No-Fail Easy Sugar Cookies (Perfect Shapes Every Time!)

Steps

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 350°F (180 °C) (180°C (350 °F)).

2. 2

   In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar together for a full 2 minutes.

   Start 2-minute timer
3. 3

   Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the vanilla extract and egg, then mix until combined.

4. 4

   Add the flour and baking powder. Mix slowly at first, gradually increasing the speed until the dough comes together. It should feel soft and pliable, like Play-Doh. Add a little flour or water if needed to reach that consistency.

5. 5

   On a floured surface, roll the dough to 1/4–1/2 inch thick, choosing the thickness according to the size of your cookie cutters and desired finished thickness.

6. 6

   Cut the dough into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Transfer the cutouts to an ungreased cookie sheet.

7. 7

   Bake at 350°F (180 °C) (180°C (350 °F)) for 7–11 minutes, until the centers are puffy and no longer glossy. Remove the cookies before they begin to brown; browning can make them dry and crisp rather than soft and chewy.

   Start 11-minute timer
8. 8

   Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

   Start 5-minute timer
9. 9

   Once cooled, frost with Sugar Cookie Frosting and enjoy.