Ingredients
- I use a handheld electric mixer (Kitchenaid brand, I've tried others but I burn out the motors)
- 1 pound unsalted butter, room temperature
- 4 cups sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tbs vanilla
- I mix everything together all at once
Next I add the flour (& baking powder) it is important to note that all butter & eggs are not exactly the same therefore the amount of moisture in your batter will vary. I suggest that you only add 7 cups of the flour once mixed you will be able to determine if you need to add the last cup or maybe just half (or none).
- 8 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the cookies
- 1 teaspoon baking powder ** For those who might not know, this is the ingredient that makes your desserts rise so the more you add the more your cookies will rise and/or warp.
Here is the link to my video you can see how the dough should look once mixed
Once mixed I suggest you wrap it up and put it in the refrigerator for about an hour, longer than that it will be difficult to roll since the butter will harden. I roll my cookies to about 2/8", I place them on a cookie sheet in between sheets of parchment paper. I ALWAYS freeze them before I bake them this is what ensures they will not warp during the baking process.
I bake my cookies at 350 degrees in a convection oven, my oven has 5 levels for my baking racks I ONLY use the top 3 to bake my cookies. The bottom levels are too close to the heating element and will cause your cookies to burn or brown on the underside. The baking time can range from 10 to 15 minutes, it might be less or more in your oven.
IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT NOT ALL OVENS BAKE THE SAME, YOU SHOULD USE BAKING TIMES IN RECIPES AS A SUGGESTION NOT THE RULE.
When I bake my cookies I try to watch over them since the size & thickness vary and impact the baking time required for each batch.
** the heat from the edges of the baking sheet will cause the cookies closest to the metal to brown faster, you may want to keep an eye on this or purchase cookie sheets without this edge.
Thank you for sharing your talent and recipes with us. I hope you do not mind for bringing a typo to your attention. On the youtube video you add 2 tbsp vanilla and here it says 1 tbsp vanilla. I love your tutorials. Again, it is so generous of you sharing your talent for free. Thanks..:)
ReplyDeleteThanks for letting me know.
DeleteI absolutely LOVE your videos. I could watch them all day long lol. First time making cookies from scratch. I usually buy the roll and then decorate them but ive always wanted to go thru the whole process...Wish me luck. ;-)
ReplyDeleteQuick question': do you wrap them when freeze them or are they ok on the parchment paper as is?
I wrap only if they are in the freezer for more than 24hours.
DeleteHey!!!
ReplyDeleteI love your videos: they are very detailed and helpful soni want to thank you!!! As well, I have been looking for a great sugar cookie recipe that holds it shape and isn't too hard, I don't want to break teeth with all that royal icing. I haven't tried your recipe yet, but are your cookies hard or soft inside? And same with your chocolate ones... Every recipe I have either expands too much or is rock hard an I want something in the middle.
Thanks!!!
If you want a soft cookie just bake less and if you want to reduce spreading reduce amount of baking powder.
DeleteHi Marlyn, when I bake cookies, no matter what I do, when the cookies are baking, little air pockets rise up like bubbles. Can you please advise me as to what's causing this? Tx
ReplyDeleteHi, Can I ask you if you roll your cookies with flour? If you do and reroll your scarps this can cause air to get trapped and cause these bubbles. If you do use flour to roll try and set aside your first rolled cookies and check them after they are baked, if they don't have air bubbles the extra flour in your rerolled dough is the issue.
DeleteIf you don't use flour to roll I am stumped?
I hope I helped a little. Marlyn
Hi again, I don't use flour - just a dusting of icing sugar. I had read long ago that it's best to use i-c because flour caused the cookie to get dry and tough. But perhaps the i-c is the cause? The recipe I use is similar to yours, minus the baking powder. I also noticed that in your video you knead the dough thoroughly - something I don't do, as again, I read that kneading/handling the dough will cause it to be tough. I'm at the end of my tether here. Tx for your patience.
DeleteHi Marlyn, I love all you stuff and for my twins birthday made your owl cookies. Def not as good as yours but I have to say for the first time ever doing something like this they came out pretty good.. Everyone loved the taste of the cookies and the icing..
ReplyDeleteHow long are these cookies good for if wrapped properly?
Hello.Instead of wrapping the cookie cutouts, can I store them in an air tight container (layered with parchment paper) and freeze them for 24 hrs? Also are they thawed prior to baking or can they go straight from freezer into the oven?
ReplyDeleteThanks!
That would work as well, I bake them frozen what it seems to do is cook the outside first and set it so that when the heat gets inside there is less distortion.
ReplyDeleteHow many cookies this yield?
ReplyDelete