These Pan Banging Sugar Cookies have amazing chewy, almost caramel like centers, while the edges are delightfully crisp. Drizzle of browned butter glaze and some sprinkles to bring it from great to fabulous, an everyday cookie to "let's celebrate"!!! I guarantee you anyone can make these cookies!
3-4tablespoonswateror replace 1 tablespoon with vanilla extract or maple syrup
Instructions
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, plop in your room temp butter and beat for 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy, scrape down sides of bowl and beater. Add 1 ½ cups of sugar. I use all natural cane sugar, so I beat it a bit longer to break down the granules further. If using white sugar, beat for 2 minutes on medium-high, if using natural cane sugar, beat on medium-high for 4 minutes until creamy, light and fluffy. Scraping down sides of bowl occasionally.
Add egg, vanilla and water, mixing on medium-high for 1-2 minutes until incorporated and fluffy, scrape sides. Add all-purpose flour, baking soda and salt; mixing on low until combined. Scrape sides and beater blade and mix again for a few seconds to combine. Dough will be sticky.
In a small bowl, pour in remaining sugar about heaping ¼ cup. Using a medium cookie scoop (or large*), scoop dough into balls and roll in sugar. Continue with half your batter, placing dough balls on a parchment lined cookie sheet. Place dough balls in freezer for 10 minutes.
Preheat oven to 350° and prepare 3-4 cookie sheets, lining with parchment paper. Repeat scooping, rolling in sugar process with balance of cookie dough, place in freezer. Place cookies about three or more inches apart on half sheet pan prepared cookie sheet. No more than 6 cookies per pan. If you have smaller cookie sheets, only place 3-4 cookies at time on the cookie sheet to bake.
Place prepared frozen cookie dough balls into oven and bake for 5-6 minutes (for medium scoop) and 6-8 minutes for large cookie scoop; until puffed up in center.
Using an oven mitt, reach in and lift the cookie sheet off the rack a couple of inches and then drop the pan down onto the rack, banging the pan each time. Do this twice.
Return to the oven for 1-2 more minutes and then repeat the banging process. Bake another minute and remove from oven, banging them one last time on the cooling rack. Allow to cool completely on pan to optimize chewiness.
Baking medium scooped (walnut sized) cookies for a total of 7-9 minutes and large scooped cookies for a total of 11-13 minutes.
Keeping dough in freezer between batches, repeat process on cooled cookie sheet.
Cookies are done with edges are slightly golden, they have spread and wrinkly edges are now present. Allowing the cookies to cool completely on the pans will assist in firming the cookies for frosting.
While cookies are cooling, make Browned Butter Vanilla Glaze.
Browned Butter Glaze
In a small saucepan, over medium-low heat melt butter; it will sizzle and pop, swirl it around every once in awhile, when it starts foaming up let it sit on low until foaming subsides, by then your butter should have a nutty aroma and a caramel color. Remove from heat and cool for a few minutes.
In a small mixing bowl, measure powdered sugar and pour in browned butter and water, add a pinch of salt and whisk until smooth and pipeable or spreadable. If it seizes up on you or is too thick, add a teaspoon of water at a time until thin enough to pipe or spread. Whisking well to combine.
Drizzle on with a spoon, or pour glaze into a piping bag (baggies work great too) for piping onto the cookies. Simply snip the end (or corner from a baggie) start small and see how the stream comes out, if too light snip a bit more off until you get the desired amount. Drizzle back and forth and if desired sprinkle with favorite holiday sprinkles, like these darling gingerbread sprinkles or these hot cocoa sprinkles.
These cookies are not just for the holidays, change up your sprinkles and suddenly you have festive year round sugar cookies!
Store cookies in sealed container on the countertop for 2-3 days. For longer storage, freeze and bring to room temperature before serving. If stacking, place wax paper or parchment paper between cookies to preserve frosting or freeze unfrosted and thaw and then frost.
Video
Notes
BAKING HACK | When scooping frosting or in this case pouring your glaze into a piping bag, simply place the bag in a tall, heavy glass (plastic won't work as it's too light), roll down the edges of your piping bag to enlarge the opening and pour or scoop the frosting/glaze inside.If glaze gets too thick, microwave in 10 second bursts until desired consistency again.