Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies with Topping
Submitted by MOTHERPOWERS
Old-fashioned cut-out sugar cookies brushed with egg-white glaze and sprinkled with nuts or sugar. A versatile rolled cookie that goes thin and crisp or thick and soft to suit any occasion.
YIELD
48 servingsPREP
2½ hrsCOOK
10 minREADY
3 hrsThe classic cut-out sugar cookie that’s been the foundation of holiday baking for generations. Roll thin for snappy, crisp cookies that shatter; roll thick for soft, cake-like rounds that melt under frosting. Same dough, two completely different cookies depending on how you handle the rolling pin.
Vegetable shortening (rather than butter) is the old-school choice for a reason. It gives a sturdier dough that holds shape through cutting and baking, where butter cookies spread and lose their crisp edges. The trade-off is less flavor, which is why these are typically decorated with sprinkles, glaze, or icing.
Don’t skip the egg-white wash. That thin glaze is what makes nuts and sugar stick to the surface so they don’t fall off the moment you pick the cookie up.
Keep half the dough cold while you roll the other half. Warm dough sticks, tears, and won’t hold a shape. As soon as it starts feeling soft, swap halves and let the warm one chill again.
Pro Tips
- Roll between two sheets of parchment instead of dusting the surface with flour. You won’t toughen the dough by working in extra flour, and there’s no sticking.
- Re-roll trimmings only once or twice. The third roll gives tougher, drier cookies because of all the working.
- For crisp cookies, watch carefully at the 7-minute mark. Paper-thin cookies go from pale to burnt in 90 seconds.
- Decorate within 2 hours of baking. The egg-white glaze sets best while the cookies are still slightly warm.
Variations
- Add a half teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla for a bakery-style flavor.
- Stir in 1 teaspoon of fresh lemon zest for a bright citrus twist that complements the egg-white glaze.
- Roll thick and frost with royal icing for decorated holiday cookies.
Ingredients
Directions
Slightly beaten with 1 Tablespoon water ln a large bowl, measure all ingredients except egg white and topping.
With mixer at medium speed, beat until well mixed scraping sides of bowl.
Mixture will be crumbly.
Shape dough into ball and wrap with waxed paper; refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours until easy to handle.
When ready to start baking, preheat oven to 400℉ (200℃) and lightly grease cookie sheets.
On lightly floured surface, roll half of dough at a time, keeping rest refrigerated.
For crisp cookies, roll dough paper- thin. For softer cookies roll out dough ⅛ to ¼ inch thick.
With floured cookie cutters, cut dough into various shapes Reroll dough trimmings and continue to cut shapes.
Place cookies ½-inch apart on cookie sheets.
To glaze, brush tops of cookies with the beaten egg white and water mixture Sprinkle cookies with finely chopped nuts or granulated sugar.
Bake for 8 minutes at 400℉ (200℃) or until very light brown.
Remove cookies to rack; cool completely.
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