Easy Homemade Sugar Cookies

You can use food coloring or bake them as is and decorate them as you prefer. These are the best sugar cookies for decorating. Then you can let your creative juices flow in whatever traditional or crazy way you want.

This is a great idea for kids’ parties. Just bake the cookies plain as is and then let them decorate them. For easy decorating ideas, check out my list of 3 Easy Cookie Decorating Ideas.

It will vary depending how thick or thin you have rolled out your cookies. If you prefer thin very crispy cookies, roll them out thinner and they will be ready in about 8 minutes. Otherwise, for standard sugar cookies, they take about 15 minutes.

Gel food coloring is the best to use. The dough will retain the color better than if you use liquid food coloring. You will also need a lot less of gel food coloring than liquid, so you get a lot more bang for your buck.

There are several ways to decorate sugar cookies. You can do it simply by brushing them with milk prior to going into the oven and then adding some sprinkles or sanding sugar on top.

They can be stored in a cookie jar or airtight container for up to 7 days. Otherwise, store in the refrigerator.

However, they are just as delicious eaten plain right out of the cookie jar!

• Electric Mixer
• Flour Sifter
• Rolling pin
• Dough Scraper
• Cookie Cutters
• Baking Sheets/ Cookie Sheets
• Parchment Paper
• Spatula
• Cooling Rack

• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• salt
• butter
• sugar
• egg
• Vanilla extract (or almond extract)
• milk

• Sift flour.
• Add salt and baking powder.

• Cream the butter and sugar.
• Add egg and vanilla.
• Add flour, a little at a time.
• Add milk and mix until well incorporated.

• Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

• Roll out dough.

• Cut out cookies.
• Bake for 15 minutes.

• If you are going to decorate them, make sure you have let them cool completely.

• When you take the sugar cookie dough out of the refrigerator, toss with your hands a few times. The natural heat of your hands will soften the dough.
• You may still have to wait a few minutes until the dough is soft enough to roll out. The dough should be firm but pliable.
• Lightly flour a work surface.
• Place the dough on the work surface and sprinkle a little more flour on the dough.
• Dust the rolling pin with flour.
• Now roll out the dough into a circle, rotating the dough.

You have two options if you would like to make these in advance.

• You can either make the dough and then freeze it until ready to use. This is a good option if you want to make a huge batch and then just divide them into smaller portions and freeze in a freezer bag (ziploc). Then you can defrost each smaller portion as needed whenever cookies need to be made.
• You can also bake the cookies completely and then freeze sugar cookies in an airtight container.

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These delicious sugar cookies taste incredible whether you enjoy them plain or decorated.

Need more culinary inspiration? Check out the Recipe Index with over 1500 Recipes from Around the World with lots of Vegetarian 🥕🍆🍅and Gluten Free Recipes!