Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

My “to go to” Best Sugar Cookie recipe (Scroll down for pictures)

(I found this a long time ago on the net and adjusted it with time)

·         1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

·         1 cup granulated white sugar

·         3 cups all-purpose flour

·         1/2 teaspoon salt

·         1 teaspoon baking soda

·         2 large eggs

·         A teaspoon pure vanilla extract

·         Zest of a lemon or of an orange

You can even use any Lorann oils to flavor your cookies

Whisk together the flour, salt, and baking soda, put aside.

In the bowl of your electric mixer or a hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add the eggs, vanilla extract and the zest and beat until combined (Or the chosen flavor).

Add the flour mixture and beat until you have a smooth dough.

Divide the dough in 2 or 3 parts and wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about one hour or until firm enough to roll.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and place rack in center of oven. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper.

Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator and, on a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (1 cm) it’s delicious when it’s thick.

Cut out desired shapes using a lightly floured cookie cutter and transfer cookies to baking sheet.

Important make place in your refrigerator: Place the baking sheets with the unbaked cookies in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes to chill the dough which prevents the cookies from spreading and losing their shape while baking.

Bake the cookies for about 8-10 minutes (depending on size) or until the edges are just starting to brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Makes about 36 cookies depending on your cookie cutter.

Note: If you are not going to frost the baked cookies, you can sprinkle the unbaked cookies with colored sparkling sugar.

These cookies will keep several days in an airtight container.

I did freeze them and just reheated them when I had visitors, tasted like freshly baked. (Not iced of course)

I used this recipe with many cutters, mini small ones and very large one. It came out perfect with both, just adjust your baking time.

I am not the best decorater but here are some cookies that I did.

Enjoy.