The Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe | Easter Sugar Cookies
When I came across these adorable copper cookie cutters I knew we’d be including sugar cookies in our Easter brunch menu. They are really simple to make, requiring just a few ingredients, and everyone enjoys them. I added a swipe of pastel colored Meringue frosting and a cute babble for a nose .. so simple.
The Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe | Easter Sugar Cookies | What you’ll need
Mixer (standing, or here, hand held)
Various food coloring (my favorite brand)
Mini bowls for mixing frosting
Sources for flour and sugar storage can be found in this blog post.
The Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe | Easter Sugar Cookies | Q & A
- Do I need to let the dough sit for 2 hours prior to rolling out and cutting?
Allowing the dough to get cold allows for easier rolling and cutting. If the dough reaches room temperature it can get sticky. When you roll sticky dough it makes a mess and you will need to keep adding flour to keep it from sticking. I’d try to refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes.
- My dough keeps sticking to the counter and I can’t get the cookies up. Why is that happening?
It might be easier if the dough is cooler. You also might try adding a bit more flour to the surface that you are rolling the cookies on. Don’t add too much flour though! Your dough will get cakey and the cookies will be heavy tasting.
- Can Easter cut out cookies be frozen? Yes!
Freeze in an airtight container (stashers are great for this!) and your Easter cut out cookies should last about a month in the freezer.
- Some of my cookies are burnt around the edges. How can I prevent that?
Simple! Just make all of your cookies the same thickness. We like to roll out a thicker dough for a moist, thick cookie.
The details
How to make Easter cut-out sugar cookies
Start with ingredients that are at room temperature. In a stand up mixer, add your butter and sugar. Once the mix is creamy and blended well, add your vanilla, lemon zest, and egg. Blend again and then add the dry mix. When the dough forms a ball in your mixer it’s ready to remove. Divide in two, wrap in saran wrap and refrigerate for an hour or more. Remove one ball at a time and roll out on to a floured surface. Cut out your cookies and place on a baking tray lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5 to 7 minutes depending on cookie thickness. Watch them carefully so they don’t burn. Remove and cool prior to frosting.
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Gluten free Easter cut-out cookies
- 3 cups Flour (I use Rob Mill's 1:1 gluten free flour )
- 3/4 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Lemon zest
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1 cup Sugar
- 1 Cup Unsalted butter, softened (room temperature)
- 1 Egg
- 1 tbsp Milk, or milk substitute
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
Sift flour and baking powder into a medium size bowl.
Add butter and sugar to a large bowl or stand up mixer. Blend until creamy.
Add egg, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Blend until ingredients are incorporated.
Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until a dough ball forms.
Remove dough and divide into two balls.
Wrap dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes or more.
Roll dough out onto lightly floured surface making sure that dough is no less than about a 1/4 of an inch thick.
Using your favorite Easter cookie cutters, cut out your cookies and place on parchment paper lined baking trays.
Bake cookies for about 7 minutes (give or take depending on how thick your cookie is)
Don’t overuse flour when rolling out your dough. The result will be a cakey cookie. Use as little flour as possible still allowing you to cut out and pick up your cookie from your baking surface. You can use use all-purpose flour in in the recipe if you don’t have gluten free. Make sure to cool cookies on a cooling rack prior to frosting.
*Frosting: I use 3 tbsp meringue powder (see blog post for sources), 4 cups confectioners sugar, plus 5 tbsp water. Stir until creamy and divide into bowls. Add food coloring as desired. If you are using the food coloring I’ve recommended in the blog post, just use a spec if you want pastel cookies.
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