The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe

This cookie recipe is great for any party, bake sale or holiday, especially Christmas! Change the frosting color or sprinkle colors for any holiday. The vanilla almond flavor makes it better than any other sugar cookie recipe!


The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies - updated November 2020


The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies on a wire rack



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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies holiday with milk


This is my absolute favorite sugar cookie recipe! 

Our family first started using this recipe when my sister Shannon was pregnant with my nephew, which is almost 17 years ago! 

The recipe was found in a Taste of Home magazine and it was titled "Baby Shower Sugar Cookies". How perfect for a new baby on the way. We made them for her baby shower and they were a hit!

Ever since then, I've made them quite regularly for Christmas cookies, or just because we love them. 

We love frosting them with white or colored frosting and some sprinkles on top! You can also sprinkle some plain or colored sugar on top before baking if you prefer them without frosting.

The vanilla and almond flavoring together is delicious and they turn out great every time!

Well, except once when my sister Shantel and I used the wrong ingredient. Baking powder, cream of tartar, salt and baking soda should never mistaken for one another. Disastrous!

We had to make another batch asap since those ones were a flop! We still ended up eating all the delicious cookies, it just took a little longer to get there!


The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies with colored sprinkles and milk



What are the ingredients in this recipe?

  • Almond Extract: This is defintely my favorite of all extracts. It's made of alcohol, water and bitter almond oil. Pure almond extract has a strong, sweet flavor that goes great with cherry, vanilla, chocolate, coffee flavors. You can try making it homemade or use store bought.
  • Butter: A dairy product consisting of approximately 80% butterfat and made from the fat and protein components of milk or cream. Most commonly made from cow's milk, but can also be made from sheep, goat, yak, or buffalo milk.
  • All purpose flour: It's a combination of hard and soft wheats. Bleached flour provides a softer texture. It's versatile and you can bake most anything with it!
  • Vanilla extract: this extract is made from vanilla bean pods soaked in water and alcohol. Try using pure vanilla extract instead of imitation. This is the most common extract used in American desserts and I put it in pretty much anything sweet, Use store bought or make your own here!
  • Baking soda: Also known as Sodium bicarbonate or bicarbonate of soda. It requires an acid and a liquid to become activated and helps baked goods rise. It can also help remove tough stains, eliminate foul odors, and clean difficult areas like the oven, microwave, and tile grout. Unopened, baking soda will remain shelf stable until the best-by date on the box, generally 2 years. Once opened, a box of baking soda should be used within six months because it loses its potency and power.
  • sugar
  • egg
  • all purpose flour
  • cream of tartar


Recipe tips:

  • Prepare your dough in advance and freeze it. This is a time saver during the holiday season. 
  • Once the cookies are completely cooled, freeze them on a sheet pan, and once frozen, transfer to a freezer safe container. Thaw them on a flat surface, then frost or serve as is.
  • If you're rolling out the dough to use cookie cutters, don't skimp on the refrigeration time. This allows the dough to stiffen, which makes it easier to roll out. Use a large piece of parchment paper, tape down the corners, lightly flour and roll the dough in small batches about the size of a softball, on that surface. Always roll out from center to edge. 
  • I always bake one sheet at a time in the center rack of the oven. Have an extra baking sheet available, so you can have the next batch ready to go in the oven.




The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies holiday on a wire rack



Other sugar cookie recipes you may like:


This recipe is ready in these steps:

  • In a bowl, cream butter and sugar
  • Add egg, beat well 
  • Beat in extracts 
  • In a bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cream of tartar
  • Gradually add to the wet mixture 
  • Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes
  • Preheat oven
  • Roll dough into balls
  • Set on parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand
  • Bake until edges are slightly browned
  • Cool on a wire rack and decorate with frosting and sprinkles



Full recipe below


The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies with hand


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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies Christmas sprinkles on a plate

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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies stacked with colored sprinkles



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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies christmas on a wire rack


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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies
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The Best Vanilla Almond Frosted Sugar Cookies

Yield: about 5 dozen
Author: Hot Eats and Cool Reads
Prep time: 40 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 50 Min

Ingredients

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar. 
  2. Add egg, beat well. Beat in extracts. 
  3. In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda and cream of tartar. 
  4. Gradually add to the wet mixture. 
  5. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before using.
  6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. 
  7. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, set on parchment lined baking sheet and flatten slightly with the palm of your hand leaving 1-2 inches between each cookie. 
  8. Bake for about 10 minutes or until edges are slightly browned.
  9. Cool on a wire rack and decorate with frosting and sprinkles.

Notes:

The good thing about sugar cookie dough is that you can actually prepare it in advance and freeze it. This is a huge time saver during the holidays. 


Once my cookies are completely cooled, I freeze them on a sheet pan, and once frozen, I transfer them to a freezer-safe container. When I want to pull some out to frost and serve, I thaw them flat on a baking sheet.


If you're rolling out the dough to use cookie cutters, don't skimp on the refrigeration time. This allows the dough to stiffen, which in turn makes it easier to roll out. Use a large piece of parchment paper, tape down the corners, lightly flour and roll the dough in small batches about the size of a softball, on that surface. Always roll out from center to edge. 


I always bake one sheet at a time in the center rack of the oven. Have an extra baking sheet available, so you can have the next batch ready to go in the oven.

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Comments

  1. I'm drooling as I read the directions. These look delish!

    Thanks for sharing! It's starred in my reader!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Coming over to visit from Miz Helen's. This looks wonderful! Feel free to stop by and link it up with my "Try a New Recipe Tuesday." I'd love to have you join us! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Replies
    1. Thank you for sharing at All My Bloggy Friends last week, Sheena. I look forward to seeing what you share this week :)

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  4. These are so cute!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Those look really good with the sprinkles. I haven't had sugar cookies in years because I'm too lazy to make them, yet they are one of my favorite cookies. Thanks for sharing the recipe you like best!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sheena,
    YUM! Sugar cookies are the BEST! My favorite kind of cookie by far, especially if they're frosted :) Thanks so much for linking up to Creative Thursday. Can’t wait to see what you share next week! Have a wonderful weekend.
    Michelle

    ReplyDelete
  7. Sheena,
    We just love a great Sugar Cookie and I always want mine frosted. Thank you so much for celebrating TWO YEARS with FULL PLATE THURSDAY, I appreciate your visit!
    Come Back Soon
    Miz Helen

    ReplyDelete
  8. nice looking cookies, mine didnt come out looking as good as yours.
    http://thegoodsalad.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  9. They look so so lovely! I will try this one for sure, since mine for sure don't look that beautiful :)
    Thank you so much for sharing this at Wednesday Extravaganza - Hope to see you there again next week with more deliciousness :)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Lovely Sheena! Thanks for sharing at Foodie Friends Friday! Please come back Sunday and and vote your favorites!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Oh my goodness, Sheena. These look amazing. I love a good sugar cookie. Thanks for linking up to Tasty Thursdays. I'm back from vacation and will start a new party tonight. Thanks, Nichi - The Mandatory Mooch

    ReplyDelete

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