Here they are—straightforward, unapologetically kitsch, decorated sugar cookies! I always think that I’m baking these purely for the sakes of others and that I don’t actually want one, but somehow wind up having no trouble eating cookie for cookie with my toddler. They are so delicious and so simple—but also have much to offer for those easily hooked in fascination by how flavors/textures develop complexity over time.
The dough bakes off into beautifully light and crisp cookies, but after the glaze has time to set in (overnight or so), you wind up with the soft cookies of your dreams. So, best of both worlds really. The powdered sugar + milk glaze is also quite simple—no egg whites or tasteless spackle here! I like to keep it un-colored for the initial dip of each cookie so as to have a clean slate for decorating, and typically I’ll just add sprinkles and call it a day. This year however, I then divvied up the remaining glaze into bowls for coloring and piping, much to Lilly’s delight!
And now—if you’re feeling like extending the whole sugar cookie bonanza into taking as much time as possible, I recommend making your own food dye. Recipes for blue, red, and yellow can all be found here. (blue + yellow makes green) Once upon a time—July 2016—I spent several after hours in our little Sea Biscuit Bakery coaxing natural food dye recipes into Bon Appétit holiday issue condition. It was so exciting, so random, and so fun.
Glazed Sugar Cookies
Yields 2-3 dozen - adapted from Beyond Parsley (Junior League of Kansas City, Missouri 1984)
Cookies:
1 1/2 cups (180 g) confectioners’ sugar
1 cup (228 g; 2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg, room temp
1 t vanilla
1/2 t almond extract
2 1/2 cups (325 g) all-purpose flour
1 t baking soda
1 t cream of tartar
Glaze:
2 1/2 cups (300 g) confectioners’ sugar
1/3 cup (80 g) milk
assorted festive sprinkles and/or food coloring!
Directions
Place the confectioners’ sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, and mix with the paddle attachment on medium speed until very light and fluffy, about 5-10 minutes. Scrape the sides of the bowl and mix again for a minute before turning the mixer down to the low speed and add the egg; mix until well incorporated.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add to the mixing bowl and starting on lowest speed, mix until evenly incorporated.
Divide the dough into two portions and wrap in plastic before chilling for at least 3 hours, or up to 2 days (or freeze for up to 1 month).
When ready to roll/bake: take the chilled dough out of the refrigerator to temper a bit and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line 3-4 sheet pans with parchment paper.
Sprinkle flour over countertop and roll the dough out to 1/8” thickness. Cut with cookie cutters and transfer cookies to prepared sheet pans, spacing 1” apart. Collect all dough scraps into a mound to knead together and re-roll.
Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes until just golden around the edges and still pale in the middle. Let cool slightly and transfer to cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
When ready to decorate: stir the powdered sugar and milk together in a medium-small bowl. Dip the topside of each cookie into the icing before removing quickly and letting any extra icing drip off the sides; place on cooling rack to let any icing continue to drip away from the cookie edges.
Decorate with sprinkles while the glaze is still wet; or let the glaze set before decorating with colored/piped glaze patterns!
