Food & Cooking Recipes Dessert & Treats Recipes Cookie Recipes Sugar Cookies 3.5 (253) 19 Reviews By Martha Stewart Test Kitchen Martha Stewart Test Kitchen The recipes developed by our test kitchen team have undergone a rigorous process of development and testing, ensuring that every element is optimal, from ingredient amounts to method and cooking time. This process includes triple-testing recipes to ensure they meet our high standards. The many stellar cooks and food editors who have been part of our team include Sarah Carey, Lucinda Scala Quinn, Jennifer Aaronson, Shira Bocar, Anna Kovel, Greg Lofts, Riley Wofford, Lauren Tyrell, and Lindsay Leopold. Editorial Guidelines Updated on October 25, 2022 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Yield: 2 dozen 4-inch cookies Perfect for any festive occasion, these sugar cookies are a blank canvas for decorating and cutting into any shape you desire. The dough can be made the night before, then decorated the following day. All you need is some royal icing and a little creativity to make stunning cookies. If you're looking for a homemade food gift or have a cookie swap coming up, Martha's sugar cookie recipe is a good place to start. Ingredients 4 cups sifted all-purpose flour, plus more for surface and more if needed 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened 2 cups sugar 2 large eggs 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract Royal Icing for Holiday Sugar Cookies Directions Sift flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar with a mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Reduce speed to low. Gradually mix in flour mixture. Turn out dough, and divide in half. Flatten each half into a disk, and wrap in plastic. Refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour or overnight. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds of oven. Let one disk of dough stand at room temperature just until soft enough to roll, about 10 minutes. Roll out dough on a lightly floured work surface to just under 1/4-inch thick, adding more flour as needed to keep dough from sticking. Chill in refrigerator until firm, about 30 minutes. Cut out cookies using desired cutters or templates. Transfer to parchment-lined baking sheets as you work. Roll out scraps, and repeat once. Repeat with remaining disk of dough. Chill cookies in freezer until very firm, about 15 minutes. Bake cookies, switching positions of sheets and rotating halfway through, until edges turn golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Let cool on sheets on wire racks. Decorate with Royal Icing. Rate it Print