Sugar Cookie Recipe
Vanilla Sugar Cookies

The subtle favour of vanilla is infused in this sugar cookie recipe.

Extra vanilla is added to the recipe and vanilla sugar sprinkled over the top.

You might think that with all the added vanilla these cookies would be overly sweet and the vanilla flavour overpowering. But this is not so.

I found them delicious.

Of course if you are not that fond of vanilla and don't want to sprinkle them with vanilla sugar you can substitute with cinnamon sugar, or simply ice your cookies.

Vanilla Sugar Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

• 225 g / 8 oz unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups superfine / caster sugar
• 2 eggs
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Vanilla Sugar or Cinnamon Sugar for sprinkling

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.

2. Add the eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition until the mixture is creamy. Beat in the vanilla extract.

3. Sift together the flour, baking powder and salt. Reduce the mixer to low speed and beat in the flour until just incorporated.

4. Turn the dough out onto a board and gently knead it into a ball. Divide the dough into quarters and flatten each portion into a flat disk.

5. Wrap each disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.

6. Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F and line several baking sheets with parchment.

7. Working with one disk at a time, roll out between two sheets of baking paper to a thickness of 1/8 inch.

8. Cut out cookie shapes, remembering to place the cookie cutter as close to the edges as possible to minimise scraps.

9. Repeat with the remaining dough. When all the disks have been rolled and cut out, gather the remaining scraps and roll out. Do not do this more than twice.

10. Place on the cookie trays leaving sufficient space for spreading. Sprinkle the cookies with the vanilla or cinnamon sugar before baking.

11. Bake in the oven for 8 - 10 minutes or until pale golden. Remove from the oven and leave the cookies on the trays for several minutes. Then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Cook’s Tips

• Beat the butter and sugar until the butter becomes light in color.

• If you wish you can beat in the flour by hand with a wooden spoon until the flour is just incorporated.

• Allow the dough to sit at room temperature until it is soft enough to roll.

Vanilla Sugar

Vanilla sugar is a great way to add fragrance and an interesting flavor to this sugar cookie recipe and you can easily make your own.

• 1 whole vanilla bean or
• 1 teaspoon ground or powdered vanilla bean
• 2 cups sugar

Using a sharp knife, slice the vanilla bean down the middle and scrape out the seeds. Place the seeds and the sugar into a jar.

Or simply stir the ground or powdered vanilla into the sugar. Then simply leave to allow the vanilla flavor to infuse into the sugar.

Cinnamon Sugar

• ¼ cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

Add the cinnamon into the sugar and mix thoroughly.

Recipe Sources

Chewy, Gooey, Crisy, Crunchy, Melt-in-your Mouth Cookies by Alice Medrich

Looking for more sugar cookie recipes?

Best Sugar Cookies

Christmas Sugar Cookies

Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies

Easter Sugar Cookies

Easy Sugar Cookies