The title says it all! Tender and buttery sugar cookies iced a fluffy buttercream. Butter Dream Sugar Cookies hold their shape when baked and don’t require refrigeration.
Stock your refrigerator with plenty of butter and bring out your favorite holiday cookie cutters for butter dream sugar cookies
Christmas sugar cookies aren’t complete without a few sprinkles, sanding sugars, and dragees.
Measure and prep all of the cookie dough ingredients.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until very fluffy and creamy, about 7-8 minutes.
Mix in eggs one at a time.
Mixture will be very creamy.
Add milk and vanilla. The mixture will look very curdled, but don’t worry.
Mix in 6 cups of the flour with salt and baking powder that have been sifted together. Add remaining cup of flour a little at a time until the sugar cookie dough is manageable but not too sticky.
roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. I rolled my dough out to just a bit over 1/4-inch thick because I like a thick sugar cookie…yum.
Place each cut cookie onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Brush with an egg that has been beaten with 2 teaspoons water. The egg I used had an extremely bright yellow yolk (go chicken!), but I’d prefer it not to be so golden to be honest. It is what it is. Bake in a 350F degree preheated oven for 8-12 minutes or just until the bottoms are beginning to brown lightly.
Cool completely.
Gather and prep all ingredients for fluffy buttercream icing.
Begin by creaming the butter. I let the butter mix for 3-4 minutes on low speed. Gradually add 3 1/2 cups of the powdered sugar. Scrape down sides of the bowl. Add vanilla and cream and mix until smooth and creamy.
Add remaining 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mixing and scraping between each addition.
Pipe or spread icing on each cookie.
Add a few little holiday sprinkles and share the joy. This recipe calls for 1 1/2 pounds of butter! This is the joy you want to share. Makes 2-4 dozen cookies depending on the shape and size of the cookie cutters you use.
Share the joy this holiday season 25 days in 25 ways doing daily acts of service. For great service ideas, check out the awesome videos at #Lighttheworld
Butter Dream Sugar Cookies
Tender and buttery sugar cookies iced a fluffy buttercream.
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 teaspoons salt
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 7 cups flour approximately
- 1 whole egg
- 2 teaspoons water
- egg wash: optional
Fluffy Buttercream Icing:
- 1 lb of butter softened
- 7 cups powdered sugar sifted if lumpy
- 3-4 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- pinch of salt optional
Instructions
Sugar Cookies:
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Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
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In a mixing bowl, cream the sugar and butter until light and fluffy, about 7-8 minutes.
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Add the eggs one at a time until combined.
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Add milk and vanilla. The mixture will look curdled.
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Sift 6 cups flour, salt and baking powder together. Add to butter mixture. Add remaining flour a little at a time to make a manageable dough.
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Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface. I rolled my out a little over 1/4-inch thick. Cut with desired shapes and sizes of cookie cutters. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet.
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In a small bowl, mix together egg and water for the glaze. Light brush the glaze over tops of cookies.
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Bake for 8-12 minutes or until the bottoms are beginning to slightly brown.
Cool completely. Ice with Fluffy Buttercream icing
Fluffy Buttercream Icing:
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In the bowl of an electric mixer, softened butter until smooth and creamy, about 3-5 minutes.
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Gradually add 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 cup at a time.
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Mix in milk and vanilla. Mix until creamy.
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Add remaining powdered sugar 1 cup at a time. Mix for an additional 2-3 minutes until creamy and fluffy.
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Ice cooled sugar cookies
Does the icing harden and if so how long do you have them sit out?
So sorry I didn’t see your question earlier. I took a few days off for the holidays. The icing doesn’t harden much. It will get a thin dried crust on the icing, but soft inside. It will start to crust a bit after sitting out for 4-5 hours. I put the iced cookies on a baking sheet and place them in the freezer until hardened. Once frozen the cookies can be stacked inbetween sheets of parchment or waxed paper then returned to the freezer until ready to thaw.
Given the amount of butter, should you store these in the REFRIGERATOR?
Refrigeration isn’t necessary. If I make them ahead, then I freeze them. Keeping them at room temperature makes them softer to eat.
Are these high altitude? I’m at 5000ft
Yes, they are. I’m at almost 5,000 ft and they work every time. You shouldn’t have any trouble. Please let me know if you do.
Is this buttery sugar cookie recipe for high altitudes? I am at 5000ft (I also inquired a moment ago regarding another of your sugar cookie recipes) I just need a recipe that will work for me here in the AZ mountains. Hope to hear back soon, thanks!
I hope you haven’t had to wait long for a response. I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you immediately. I’ve been up to my elbows dipping chocolates. Yes, again on the sugar cookie recipes. I bake them all at 5,000 ft elevation. I live in the foothills in Sandy, UT. Altitude baking is my life. 😉
You responded so quickly, thank you so very much! I’m really excited to try your recipe. I want to decorate some cookies with royal icing. Does it matter if I use your ‘Sugar Cookie’ recipe or the ‘Buttery Sugar Cookie’ recipe do you think? Or with the icing lay the same on top of either? I’m new to baking, so I genuinely don’t know if it would make a difference. Thank you so much for your help, I really appreciate it
My above comment I meant “Buttery” recipe VS “cut out” recipe
I also wanted to ask, so that means all your recipes here on this site are high altitude then? That’s wonderful!
Where did you get your christmas tree cookie cutter?
Oh my goodness I don’t remember. I have had it for so many years. I’m pretty sure it’s from a local baking store. Sorry I’m not much help.
I found one that looks just like this one on amazon
Why the egg wash?
The egg wash is optional. It just gives the cookie a bit of a shine.
Is there 3 eggs mixed in? Or just 2? It says 2 eggs, 1 whole egg and then egg wash? Is the 1 whole for the wash? Thank you ♥️♥️
I’m sorry for the confusion. The recipe only has two eggs mixed into the batter. The egg wash for the top of the cookies would require another egg and is completely optional.
The perfect sugar cookie! This is the recipe i have been searching for!!!
Thank you so much. It’s such a delicious buttery cookie.
How long can they be stored if they’re frozen?
They can be frozen for 2-3 weeks.
Just wondering about making ahead and storage? The fro is so fluffy, do you haVe to store single level and in frig? Im assuming theyre not really staCkable.
I generally freeze the cookies on a baking sheet in one layer. After frozen, then they can be stacked between sheets of waxed or parchment paper.
How much vanilla in the frosting?
So sorry I left that out of the recipe. Add 2 teaspoons vanilla in the recipe. I have corrected the error on the printable and post. Thanks for bringing that to my attention.