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Classic Sugar Cookies are everyone’s favorite. Decorated with simple sugar, fancy glaze or sprinkles, these cookies are sure to be the hit of every party. Substantial enough to hold their shape for decorative purposes, but soft enough to satisfy a real cookie craving! Makes about 3 dozen cookies, depending on cookie cutter size.
WATCH THE VIDEO!!
How to Make Decorated Sugar Cookies
Ingredients for Sugar Cookies:
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) salted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 large egg
2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
Icing/Glaze for One Dozen Sugar Cookies:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 tablespoon half n’ half (plus a few drops if needed for consistency)
few drops vanilla (or other flavoring, optional)
few drops coloring (if desired)
Other Decorations/Equipment:
sprinkles (if desired)
melted chocolate
shredded coconut
cookie cutters (for circles, a glass or cup works too)
rolling pin (a clean, smooth bottle works too)
NOTES:
Makes about 3 dozen cookies depending on cookie cutter size.
Keep baked and decorated cookies fresh in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Cookie dough can be refrigerated for two weeks or frozen up to a month.
Prepare the cookie dough:
In an electric mixer cream butter and add sugar and salt. Add vanilla and egg. Add flour and mix. Dough will be sticky-ish. Like a stiff, yet sticky play-dough. Gather dough and pat smooth. Cover and allow dough to chill for 1/2 hour in the freezer or 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Make the cookies:
Lightly flour board and rolling pin. The less flour you use the more delicate your cookies will be. Place dough on board. Roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into shapes. Place cookies on baking sheet. NOTE: If using colored sugars, sprinkle with sugars before baking. Bake in a preheated 325(f) oven for 13 minutes. Cookies will be pale on top and slightly golden on the bottom. Allow to cool before icing.
Decorate the cookies:
In a mixing bowl, run whisk through powdered sugar to remove lumps. Add half n’ half to powdered sugar. Whisk vigorously (no lumps!). Add coloring of choice, vanilla (if desired) and whisk again. Use the back of a spoon and carefully ice cookies. Add sprinkles for some extra bling.
SAY IT WITH COOKIES!
I love using letter-shaped cookie cutters to spell out messages in cookies! Great for a baby shower or your favorite radio station!
MAKE A SUGAR COOKIE ORNAMENT!
Get instructions here.
jeremymorris says
how do u cook a pancake with at the mix.
Average Betty says
Hi Jeremy!
Thanks for droppin’ by! Great question.
I have a yummy recipe for buttermilk pancakes… those are definitely an upcoming episode. I’m in Seattle right now (I live in Los Angeles) but I’ll post the recipe for ya when I get home :)
Cheers,
Betty
ciprian says
Hi Betty,
I want to bake your `Sugar Cookie’ to surprise my girlfriend on valentine’s day … original huh? :)
I have a question. I cannot find `half-n-half’ in the store, which, btw., i never heard of until now. Is is fine to add instead 1/2 tablespoon of milk and 1/2 tablespoon of cream to the icing?
Thanks!
PS: Great website!
Average Betty says
Hi Ciprian!
I love that you want to make sugar cookies for your girlfriend! Lucky gal! She’s going to love these more than any store bought confection because you took the time and made each one just for her (well, hopefully she’ll let you have a nibble!).
So, I have learned in the course of this site that half-n-half is also known as half cream in the UK and it is indeed one part milk and one part cream. And honestly, you could use all milk if you really wanted to.
The key to a great icing is to gradually add the liquid to the sugar (that you have gotten all the lumps out of) to bring it to the perfect consistency. If the glaze is a little on the thick side it’s easier to keep from dripping off the sides.
Hope this helps! I’m always here to help…
Happy Valentine’s Day!!
Cheers,
Betty
PS: Thanks for the sweet words about the site. And I’d love a picture of your cookies for my homepage if you can! You can email it to [email protected] .
ciprian says
Hi Betty,
Thanks for clarifying things. I plan to bake the cookies on Saturday morning. I will also send pictures! :)
Thx,
C.
nishi says
hi betty! i want to know what do u mean with half – half beacasue i dont know what it is (I`m from another country) or how can i make half-half, the ingridients i need and the steps!, could you please healp me?
I love cooking and love ur website!!!
Average Betty says
Hi nishi,
Ciprian up there (comment #4) had the same question :)
Half-n-half is also known as half cream in the UK and it is one part milk and one part cream. And for the icing, you can use all milk if you really wanted to.
The key to a great icing is to gradually add the liquid to the sugar (that you have gotten all the lumps out of) to bring it to the perfect consistency. If the glaze is a little on the thick side it’s easier to keep it from dripping off the sides of the cookies.
I’m glad you love to cook and you’re digging my website! I’d love a picture of your cookies for my homepage if you can! You can email it to [email protected]
Hope this helps! Please let me know if there are any other questions you have…
Cheers,
Betty
nishi says
Hi I have some other questions!
1) the 2 cups unbleached all- purpose flour may i substitute it with another tipe of flour? and what would it be the diference?
2) instead of half – half may I put water, and what would it be the diderence? or insted of water it can be milk? wich one is better!?
3) when u said granulated sugar do you mean sugar glass?
Thnks!
Average Betty says
Hi nishi!
I’m glad you have questions… hopefully my answers will help you and others, too!
1.) All-purpose flour is also known as “plain flour” in the UK. I have never tried using another type of flour for this recipe, so I can’t be sure. You can use bleached or unbleached all-purpose flour for this recipe. You didn’t mention what kind of flour you’d like to use. But, here is an article I found on many different kinds of flour and how the different types vary:
http://whatscookingamerica.net/Bread/FlourTypes.htm
If you know what kind of flour you are going to use I might be able to help you with substitutions.
2.) You can use water in the icing instead of milk or half-n-half, but I think it will have a better, more rounded flavor with dairy instead of water.
3.) I had to look up “sugar glass” and found this on Wikipedia: Sugar glass (also called candy glass and breakaway glass) is an edible mixture of sugar, corn syrup and water, which has the appearance of glass when hardened for a limited time before warping and melting.
Granulated sugar is *not* sugar glass and I don’t think it would make a good substitute. Granulated sugar is simply white sugar crystals. It looks similar to salt but it is sweet.
I use two types of sugar in this recipe: Granulated white sugar crystals for the cookies and Powdered Sugar for the icing.
I am learning a lot from your questions! I hope I am helping…
Cheers,
Betty
Nish says
Heya Betty!
Im a huge fan all the way from Sri Lanka! Thanks for putting this up.. Im baking a batch right now for my boyfriend for Valentine’s day tomorrow. :)
Just a quick question – Is the dough sticky before you freeze it??? As in, can you explain the texture of the dough as soon as you beat all the ingredients together in an electric mixture????
Just want to double check if Im doing it right.
Thanks!
xx
Average Betty says
Hi Nish,
I am probably getting to your question a little late; though I was up late – your email came in at 2 in the morning my time! How cool my sugar cookies are being made all the way in Sri Lanka!
The dough is a little sticky. It’s better to have the dough a bit on the sticky side because you will add more flour when you roll out to shape the cookies. That said, it’s like a sticky modeling clay. Like Play Dough (do they have Play Dough in Sri Lanka?!?)
And just so you know, you aren’t *freezing* the dough, just super-chilling it in the freezer for 1/2 hour only or refrigerated for at least one hour. I often make this dough a day in advance and refrigerate over night. I think all cookie dough needs some time to “rest” before baking.
I’d love to know how your cookies came out and please, email pictures if you can. [email protected]
Great to meet you Nish!
Happy Valentine’ Day – your boyfriend is going to love the cookies!
Cheers,
Betty
nishi says
Hey betty!
Well sorry for disturbing u!
I made the cookies, but the end up hard what can i do in order to preper them softer?
thanks
also i cant make the half-half for the top of the cookie could u explain me step bye step!? please! and how much amounts!
thnks!
Average Betty says
Hi nishi,
Sugar cookies tend to be a little crispier or harder than say, a chocolate chip cookie. But, if they came out too hard you may have overworked the dough or added too much flour.
Half-n-half is an ingredient in the icing. You can also use milk. To make icing for 1 dozen cookies:
Use 1/2 cup (about 66 grams) powdered sugar that you have gotten all the lumps out of.
Add 1 tablespoon half n’ half or milk and whisk. It will have the consistency similar to a thin glue.
Add a few drops of vanilla if you’d like and a few drops of food coloring (that is what makes the icing pink in my photos).
Here is a handy converter for changing cups to grams:
http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking
Hope this helps!
Happy Valentine’s Day,
Betty
Nish says
Hey Betty,
Sorry for the late reply!!
Yup, your cookies are made all the way in Sri Lanka!! :)
I made the cookies and they turned out GREAT! I used pink, yellow and green icing and also made a batch with chocolate butter icing. I forgot to take a picture for you but will be sure to post one the next time I bake…. Best of all my boyfriend LOVED them (and so did the future in-laws!! LOL)
The only problem I had was the dough turned out to be too sticky at first – so what I did was add in more flour while rolling out the dough. Afterwards it came out perfect!
Thanks so much again for this awesome recipe. Thanks to you, I’m a superb chef in the eyes of my bf and his parents ;)
Love ya!
P.S – Yeah, we do have play dough over here :P
Average Betty says
Hi Nish!
I am so happy your cookies turned out well! Of course your BF and his parents think you are a superb chef – sounds like your cookie assortment was a work of art!
Thanks so much for writing to tell me how they turned out :) Can’t wait to hear about more of your culinary adventures…
Cheers,
Betty
MI Lie says
Hi Betty,
I came across this recipe while searching online for some recipes for my friends birthday party.
I have not tried this recipe yet but would like to is when the icing is spread on top on the cookies, it will turn solid or it will remain liquid. There will be problem if i am to stack the cookies on top of one another if the icing is liquid as it will spoil the look of the other cookies whereby the bottom of the cookies will have the icing as well. Hopefully this icing is a solid one.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Thanks.
Average Betty says
Hi MI Lie,
Happy Birthday to your friend! I am so glad you found my recipe… it’s a fun one for parties :)
The icing does harden. Of course you will need to allow some drying time before stacking the cookies. If it is hot or humid it may take longer for the icing to set up. The longer the better, I usually allow about an hour of drying time to be on the safe side.
Also, the less liquid you put into into the icing the stiffer and harder the icing will be. For one dozen cookies, use 1/2 cup powdered sugar and start with 3/4 tablespoon of half n’ half (or milk) a drop of vanilla and a drop of color if you wish. See how the consistency is. If you can work with it, it should harden up better and faster.
Let me know how it goes! Email me a picture too – I’d love to see! [email protected]
Cheers,
Betty
MI Lie says
Hi Betty,
Thats really a fast reply. Thanks a lot. Will try this out.
Kelli says
Hi Betty,
I’m wondering how to make these cookies so they turn out a bit on the soft side. Any advice?
Average Betty says
Hi Kelli,
Gosh, ya know… they are definitely softer the second day when kept in an airtight container!
But, keeping the recipe as-is and making the cookies on the thick-side of 1/4″ can help, too.
Definitely be sure to cream the butter and sugar well. This really helps with the texture of *any* cookie.
Honestly, I don’t find these cookies to be hard at all, they have a little give, but are not the ultra-soft chocolate chip cookie type of cookie.
I hope this helps… because I’m afraid to tell you to add a little milk, more flour or more egg without trying it first myself.
Cheers,
Betty
monica says
thank u very much for the recipe…
very usefull
Average Betty says
Thanks monica! xoxoxo
hidan says
thanks! this worked really well! ^_^
Average Betty says
Thank you, hidan! Glad these cookies worked out for you!
Laura Brown says
hi! these cookies look great. im hoping to make some sugar cookies on thursday with my friends, but im from the UK, do you have these measurements in ounces or grams? your recipe looks the best ive found so far :) please help me! tarrr x
Average Betty says
Hi Laura,
Thank you so much!
Here are a couple measurement converters that may help you transform my recipe to ounces and grams:
http://www.convert-me.com/en/convert/cooking
or
http://culinarty.sapiensworks.com/articles/culiverter-culinary-unit-converter-widget/ (the converter is in the lower right hand corner)
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Betty
Natalie says
Hi betty.I really like your cookies.I want to make them soon but im wondering,what is half n half?im from singapore so im not too sure ;)
Average Betty says
Hi Natalie!
Thank you! That’s a common question on this post :)
Half-n-half is also known as half cream (in the UK) and it is one part milk and one part cream. Honestly, you could use all milk (in the glaze) if you wanted to.
Hope this helps! I’m always here to help…
Cheers,
Betty
Peaches says
Can you put the frosted cookies in the refrigerator to speed up the process of harding?
Average Betty says
Hi Peaches,
Well, you can. Should you, though? I have never tried it.
One thing to consider is the delicate structure of the cookie. While the frosting may harden up a bit faster, the texture of the cookie will be compromised. If the icing is hardening logic tells me the cookie is too.
In my honest opinion, just make the icing a little stiffer (use less liquid) and it will dry much faster.
I just made a batch of these and the icing completely dried in about an hour using a stiffer icing. I was able to stack them on my serving plate with no issues.
Hope this helps.
Cheers,
Betty
Gaby says
Hi, My name is Gaby from Argentina. I love your recipe!!! My baby girl is turning 4 and I´m hoping to bake all the dessert table!!! I just wanted to know is these cookies can be frozted once made… I don´t have time to do them neither the day of the bday northe day before!!! So my idea is to bake them with some days in advance!!!
Best wishes
Thank for the recipe!!
Average Betty says
Hi Gaby,
All the way from Argentina! Super cool! I believe you are asking if the cookies can be frozen? I have never tried to freeze them, so I don’t know.
If you are only making them a day or two in advance, I would just keep them in an air-tight container at room temperature.
If you freeze them with good results, I’d love to know… and so would others, so please, let us know :)
Thanks for trying my recipe and happy birthday to your little girl!!
Cheers,
Betty
marayam says
hey they are so nice
Kameron Bybee says
love your site!! thanks for all you share. I just had to add that I have frozen sugar cookies for a week before, then taken them out and glazed them with no problems. Make sure you take as much of the air out of your ziplock bag before you freeze them, and you should be good to go!
Thanks again for the site!
Average Betty says
Thank you so much, Kameron! Both for the kind words about the site AND!!! The cookie freezing experience!!
Ashina says
This is by far the best step-by-step I have ever come across! I love this site. You are so good at what you do. Thanks for all the tips. I have been wanting to make sugar cookies for so long but couldn’t figure out how to do the icing properly, mystery solved.
Thanks again, and keep up the delicious work. :D
Brittany says
Hi Betty,
I wanted to know what difference does it make if the flattened cookie dough is either think or thin?
Average Betty says
Hi Brittany! Great question – I think you mean thick or thin, right? The thinner the rolled out dough, the crispier the cookie. I try to aim for a thickness of about 1/4 inch (about 1 cm), this seems to give the best consistency or “chew” to the cookie.
Hope this helps!! xo, Betty
qwerty says
thankyou! thankyou! thankyou! for this recipe cant wait to try :)
Lute says
Hi Betty,
I saw the cookies and they look great!
I just wanted to ask if they taste good, as in:
*not too buttery??
I will try them though :D
Gabriela Flores says
Dear Betty: I have a little probles what does it means in spanish “1 tablespoon half n’ half” thanks for your help
Average Betty says
Hi Gabriela! Half-n-half is also known as half cream (in the UK) and it is one part milk and one part cream. Honestly, you can just use milk (in the glaze) if you wanted to. Hope this helps… Happy cookie-making!
Esme says
Wow. These cookies were one word: DELICIOUS! My whole family loved them! Thanks for the recipe.
Average Betty says
Thank you so much for letting me know, Esme! Those cookies are a hit with my family and I’m thrilled they are with yours too.
Zaarah says
Hello Betty,
do i really need to add the milk to the sugar? Can’t it be done only with the icing sugar and water?
Average Betty says
Hi Zaarah, You can certainly use water instead of milk :)
Zaarah says
Thank you :)
i’m thinking about baking this for my boyfriend on valentine’s day :)
hope he likes them ..
Average Betty says
Awesome! Happy Valentine’s Day!! I’m sure your boyfriend will love the cookies– let me know :)