Americas Best Brown Sugar Cookie Recipes

BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat brown sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla extract together in a bowl using an electric mixer until smooth and creamy.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Stir flour mixture into butter mixture until dough is fully combined.
• Pour confectioners' sugar onto a large plate. Spoon dough, 1 1/2 teaspoons per cookie, onto confectioners' sugar and roll to coat. Arrange coated dough on a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until edges are lightly browned, 12 to 14 minutes. Cool cookies on baking pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

AMERICA'S BEST BROWN SUGAR COOKIE

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to middle and heat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
• 2. Heat 10 tablespoons of butter in 10 inch skillet (not non-stick if possible, they make it harder to judge when butter is browned). Swirl melted butter over heat until it is dark golden brown and smells nutty, 1 to 3 min. Transfer butter to heatproof bowl. Add remaining 4 tablespoons of butter into hot butter to melt. Set aside for 15 min.
• 3. Combine granulated sugar and 1/4 cup brown sugar and a dash of salt in a shallow bowl. Set aside.
• 4. Whisk the flour, soda, baking powder,together in a medium bowl.
• 5. Stir the remaining 1 3/4 brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in to the cooled butter until evenly combined. Add the egg, yolk, and vanilla and mix until fully incorporated, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the flour mixture, mix until just combined, about 1 min.
• 6. Working with a small cookie scoop, 2 inches, or 2 tablespoons of dough, roll the dough into balls. Working in batches, roll the balls in the reserved sugars and place them on prepared baking sheets, about 2 inches apart.
• 7. Bake cookies, ONE sheet at a time, until browned slightly around the edges, set but soft in the center, rotating the sheet half way through the baking time. In my oven it is 11 minutes. Do not overbake as they become crisper when cooling. They do not look quite done. Bake only a few if you want to to try out your oven and timing. I always turn cookie sheets in the middle, all cookies.
• 8. Cool the cookies for 5 min. on sheet then transfer to a wire rack and cool to room temp. if you can! Bake next batch the same way, turning in the middle. The cookies keep 3 days in air tight container. We never get to the second day.

GRANDMOTHER'S BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C).
• Cream together the sugar, shortening and eggs. Add vanilla and mix well.
• In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add to brown sugar mixture and stir until it is a soft dough.
• Roll out, cut with cookie cutters and bake for 8 to 10 minutes.

BROWN SUGAR COOKIES

Steps:

• For the cookies: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the brown sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes; beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Add the flour mixture and mix on medium-low speed until completely incorporated. Divide the dough in half, pat into 2 discs about 1/4 inch thick, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour and up to overnight.
• Position oven racks in the top and bottom thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to make rolling easier. Roll out 1 disc of dough at a time between 2 pieces of parchment paper until 1/8 inch thick. Cut out shapes with the cookie cutters and arrange about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake until the cookies are golden brown on the bottom, 10 to 12 minutes. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets until firm enough to transfer to a wire rack; let cool completely.
• Gently gather any scraps into a ball and press into a disc; wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate the disc until firm enough to roll, about 1 hour. Cut out as many cookies as possible and bake.
• For the royal icing: Beat the confectioners' sugar, meringue powder and 1/3 cup water with an electric mixer in a large bowl until stiff peaks form. Beat in the food coloring if using. (The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.)
• Decorate the cookies with the icing; top with decorating sugar and sprinkles if using.