Sugar Cookies

These soft and chewy sugar cookies are elevated with rich browned butter, giving them a warm, nutty depth of flavor. Finished with a smooth vanilla-almond icing, they’re perfectly sweet, tender, and ideal for decorating or enjoying as a classic bakery-style treat.

Yield: 18-24

Author: Kelli Bowman

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Sugar Cookies

Prep time: 25 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 35 Min

These soft and chewy sugar cookies are elevated with rich browned butter, giving them a warm, nutty depth of flavor. Finished with a smooth vanilla-almond icing, they’re perfectly sweet, tender, and ideal for decorating or enjoying as a classic bakery-style treat.

Ingredients

Cookies

• 1 cup salted browned butter, cooled
• 2 cups cane sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 3 tbsp water or milk
• 3 cups Italian 00 flour (or all-purpose flour)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt

Icing

• 2 lb powdered sugar, sifted
• 2 tbsp melted butter
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract
• Pinch of salt
• ⅓–½ cup milk of choice

Instructions

1. BROWNED BUTTER: Place 1 cup of butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir every 30 seconds as it melts and begins to foam. Continue cooking until it turns a rich golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, about 5–6 minutes. Remove from heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and let cool.
2. Add the browned butter to the bowl of a stand mixer or mixing bowl. Add 2 cups cane sugar and beat on high for about 10 minutes, until the mixture becomes creamed and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs and vanilla extract and beat for another 2–3 minutes until well combined. Turn off the mixer and add the remaining ingredients. Mix on low speed until everything is fully incorporated, then turn off the mixer. Cover the dough and chill in the refrigerator for 1 hour.
4. Once chilled, lightly flour a work surface and roll the dough into a rectangle about ⅓–½ inch thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat until all dough is used.
5. You can either: Flash freeze the cookies for a few hours and store them in a zip-top bag to bake later, or Preheat oven to 350°F, chill the cut cookies for 10 minutes, then bake immediately.
6. Bake for 10–11 minutes. (If baking from frozen, add a few extra minutes to the baking time.) The cookies may seem slightly underdone, but they will firm up as they cool.
7. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow cookies to cool for about 30 minutes before decorating or serving.
8. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing by grabbing a large mixing bowl.
9. Add all the icing ingredients to the bowl and whisk until smooth.Tip: Sift the powdered sugar beforehand to help prevent lumps.
10. Once the icing is fully mixed, divide it into smaller bowls depending on how many colors you want to make. Add food coloring to each bowl and mix until you reach the desired shade.
11. Transfer the icing to ramekins for dipping or mini piping bags if decorating or gifting. Use the icing to decorate the cooled cookies, then allow the icing to set before storing or serving.

Recommended Products

Caputo Italian 00 Flour

Caputo Fioreglut Gluten Free Flour

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