Texas Sugar Cookies
These Texas Sugar Cookies are soft, buttery, and full of Southern charm. With crisp edges and a melt-in-your-mouth center, they’re perfect for decorating or enjoying just as they are.
Servings 35 Cookies (depending on cookie cutter size!)
Ingredients
- 2 Sticks Butter Room Temperature
- 1 1/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
- 2 Eggs Room Temperature
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla or Almond Extract
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 3 1/4 Cup All-Purpose Flour
Royal Icing:
- 2 lbs 1 Bag Confectioners Sugar
- 4 Egg Whites pasteurized for food safety, at Room Temperature
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla or Almond Extract
- 1 Teaspoon Water
- Gel Food Coloring in colors Blue and Red
Instructions
Preparing the dough:
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together for 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mix until combined, scarping the sides of the bowl down with a spatula as needed.
- Add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the flour is incorporated and the dough is soft and workable.
- Lay out a long piece of plastic wrap and form the dough into a ball, placing it inside and wrapping it well on all sides. Please the dough in the refrigerator for several hours (or up to 3 days). Skipping this step means the cookies will not hold their shape!
When you are ready to bake:
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. For those whose ovens run hot, set to 375 degrees.
- Let the dough rest on a counter top for about 20-30 minutes to become more workable and less cold.
- Dust the counter top with powdered sugar or flour and roll the dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. It's best to work in batches.
- Cut the dough into shapes and place the cookies an inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes. It's important to not overbake. The edges will not be brown and the middle will look slightly underdone, but will set up as they cool.
- Rest 2-3 minutes on the pans before moving them to a cookie rack to continue cooling.
Royal Icing Instructions:
- Beat the Egg Whites
- In a clean mixing bowl, add the egg whites. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment, beat the egg whites on medium speed until they're frothy and slightly thickened - about 1-2 minutes.
- Add Powdered Sugar Gradually
- With the mixer on low speed, begin adding the sifted powdered sugar a little at a time to avoid a powdered sugar cloud. Once incorporated, increase to medium-high speed and beat for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the icing is glossy and forms stiff peaks.
- Adjust the Consistency
- Now it's time to get the icing to the consistency you need! For flooding cookies, thin the icing further so it settles flat in 10-15 seconds. (Add water very sparingly and mix thoroughly after each addition)
- Color and Decorate
- Divide into bowls and mix in gel food coloring (not liquid, to maintain consistency). Use immediately, or cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent crusting.