Sandra Ina Garten Sugar Cookie Recipe is an American biscuit that uses unsalted butter, vanilla extract, and whole milk. These treats have crisp edges and soft centres that hold their shape for icing or sanding sugar.
The first time I made these, I didn’t wait long enough for the dough to get cold. Now I always leave it in the fridge for at least an hour. If you skip this, the butter melts too fast in the oven and your neat shapes will spread into flat puddles.
The vanilla extract is doing more work than you’d think in this dough. Without a good quality extract, the biscuits taste like plain flour and sugar rather than a rich treat. I’ve tried several versions and this one from Ina is the one I keep going back to because the texture stays consistent every time I roll it out.
Ina Garten Sugar Cookie Recipe Ingredients
- 375g (13oz) plain flour
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 225g (8oz) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200g (7oz) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tbsp full-fat milk
- 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Extra plain flour for rolling
How To Make Ina Garten Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Whisk dry ingredients: Add the plain flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl. Stir with a whisk until the raising agent is spread evenly through the flour.
- Cream butter and sugar: Place the butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat on medium speed for 3 minutes. Stop once the mixture looks pale and has a fluffy texture.
- Add egg, milk, and vanilla: Mix in the egg, full-fat milk, and vanilla extract. Beat until the liquid is fully combined and scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula to catch any unmixed butter.
- Combine with dry ingredients: Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the flour mixture. Stop the machine the moment the last white streaks of flour disappear into the dough.
- Chill the dough: Shape the dough into two flat discs and wrap each one tightly in clingfilm. Place them in the fridge for at least 1 hour until the dough feels firm to the touch.
- Roll and cut: Heat your oven to 175°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and line two tins with greaseproof paper. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 1cm (1/4-inch) thickness and cut into shapes.
- Bake until lightly golden: Place the biscuits in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Pull them out when the edges look dry and just starting to turn a light golden colour.
- Cool and set: Leave the biscuits on the tin for 2 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. Wait until they are stone cold before you add any icing or sugar.
Recipe Tips
Use room temperature butter. Take your butter out of the fridge an hour before you start so it creams properly with the sugar. Cold butter creates lumps that cause the biscuits to bake with an uneven surface.
Check your baking powder. Make sure the raising agent is fresh by dropping a pinch into hot water to see if it bubbles. Stale powder will result in a heavy, dense biscuit rather than a light crumb.
Avoid overworking the dough. Only mix until the flour is just incorporated into the wet ingredients. Working the dough too much develops gluten which makes the biscuits tough and bready.
Keep the rolling surface cool. If your kitchen is warm, roll the dough out on a piece of greaseproof paper to prevent it from sticking to the worktop. This makes it easier to lift the shapes without tearing them.
Bake one tin at a time. Place the tin in the centre of the oven to ensure even heat flow around the biscuits. This prevents the bottom of the biscuits from burning before the centres are set.
Store dough in the freezer. You can keep the wrapped discs in the freezer for up to 2 months. Move the dough to the fridge to thaw overnight before you roll and bake.
What To Serve With Sugar Cookies
These biscuits are great for a party tray with fresh berries or a fruit platter. They work well alongside a hot cup of tea or coffee for a simple afternoon break.
Serve them with cold milk or hot cocoa for a classic treat. If you want something richer, use two biscuits to make ice cream sandwiches with vanilla or strawberry ice cream.
How To Store Sugar Cookies
Fridge
Store the baked biscuits in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 5 days. Do not put them in the fridge as the moisture will make the crisp edges go soft.
Reheat
Place a biscuit in the oven at 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2) for 2 minutes if you want that fresh-baked warmth. Avoid the microwave as it turns the sugar structure rubbery and ruins the crunch.
Freeze
Wrap undecorated biscuits in clingfilm and place them in a freezer bag for 1 month. Thaw them on a wire rack at room temperature for an hour before adding any icing or decorations.
Ina Garten Sugar Cookie Recipe Nutrition Facts
Per serving (1 of 24):
- Calories: 160
- Protein: 2g
- Fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 20g
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 70mg
Estimated. May vary based on ingredients and cooking methods.
FAQs
It is not necessary to sift, but whisking the dry ingredients together helps spread the salt and baking powder evenly.
Yes, but you should reduce the added salt in the recipe to a tiny pinch so the biscuits don’t taste savoury.
Let them cool for at least 30 minutes on a wire rack so the icing does not melt and run off the sides.
Ina Garten Sugar Cookie Recipe
Description
Buttery vanilla biscuits with crisp edges and soft centres that hold their shape perfectly after baking.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream the butter and sugar on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy.
- Mix in the egg, milk, and vanilla until fully combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients on low speed until a dough forms.
- Wrap the dough in discs and chill in the fridge for 1 hour.
- Roll out to 1cm thickness on a floured surface and cut into shapes.
- Bake at 175°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) for 8 to 10 minutes until edges are pale gold.
