Looking for just the right sugar cookie recipe for a holiday or any day? You’ve found the right place. Below we have nearly 50 of the very best sugar cookie recipes you will find anywhere. From classic thin and crispy recipes to recipes perfect for cutting with cookie cutters to refrigerator recipes that you can slice and bake and many more. If you’re looking for sugar cookie recipes, look no further:
Also check out the low fat and gluten free sugar cookie recipes, these recipes are specially marked with orange text.
Sugar cookies are simply made with just sugar, eggs, flour, baking soda or baking powder, and vanilla. These cookies have become one of the most popular today it is right up there with chocolate chip cookies and peanut cookies.
Where Did They Originate?
The modern version of the sugar cookie is said to date back to the 1700s to Nazareth Pennsylvania.
Who is Considered the Originator?
The German Protestants, settling in Nazareth Pennsylvania, made a buttery, crumbly, round cookie that soon was deemed the Nazareth Cookie. This was quite similar to the sugar cookie of today.
How Popular Was It?
This cookie became so popular that it was named the state of Pennsylvania’s official cookie.
How Did They Come About?
Now the precursor or the Nazareth Cookie was known as jumbles, jumbals and other names. They were spiced, hard biscuits. These were baked rather thick and could be stored for a long time. They were suitable for long journeys. The jumbles contained sugar, butter, flour, eggs and were flavored with caraway seeds or anise seeds and rosewater. The dough was formed into a thin roll and made into either knots or rounds. These were popular during the 17th to 18th centuries in England and Europe. A more modern version of the recipe even had cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg with the rosewater for flavorings.
The middle eastern countries had sugar cakes previous to these. They had sugar, nuts and fruit in them along with other ingredients. Truth is that many cultures have passed down sweet treats through the years.
Sugar Cookies Today
Today sugar cookies are still made with just butter, sugar, eggs, baking powder, salt and flour. The dough is refrigerated before it is rolled out and cut into various shapes. At Christmastime these cookies are cut into stars, Christmas trees, bells, angels and many other shapes dealing with the holiday. The kids decorate them with sugar, icing and sprinkles.
A Sugar Cookie Recipe
2 cups of granulated sugar
1 1/2 cups of softened butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla
3 eggs
4 1/2 cups of flour
1 teaspoon of salt
2 teaspoons of baking powder
Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
2. The flour, salt and baking powder should be measured and put into another bowl. Stir to mix and set aside.
3. Cream the sugar and butter together in a large bowl until mixture is smooth. Add the eggs and beat for about 2 minutes then mix in vanilla.
4. Stir the flour mixture into the creamed mixture. Cover the dough and refrigerate for about 60 minutes or even overnight if desired.
5. Roll out the dough on a surface that has been floured to about 1/2-inch thick. With floured cookie cutters cut out shapes from the dough. Place on an ungreased baking sheet about 1 inch from each other. Bake for about 6 to 8 minutes.
6. Let cookies cool completely if frosting. Mix up some icing or use a store-bought one and frost cookies if desired.
7. Other ideas for decorating are sprinkling with colored sugars or sprinkles while the cookies are still slightly warm. This way they will stick better to the cookies.
8. Now eat the sugar cookies and enjoy.