Stamped Cookies #21 - Sugar Cookie Recipe from Preppy Kitchen

Sugar Cookies - made dough August 23, 2022 from Preppy Kitchen

Baked version 

4 cups (480 g), sifted
1/3 cup (40 g) cornstarch

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 cup unsalted butter

1 cup (200 g) sugar

2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Sift flour, cornstarch and salt in a large bowl, whisking to combine.
2. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs and mix to combine, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl to keep mixture even textured. Add vanilla extract and mix to combine.
3. Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not overmix. Divide dough into thirds and roll each third between two sheets of parchment paper. Chill 10-15 minutes until dough is slightly firm but still malleable.
4. In a small bowl, combine equal parts flour and powdered sugar. Once dough is chilled, sprinkle a rolling mat with a little flour-sugar mixture and roll out dough with a rolling pin to desired thickness. Lightly brush cookie stamps with flour-sugar mixture. Press dough with cookie stamps and cut out desired shapes. Place cut out cookies in freezer while oven preheats.
5. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Evenly space cookies and bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size and thickness of your cookies. Let rest on baking sheets for several minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

Unbaked version

Another recipe I found in the files of the Molded Cookies of the World Facebook group and another winner in terms of keeping the impressions from my cookie stamps. Any deficiencies were more mine, i.e. not pressing evenly or hard enough with the whole stamp rather than the recipe's. I haven't stamped cookie dough regularly in awhile so it took a few tries. 

But as you can see, this is another good recipe for stamping. They didn't keep the impressions quite as crisply as the ones I used for my Snoopy stamps; however, these were softer and less crisp so I think I prefer them for mailing in care packages.

Although they're labeled sugar cookies, they're not actually that sweet. The cornstarch allows for a softer texture but there isn't so much that it makes the cookies dry or bland. However, be sure to use fresh butter and real vanilla extract. I also added some vanilla bean paste to amp up the vanilla flavor.

I do recommend chilling this for at least 15-20 minutes, just long enough for the dough to be firm enough to handle but still malleable enough to take a stamped impression well. If your dough is too soft, not only will it stick to your stamps but it will also be more apt to become misshapen when you try to transfer the stamped and cut out cookies (ask me how I know). Additionally, you’ll want to cover and chill or freeze these before you bake them to help keep the impressions intact.