This is my go to easy sugar cookies recipe! They’re soft, buttery and delicious and make a great base for decorated cookies. They’re quick and easy to make (despite the required chilling time) and you can add a variety of flavourings.
This is a simple vanilla sugar cookie recipe. The yield from this recipe will depend on the size of the cookies you make and the shapes you decide to make, but we usually get 24 x 2″ round cookies per batch.
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Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- Baking Sheet
- Greaseproof Paper
- Rolling Pin
- 2 Inch Round Cookie Cutter or cookie cutters of your choice
Ingredients
- 400 grams plain flour
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder optional
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 250 grams unsalted butter softened
- 175 grams caster sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 medium egg
Instructions
- In a stand mixer or mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy.
- In a separate bowl or jug, crack the egg and add to the mix together with the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour, baking powder (if using) and salt and combine well. Be careful not to overmix.If you leave out the baking powder the cookies will be slightly firmer.
- On a lightly floured surface roll out the dough to 0.5cm thick and cut out your desired shapes.
- Put the cookies into the fridge and allow to chill for about an hour. Put your feet up and have a cup of tea while you wait.
- After about 50 minutes, preheat your oven to 175ºC.
- Remove the cookies from the fridge and bake for 8-10 minutes, until golden brown. Allow to cool on a wire rack and then decorate as you would like.
Can I freeze cookie dough?
You can freeze the cookie dough for up to three months – just allow it to thaw and bake. You can also freeze the cookies after they are baked for up to three months – although they go pretty fast in our house!
How to Make Hand Painted Floral Cookies
To make these easy hand painted cookies, I made a batch of the simple sugar cookies. While they were still warm, I cut out a circle of fondant icing (I use Couture from Cake Stuff) the same size as the cookies and placed it on top. Because the cookies are still warm, they help the icing to stick to the cookie and also set the icing faster.
I then used Sugarflair gel colours in Spruce Green and Grape Violet and mixed them with some rejuvenator spirit (you could also use vodka, or lemon juice although this will leave a lemon taste. You could even use cooled boiled water). I then painted some super basic green stems and some super simple lavender style flowers onto the cookies and allowed them to dry.
You could paint wreaths of green olive style leaves, roses, foxgloves – the list is endless – and because they’re painted in a watercolour style you don’t have to be too precise!
For more easy cookie recipes, you might like White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies or Cranberry White Chocolate Shortbread. If you want to ice cookies with royal icing, you might like to read How to Decorate Cookies With Royal Icing.
