Description
Bake up joy with this easy buttercream sugar cookies recipe with simple tips, creative variations, and step-by-step instructions for delightful Valentine treats.
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies:
1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, slightly melted
1 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (420 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon baking powder
Buttercream:
2 cups (454 grams) unsalted butter, slightly melted
5 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
Sugar Cookies:
- In a large bowl, blend butter and sugar until smooth (1-2 minutes).
- Add eggs and vanilla; beat until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes).
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Add dry ingredients to wet; beat until well combined, and the dough sticks together (1-2 minutes).
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle a table or silicone baking sheet lightly with flour. Roll out the dough and cut shapes using cookie cutters.
- For soft and thick cookies, use a rolling pin with a 3/8” thickness ring.
- Place cut-out cookies on the prepared sheet, freeze for 20 minutes.*
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Line a second baking sheet with parchment paper. Bake cookies (2 inches apart) for 15-17 minutes or until edges are slightly brown. Only bake one tray at a time.
- Repeat with remaining cookies.
- Cool cookies completely before frosting.
Buttercream:
- In a large bowl, beat together butter, confectioners’ sugar, and vanilla until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes).
Decorating Steps:
- Separate icings into bowls to color as desired.
- Use food coloring; stir until colors are fully incorporated.
- Place icings into tipless piping bags and seal the ends.
- Cut small openings in the tips; larger for background colors, smaller for detailed work.
- If icings are stiff, warm by rolling piping bags between hands.
- Begin with background colors, refrigerating briefly for smoothing if needed.
- Work on decorating cookies in layers – background color first, then prints, sprinkles, etc.