Softest Fluffiest Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Nothing beats how soft, fluffy and buttery these cookies are. These sugar cookies taste slightly of flour with a hint of sweetness and scents of vanilla which is the best part. They melt in your mouth! Fluffy vanilla sugar cookies make for the perfect blank canvas for buttercream, royal icing, or glaze, depending on your preference! However, my favorite way to enjoy these is plain warm from the oven where both Rodelle Vanilla Paste and Extract shine.

  • Medium
  • 50 mins
  • 35 servings

Uses: Vanilla Paste, Pure Vanilla Extract

Occasions: Christmas

Directions

  1. Combine the softened butter and sugar in a stand mixer using a paddle attachment on medium-low speed for 5-7 minutes until the butter is light and fluffy.
  2. Add the eggs one at a time. Mix until each egg is incorporated. Then add in both vanillas. Add in the whole milk and mix until combined.
  3. Combine the dry ingredients from the all-purpose flour to the kosher salt. Mix on low speed until just combined.
  4. Divide the dough into two portions. Place each portion onto plastic wrap and flatten them into a disk. Chill for 60-90 minutes or until very firm.
  5. Preheat an oven to 350 F. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to ½” thickness. Cut the sugar cookies into fun shapes of your choice.
  6. Bake for 13-14 minutes for a 3” cookie. The length of cook time will depend on the size of the cookie chosen. Look for a cookie that is puffed and very, very lightly golden on the edges and bottom but almost blonde. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack.
  7. To make the royal icing, combine the ingredients in a stand mixer and beat using a paddle attachment on medium speed until the icing has tripled in size and is no longer shiny but opaque.
  8. Fill a piping bag fitted with a small round piping tip (Wilton #3) and pipe around the edges of the cookies.
  9. Add any stiff icing back into the stand mixer. Add some but not all of the remaining water for the icing and whip on medium speed for 1-2 minutes. The icing will be thinner but still fluffy. Use a spoon to drop icing into the center of the outlined cookies. Use a toothpick to spread the icing to the edges of the cookies. Decorate with sprinkles.

Tips

  • Using room temperature butter, eggs, and whole milk is the key to success in this recipe! Room temperature ingredients hold air and “fluff” to maximum capacity leading to the softest, fluffiest vanilla sugar cookies.
  • Use 6 tablespoons of water for stiff royal icing consistency, best used for decoration and outlines. Use 15 tablespoons for flooding consistency to fill in the lines made using stiff icing. Feel free to color the royal icing with gel food coloring.

This recipe was prepared for Rodelle by Amanda at @frommetovuu. Christmas cookie photos taken by Amanda. Circle cookie photos and video taken by Kathryn Herndon at @kniftykat

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