Glazed Sugar Cookies (with Video)
After getting rave reviews for our glazed gingerbread cookies, I knew I had to make a batch of Glazed Sugar Cookies, too! These gorgeous cookies look like they were purchased at a gourmet bakery but are actually incredibly easy to make.
Glazed Sugar Cookie Recipe
These crunchy little sugar cookies are so incredibly satisfying!
Usually, when I make sugar cookies I make big, pillowy sugar cookies, for these cookies I wanted crunchy (not crispy) sugar cookies that just melt-in-your-mouth. The snappy bite and two-bite size of these cookies make them so addictive, you can totally be forgiven if you end up eating several of these in one sitting. (I know I did!)
The simple vanilla sugar cookie glaze is an absolutely essential component of this recipe. The sugar cookie glaze is not only delicious, it gives the cookies a pretty, glossy appearance and emphasizes the designs left from the cookie presses or cookie stampers.
The swirled cookie dough is a great way to use up leftover dough from other sugar cookie recipes. (Like the red and plain cookie dough used in our peppermint pinwheel cookies.) You can use any combination of colors to make your pretty, swirly dough – or you can just stick to one color, if desired.
You can use this base sugar cookie method to make sugar cookies for any occasion – just swap out your cookie stampers! My daycare kids would love these dinosaur cookie stampers, and I think I might order this set that covers a variety of holidays and seasons.
Can this cookie dough be frozen?
The unbaked dough or the baked cookies can be frozen for up to a month. Some people may say that the cookie dough can be frozen for up to three months, but you will see a quality loss around the 2 month mark.
Check out our quick video to see how to make these glazed sugar cookies – and then don’t forget to scroll down to grab your free printable recipe:
Glazed Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, room temperature
- White Sugar
- Large Egg, room temperature
- Vanilla Extract
- Almond Extract <– this secret ingredient gives these sugar cookies an amazing flavor profile
- All-purpose Flour, plus more for rolling
- Baking Powder
- Cream of Tartar <– I buy the big container or from a bulk store as those little jars are so expensive! You can also use to make snickerdoodle cookies or homemade play dough!
- Salt
- Red food coloring <– this set of food coloring has lasted me forever and I love that it creates highly saturated colors with just a drop
For the Sugar Cookie Glaze:
- Powdered Icing Sugar
- Warm Water
- Butter, melted
- Vanilla Extract, optional
Scroll down to the printable recipe card for full measurements.
Tip: swap out the almond extract for additional vanilla extract, if desired.
Kitchen Tools You May Find Helpful
- Electric mixer <– this is a great hand mixer if you don’t want to make the investment into a stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
- Push Cookie Cutters <– this is how you create those super cute impressed cookies
- Cooling racks <– I have and love these tiered cooling racks, they save so much counter space and are also oven-safe
- Cookie Sheets
- Rolling pin
How to Make Sugar Cookie with Sugar Cookie Glaze
In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and optional peppermint extract until combined.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.
Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
Divide dough in half and dye half red with the food dye.
On a clean floured surface, place small balls of each color of dough in a random pattern.
Use a floured rolling pin to roll the doughs together. You may want to fold and re-roll a couple times to get the marbled effect you desire.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 350F and remove the dough from the fridge.
Line or grease 2 cookie sheets.
Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes and place on prepared cookie sheet.
Bake for 4-6 minutes, until lightly browned and set on the edges.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Glaze
Allow cookies to cool completely before preparing the glaze.
In a wide bowl, combine all glaze ingredients and stir well until no powdered sugar lumps remain.
Dip each cookie into the glaze and allow the excess glaze to run off.
Place the cookies back on the cooling rack or cookie sheet and allow to dry for 1-2 hours before attempting to store or serve.
Pin this Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe with Homemade Sugar Cookie Glaze:
Grab your free printable for our glazed sugar cookies recipe:
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Glazed Sugar Cookies
Crunchy, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies with a super simple sugar cookie glaze - these cute little sugar cookies look like they were purchased at a gourmet bakery but are deceptively simple to make.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Red food coloring
For the Sugar Cookie Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered icing sugar
- 1-2 Tablespoons warm water
- 1 Tablespoon butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Beat in the egg, vanilla extract and optional peppermint extract until combined.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar and salt.
- Beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture.
- Divide dough in half and dye half red with the food dye.
- On a clean floured surface, place small balls of each color of dough in a random pattern.
- Use a floured rolling pin to roll the doughs together. You may want to fold and re-roll a couple times to get the marbled effect you desire.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350F and remove the dough from the fridge.
- Line or grease 2 cookie sheets.
- Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes and place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake for 4-6 minutes, until lightly browned and set on the edges.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before preparing the glaze.
- In a wide bowl, combine all glaze ingredients and stir well until no powdered sugar lumps remain.
- Dip each cookie into the glaze and allow the excess glaze to run off.
- Place the cookies back on the cooling rack or cookie sheet and allow to dry for 1-2 hours before attempting to store or serve.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
60Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 45Total Fat: 3gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 25mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 0g
Sugar, Spice and Glitter uses an auto-generate nutrition calculator. Nutrition information isn’t always accurate unless analyzed in a scientific lab, so these should be considered more of a guideline than medical information.
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