Sugar Cookies with Glaze Icing – Cookie Baking Tips
You guys know that I’ve been on a sugar cookie and decorating kick recently. I am far from an expert, but I have picked up a few tips and tricks along the way. This post focuses on the actual cookie baking portion rather than the decorating. I figure, no matter how pretty a cookie is, the only thing that really matters is that the cookie tastes good! I’ve included the recipe I use and a few tips that will help you make soft and delicious sugar cookies.
1. Don’t overmix your dough. Once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing causes tough cookies.
2. Refrigerate your dough for at least an hour or two prior to rolling and cutting. The other day I tried to roll out dough I’d refrigerated for less than an hour and it turned into a sticky mess.
3. Use a Roul’Pat. These pastry mats have made my cookie baking experience so much better. It’s a nonstick countertop mat that is perfect for rolling out cookies or kneading bread dough. The mat sticks to your countertop so it doesn’t slide around and it has a nonstick surface so you can use less flour rolling out your cookies. Plus it’s easy to clean!
4. Use Rolling Pin Rings. These rings allow you to roll out the dough evenly to the exact thickness you want. I used to end up with cookies where half of the cookie was thick and perfectly cooked and the other half was thin and crispy and burnt. I have been using these rolling pin rings for a few months and they make it so simple to roll out dough to an even thickness.
5. Don’t roll your cookies too thin. I use the largest rolling pin ring that came in my set and I’d guess the cookies are about 1/2 inch thick. This makes them soft and chewy and a nice stable surface for the icing.
Sugar Cookies and Glaze Icing
Ingredients:
Cookies:
- 1-½ cup unsatled butter, softened
- 2 cups Sugar
- 2 whole Eggs
- 2 whole Eggs Yolks
- 6 tsp vanilla extract
- 4 cups All-purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
Icing:
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- 1 drop lemon juice
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- ~1Tbsp milk
Directions:
For the Cookies:
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer and beat until well combined, about 2 minutes. Add in the eggs, yolks and vanilla and mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Slowly add flour to the butter mixture and mix until combined. Do not overmix. Transfer the dough to saran wrap and wrap well. Refrigerate for at least one hour.
- When you are ready to bake, pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough out to 1/2 inch thickness, cut out cookies, and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until cookies are set and just starting to brown around the edges.
For the icing:
- Combine powder sugar, corn syrup, and lemon juice in a bowl.
- Add milk until you get the consistency you want. If you need a thicker frosting for outlining cookies, add less milk.
- For flood icing to fill in your cookies, thin the consistency by adding milk a few drops at a time.
from I am Baker
*Note: there are Amazon affiliate links in this post
Welcome! I'm Megan and it's my hope that here you'll find food that has been made with love and recipes that are shared with joy. Thanks for stopping by! 
These cookies look lovely!!.. But I'm oh so afraid I won't be able to cope up with the glaze icing:(
Megan, your cookies are beautiful! I've picked up so many tips from you, thank you!!! I just love your site, you always make such yummy treats! Your cookie making tips will come in handy.
You keep making such beautiful cookies!
Great tips! I love my nonstick mat!
I don't make sugar cookies a lot but I agree with you that uneven cookies do cause some distress. Thanks for the tip about the rolling pin rings!
These look so good! I need tips on cookie decorating too!
Wow I am so impressed with your decorating skills. You are so talented. Thanks for all of the great tips! 🙂
Great tips! Thanks Megan! Keep these coming, there is always a need for a good frosted sugar cookie!
I hadn't heard of the roul'pat or rolling pin rings…these could really make a difference in my cookie-making. Thanks for the great tips!
those football cookies are adorable!!
You are so talented at decorating your cookies! Thanks for all the helpful tips 🙂
Great post!! I LOVE the tip about the mat…I am ordering one now!!
P.S. Your cookies are ADORABLE!!
Awesome job Megan!
I've never heard of rolling pin rings before. I love making and decorating cookies. I haven't tried your recipes yet although your cookies always look beautiful. However, I saw this awesome, homemade marshmallow fondant on Simple Organized Living's blog and tried it last week. It worked so well. You might want to give it a try. If you do, you can find her post here: http://www.simpleorganizedliving.com/2011/03/31/marshmallow-fondant-and-decorating-glaze/
so is amandas sugar cookie recipe your favorite?
For sugar cookies to decorate, yes, definitely! Although I can’t say I’ve tried many others. Her recipe which I included in this post (with 1 minor adaptation) consistently turns out soft, sturdy, flat cookies that are perfect for decorating and absolutely delicious.
i there – can you leave the dough in the fridge for more than an hour? i have to make these for a party , but will be away for a couple of days – can i make the dough, leave it in the fridge for 2 days then roll out to bake?
Thanks
Yes, you can leave it in the fridge. I’ve even frozen it and defrosted in the fridge and it’s fine. You might have to let it warm up a little at room temperature before rolling it out though.
Ok. I made thus recipe to the tee. Cookies spread more than I wanted. Then tried without baking soda, once at 350 than 375. Worse than first batch. Original recipe has great flavor, I just would like less spreading when baked?
My best advice is to try refrigerating the cookies before baking. So refrigerate the dough, then roll it out and cut out the shapes, then stick the whole cookie sheet with the cookies on it into the fridge. Once they’re for sure nice and cold, go ahead and bake them. Hopefully that will help with the spreading. Also, are you using parchment paper or anything? That might help too. Good luck!
I was wondering what the ingredients would be if I only made 2 dozen cookies. For the sugar cookies and glaze. Because I don’t need to make that many cookies. Thank you!
Weird question but every time I make sugar cookies they never ever hold shape! Do yours?