This rich sugar cookie recipe is easy to modify for a host of other delicious treats. See below for two of our favorite variations—Snickerdoodles and Holiday Spice Cookies!

Preparation

Sugar Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda and salt. Set aside. 

In a large mixer bowl, beat butter and sugar together at medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla. Turn mixer down to medium-low speed and gradually add flour mixture until well combined.

Hand-flatten rounded teaspoons of dough into pancakes, or roll dough out to 1/8 inch thick and cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies onto greased cookie sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERBAKE—cookies will set when cooled.

Once cool, decorate with fondant or colored sugar.

Fondant is a 3-to-1 mixture of powdered sugar and water cooked to 235°F and cooled.

For Snickerdoodles:

• ¼ cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons cinnamon 

Combine sugar and cinnamon, and generously sprinkle onto the sugar cookies before baking.

For Holiday Spice Cookies: 

• ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ground allspice

Add above spices to the sugar cookie batter and substitute ½ cup sugar with light brown sugar.