We love Christmas and have a whole batch of things that we do in the lead up to Christmas. When my grandchildren start school holidays they spend days with me doing Christmas stuff. Decorated sugar cookies are one of the things we do, and they do a really interesting job of the decorating.
SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE
- 130g softened butter
- 180g caster sugar
- 1/2 tbs vanilla extract
- 325g plain flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Method
- Mix the softened butter, sugar and vanilla in the mixer, on low speed, until just combined (about 1 minute).
- With the mixer still on low speed, add egg and spices and continue mixing until combined, then add the flour, spoon by spoon, mixing until it all comes together.
- Remove the lump of dough and lay it onto a piece of baking paper and flatten it out by hand. Put something either side of the edge of the baking paper to set the height, then put another piece of baking paper on the top and press and smooth to roughly level it out, then use a rolling pin to roll it out so it’s even. I have cut the end off some chop sticks to use to get a consistent height and my cutting boards are also about the right height.
- Place the flattened dough in fridge overnight or freezer until it is set. This makes it easier to cut.
- Preheat the oven to 180C.
- Lay out the dough and cut preferred shapes, a circle is pretty traditional but Christmas trees or a gingerbread man works.
- Place on a tray lined with baking paper.
- Bake at 180°C for 10 minutes, turning at 5 minutes.
- Remove from the oven when the edges are just starting to colour up.
- Allow to cool a little before placing on a wire rack to completely cool.
- Decorate when cool or store in an airtight container or even freeze until ready to decorate with royal icing or pre-made writing icing.
Perfect No-Spread Sugar Cookie Method (High-Flour Formula)
Yields: Approx. 50-70 cookies (depending on cutter size)
Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 1-2 hours chilling)
Bake Time: 8-12 minutes per batch
Oven Temperature: 175C
Ingredients
300g Unsalted Butter (softened, but cool) (See note below for Salted Butter substitution)
100g white Sugar
100g Icing Sugar
600g Plain Flour
30g Cornflour
100g Egg (approx. 2 large eggs)
2tsp Vanilla Extract (for flavour)
1tsp Baking Powder (optional, for slight lift)
1/2tsp Salt (for flavour balance) (Reduce or omit if using Salted Butter)
Method
Part 1: Mixing the Dough
Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 175^\circ\text{C} (350^\circ\text{F}). Line several large baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the 600\text{g} of Flour, 30\text{g} of Cornflour, 1\text{tsp} of Baking Powder (if using), and 1/2\text{tsp} of Salt. Note: If substituting with salted butter, use only a pinch of added salt, or omit it entirely. Set aside.
Cream the Butter and Sugars: In a separate, very large mixing bowl (or using your stand mixer with the paddle attachment), beat the 300\text{g} of softened Butter, 100\text{g} of Granulated Sugar, and 100\text{g} of Icing Sugar on medium speed. Beat until the mixture is light in colour and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes). Do not rush this step as it incorporates air needed for texture.
Add Wet Ingredients: Reduce the mixer speed to low. Add the 100\text{g} of Eggs (one at a time, if separating) and 2\text{tsp} of Vanilla Extract. Mix only until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Incorporate Dry Mix: Gradually add the reserved dry ingredients (from Step 2) into the wet mixture. Mix on the lowest speed until the flour is just incorporated and the dough comes together. Stop mixing immediately once a cohesive dough forms. Overmixing develops gluten, which can make the cookies tough.
Part 2: Rolling and Chilling (Crucial for Shape)
Divide Dough: Divide the dough into 3 equal portions.
Roll Immediately: Take one portion and place it between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough out to your desired thickness (about 5-6\text{mm} is standard). Rolling before chilling means you won’t need to add extra flour later, which is essential for soft cookies.
Chill: Stack the rolled dough (still between the parchment sheets) onto a flat baking tray. Repeat with the remaining two portions. Place the tray into the refrigerator and chill the dough for at least 1 to 2 hours. This firms up the butter and further prevents spread.
Part 3: Cutting and Baking
Cut Shapes: Once chilled, remove one rolled dough sheet from the refrigerator. Peel off the top sheet of parchment paper. Use your cookie cutters to cut out the shapes.
Transfer: Carefully remove the excess dough from around the cut shapes. Use a thin spatula to transfer the cut cookies onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2\text{cm} (1\text{inch}) between each cookie.
Bake: Bake in the preheated oven (175^\circ\text{C} / 350^\circ\text{F}) for 8 to 12 minutes.
Goal: Bake until the edges are barely set and the surface looks dry and pale. The centres should still look very pale—you are not looking for golden brown edges, which will result in crisp, not soft, cookies.
Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate or Store: Once completely cool, they are ready for decorating with royal icing or storing/freezing.