In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and powdered sugar together until light, smooth, and creamy.
Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
Shape the dough into a ball, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for about 30–60 minutes. Chilling helps make the dough easier to roll and cut.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll the chilled dough to approximately 1/4 inch thick.
Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out hearts, stars, flowers, circles, or any other shapes you like. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them.
Bake for approximately 8–11 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden. Avoid overbaking if you want soft, tender cookies.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Optional Decorating Ideas
Once completely cooled, decorate the cookies with powdered sugar, royal icing, melted chocolate, sprinkles, or a simple sugar glaze.
You can also divide the dough and add a little food coloring to create colorful cookies for holidays and celebrations.
Helpful Tips
Use softened butter rather than melted butter for the best texture.
Don’t add too much flour when rolling the dough, as this can make the cookies tough.
For evenly shaped cookies, chill the dough whenever it becomes too soft to handle.
Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
Buttery, delicate, and beautifully simple, these classic sugar cookies are the perfect recipe to keep on hand whenever you want a homemade treat.
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