Marthas Easter Sugar Cookies Recipes

MARTHA STEWART'S SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, sift flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Add flour mixture, and mix on low speed until thoroughly combined. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic wrap, and roll with rolling pin so plastic is tight and dough is even. Chill until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Have ready several baking sheets lined with parchment. Remove dough from refrigerator; let stand at room temperature to temper slightly. (This prevents the dough from cracking.) Place parchment on a clean surface; dust generously with flour.
• Roll dough to a scant 1/4-inch thickness, stopping often to release the dough by running an offset spatulat under it. Dust with flour as necessary to prevent dough from sticking. Transfer parchment and dough to freezer until very firm, about 15 minutes.
• Remove dough from freezer; working quickly, cut into desired shapes. If your dough begins to soften, return to freezer for a few minutes. Using a wide spatula, transfer to baking sheets; freeze or refrigerate until firm, about 15 minutes. Bake 15 to 18 minutes, or until edges just begin to brown, rotating halfway through. Cool on wire racks; decorate.

SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Turn out dough, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to just under 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out cookies using desired cutters or templates. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Chill cookies in freezer until very firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Decorate with Royal Icing.

IDEAL SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar; mix until light and fluffy. With mixer running, add egg, brandy, and vanilla; mix until well combined. With the mixer on low, slowly add reserved flour mixture. Mix until just combined.
• Transfer dough to a clean surface. Shape into 2 disks, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with nonstick baking mats or parchment paper; set aside.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes and transfer to prepared sheets, spaced 1 inch apart. Leftover dough can be rolled and cut once more. Bake until lightly golden, about 10 minutes; do not allow to brown. Transfer sheets to wire racks; let cool completely.
• Decorate with royal icing, if desired.

EASTER SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream butter, cream cheese and sugar. Beat in egg yolk and extracts. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda; gradually add to creamed mixture. Cover and refrigerate for 3 hours or until easy to handle., Preheat oven to 375°. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/8-in. thickness. Cut with a 2-1/2-in. cookie cutter dipped in flour. Place 1 in. apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake until edges begin to brown, 8-10 minutes. Cool for 2 minutes before removing from pans to wire racks. Decorate as desired.

PERFECT SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Sugar Cookies: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; beat well to combine.
• Reduce speed to low and add half of flour mixture, followed by sour cream, then remaining flour mixture; beat just until smooth. (Dough will be stiff; you may need to finish mixing it with a wooden spoon.)
• Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, scoop dough (about 3 tablespoons at a time) and drop on parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced 3 to 4 inches apart.
• Bake, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges of cookies are just firm and tops are barely beginning to brown, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely, then top with sanding sugar or lemon glaze and candied zest (below).
• Lemon Glaze: In a large bowl, whisk together egg white, sugar, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice until smooth. (If necessary, at up to 1 teaspoon more lemon juice to reach desired consistency. Glaze should be opaque but not so thin as to run down the edges of a cookie when dipped. If glaze runs, add more sugar; if too thick, add water, 1 teaspoon at a time. Use immediately. Makes: About 1/2 cup
• Candied Citrus: With a sharp paring knife, slice the ends off citrus. Following curve of fruit, cut away outermost peel, leaving most of white pith on. Slice peel lengthwise into 1/4-inch-wide strips.
• In a pot of boiling water, cook peel until tender, about 10 minutes. With a slotted spoon, transfer to a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet; spread in a single layer and let dry slightly, about 15 minutes.
• In a saucepan, bring sugar and 1 cup water to a boil over high heat, stirring until sugar is dissolved. Add peel and boil until translucent and syrup thickens, 8 to 10 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer peel to rack, separating as needed. Let cool 1 hour. Toss with remaining 1/2 cup sugar to coat. Use immediately.

MARTHA'S BLUE RIBBON SUGAR COOKIES - CHRISTMAS

Steps:

• In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until well mixed.
• Add 2 eggs to the creamed mixture. Mix well.
• In another large bowl, mix sifted flour, baking powder and salt together. Add to creamed butter mixture. Mix well.
• Add in grated orange rind, and mix well.
• Make into a ball, and chill in bowl covered with saran wrap, for at least 2 hours, or overnight in the refrigerator.
• When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350.
• With a floured rolling pin, roll out the dough to about 1/4" thick on a very lightly floured surface.
• Make into desired shapes using cookie cutters. (I dip my cutters in flour before cutting each cookie, so they don't stick). If you don't have cookie cutters, you can use the bottom of a glass instead. Brush off any excess flour before putting them on the cookie sheet, if there is any.
• Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet about 2" apart. You may use parchment paper if you like.
• Bake for 8 minutes (or you may preheat the oven to 300, and bake for 10 minutes).
• Let cookies cool on wire racks.
• Decorate.
• Store in a covered plastic container, or cookie tin.

BASIC SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• In large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt. With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; flatten into disks. Wrap each in plastic; freeze until firm, at least 20 minutes, or place in a resealable plastic bag, and freeze up to 3 months (thaw in refrigerator overnight).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one dough disk; let stand 5 to 10 minutes. Roll out 1/8 inch thick between two sheets of floured parchment, dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut shapes with cookie cutters. Using a spatula, transfer to prepared baking sheets. (If dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes.) Reroll scraps; cut shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• Bake, rotating halfway through, until edges are golden, 10 to 18 minutes (depending on size). Cool completely on wire racks. To ice cookies, spread with the back of a spoon. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes. Decorate as desired.
• For the icing, sift confectioners' sugar into a small bowl. Whisk in milk, water, or lemon juice, 1 tablespoon at a time, until smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. If too thin, whisk in more sugar; if too thick, add more liquid. Spread over cookies with back of a spoon. Add other decorations, if desired. Let the icing harden, about 20 minutes.

CINNAMON SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Make the dough: In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In another large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. With mixer on low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat until combined. Divide dough in half; form into two 3/4-inch-thick disks. Wrap each in plastic; refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour.
• Roll out and freeze: Place one disk between two sheets of floured parchment paper; roll out to an 1/8-inch thickness, lightly dusting dough with flour as needed. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters; if dough gets soft, chill 10 minutes. (To bake right away, follow directions in step 3.) Using a metal spatula with a thin blade, transfer cut-out shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Re-roll scraps; cut more shapes. Repeat with remaining disk. Place baking sheet in freezer; once frozen, transfer shapes to a resealable plastic bag. Freeze up to 1 month.
• Bake: Preheat oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment; bake, decorating if desired (see note, below), until edges are golden, 10 to 15 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through-this time range applies whether dough is frozen or not. Cool cookies 1 minute on sheets, and transfer to wire racks to cool completely.