Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
This Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe is going to be your new go to Christmas cookie. They are easy to make, soft, delicious, and hold their shape every single time. This is a family favorite recipe that you are going to love and keep for years to come!
Servings: 3 dozen cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour read important tips about measuring flour here (240 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt see note
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature (8 tablespoons or 113 grams)
- 1/4 cup shortening room temperature (46 grams)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (198 grams)
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Sift and set aside. (Read about sifting and if you can skip it here.)2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt
- Using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the shortening, butter, and sugar until fluffy. About three minutes.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1/4 cup shortening, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs, one at a time, and the vanilla, until just combined.2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients. Mix in on low just long enough that the flour is somewhat incorporated so you can turn it on high for a few seconds to fully incorporate.
- Refrigerate the dough, covered, for at least two hours.
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- On a lightly floured surface, working with a small amount of dough, use a rolling pin to roll it out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and place on prepared baking sheets. Put the scraps of dough back in the refrigerator for approximately 30 minutes before rolling out again.
- Refrigerate the cut dough on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes.
- Take the trays out of the refrigerator and bake until the edges of the cookies are just golden brown, about 7 to 8 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on the pans for two minutes before placing on wire cooling racks to cool completely. Read here about frosting them.
Video
Notes
This recipe contains a full teaspoon of salt. I love it that way and think it works perfectly with a sweet frosting. But if you don't like things too salty, I would cut it back to 1/2 tsp.
This recipe works really well because of the chilling of the dough. Make sure that the scraps are chilled before re-rolling them out. Work with small batches of dough at a time, so there is always some chilling and some ready to roll.