![]() Can I make a decent looking cake and batch of sugar cookies? You bet. Bonus: kids also love manning a piping bag. Save the small piping tips for intricate work and utilize the big ones. These days there are tons of different tips to create beautiful decorations-I prefer the simplicity of a round or open star tip. Piping frosting onto cookies is hands-down the easiest way to decorate them. How to Decorate Sugar Cookies for Newbies and Amateurs The lemon zest is the perfect addition for spring and summer-I tend to omit it during the colder months. I also like to add those same extra flavors to the frosting as I do with the dough. That little bit of tang and texture from the cream cheese gives the frosting richness and a little extra zing.Īnother difference between my frosting and others is that I use half-and-half, or cream, for the liquid instead of milk or water. ![]() Of course, we can’t make sugar cookies without talking about sugar cookie frosting! The best sugar cookie frosting, in my opinion, is made with 100% real butter and a touch of cream cheese. If you prefer not to cut the cookies into shapes, the chilled dough can be rolled into balls and baked at 350☏ for 10-12 minutes. All of these things will yield softer cookies. Or, the dough can be rolled slightly thicker, or the cookies can be slightly under-baked. Honey is a humectant and will keep the cookies moist and soft. The higher temp and shorter baking time yield sugar cookies with lightly crisp edges and tender, chewy middles.įor softer cookies, add 2-3 teaspoons of honey along with the sugar during the creaming step. The oven temperature is set higher than in other recipes. Not only does it make cleanup easier, but the dough also doesn’t stick and I can use less flour. I like to roll the dough out between sheets of parchment paper. It’s not very sticky, but still soft.)Ĭhilling the dough also helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and in maintaining their shape if a more intricate cookie cutter is used. (This sugar cookie dough is a dream to work with. The flour will hydrate as the dough chills, and it won’t be as sticky. However, I prefer to chill the dough several hours, or overnight if possible. ![]() I know no-chill cookies are a huge time saver and almost always contain extra flour. We also use naturally colored chocolate candies (Trader Joe’s are our favorite), sunflower seeds, and chocolate chips as “sprinkles.” Other Tips for the Best Sugar Cookiesĭon’t be tempted to add more flour to the dough when mixing. I’ve pulverized freeze-dried strawberries, raspberries, cranberries, blueberries, and mango to both tint and flavor the frosting. The last swap is the decoration-I’ve been so excited to find all-natural food colorings and sprinkles in stores and online. We will sometimes add ground nutmeg, cinnamon, or cardamom, or even lavender buds to the dough. They can certainly be omitted or substituted with other natural extracts to change up the flavor. The combination of the three gives the cookies a “bakery” type flavor. I sometimes mix things up by adding a bit of fresh, finely grated citrus zest. My recipe calls for pure vanilla and almond extracts. Artificial extracts and colors contain unwanted chemicals and don’t taste nearly as good as the real thing. Third, use pure extracts, flavorings, or essence. I also cut the amount of sugar in half-the frosting adds plenty of extra sweetness. ![]() Evaporated cane juice is less processed, and usually fair trade, which is important to me. The second swap is to use organic evaporated cane juice in place of refined granulated sugar. These sugar cookies have more fiber and a lovely golden color. Alternatively, whole-wheat pastry flour could be used. The first swap is to use white whole-wheat flour instead of white flour. How to Make Sugar Cookies a Bit Healthier For proper measurement, check out this How Many Tablespoons in a Cup post. If baked a little longer, they become irresistibly crisp like shortbread. They are a little lighter, less doughy and soft, with crisp edges, and a chewy middle. My family’s recipe is a little different than traditional sugar cookies. Yes, these sugar cookies contain refined sugar, but allowances can be made for special occasions, right? You know the ones-round with pink or another pastel-colored frosting and sprinkles? In true 100 Days of Real Food fashion, I’ve taken one of my family’s favorite recipes and given it an upgrade. I feel like their popularity has even risen over the last decade or so thanks to the ubiquitous thick and soft frosted sugar cookies found at every grocery and convenience store. ![]()
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