These really are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever had. Usually they’re pretty ho-hum, but the buttery, crisp cookie tastes wonderful by itself, but gets a classy upgrade with some sugar snow.
Best Iced Sugar Cookie Recipe
Submitted by Carina Lopez
1 pound butter
1 1/3c sugar
3 yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon salt
4 2/3 cups all purpose flour
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the the butter and sugar. Add the 3 egg yolks and vanilla extract, then scrape sides. Add salt and flour and mix until dough comes together.
Flatten dough into a large disk, wrap in plastic or waxed paper and place in refrigerator for one hour, or until ready to bake.
When ready to bake, let warm up slightly, then roll to the desired thickness (about 1/4 inch). Use cookie cutters to shape. Use a silpat or parchment paper on the cookie tray to avoid burning. Cook until edges are slightly golden, about 9-12 minutes.
Allow to cool fully.
Ed. note: The original recipe calls for meringue powder for the royal icing, but it can be hard to find. If you have a stand mixer, its just as simple to make it using pasteurized egg whites and powdered sugar. I followed Alton Brown’s recipe.
For frosting, its easiest to pipe around the edges, then fill in. I used some crystalized sugar for a snowy appearance.