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The Recipe · No.554 · Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookies, and where to source it

Sugar Cookies — 5best2buy.com 5BEST2BUY.COM Sugar Cookies American 5best2buy.com

A sugar cookie is just butter, sugar, and vanilla with nowhere to hide, so cheap versions of any of them taste flat. Chill the rolled-out dough until it's firm before you cut your shapes. Warm dough spreads in the oven and blurs every edge you cut.

By Vince Gonzalez · Published July 2026 · Sourcing verified 5 Jul 2026

Prep20 min
Cook10 min
Makes24 cookies
CuisineAmerican
Cost$
Vegetarian
Contains  dairy · eggs · gluten
Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.
Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).
The Ingredients — and where to get them
Cook for 24 cookies
All-purpose flour
The structure; fresh unbleached flour keeps the crumb tender instead of chalky.
2 1/2 cups
Granulated sugar
Sweetness and crisp edges; unrefined cane sugar adds a faint molasses depth.
1 cup
Unsalted butter
The whole flavor of the cookie; good cultured butter tastes like something.
1 cup, softened
Vanilla extract
Real extract, not imitation, carries the whole cookie.
2 tsp
Egg
Binds and enriches; a fresh yolk gives a richer dough.
1 large
The Rundown
Greedometer ●●●●● A fair little treat
A reasonable little indulgence.
EffortSome doing
Cook it with
Air fryerSheet pan
The Method
  1. CreamBeat softened butter and sugar 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. This is where the lift comes from.
  2. MixBeat in the egg and vanilla, then add flour and 1/2 tsp salt on low just until the dough comes together.
  3. ChillDivide, flatten into disks, wrap, and chill at least 1 hour until firm. Warm dough spreads and blurs your cutouts.
  4. RollRoll to 1/4 inch on a floured surface, cut shapes, and chill the cut cookies 10 minutes before baking.
  5. BakeBake at 350F for 9-11 minutes until the edges are just set and barely golden. Pull them before they brown all over.
The Toolkit

Rolling pin · Cookie cutters · Sheet pans · Silicone mat · Bench scraper

Straight Answers
Can you make Sugar Cookies in an air fryer? — Yes

Yes — bake it in a small pan or dish that fits the basket, at about 25°F below the recipe temperature. Air fryers run hot and fast, so check it early; no flipping needed.

Can you freeze Sugar Cookies? — Yes

Yes — freeze it well-wrapped, then reheat or toast straight from frozen. Frost or glaze after thawing.

Can you make Sugar Cookies ahead of time? — Yes

Yes — bake it a day or two ahead; it keeps well-wrapped at room temperature and freezes cleanly. Add any frosting or glaze close to serving.

Is Sugar Cookies gluten-free? — Not as written

Not as written — it contains gluten. Make it gluten-free: swap in a gluten-free flour blend (check the other labels too).

Is Sugar Cookies vegan? — Vegetarian, not vegan

It’s vegetarian but not vegan as written — it has dairy and egg. Make it vegan: use plant milk, oil, or a vegan cheese for the dairy, and a flax or aquafaba egg for the egg.

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