My Favorite Sugar Cookies

My Favorite Sugar Cookies puts eggs, vanilla and almond extract at the center of a cookie recipe and finishes in about 93 minutes, enough for 24 -36 cookies.

• Yield 24 -36 cookies
• Ready in 93 minutes
• Prep 85 minutes
• Cook 8 minutes

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

• 1 ½ cups ( 340 g ) butter , softened to cool room temperature
• 1 ½ cups ( 318 g ) granulated sugar
• ½ cup ( 57 g ) powdered sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• ½ teaspoon almond extract , optional
• 1 tablespoon lemon zest , from about 1 lemon
• 5 cups ( 710 g ) all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar and powdered sugar for 3-4 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
2. Add the eggs, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using) and lemon zest; mix until thoroughly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix just until flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft.
4. Press the dough into a thick disc on a sheet of plastic wrap. Wrap until fully covered and refrigerate for several hours (or up to 2 days). *The dough can be rolled out right away; however the cookies won't hold their shape quite as well in the oven - if doing so, you'll need to use quite a bit more flour on the counter to make sure the dough doesn't stick.*
5. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. If your oven bakes hot, reduce the temperature to 375 degrees F.
6. Lightly dust a counter with powdered sugar or flour and roll the dough to 1/4-inch or slightly thicker. If the dough has been chilled longer than a few hours, let it rest at room temperature for 10-15 minutes to soften enough to roll out.
7. Cut the dough into shapes. Place the cookies several inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets.
8. Bake for 7-8 minutes. DO NOT OVER BAKE! There should be no browning on the edges or the bottom of the cookies and the center of the cookies may look just slightly underdone.
9. Let the cookies rest on the baking pans for 2 to 3 minutes before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Frost and sprinkle as desired.

Cool the cookies on the sheet for a few minutes, then move them to a rack.