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Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

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ByDenay DeGuzman

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This is the best sugar cookie recipe for cut-out cookies that hold their shape! Includes essential bakery recipes for cookie frosting glaze, and royal icing for making fine decorative touches. Create wedding ring sugar cookies and other cookie shapes for birthdays, showers, weddings, and parties.

PIN BEST SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE

Sugar Cookies and Royal Icing Recipe

Do you remember the last time you made beautiful cut-out sugar cookies only to have them expand into unrecognizable blimps in the oven? Or maybe your sugar cookie frosting didn’t hold up when your desserts were carefully stacked? With this recipe you can say goodbye to baking fails.

I teamed up with popular Sacramento, California baker Melanie to share her best sugar cookie recipe. In addition, she’s also sharing her special frosting and royal icing recipes. So let’s get baking! We’ll create professional-quality cookies that high-end bakeries individually sell for $5 to $6 each.

Ingredients for Sugar Cookie Recipe

This month my daughter Brooke and her fiancé Darin enjoyed a fabulous wedding shower hosted by both families. A special touch to this stylish event were these gorgeous bakery-style sugar cookies in the shape of a diamond wedding ring. With love and attention, each was artistically decorated.

Decorated sugar cookies recipe

UPDATED POST: This recipe remains the same. But the post was updated with improved step-by-step instructions and a more user-friendly layout.

Cut-out sugar cookies

Ingredients for sugar cookies

These are the simple ingredients needed to make cut-out sugar cookies that actually keep their shape.

  • Butter
  • Margarine
  • Cream Cheese
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Large Egg
  • Pure Vanilla Extract
  • All-purpose Flour
  • Baking Powder

Ingredients for Bakery Frosting

These are the basic ingredients for making bakery-quality glaze to frost your sugar cookies.

  • Meringue Powder
  • Powdered Sugar (confectioners sugar)
  • Water, warm
  • Food Coloring Paste, in desired color(s)

Ingredients for Royal Icing

The ingredients for a batch of royal icing to put fine decorative touches on your cookies.

  • Meringue Powder
  • Water, warm
  • Powdered Sugar (confectioners sugar)
  • Pure Vanilla Extract
  • Cream of Tartar
  • Food Coloring Paste, in desired color
The best glazed sugar cookies

How to Make Sugar Cookies

  • STEP 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter, margarine and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 30 seconds until combined. Add granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix to incorporate.
  • STEP 2: In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. In 3 to 4 small batches, add flour mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix well after each addition, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  • STEP 3: Divide the dough in half. Form two round disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap (or slip into zip-top bags with the air pushed out). Chill in the fridge for 3 hours (or overnight) until the dough is easy to handle.
  • STEP 4: Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375°F. Working with 1 disk of dough at a time, on a lightly-floured surface roll it out to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut desired shapes with a cookie cutter. [Gather the scraps of dough together and form a disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill. The dough must be chilled so cookies will keep their shape in the oven. Roll out chilled dough and repeat cookie-cutting process.]
  • STEP 5: Place cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment-paper-lined (or un-greased) cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are firm and bottoms are light golden blonde. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before icing.

RECIPE TIP: For the cleanest cuts, lightly dip cutter in flour before each use.

Frosted sugar cookies with royal icing
  • STEP 1: Using a fork, beat together meringue powder, half the sifted powdered sugar, and warm water. Keep beating until the texture of the glaze is nice and smooth.
  • STEP 2: Gradually stir in the remaining powdered sugar until the consistency of the glaze is spreadable, but not runny.  Divide the batch, as desired, and tint with food paste coloring.
  • STEP 3: Glaze cookies with an even layer of frosting. Scrape off excess icing from the edges. Allow frosting to completely dry and solidify before stacking cookies between squares of parchment paper, or applying decorative touches with royal icing.
Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

Royal Icing Recipe

  • STEP 1: In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for the food paste coloring. With an electric hand mixer, beat on low speed until combined. Turn mixer to high speed and beat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very stiff. Divide royal icing between small bowls. Tint with desired colors.
  • STEP 2: Transfer royal icing to piping bags fitted with metal tips. Pipe outlines and add details to the glazed cookies, as desired. Between uses, keep royal icing covered with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.
Wedding ring pinata

MORE RECIPES FOR BAKERY-STYLE COOKIES

If you adore these decorated sugar cookies, then you’ll also want to make these bakery favorites. Print your favorites for later or pin them to Pinterest.

Sugar Cookies glazed with sugar cookie frosting

RATE THIS RECIPE ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Recipe testers rated these the BEST bakery-style sugar cookies. After comparing against similar recipes, these cookies shine on several levels. They not only hold their shape, the frosting and royal icing harden so the cookies can be easily stacked or wrapped in cellophane.

If you agree this professional recipe produces fabulous sugar cookies, give it a 5-star rating in the comments. Then be a recipe hero! Share it with a friend.

Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com
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Sugar Cookie Recipe

Sugar Cookie Recipe + Frosting and Royal Icing

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Description

Best sugar cookie recipe for bakery-style treats that hold their shape. Glazed with delicious frosting, details are added with royal icing. Both frosting and icing harden up nicely so cookies can be stacked between squares of parchment paper.

Ingredients

Units Scale

SUGAR COOKIES

  • 1 stick butter (8 tablespoons), room temperature
  • 1 stick margarine (8 tablespoons), room temperature
  • 1 8–ounce block cream cheese (full fat), softened
  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

SUGAR COOKIE FROSTING (GLAZE)

  • 2 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners sugar), sifted
  • 1/2 cup warm water
  • food coloring paste in desired color(s)

ROYAL ICING

  • 3 tablespoons meringue powder
  • 1/3 cup warm water
  • 1 16–ounce box powered sugar, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • food coloring paste in desired color(s)

Instructions

SUGAR COOKIES

  1. In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat butter, margarine and cream cheese on medium-high speed for 30 seconds until combined. Add granulated sugar, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix to incorporate.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together flour and baking powder. In 3 to 4 small batches, add flour mixture to the bowl of the stand mixer. Mix well after each addition, occasionally scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
  3. Divide the dough in half. Form two round disks. Wrap each in plastic wrap (or slip into zip-top bags with the air pushed out). Chill in the fridge for 3 hours (or overnight) until the dough is easy to handle.
  4. Adjust oven rack to middle position. Preheat oven to 375°F.
  5. Working with 1 disk of dough at a time, on a lightly-floured surface roll it out to a thickness of 1/4 inch. Cut desired shapes with a cookie cutter. For the cleanest cuts, lightly dip cutter in flour before each use. [Gather the scraps of dough together and form a disk. Wrap it in plastic and chill. IMPORTANT: The dough must be chilled so cookies will keep their shape in the oven. Roll out chilled dough and repeat cookie-cutting process.]
  6. Place cookies 1 inch apart on a parchment-paper-lined (or un-greased) cookie sheet. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or until edges are firm and bottoms are light golden blonde. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack. Let them cool completely before icing.

SUGAR COOKIE FROSTING

  1. Using a fork, beat together meringue powder, half the sifted powdered sugar, and warm water. Keep beating until the texture of the glaze is nice and smooth.
  2. Gradually stir in the remaining powdered sugar until the consistency of the glaze is spreadable, but not runny.  Divide the batch, as desired, and tint with food paste coloring.
  3. Glaze cookies with an even layer of frosting. Scrape off excess icing from the edges. Allow frosting to completely dry and solidify before stacking cookies between squares of parchment paper, or applying decorative touches with royal icing.

ROYAL ICING

  1. In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients except for the food paste coloring. With an electric hand mixer, beat on low speed until combined. Turn mixer to high speed and beat for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the mixture is very stiff. Divide royal icing between small bowls. Tint with desired colors.
  2. Transfer royal icing to piping bags fitted with metal tips. Pipe outlines and add details to the glazed cookies, as desired. Between uses, keep the royal icing covered with plastic wrap so it doesn’t dry out.

Notes

SUGAR COOKIES: Yields 36 (2 1/2″ to 3 1/2″) cookies.

SUGAR COOKIE FROSTING: Yields 1 cup frosting.

ROYAL ICING: Yields 3 cups royal icing.

  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Chill Time: 3 Hours
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Cookies
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American
Gold Line: Sprinkles of Inspiration | confettiandbliss.com

What do you think about these beautiful glazed cookies? This recipe is perfect for special occasions! Would you love to make these cookies for an upcoming event? Join the conversation in the comments below.

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58 Comments

  1. May I suggest adding a step, between 1 and 2, to indicate the addition of the sugar, egg and vanilla to the cookie dough? I’ve used this cookie recipe for many occasions. I love it! Thank you!



    Reply

    1. Sandy, you are super kind! Thank you so much for bringing this to my attention. I really appreciate it. I’ve gone in and updated the recipe card. Many wishes for a wonderful afternoon!

      Reply

      1. Wonderful, thanks! I’m sharing the recipe with my friend today. She’s going to make them for her daughter’s engagement party. I just made a batch for my nephew’s graduation party. 😊

        Reply

  2. Hey! I own a small bakery in the town I live in and was wondering if the icing is okay to freeze. My client need them for a wedding and she stated they must be able to be frozen. So will the cookies be okay in the freezer?

    Reply

    1. Hello Eva! I’ve never tried freezing these lovely cookies before. Although I think they would be okay, I can’t say for sure. A wedding is such an important event. I would test it out by making a half batch, freezing them, and then letting your client decide.

      Reply

  3. Love love love this recipe. I’m new to baking so just wanted to not a couple of things: I don’t use margarine. I used Crisco and added 1/2 tap salt. Also, I couldn’t find in step one the addition of sugar, egg and vanilla- just assumed and add it it as with other cookies. Dough is refrigerating- taste is amazing and can’t wait till tomorrow to bake! Thank you!!



    Reply

  6. As a gramma, I am always on the hunt to make cute cookies. I have a collection of cookie cutters that I need to use. This looks like a GREAT recipe. Decorating is the fun part. This icing looks fantastic.



    Reply

    1. Hi Gloria,
      Im so glad you like the sugar cookies. Grand-children love sugar cookies. lol.

      Reply

  8. Such gorgeous cookies! I love this recipe and I can’t wait to use it for our Christmas cookies this year!



    Reply

    1. Hi Anna,
      Thank you for stopping by. You should try the sugar cookie recipe. It is so simple to make.

      Reply

  15. OMG these are just the cutest sugar cookies and are perfect to set out on the dessert table at any wedding! These sound delicious. I cannot wait to make these sugar cookies!



    Reply

    1. Hi Terri,
      Thank you so much. These sugar cookies are such a good idea to have out at a wedding.

      Reply

    1. Hi Christa,
      Thank you so much. If you put love into your recipe, I promise they will come out looking amazing!

      Reply

  19. These sugar cookies not only look but sound amazing, so cute and perfect for a bridal shower!

    ~xo Sheree



    Reply

  21. Hey Denay, the sugar cookie is just soo cute, no wonder those trucks used to come for more everytime. I also thought that they were complex to make, but from your recipe and procedures I feel that I could make some. Thanks for the great share.

    Cindy

    Reply

    1. Hi Cindy! Thanks so much for your kind comment. Sugar cookies are a year-round favorite. I hope you’ll try out this recipe for St. Patrick’s Day or Easter. You’ll love this delicious sugar cookie dough and how easy it is to work with. :-)

      Reply

  23. I totally cheat and toss mine in the freezer for just 20minutes. It works just as well. Cooling them down makes such a difference.

    Reply

  26. I almost never make sugar cookies because of the work it entails, but I just might have to try this one! I love that you add almond extract. I add almond extract to SO many of my baked goods and it makes a huge difference! I love it!

    Reply

  28. I’ve been meaning to find a good sugar cookie recipe! I couldn’t have come across your blog at a better time :) I need to try these for Easter :)

    Reply

  32. I always wondered what the heck I was doing wrong… my sugar cookies are ALWAYS messed up when I cook them! I pinned this and I cant wait to try it!

    Reply