Vanilla Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Icing
Soft butter cookies rolled and cut into shapes, baked until pale golden, and topped with a simple vanilla glaze.
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Electric mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (2 sticks)
- 1 cup superfine sugar or granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cup all purpose flour plus extra for dusting
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- 2 cup powdered sugar for the glaze
- 3 tbsp milk for the glaze
- ½ tsp vanilla extract for the glaze
Instructions
Cooking
- Mix the dough. Beat the butter and sugar for 1 minute until creamy, then beat in the egg and vanilla. Add the flour, baking powder, and salt and mix until a clumpy dough forms.
- Roll it out. Divide the dough in half and roll each piece on a floured counter to 1/8 inch for crisp cookies or 1/4 inch for soft ones.
- Cut the shapes. Press floured cutters into the dough and move the shapes to parchment lined trays, keeping scraps chilled for rerolling.
- Bake. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 10 minutes, swapping the trays halfway, until the surface is pale and the edges are light golden. Cool 10 minutes on the trays, then on a rack.
- Glaze. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth and spread it over completely cooled cookies. Let it set before stacking.
Notes
Substitutions: Use salted butter and skip the added salt. Replace 1/2 teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract.
Tips: Chill the dough for 15 minutes if your kitchen is warm. Do not eat raw dough because it contains raw egg and flour.
Storage: Keep cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months.