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Easy Sugar Cookies with Vanilla Icing

Soft, buttery sugar cookies topped with a crackled vanilla icing that tastes better than any bakery version. Easy to make and perfect for any occasion.
Print Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 30 minutes
Course Dessert, sugar cookie recipe easy
Cuisine American
Servings 24 servings
Calories 185 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions
 

  • In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
  • Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined, scraping down the sides as needed.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
  • Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.
  • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days).
  • Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 1.5 tablespoons each) and roll into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  • Bake for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are just set and the centers look slightly underdone. The tops should not be brown.
  • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
  • For the icing: whisk together powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Add more milk if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin. Spread or drizzle over cooled cookies. Add sprinkles immediately if desired.
  • Let the icing set for about 15 minutes before serving or storing.

Notes

1. For thicker cookies, chill the dough for a full hour. For thinner, crisper cookies, skip the chill time.
2. Store baked, iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
3. Layer with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
4. To freeze unbaked dough, roll into balls and freeze on a baking sheet.
5. Transfer to a zip-top bag and bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the bake time.
6. If your cookies spread too much, your butter was too soft.
7. Next time, chill the shaped dough for 30 minutes before baking.
8. For a lemon version, add 1 tablespoon lemon zest to the dough and replace the milk in the icing with lemon juice.