The buttery classic cut-out sugar cookie gets a brown sugar twist with the brown sugar cut-out. You can eat it as it is or decorate it on a holiday!
This recipe was created in collaboration with a friend at Imperial Sugar. Click here for the full recipe!
Cut-out cookies are a classic Christmas cookie. Adding brown sugar to your sugar cookie recipe is a quick and easy twist on the typical cookie. I started with the perfect and easy sugar cookie recipe. Adding brown sugar adds a softer texture and a light brown sugar flavor. You can also use brown sugar if you prefer a deeper brown sugar taste. I love this easy cookie recipe!
Yes No…that’s probably not the answer you were looking for! My favorite cut-out cookies are soft but have a crisp rim, and brown sugar has more moisture than granulated sugar, resulting in a softer cookie, but still with a crisp rim.
brown sugar cutout
click here: Full list of ingredients and printable recipes
- cold butterCold butter is used in the recipe to keep the dough from spreading without chilling. The dough can be chilled if desired, but it is not necessary.
- light brown sugarYou can also use dark brown sugar, or a combination of the two.
- big egg
- vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- kosher salt
- all purpose flour
No icing is needed for these sugar cookies, but if you love decorating your cookies and don’t want to go through the trouble of making royal icing, this is quick and easy to make!
- icing sugar
- water or milk
- light corn syrup
unsalted butter vs salted butter
You can use salted or unsalted butter in this recipe. I like the taste, so using salted is my personal preference.
direction:
- Cookies: Preheat oven to 350°F.Arrange the baking sheet parchment Or spread a silicone mat and put it aside.
- in your bowl stand mixer equipped with paddle attachmentBeat butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs, vanilla, baking powder, and salt and continue to mix until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
- Reduce the speed of the mixer and add the flour and mix until the dough comes together.
- Divide the dough into 2 halves and use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to 1/3 inch thickness on a floured surface. Using a cookie cutter, cut out the dough shapes with your desired cutter and place the cookies 1 1/2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Store unused dough in the refrigerator until ready.
- Bake cookies for 8-10 minutes, until edges are slightly golden. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Icing: Place powdered sugar, water and corn syrup in a bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Spread or squeeze onto chilled cookies. You can use a drop of food coloring to create different colors. Allow the icing to set completely before storing.
Here are some tricks I’ve learned to keep cookies from spreading.
- Start by using cold butter. Cut the cold butter into cubes and mix with the sugar so that it does not come to room temperature. This keeps the dough cool.
- Cool the dough. Even if you start with cold butter, if you’re worried about the dough spreading, or you’re using a complicated cookie cutter, you can chill the dough just to be on the safe side.
- Make sure you use a large egg for your cookie dough. Accidentally buying an oversized egg (I’ve done it before) will add extra moisture to your cookies, altering the consistency of the dough and causing it to spread more.
- Granulated sugar has a lower moisture content than brown sugar and generally spreads less and gives a crisper edge. Since this is a brown sugar cut cookie recipe, you probably don’t want to cut back on the sugar, but of course you can.
- To prevent further spreading, use shortening instead of butter. This is because butter has a high moisture content. I prefer baking with butter, but shortening is an option too!
I prefer thick cut-out cookies, but feel free to use whatever you like! Using a rolling pin, I found that between 1/4 inch and 1/3 inch thickness was the sweet spot. I usually make mistakes on the thicker side of cookies. I also know there are a lot of people who like thinner, crispier cookies because you get more cookies!
variation:
You don’t have to change these cookies, but you can get creative with the extract flavors you use.
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 teaspoon rum extract
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- 1/2 teaspoon orange extract
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