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These sugar cookies with easy icing are buttery and crisp, with a super easy icing to top them off. Perfect for rolling out and cutting with cookie cutters, then decorating with friends and family!
Nothing screams “Merry Christmas” more than a plate full of festively decorated sugar cookies, am I right? I have fond memories of decorating sugar cookies during the holidays growing up, and now I am trying to create those same types of memories for my kids. This year I decided to host a cookie decorating party for a group of friends, and so I went on a mission to find the best sugar cookie and easy icing recipe.
Ingredients for Sugar Cookies
- Unsalted Butter – Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature but not overly soft or starting to melt at all. This recipe also adds salt so don’t use salted butter.
- Sugar – this recipe uses granulated sugar
- Egg – this recipe works best if the egg is also at room temperature instead of cold from the fridge. If it is too cold it can “break” the butter and sugar mixture and become lumpy. Set it out a few hours before you bake along with the butter.
- Vanilla and Almond extract – I use both vanilla and almond extract. I find that almond extract really gives these sugar cookies that nostalgic taste I remember from childhood.
- All-purpose Flour – Be sure to measure by spooning the flour into the measuring cup and then leveling it off rather than scooping it into the measuring cup.
- Baking powder AND Baking soda – using both will give the cookies a little bit of rise and help them stay soft.
- Salt – don’t leave this out unless you want bland cookies
My secret tip for making foolproof sugar cookies
Here is what I discovered while testing many different recipes to find the best sugar cookie – ROLL OUT THE DOUGH BEFORE CHILLING! What!? It is unorthodox but it really works. You will need parchment paper for this to avoid a sticky mess. Here is how to do it:
- After mixing the dough, divide the dough into two pieces.
- Place one dough ball on a sheet of parchment paper, shape it into a disc. Place another sheet of parchment paper on top of the dough, then roll it to 1/4 or 1/8 inch thick (thinner will make a crisper cookie).
- Transfer to the fridge to chill for at least two hours and repeat with the second dough ball.
- After the dough has chilled, cut into shapes and bake. The scraps can be rerolled, chilled and cut again one or two more times.
Tips for making the best sugar cookies
- Start with room temperature ingredients: the butter should be soft but not greasy, and the egg should be room temperature rather than cold from the fridge. This will make a difference in the texture of your dough and final cookie.
- Roll out the dough BEFORE chilling. This is a game changer!
- If making the easy icing, use organic powdered sugar if possible. I wouldn’t believe it if I hadn’t tasted myself, but the organic powdered sugar tastes significantly better. Read more HERE about why.
What is the best frosting for sugar cookies?
You have many options when it comes to frosting sugar cookies – Buttercream, royal icing or cookie glaze. All of those taste delicious and will work here. However, for cookie decorating with kids especially, I decided to go with an easy cookie icing. I love this easy glaze because it is:
- Easy to make – only 5 ingredients and quick to whisk together.
- Easy to work with – especially for kids or beginners.
- Sets quickly and has a beautiful shine.
- Is versatile – it can be tinted different colors and topped with a variety of sprinkles.
Ingredients for Easy sugar cookie icing
- Powdered sugar – As I mention above, organic powdered sugar will taste better. No matter what kind of powdered sugar you use, be sure to sift it!
- Light Corn Syrup – I know some people are anti-corn syrup and I rarely use it, but it really does help this glaze set up nicely and stay shiny, so I suggest using it here.
- Milk – I used whole milk
- Vanilla extract – this gives a nice flavor but is optional. It will make the icing more ivory than white, so use clear vanilla extract if that is a concern.
- Salt – a pinch of salt helps cut the sweetness
- Food coloring – I use gel food coloring here for the most vibrant colors. If you are using liquid food coloring, keep in mind that it may change the consistency of the icing.
To make the icing, simply whisk the ingredients together in a large bowl until smooth. More milk can be added to thin the icing and more powdered sugar can be added thicken it. To check for the right consistency, allow frosting to drizzle into the bowl from your whisk in ribbons. The ribbons should hold their shape for 4-5 seconds before dissolving back into the frosting.
To color the frosting – divide into individual bowls and add the food coloring until desired color is achieved. Glaze can then be piped or spread onto cookies.
Best tools for making sugar cookies with easy icing
Although you certainly don’t need all of these things to bake sugar cookies, these items will make your life easier:
- Rolling pin – I like this one because it has guides for rolling dough evenly
- Parchment paper – necessary for rolling out the cookie dough
- baking sheet – the is the only baking sheet I use!
- silpat – I always use these when baking cookies
- whisk – for mixing the icing
- bowl – for mixing the icing
- stand mixer or hand mixer – I prefer a stand mixer here, but a hand mixer will work
- cookie cutters – these are so cute
- gel food coloring – gel coloring will work better than liquid coloring here
- squeeze bottles – I like to use squeeze bottle to cut down on messes when decorating with kids
- piping bags and piping tips – if you prefer, you can also use piping bags
More cookie recipes you will love!
- Cranberry Orange Pecan Shortbread Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Ginger Cookies
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Drizzle Sugar Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Brown Butter Snickerdoodles
Sugar Cookies with Easy Icing
NOTE: Be sure butter and egg are room temperature. You will need 4 sheets of parchment paper for rolling out the dough. Note that cookies are baked at 300 degrees F.
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 16 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 and 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp table salt
Cookie Icing
- 4 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 5-6 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk until combined, set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, beat until combined. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts.
- Add the flour mixture and mix until well combined. Dough should be coming together in a large mass and no longer sticking to the sides of the bowl.
- Prepare a sheet of parchment paper. Divide the dough in half. Place half of the dough into the first sheet of parchment paper, form it into a disc. Place a second piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough out 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick between the pieces of parchment paper. Leaving the dough sandwiched between the parchment layers, transfer to the refrigerator and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 24 hours. Repeat this with the second ball of dough.
- Adjust oven racks to the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. When ready to bake, prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper or a silpat baking mat. Set aside.
- Remove 1 dough sheet from the refrigerator. Place on your work surface. Peel off the top parchment sheet and gently lay it back in place. Flip the dough over; peel off and discard second parchment layer. This is an IMPORTANT step to keep the dough from sticking to the parchment. Use cookie cutters to cut cookies into desired shapes. Transfer cut shapes to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Reserve dough scraps to re-roll.
- If you plan to bake two sheets at once, place the first baking sheet of cookie shapes into the fridge while you repeat the process with the second dough sheet.
- When ready to bake, place the baking sheets in the oven, bake 11-17 minutes, rotating the baking sheets halfway through. Cookies are done when starting to turn golden on the edges and a fingertip barely leaves an imprint when gently touched.
- Remove baking sheets from oven, allow cookies to remain on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then use a large metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack to continue cooling. Allow to cool completely before decorating with icing.
To make the cookie icing
- Use a flour sifter or a fine mesh sieve to sift the powdered sugar and remove any lumps.
- Add sugar, corn syrup, 5 tablespoons milk, vanilla and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk together until fully combined.
- If glaze is too thick or dry, whisk in more milk one tablespoon at a time. If glaze is too thin, more powdered sugar can be added a little at a time until desired consistency is achieved. To test sonsitency, lift whisk and allow icing to drizzle back into the bowl in ribbons. The ribbons should hold their shape for 4-5 seconds before dissolving back into the icing.
- Glaze can be left white or tinted different colors. I recommend using gel food coloring. Divide glaze into different bowls and add coloring as desired. Transfer glaze to piping bags or squeeze bottles for decorating. You can also use a zip top bag if you don't have piping bags, or even leave the glaze in the bowls and apply to cookies with a spoon or knife. The piping bags or bottles will be more neat, but any of these methods will work.
Nutrition
Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 157kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 19mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Did you like this recipe?Please comment, rate and share! And don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @foxandbriar AND #foxandbriar so I can see what you made!
