Today’s Best Recipe is the best secret sugar cookies recipe.

I am about to tell you the BEST Sugar Cookie recipe you’ll ever find!

I PROMISE! Every time I make these cookies, they become someone’s favorite!

I love making sugar cookies with my family because my children, even teenagers, love helping roll out the dough, cut different cookie shapes, frosting (choosing the colors), and sprinkling the cookies.

Cut-out Christmas cookies are a holiday tradition, and this recipe is extra good.

You might also like our Pinterest Dessert Board for other great recipes like this basic sugar cookie recipe.

The Best Secret Sugar Cookies Recipe

 

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1 cup shortening
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 3 cups flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup milk

Frosting:

3 cups powdered sugar

2 tablespoons butter

1/2 cup milk

1 teaspoon vanilla

How to Make the Best Sugar Cookies:

Preheat oven to 425*

Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray.

In a large mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy.

Next, in a separate small bowl, beat eggs, mix vanilla, and pour into the shortening/sugar mixture.

Then combine flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate medium bowl.

Mix dry ingredients and milk slowly into the shortening/sugar bowl and mix well.

Roll the Dough Out:

One way to do this next step is to spread flour across the countertop, roll out the cookie dough over the flour so the dough doesn’t stick to the counter until dough is 1/8-inch  to 1/4-inch in thickness.

*The BEST way to do this is to roll the dough out on parchment paper.

Cut your favorite cookie cutter shape. 

Place cut cookies on the prepared baking sheet in the heated oven on the center rack and bake for 9 minutes (don’t leave it any longer, or they will burn).

The most important thing is…don’t wait until the edges are brown to remove them from the oven. They are done when they puff and lose some of their sheen. The bottom will be slightly golden, but the edges will not look brown at all!

To make the frosting:

In a medium bowl, add the powdered sugar.

In a microwave-safe medium bowl, heat the milk and the butter in the microwave until butter is melted completely, in 30-second intervals.

Slowly add the vanilla into the bowl with the milk and butter. If the frosting is too thin, add powdered sugar; add more liquid mixture if it’s too thick. Add your favorite food coloring if desired. Sprinkle right after frosting so that the sprinkles will stick!

I hope you ENJOY as much as everyone else does!

Cookie Tips: 

Too much flour will make your cookies dry and crumbly.

Too much sugar and butter can spread sugar cookies and lose shape when baked.

Cut out the cookies on the parchment paper; this prevents you from having to try and keep their shape when scraping off the counter or transitioning to the baking sheet. You can move the entire sheet of parchment with the cookies right on it to your baking sheet.

After preparing your cookie dough, refrigerate it for 30-minutes to 1 hour. This makes the dough easier to cut with cookie cutters and may help prevent your cookies from spreading in the oven. Once the dough is chilled, roll it out on a cool, lightly floured surface.

Try using powdered sugar instead of flour for rolling out the sugar cookie dough. It still works at preventing the cookies from sticking to the work area, but the powdered sugar dissolves into the cookie when baking, unlike flour. 

I recommend not re-rolling the cookie dough more than three times. More than this, the cookie texture and softness are compromised. Re-rolled too much, and the cookies become tough. 

We prefer metal cookie cutters over plastic cookie cutters. The metal cookie cutters are sharper and cut with better results. Regardless of your preference, flour the cookie cutter and then press straight down into the dough. Avoid jiggling or twisting the cookie-cutter as you use it. 

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