Best-Ever Sugar Cookies with Easy Creamy Icing

I’m really picky about my sugar cookies.

Most sugar cookie recipes are made with granulated sugar, which I have done many times in the past.

But I have ultimately settled on my mom’s classic recipe from none other than Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book, which is made with powdered sugar and a little bit of almond extract (both of which are MUY IMPORTANTE).

I don’t think I’ll ever go back to using granulated sugar again.

Really, I don’t think there is one bad recipe inΒ the Betty Crocker book.Β They don’t mess around.

All the recipes are online now of course, but I love looking through the original version published in 1963, which is complete withΒ hilarious full-color photographs and how-to illustrations.

To this day, decorating sugar cookies remains one of my all-time favorite holiday traditions from my childhood.

So I thought I’d recreate the experience for a small gal pal get-together I was having on Monday.

Nostalgia, anyone?

What are some of your favorite holiday baking traditions?

xoxo,
peaches & cake

Best-Ever Sugar Cookies with Easy Creamy Icing
Recipe from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book

Printer-friendly version

For cookies:

• 1 Β½ cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter (Land O’ Lakes is best), brought to room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Β½ teaspoon almond extract
• 1 egg
• 2 Β½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
• wax paper (for refrigerating and decorating)
• parchment paper (for baking)
• cookie cutters

1. Β Take butter out of fridge and let come to room temperature.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together in a medium bowl. Combine powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract together in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. Add egg and beat until incorporated. Gradually add in the flour/soda/tartar mixture.
3. Separate dough into two rounds, cover with wax paper, and refrigerate at least 2 hours or overnight.
4. Heat oven to 375ΒΊF. Line several cookie sheets with parchment paper.
5. Take dough out of fridge and let sit and soften a bit before rolling.
6. Roll dough 3/16-inch thick on a floured surface. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Gently place on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. *Tip: You can prevent cookie dough from sticking to the cookie cutter by dipping the cutter in flour between uses.
7. Bake 9-10 minutes or until edges are light brown, rotating sheet once in the oven during baking.
8. Remove from cookie sheet and cool on a wire rack completely before icing.

For Easy Creamy Icing:

• 4 cups sifted powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons vanilla or lemon extract
• 4Β Β½ tablespoons heavy cream or half-and-half (you may use water if you don’t have cream on hand)
• extra water
• food coloring
• butter knives and/or piping bags fit with couplers and decorating tips
• decorating sugar

1. Blend powdered sugar, salt, flavoring, and cream with a mixer. Add water in 1-tablespoon increments as needed until smooth to make easy to spread.
2. Separate icing into 3-4 bowls and dye with food coloring.
3. Working quickly, spread icing on cookies with a butter knife or transfer to piping bagsΒ fit with couplersΒ and decorating tips. Add decorating sugar if desired. Let icing harden completely before packaging up.