Mary’s Sugar Cookies
Mary’s sugar cookies are a timeless classic, made with butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a hint of almond extract for a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture and delicate flavor. The dough rolls out beautifully, so you can cut it into your favorite shapes for any holiday or occasion. Finish them with a simple sprinkle of sugar or a light glaze. They’re perfect for cookie swaps, decorating with kids, and filling holiday tins.
Equipment
- cookie cutters
- Rolling Pin
- baking sheets
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- flour as needed for rolling
Optional Finish
- sugar to sprinkle before baking; or use frosting/glaze after cooling
- powdered sugar for optional glaze; amount as needed
- water for optional glaze; a small amount as needed
- vanilla, lemon, or orange extract for optional glaze; a splash to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease baking sheets.
- Beat the butter and powdered sugar together, then add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
- Stir the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar together, then mix into the butter mixture.
- Divide the dough in half. Roll on a lightly floured surface to about 3/16-inch thickness and cut with cookie cutters.
- Transfer to prepared baking sheets. If desired, sprinkle with sugar before baking.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes. Remove from the pan and cool.
- If not finished with a sugar sprinkle, frost or glaze after cooling.
Glaze
- For a simple glaze, mix powdered sugar with a small amount of water and a splash of vanilla, adjusting to your preferred consistency. Lemon or orange extract may be used instead.
Notes
Yield: The yield of 5 dozen cookies is based on 2" cookies. Larger cookie cutters will decrease the number of cookies made.
Bake Time: Bake each tray for 8–10 minutes. The cook-time field shows the upper end for one tray, not total time for all batches.
Nutrition
Calories: 709kcalCarbohydrates: 84gProtein: 8gFat: 38gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 130mgSodium: 524mgPotassium: 191mgFiber: 2gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 1177IUCalcium: 26mgIron: 3mg
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