This no-fail sugar cookie recipe is a family favorite and perfect for those who have had trouble getting a decent sugar cookie. These cookies hold their shape perfectly and do not spread, so they won’t ruin the designs of intricate cookie cutters as they bake.
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The problem we’ve found with many sugar cookie recipes is that the dough is often too sticky and ends up needing additional flour to roll it out, or that the cookie spreads during the baking process causing thin, overly crunchy cookies, or if you’ve used a cookie cutter with intricate designs, the design “melts”.
This is a recipe our family has used for years, it’s a tried and true no-fail perfect sugar cookie recipe, so long as you follow the directions. We do not recommend substituting ingredients, which means, NO you cannot use Margarine or other butter substitutes in place of the real Unsalted butter– or your recipe will not work. Margarine is NOT the same as butter and cannot be used interchangeably with decent results.
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No Fail Sugar Cookie Recipe
You’ll Need:
2 cups unsalted butter, do not substitute
2 cups granulated white sugar
2 eggs
1 Tbsp vanilla extract or Almond extract (your choice)
6 cups all-purpose flour (30 ounces)
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
- Combine the dry ingredients and add a little at a time to the butter mixture, mixing at low speed until flour is completely incorporated and the dough forms a ball.
- Chill for 1 to 2 hours (or see Hint below)
- Preheat Oven to 350 F
- Roll to desired thickness and cut into desired shapes.
- Bake on a cool, ungreased baking sheet, then bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until just beginning to turn brown around the edges.
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Tips-n-Tricks for Rolling Out Dough Without Any Mess
? If you’re in a hurry or don’t want flour all over the counter, place the dough between two large sheets of parchment paper or between two silpats, then roll it out to the thickness that you prefer.
? Slide the parchment sheet containing the rolled dough onto a cookie sheet and refrigerate. Repeat until all the dough is rolled and chilling. Alternatively, you can create an embossed design using these rolling pins.
? Cut with cookie cutters and bake, not need to remove the dough from the parchment paper first!
Tips-n-Tricks for Using an Embossing Rolling Pin
? When rolling out the dough, use a normal (smooth) rolling pin first to get the dough to the desired thickness. The embossing pin is for imprinting a design only.
? Sprinkle flour lightly over the rolled out dough and over the embossed rolling pin as well.
? If the dough is sticking to the embossing rolling pin, add more flour.
? Do not add oil to the rolling pin to prevent sticking, this will cause sticking.
Stained Glass Cookies
If you’d like you can make stained glass cookies by cutting out cookies, then use smaller cookie cutters to cut out additional shapes, such as the heart of a gingerbread man, or star within a star, etc. Place an unwrapped jolly rancher candy in the center, then bake as directed above.
No Fail Sugar Cookie for Perfect Results Everytime
Ingredients
- 2 cups unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract or Almond extract (your choice)
- 6 cups all-purpose flour (30 ounces)
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. salt
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla. Mix well.
- In a medium-size bowl combine the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing at low speed until flour is completely incorporated and the dough forms a ball.
- Chill for 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F for a minimum of 30 minutes
- Roll the chilled dough out into your preferred thickness, then cut into desired shapes.
- Place the cookies on a cool, ungreased baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes. The cookies will brown lightly on the edges.
Notes
Tips-n-Tricks for Rolling Out Dough Without Any Mess
If you’re in a hurry or don’t want flour all over the counter, place the dough between two large sheets of parchment paper or between two silpats, then roll it out to the thickness that you prefer. Slide parchment paper containing the rolled dough onto a cookie sheet and place in the refrigerator. Repeat until all the dough has been rolled and chilled.Embossing Rolling Pin Tips-n-Tricks
Don't use your embossing pin to roll out the dough, that's not what it's meant for! The dough should be rolled out first with a normal (smooth) rolling pin to achieve the desired thickness. An embossing pin is used to imprint a design only.If you altered the ingedients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cooking/baking time.
Brilliant! This really works. Thank you!
Great Tips, thanks.
Do you put flour or oil on your embossed rolling pin before rolling to keep dough from sticking in the grooves?
Can you please share tips for using an embossed rolling pin? I just bought 4 of these beauties & I’m a bit intimidated. 😉
I made your recipe exactly and it was dry and crumbled. I still have it what can I do to improve it/ make it softer tomwork with? Thanks? Lori
Hmm, I’ve made these 100 times and never ever had that happen. Is this before or after it was refrigerated? What type of flour did you use?
https://www.budget101.com/frugal-living/4275-5-star-recipes-that-fail-why-it-might-not-be-your-fault/
Over-mixing your dough can cause hard, dry, crumbly dough. You may be able to save it by adding a bit of Egg White, much like adding water to pie crust dough. Good Luck!
I have been trying to use the embossed rolling pin a few times and have not been successful. I’m gonna try this recipe and hopefully it works. Any pointers before I start? Thanks somuch
This is by far the best sugar Christmas Cookie recipe!! Mine turned out wonderful! I used the Almond extract. Definitely my lifetime recipe ?☃️?☃️?
Hello, I have 2 questions. I am unable to locate the first embossing rolling pin you’ve shown in your recipe. The link shows other models. Is this no longer available? Also, a couple people have asked you about pointers in using the embossing rolling pin, but you didn’t reply. Did you make the embossed cookies yourself and photographed them..or are you using stock photos. Would appreciate some tips of how to use the rolling pin, but am concerned since others had difficulty in getting it to work. Thanks!
To help locate the correct pin, There’s a direct link to each of the embossing pins under the photos. Or you can actually just click on the photo itself.
We’ve added pointers on how to use embossing pins properly to achieve the best results. Happy Holidays!
Is it ok to omit the salt & use salted butter?
No, it won’t come out the same.