The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (2024)

December 11, 2020

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The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (1)

this post is sponsored by Walmart. All opinions are my own.

You haven’t lived until you’ve tried this sugar cookie recipe! It’s only 5 ingredients, and the most amazing melt-in-your-mouth cookie. Give it a try this season!

Looking for a great sugar cookie recipe? I’ve got the best one ever.

Everyone loves making cookies around the holidays, and sugar cookies are always a good choice. You can cut them out in fun shapes, and add sprinkles, frosting and other fun decorations. But, of course, you need a great sugar cookie recipe!

Here’s how I found this amazing recipe. I’ve never been much of a sugar cookie person, but about five years ago I met a girl named Jana when we lived in Huntington Beach, California. She made the best sugar cookies, and would bring them to any and every baby shower, birthday party, or holiday get together, intricately decorated! You have to check out her instagram, @janalaurene.

I’ve tried tons of sugar cookie recipes over the years, and nothing compares to these cookies. They’re just the right amount of buttery, not too sweet, soft and thick, and melt in your mouth, and today she has generously let me share the recipe with you!

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (2)

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (3)

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (4)

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (5)

The trick I use to make store-bought frosting amazing

Jana always makes royal icing to decorate her sugar cookies, and that’s what allows her to make hers so intricate. But when I make sugar cookies with my kids, I buy store-bought frosting, but I’ve got a little trick to make store bought frosting amazing — add a little extract flavor!

We did peppermint extract with these ones to make them a little bit Christmas-y, but almond extract is also amazing. Just a few drops is all you need to turn store-bought frosting into something amazing.

And then, a few crushed candy canes on top adds a little crunch. So perfect.

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (6)

5-Ingredient Sugar Cookies

These are the most buttery-soft, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies. You'll never try another recipe after you try these!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour hr

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 12 minutes mins

Servings 12 large cookies

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

Royal Icing

Instructions

How to make the sugar cookies

  • Cream Butter and Sugar in a mixer

  • Add vanilla and egg yolks (be sure not to over mix).

  • Add flour and mix until fully combined.

  • Separate the dough into two balls. Put between two sheets of parchment paper and roll out to about 1/4 inch thick. (NOTE: the thickness of the dough is important - don't roll thinner than 1/4")

  • Put in fridge till dough becomes hard (about 30 min), then remove and cut out shapes.

  • When the dough has become soft again repeat until all the dough is gone.

How to cook the sugar cookies

  • IMPORTANT: cut and bake the cookies when the dough is straight from the fridge. This will allow them to hold their shape while they cook.

  • Bake the cookies at 350 for about 9-12 min. Each oven is different, so watch them -- mine are done at 9 mins. Take them out before the edges start to brown, just when the center of the cookie has set.

  • When cooled frost using royal icing (or store-bought frosting mixed with almond or peppermint extract, and topped with crushed candy canes, yum!)

How to make the royal icing

  • I usually halve this recipe, but it all depends on how much icing you are planning on making. Also you might need to add more water to get the consistency you want.

  • The trick is to run a knife through the icing and count 10 seconds, if the frosting has flattened out by then it is perfect for frosting. If it is too thin then it might run off the cookies and if it is too thick and keeps its shape for longer then it won't smooth out.

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15 Comments

  1. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (12)Rachel says:

    December 9, 2019 at 8:05 am

    What kind of flour do you use for this recipe (all-purpose, self-rising, etc)? Thanks! Can’t wait to try it out!

    Reply

    • The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (13)Merrick says:

      December 9, 2019 at 9:47 am

      Just all-purpose!

      Reply

  2. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (14)Ashly Sorenson says:

    December 9, 2019 at 11:19 am

    Thank you for sharing! I have been looking for a buttery sugar cookie. Cant wait to try them!

    Reply

  3. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (15)Alisa says:

    December 11, 2019 at 9:18 am

    If i need these for next friday for a cookie party my daughter is having, think i could make rhe dough tuesday?

    Reply

  4. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (16)gr says:

    December 12, 2019 at 9:24 am

    Finally! Perfect cookies, thank you!

    Reply

  5. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (17)Allison says:

    December 14, 2019 at 10:46 am

    What QUANTITY DOES this make?

    Reply

  6. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (18)SHelbie says:

    December 14, 2019 at 2:17 pm

    Is this salted or uNsalted butter

    Reply

  7. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (19)Kayla says:

    December 14, 2019 at 9:47 pm

    About how many does this make.

    Reply

  8. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (20)Nicole says:

    December 15, 2019 at 6:40 am

    These were the best sugar cookies. Everyone that tried them said wow these are so soft and so good. Thanks for the recipe.

    Reply

  9. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (21)Jake says:

    December 28, 2019 at 2:00 am

    good article site

    Reply

  10. January 7, 2020 at 7:13 pm

    I don’t know what to say really what you share is so good and helpful to the community, I feel that it makes our community much more developed, thanks.

    Reply

  11. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (23)Crystal Thompson says:

    April 11, 2020 at 3:55 pm

    Agreed – These are perfect! Thanks for sharing 🙂

    Reply

  12. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (24)ShaNNon says:

    November 2, 2020 at 8:03 am

    We made theSe yesterday and they were deemed some of the best ever eatEn. Tell your Friend thanks for sharing!

    Reply

  13. December 15, 2020 at 12:33 am

    Thank you for writing! It is easy to understand and detailed. I find it interesting, I hope you continue to have such good articles.

    Reply

  14. The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (26)Talar says:

    December 15, 2020 at 4:25 pm

    Is it really 2 cups of butter? 4 stiCKs?? Seems like so much!

    Reply

Leave a Reply

The World's Best Sugar Cookie Recipe (5 ingredients) - Merrick's Art (2024)

FAQs

What is the purpose of cornstarch in sugar cookies? ›

1. Cookies. Cornstarch does kind of incredible things to cookies. I mean not only does it give them soft centers, prevents them from spreading, and makes them somewhat thick (in a good way), but it also contributes to the chewiness factor, which, in my opinion, is the most important cookie attribute.

What is the best sugar for cookies? ›

In that role, white sugar aerates the dough when creamed with butter for thick and puffy cookies. Brown sugar, meanwhile, is dense and compacts easily, creating fewer air pockets during creaming—that means that there's less opportunity to entrap gas, creating cookies that rise less and spread more.

Who was the first person to make sugar cookies? ›

Origin. The long history of manufacturing sugar cookies dates back to the 7th century in Persia. However, sugar cookies as known today were first made by Protestan settlers in the Nazareth colony in Pennsylvania in the 17th century. They were baked in the shape of the state symbol, a keystone.

What is a Nazareth sugar cookie? ›

The sugar cookie is believed to have originated in the mid-1700s in Nazareth, Pennsylvania. German Protestant settlers created a round, crumbly and buttery cookie that came to be known as the Nazareth cookie. Jumbles are the earliest form of sugar cookies.

What is the secret ingredient to keep cookies soft? ›

For soft cookies, use: Brown sugar, as it has a high moisture content and retains moisture better than white sugar. Also, when combined with eggs, brown sugar can prevent spreading (taller cookies tend to be softer and fluffier). Shortening instead of butter or in addition to butter.

Is baking powder or cornstarch better for cookies? ›

You'll find cornstarch in a variety of recipes. I often use it with flour to create tender cakes and delicate cookies. This little trick has been a lifesaver for me so many times. Meanwhile, baking powder is king when you need to give a lift to your baked goods.

Is it better to use powdered sugar or granulated sugar in sugar cookies? ›

The answer? Granulated sugar takes the crown for chewy cookies, and here's why. The quest for chewy cookies is all about moisture retention. Granulated sugar, which is composed of larger crystals, is your go-to choice for achieving this desirable texture.

Is powdered sugar or granulated sugar better for sugar cookies? ›

It is not recommended to substitute powdered sugar for granulated sugar. Since powdered sugar has a much finer texture, and it contains a small percentage of cornstarch to prevent caking, substituting can give you unexpected results.

Should I use granulated sugar or caster sugar in cookies? ›

Though they can generally be used interchangeably, granulated sugar does not incorporate into batters as quickly. Cakes and other desserts baked with granulated sugar instead of caster sugar sometimes have a speckled appearance due to the undissolved granules.

What is a sugar cookie slang? ›

Where one is to roll in the sand or dirt while PT-ing, then continue PT-ing to look like a sugar cookie themselves. There's also a sand hill named after this term in 29 Palms, for this same reason.

What is a fun fact about sugar cookies? ›

The modern sugar cookie was originally called the Nazareth Sugar Cookie, after German Protestants who settled in Nazareth, Pennsylvania, and improved the recipe. When forming the dough, they made the cookies resemble the state's keystone emblem.

What is a sugar cookie military? ›

McRaven describes the experience of Navy SEAL trainees who are subject — often randomly — to a punishment where they are directed to get wet and sandy on the beaches. By the time they are finished the trainees, covered in sand, look like “sugar cookies.”

What is Snoop Dogg cookies? ›

Snoop Dogg's peanut butter chocolate chip cookie recipe - His original cookie features creamy peanut butter and semisweet chocolate morsels, making it the perfect indulgence this holiday season. #

What is a flooded sugar cookie? ›

If you've ever tried to frost a cutout cookie neatly and smoothly, you know that bakery-worthy results require more than just spreading on icing with a knife. The proper technique is called flooding, and it allows you to apply a smooth layer of icing to all or part of the cookie.

What is a Dillon cookie? ›

Dillon Cookies

This flagship cookie combines freshly milled whole wheat with oats, loads of chocolate chips and just the right amount of walnuts for a buttery finish. They are the perfect treat for kids and adults alike!

Can I skip cornstarch in a cookie recipe? ›

You can use all-purpose flour in place of cornstarch in a baking recipe, but be warned: The texture won't be as soft and tender. Rice flour works especially well as a sub for cornstarch in cookie recipes and potato starch is a good replacement in cake recipes.

What if I forgot cornstarch in cookies? ›

Rice Flour

Like all-purpose flour, rice flour has half the thickening power of cornstarch, so you're going to want to use two tablespoons of rice flour for every one tablespoon of cornstarch called for. It's also colorless when added to recipes, making it great for use in clear liquids.

Does cornstarch help keep cookies soft? ›

Because here's the thing: the cornstarch works some crazy magic in these cookies, making them extra chewy, very tender and even prevents them from spreading – amazing, I know.

What is the secret to chewy cookies? ›

Cornstarch helps product soft and thick cookies. Using more brown sugar than white sugar results in a moister, softer cookie. An extra egg yolk increases chewiness. Rolling the cookie dough balls to be tall and lumpy instead of wide and smooth gives the cookies a bakery-style textured thickness.

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