What are the holidays without baking a delicious batch of cookies with loved ones and snagging a warm, soft cookie off the tray as soon as it cooled just enough to not burn your mouth? The holiday tradition of baking batch after batch of cookies stretches back generations, and often the beloved recipes do too. While new traditions of creative Pinterest baking are always a delight, let’s go back to an oldie but goodie staple – the classic soft sugar cookie that melts in your mouth.
This recipe uses easy ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, the dough doesn’t need to chill in the fridge for over an hour so the cookies are on the tray (and in your mouth) a lot sooner, and even the kids will want to pitch in and help whip up this easy recipe! These cookies are fantastic plain, frosted, or glazed so this recipe will work as the foundation of whatever you want to do to decorate them.
Warm, soft, buttery, and classic – everything a sugar cookie ought to be!
Classic Soft Sugar Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
Makes approximately 3 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
· 1 cup butter, softened
· 1 cup granulated sugar
· 1 egg
· 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
· 1/2 tsp almond extract
· 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
· 1/2 tsp baking soda
· 1/2 tsp baking powder
· 1/4 tsp salt
· 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for topping)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees - line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly coat with baking spray)
2. In a large bowl for about 1 minute, mix butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined
3. Add in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt - mix until smooth
4. Roll dough into 1" balls
5. Roll dough balls in sugar - place on baking sheet, about 2" apart
6. Bake for 10-11 minutes
7. Allow to cool for cookies to set
8. Enjoy plain, or decorate with frosting, glaze, etc.