This is a cut-out sugar cookie recipe from 2010 where I originally shared a story about Fuzz falling off a horse at girl scout camp and how I'd made these cookies to celebrate her return home. The original recipe is called Mary's Sugar Cookies from the old Betty Crocker's Cooky Book. I have been using this recipe since I was a child back in the 1970s.
Mary's Cookies is an easy recipe to recognize because it calls for both confectioners' sugar and cream of tartar. I've added a few more notes along with another frosting called Easy Creamy Frosting where you just stir together confectioners' sugar, liquid and vanilla.
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Flavor and Texture
I hadn’t used the recipe in a while because I’d been on the hunt for recipes that hold their shape better when cut with cutters. These puff a little more than I'd like. This is sad, because even though they don't hold their shape as well, they're really good cookies. People used to always ask for the recipe. They have some flavor from the extracts. They're aren't too sweet and have a light and sandy texture. But as mentioned they do puff a bit, so if you are making something like Christmas trees, the branches will be slightly rounded. If you're okay with circular cookies, frosting and sprinkles, you can't go wrong with this recipe.
Sugar Cookie Frosting
You can jazz up Mary's Sugar Cookies with any kind of frosting. I've added a basic cookie frosting recipe to the recipe card. The frosting I prefer is basically more like a sweet American buttercream than typical Royal icing. It calls for 9 tablespoons of butter to 1 pound (3 ¾ cups) of confectioners' sugar, so it's a little bit sweeter than a typical American style buttercream, but it holds up well and usually crusts over a bit so that you can sort of stack the cookies. It's a good compromise of taste, texture and durability.
Easy Creamy Frosting
I'm Also throwing in another frosting recipe I don't use very often for cookies, but which is great if you have small children and just need something they can spread over the cookies to hold the sprinkles. It's called Easy Creamy Frosting and it's also originally from Betty Crocker.
Easy Creamy Frosting: 2 cups powdered sugar, 2-4 tablespoons half & half, cream or whole milk, ¼ teaspoon vanilla. To make, sift the powdered sugar. All you do is stir the liquid into the sugar mixture gradually, adding vanilla as well, until you have the consistency you like. Half & half works better than milk and cream works well too. Whole milk is okay, but obviously the icing won't be as rich.
Recipe
Welcome Home Betty Crocker Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, at cool room temperature (228 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon plus a pinch of salt omit if using salted butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar (175 grams)
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 ½ cups all purpose unbleached flour – fluff up very well, scoop, level or just weigh it (315 grams)
Cookie Frosting
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups confectioners' sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons whole milk, cream, or a mixture of the two plus more or less as needed
- Salt to taste (start with ⅛ teaspoon)
Easy Creamy Frosting (Option 2)
- 2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 2-4 tablespoons whole milk, half & half or cream
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In bowl of stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the cool butter until creamy. Add the salt (if using) and powdered sugar and beat until light. Beat in the vanilla and almond extract. Scrape sides of bowl, beat a little more, than lower speed of mixer and beat in the egg. Scrape sides of bowl. With mixer on medium low, add the baking soda and cream of tartar. By hand or using lowest speed of mixer, gradually add the flour.
- Remove dough from pan and divide into two big balls. At this point, I like to roll or press each ball out onto a sheet of non-stick foil or parchment. Press to a thickness of around ¼ inch. Lay dough flat on a cookie sheet and chill the flattened dough until it’s firm enough to cut. You can cut it with cutters or just use a round glass.
- Alternatively, you can roll the dough out on a floured board and cut with cutters. The extra flour that the dough picks up from the board will help them hold their shape better.
- Arrange cut cookies on a foil or parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 375 for 10 minutes or until edges are nicely browned.
- Makes about 2 dozen depending on how big you cut your cookies
Cookie Frosting
- Beat the butter until creamy. Gradually add the about half of the confectioners' sugar, beating and scraping bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of the milk and the vanilla, then beat, scraping bowl. Add remaining confectioners sugar gradually, then remaining milk. Adjusting milk as needed for a creamy consistency. Add a few pinches of salt to taste.
Easy Creamy Frosting
- Sift the powdered sugar and just add liquid to it gradually, stirring until smooth and creamy and the consistency you like. Stir in the flavoring. You can also divide it up and color it.
Anna says
Hi Amy!
You can do it either way. The old Betty Crocker recipe says to roll the dough into 3/16 inch slabs on a lightly floured cloth covered board. I started making this recipe as a child and never had a board much less a "cloth covered board". It was easier for me to just press the dough and cut shapes, so that's how I've been doing it ever since. The cookies always tasted good, but they spread a little more because they don't pick up extra flour from a board. If you want nice shapes, you should probably just roll the dough out on a floured surface.
For frosting, I like this one. You can add more sugar as needed.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2011/10/05/halloween-sugar-cookies/
If you want more professional looking sugar cookies, try Royal Icing. I don't have a very specific one that comes to mind because I am so bad at decorating and rarely use it, but it's made with egg whites.
Amy Botticello says
Your recipe looks wonderful! I just had two questions: First, I wanted to clarify that you don't roll out the dough, but rather you press it with your fingers. Second, do you have a frosting on your site that you can recommend? Thanks!
Kerstin says
Congrats on your new house Anna - your new kitchen is gorgeous! These cookies look like the perfect treat for the fourth! Oh, and I have such fond memories of camp and I'm glad Fuzz had fun!
shelly (cookies and cups) says
Love a good sugar cookie recipe! I will have to try this one and see how the cream of tartar changes it!
Josie says
Welcome home, Fuzz! Power to the Sprinkles.
Cookie Sleuth says
With all the tasty treats you make, I would never want to go to camp!
Anna says
She was nervous, but she ended up loving it. The counselors to a great job keeping the girls busy. Email me if you want any more info.
Tracy says
What did you use for icing/frosting?
Debbi Does Dinner Healthy says
Yum! Love sugar cookies, especially pretty ones! Thanks!
Louise says
Glad to hear Fuzz and you made it through camp week.
Katrina says
I'll take YOU on in the sugar cookie challenge! 😉
These look great. Cream of tartar, huh.
My mom has a recipe we've been using for years and I always think they come out the best, but I'm always up for trying another when it's different.
Glad Fuzz has made it home safe and sound.
Amy D says
Hi Anna,
Addison is going to GS camp in 2 weeks. She's doing a short session (2 nights). The Stickhorse camp. Is that the one Emma did? Did she love it? Addison is a bit nervous...
Stacie @ Imperfectly Healthy says
Ha! A quick fire sugar cookie challenge would be intense! 🙂 I haven't seen the one with the pie challenge yet, but I'm planning on watching it tomorrow. I'm intrigued now!
Anna says
Well, she fell off the horse but she got back on.
Sue says
Welcome home Fuzz!!
I'm glad to hear that she had a great time, but I'm sorry she fell of the horse. I'm glad her injuries were not any more severe than you describe them! Lucky girl!
The cookies look tasty and festive!