What better way to welcome a special occasion than with festive sugar cookies, right?
This is a family favorite sugar cookie recipe from my dear friend and Alabama-native Steve-Anna. The almond extract in the dough and the icing gives the cookies a wonderful sweet almond flavor.
Use your favorite cookie cutters to make playful shapes!
Bake, cool, and then dip one side in the icing to coat.
Simple Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Prep time: 30 minutes
- Cook time: 20 minutes
- Dough Chilling time: 3 hours
- Yield: Makes 2 to 3 dozen
Ingredients
Cookie:
- 1 1/2 cups sifted confectioners sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar (a dry acid sometimes used in baking)
Icing:
- 2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 cup milk
- Food coloring
Method
1 Make the cookie dough: Beat the butter and sugar together for 1 minute. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract, beat until incorporated. Combine dry ingredients and add to batter, stirring to blend.
2 Chill the dough: Divide dough in half, form 2 balls. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
3 Roll out the dough and cut out shapes with cookie cutters: Using a rolling pin, roll out dough (about 1/2 of one dough ball at a time) on a lightly floured surface to about 1/8″ thickness. Dip cookie cutters into flour; cut out shapes.
4 Bake: Place cookies on silpat lined or lightly greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375°F for 7-8 minutes.
5 Make the icing: Combine the sugar, almond extract and just enough milk (about 1/4 cup) to make the frosting the consistency of thin glue. Pour icing into shallow bowls wide enough for dipping cookies. Add food coloring.
6 Decorate the cookies: To decorate, dip the topside of each cookie into the icing. Remove quickly and let icing drip of excess back into the icing bowl. Let dry. Pour additional colored frosting into pastry piping, or use a plastic sandwich bag with the tip of one corner nicked off. Gently squeeze frosting on to cookies in whatever patterns you choose.
