Easy Sugar Cookies

• servings: Servings: 34
• active time: 10 minutes
• total time: 25 minutes

Ingredients

1 cup butter , room temperature

2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar , divided

2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour , spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon vanilla (optional, but recommended)

rainbow sprinkles or nonpareils (optional, but recommended)

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, using a handheld electric mixer, beat together the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until combined. (It might be a little gritty – that's ok.)

Add in flour and blend well (then blend in the vanilla, if using.)

After blending the dough, pinch off a bit and press it with your fingers. It should come together very easily and be soft, buttery, and smooth. If it feels crumbly at all, keep kneading it a little.

Using a cookie scoop, scoop out 1-inch size balls, then knead and roll in the palms of your hands until they feel soft and smooth.

Gently roll the balls in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar until lightly coated; transfer to the baking sheets 2 inches apart.

With the bottom of a measuring cup or glass, press down on the balls to flatten. Sprinkle with some nonpareils (if using) and lightly press down again just so they stick. (The dough should end up being between an 1/8-1/4 inch thick, so 3/16 to be exact. They will look pretty small in circumference, but they will spread a bit to a normal size cookie.)

Bake for 14-16 minutes or until just slightly golden around the edges and on the bottom.

Remove form the oven and let rest on the baking sheets for at least 10-15 minutes (don't skip this step!) Then eat or transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!