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Classic Scratch Sugar Cookies

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By Pillsbury Kitchens
Updated Aug 18, 2017
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A classic sugar cookie recipe will become a treasured part of your recipe collection.

More About This Recipe

  • Quintessential with the holidays and Santa Claus, this traditional scratch recipe sugar cookies is a must-make during the Christmas season. This recipe yields 60 servings, making it excellent for cookie exchanges and parties! Sixty cookies is a lot though, and you’ll want to make sure you keep a few things in mind if you chose to bake the whole batch. You’ll want to keep a couple of cookie sheets on hand, for starters. We’d recommend having at least three sheets handy so you can bake one pan while you prepare another and cool a third. If you put cookie dough on an already warm sheet, you risk over-baking your cookies (and no one wants that)! Use silver-colored aluminum sheets without sides for the best baked cookies. The shiny metal reflects heat, minimizing the risk of burnt cookies. Keep the dough easy to work with by working with chunks of it at a time. Cookie dough that isn’t being rolled out and cut yet should stay wrapped in plastic wrap and chilled in the refrigerator. Chilling the dough keeps it from getting sticky and also helps cut-out cookies maintain their shape. Speaking of shapes—to make sure your cookies get cut clean, dip the cookie cutter in a bit of flour before cutting into the dough! Don’t have time to make cookies from scratch? Don’t worry. We have a shortcut for those busy days when the craving strikes for soft sugar cookies.

Classic Scratch Sugar Cookies

  • Prep Time 60 min
  • Total 3 hr 0 min
  • Ingredients 12
  • Servings 60
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Ingredients

Cookies

  • 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1 egg
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

White Glaze

  • 2 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons milk
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Sprinkles

  • Red edible glitter or red sugar

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    In large bowl, beat 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar and the butter with electric mixer on medium speed, or mix with spoon. Stir in vanilla, 1/2 teaspoon almond extract and the egg. Stir in flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. Cover and refrigerate about 2 hours or until firm.
  • Step 
    2
    Heat oven to 375°F. On lightly floured cloth-covered surface, roll half of dough at a time 1/8 inch thick. Cut into desired shapes. On ungreased cookie sheets, place 2 inches apart.
  • Step 
    3
    Bake 7 to 8 minutes or until light brown. Remove from cookie sheet to cooling rack. Cool completely.
  • Step 
    4
    Mix glaze ingredients until smooth and desired spreading consistency, adding a few extra drops milk if needed. Spread glaze over cookies. Sprinkle with sugars.

Nutrition

80 Calories
3g Total Fat
0g Protein
11g Total Carbohydrate
7g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories
80
Calories from Fat
30
Total Fat
3g
5%
Saturated Fat
2g
10%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
10mg
4%
Sodium
45mg
2%
Potassium
15mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate
11g
4%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
7g
Protein
0g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
2%
2%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
0%
0%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
0 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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