This cookie recipe is formulated to stay sturdy, yet light and delicious. They hold their shape while baking, and they provide a beautiful canvas for all of your designs. You will know that the cookies are perfectly cooked when they have lost their sheen, but are not hard yet. They will finish cooking on the pan once you take them out of the oven. Makes 4-6 dozen.
The buttercream makes these cookies so creamy and delicious. It, along with my tinted sugar method makes so many design possibilities that fun to make.
To get a sparkly effect on your cookies, tint sugar with food coloring. I use a plastic bag to shake the sugar up with the food coloring to distribute the color quickly and uniformly. Sprinkle the tinted sugar on the cookies before you bake them.
You will know that the cookies are perfectly cooked when they have lost their sheen, but are not hard yet. They will finish cooking on the pan once you take them out of the oven. This makes them soft and creamy, while being durable. Makes 4-6 dozen.
Shannon’s Soft-Yet-Durable Sugar Cookies
This cookie recipe is formulated to stay sturdy, yet light and delicious. They hold their shape while baking, and they provide a beautiful canvas for all of your designs. You will know that the cookies are perfectly cooked when they have lost their sheen, but are not hard yet. They will finish cooking on the pan once you take them out of the oven. Makes 4-6 dozen.
Ingredients
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar and cornstarch. Mix well.
- In the bowl of a heavy duty mixer, cream butter and sugar.
- Add sour cream and whip well. Add eggs, one at a time. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, one large spoon at a time (see video). Stir gently to combine. Add vanilla and almond extract.
- Halve the dough and wrap each in plastic wrap. Chill for 2 hours or up to one week.
- Before rolling, let each dough block warm (on the counter) enough to be malleable.
- Flour surface well before rolling. Roll out dough to desired thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
- Place on baking sheet covered with parchment paper. Bake at 325°F for 5-10 minutes. You will know that the cookies are perfectly cooked when they have lost their sheen, but are not hard yet. They will finish cooking on the pan once you take them out of the oven.
Video
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Classic American Buttercream Icing (2024 reformulation)
A delicious, smooth, perfectly light icing for your next project. Tastes like vanilla ice cream!
Ingredients
- 1 lb unsalted butter, softened 4 sticks
- 6-8 cups powdered sugar adjust according to how sweet you want the icing – I use six cups of sugar
- 2-4 Tbs heavy whipping cream
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- pinch salt optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a heavy duty stand mixer, cream the butter until lighter in color – about one minute on high speed.
- Add the powdered sugar 2 cups at a time, scraping the bowl down between each addition.
- Add the heavy whipping cream, vanilla and pinch salt, then whip again for about a minute.
- Color with the colors of your choice. I like gel food color best. Decorate your cakes, cupcakes or cookies. Refrigerate for up to one week or freeze for up to three months.
- TIP: Always make more icing than you think you're going to need.
Video
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