and 1 cup sugar. Beat in eggs and vanilla.Combine the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda; add to creamed mixture alternately with buttermilk, beating well after each addition. Combine cinnamon and remaining sugar. Drop dough by tablespoonfuls onto greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with cinnamon-sugar. Bake at 375° for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to brown.


 

Hi guys,

Bumping this thread as I had dreams last night, first about some brooch moulds I made yesterday and then I woke up, went back to sleep and dreamt about cookies and so today I'm on a sugar cookie mission.

I have a question for those of you who use the sweetopia recipe, or chill then cut out cookies and then go on to refrigerate or freeze further before baking.. when they are ready to be baked, do you use the cold baking sheet that has chilled or do you transfer to a room temp tray?

Only had the though as sweetopias tips are saying essentially the longer it takes for the cookie to set the more opportunity there is for spreading. Would this be the same if I put the cold baking sheet directly into the oven?

I chill my cookies on the pans so both are cold before I put them in the oven and they don't really spread. Now if I don't chill the cookies, they spread into a big blob, but it's hot where I live.