These Vanilla Bean Sugar Cookies are my go-to for cut out cookies! I’ve been making them for years and they’re always a crowd pleaser. I don’t like a hard sugar cookie, so I bake these until just slightly golden. They’re moist, buttery and made with cream cheese for a soft, yet delicate texture! This recipe is perfect for holiday cookie decorating, birthday parties and shower favors! When making sugar cookies it’s important to keep the shape, the key is in the temperature of the dough. See me “how to” below for details on getting the perfect cookie shape!
How To:
You want your batter to be well homogenized, a broken batter makes a sad cookie. To avoid this, start off by bringing all ingredients to room temperature. Also, scrape your bowl in between each ingredient addition, this will keep a well mixed batter with no ingredients left in the bottom of the bowl.
In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 30 seconds. With mixer on low, gradually add sugar and beat for about 1 minute until light and fluffy. With mixer on stir, add eggs one at a time until just combined.
Once combined add vanilla bean paste in and mix for 5 seconds. For flavor I love to use vanilla bean paste, it gives it that extra fancy look and a little more vanilla taste. You can totally use extract, they’ll be just as delicious! If you like this recipe you’ll also love my Lemon Cream Cheese Cookies, great for summer BBQ’s.
With mixer on stir, gradually add the flour and baking powder. Once all of the flour is in, beat on low for about 30 seconds, do not over mix. Store your dough in the refrigerator, wrapped in plastic and flattened to about a 1.5-2” thickness. Dough will keep in the refrigerator for up to 1 week and the freezer up to 6 months.
I always recommend making your cookie dough 12-24 hours before baking. This is going to give your batter the ultimate flavor! Why? Fat is the flavor absorber so you want your fat (cream cheese and butter) and flavor (vanilla) to marry for as long as possible!
I like a cookie that holds its shape! To achieve this I roll out my dough when it’s the perfect temp, not too cold and not to warm, about 50-60°F. If you go too cold you’ll get cracks in the dough. Roll dough out to about 1/4” thickness and cut your shapes. Once shapes are cut and a sheet pan is filled pop cookies into the fridge for at least 5-7 minutes. This will ensure your cookies don’t turn into melting snowmen in the oven!
With your oven at 375°F bake cookies on a sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone mat for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip your cookie sheet 360° and switch baking racks. This will help your cookies get an even sun tan! Cookies are done when bottoms are just golden around the edges. Transfer cookies from baking sheet to cooling rack immediately to stop baking. Once cooled, it’s time to frost!
Let’s talk frosting! You can top these sugar cookies with your favorite frosting. A simple American buttercream for spreading or royal icing for piping works great.
Spreadable American Buttercream Frosting
Royal Icing
The dough recipe for this post is inspired by my go-to sugar cookie recipe, I found years ago (click here for original)
These sugar cookies are so easy to make and the best for cutting out shapes! Perfect for shower favors, birthday parties and Christmas!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
- 8 ounces full fat cream cheese, at room temp
- 1 large egg, at room temp
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 ½ cups all purpose flour, sifted (plus more for rolling out dough)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or extract)
For Spreadable Frosting:
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temp
- 4 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons almond milk (or any milk)
- Food coloring if desired
For Royal Icing:
- 80 grams room temperature water
- 35 grams meringue powder
- 500 grams powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream butter and cream cheese on medium speed for about 30 seconds. With mixer on low, gradually add sugar and beat for about 1 minute until light and fluffy.
- With mixer on stir, add eggs one at a time until just combined. Add vanilla paste and mix another 30 seconds.
- In a medium bowl combine flour and baking powder. With mixer still on stir, gradually add the flour/baking powder mixture and mix until combined. Do not over mix. Wrap dough in plastic and flatten to about 1.5-2” thickness. Store in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
- When ready to bake set oven to 375°F. Let dough come to about 50-60°F, then roll out to about 1/4” thickness. Cut desired shapes, place on cookie sheet with parchment paper and chill for 5-7 minutes.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Halfway through baking, flip your cookie sheet 360° and switch baking racks. Cookies are done when bottoms are just golden around the edges. Transfer cookies from baking sheet to cooling rack immediately to stop baking.
- Once cooled, top with your favorite frosting.
Spreadable Frosting:
- In a medium bowl with a handheld mixer, beat butter and powdered sugar until it comes together. Gradually add milk and continue to beat, add vanilla. For thinner frosting add more milk for thicker frosting add more powdered sugar.
Royal Icing:
- In a small bowl, hand whisk water, meringue powder and vanilla together until dissolved.
- In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment gradually add powdered sugar on low until combined.
- Increase speed to medium and beat for about 5 minutes. Add food coloring if desired, if too stiff add more water, if too runny add more powdered sugar.
*Note: Cover extra icing with a damp paper towel or plastic wrap to the touch so it does not dry out.
