Recipes

Your Favourite Sugar Cookies

Chef Dale Mackay’s confidence in this cookie is in its name—Your Favourite Sugar Cookies. Packed with flavour and a secret ingredient, this recipe takes classic sugar cookies to the next level. With plenty of decorating potential, the whole family can get involved in making this sweet treat.
Serves 20
Prep Time 15 min
Cook Time 22 min
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • Ingredients

    • ¾ cup (175 mL) butter, at room temperature
    • ¾ cup (175 mL) sugar
    • 1 egg
    • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) lemon extract
    • ½ tsp (2.5 mL) almond extract
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
    • 2 tbsp (30 mL) sour cream
    • 2 ¼ cup (565 mL) all-purpose flour
    • ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) salt
    • ¼ tsp (1.25 mL) baking powder

  • Icing

    • ½ cup (125 mL) butter, at room temperature
    • 3 cups (750 mL) powdered sugar
    • 1 tsp (5 mL) vanilla extract
    • 2-4 tbsp heavy cream
    • Food colouring

Instructions

  • Cookies

    • Step 1

      Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).

      Place butter, sugar and egg in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high, mix until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Next, add the lemon, almond and vanilla extracts along with the sour cream and mix. Add the flour, salt and baking powder and continue to mix on low-medium speed. Continue to mix until you reach a dough consistency without overworking it.

    • Step 2

      Separate the dough into two equal parts. Wrap in plastic wrap and let it set in the fridge for 1-2 hours.

    • Step 3

      Take out one half of the dough at a time so that it will stay cold while you work with it. Place dough on a lightly floured counter. Roll out dough until it’s about ¼ inch (0.6 cm) thick. Lightly flour cutters so that they do not stick to the dough. Place cut out cookie on a parchment paper-lined baking tray. Take scraps of dough and reform them into a ball and roll them back out. Continue the process until all the dough has been used and cookies are cut out and ready to bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookie should be pale in colour, just the very edges will lightly brown. Let cool fully on a wire rack before decorating.

  • Icing

    • Step 1

      Place butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on high for 2 minutes. Turn the mixer down to medium and add powdered sugar ½ cup (125 mL) at a time. Once all of the powdered sugar has been added, mix for another 2 minutes. Add vanilla and 2 tbsp (30 mL) of cream first and mix well. If you find your mix is the correct thickness, don’t add any more cream. To make it thinner, add cream; to make it thicker, add more powdered sugar. Add desired food colouring colours to your icing, combine thoroughly. Decorate cookies using a piping bag and tips or spread with a pallet knife.

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