Description
These Soft Sugar Cookies are tender, thick, and perfect for any occasion. Made with a blend of butter and cream cheese, they offer a rich and fluffy texture. Chilled dough ensures easy handling and thick, soft cookies that don’t spread too much. Perfect for cutting into your favorite shapes and decorating with buttercream frosting or royal icing.
Ingredients
Scale
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup salted butter (softened, 1 and 1/2 sticks)
- 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 teaspoons almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
Instructions
- Beat Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until it is soft and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Cream Cheese: Add the softened cream cheese to the butter and beat for another 1 minute until well incorporated.
- Add Sugar: Add the granulated sugar and continue beating for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
- Add Egg and Extracts: Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Beat well to combine, then scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
- Add Salt and Flour: Add salt and flour and beat until just barely combined, scraping the bowl again. Be careful not to overmix to avoid tough dough; the dough will be sticky.
- Chill Dough: Scrape the dough onto plastic wrap or into an airtight container. Wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or freeze for 1-2 hours. For faster chilling, split dough into halves.
- Preheat Oven: When dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 2-3 baking sheets with Silpat mats or parchment paper.
- Prepare Work Surface: Lightly dust your work surface with flour.
- Divide Dough: Split dough in half if not already done and store unused dough in the refrigerator.
- Roll Dough: Use floured hands to flatten dough slightly, then roll out to about 3/8 inch thickness, ensuring the cookies remain thick and soft.
- Cut Out Shapes: Lightly dust cookie cutters with flour and press firmly into dough. Clean edges with a finger or knife before transferring cut shapes to baking sheets, spacing cookies at least 1 inch apart.
- Chill Cut Cookies: If the dough softens while working, chill the cookies on the baking sheets in fridge or freezer for a few minutes.
- Re-roll Scraps: Gently knead leftover dough once or twice and re-roll to thickness of 3/8 inch. Avoid overworking to keep dough tender. Chill dough as needed.
- Bake: Bake cookies at 350°F for about 9 minutes for smaller cookies, and 10-11 minutes for larger ones. Do not let edges or tops brown; cookies should be just barely browned on the bottom.
- Cool: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container to cool completely before frosting.
- Frost: Frost cooled cookies with your favorite buttercream frosting or royal icing.
Notes
- Ensure dough is properly chilled to make rolling and cutting easier and to maintain thick soft cookies.
- Do not overmix dough after adding flour to avoid tough cookies.
- Do not overbake; cookies should remain soft with minimal browning.
- Keep unused dough refrigerated to maintain softness and structure.
- Use floured hands and cookie cutters to prevent sticking.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the icing.
