Easy Ways to Make Decadent Sugar Cookies Without Baking Powder

Love sugar cookies but allergic to baking powder? Try these mouth-watering tasty treats without using any baking powder!

Nothing can beat the smell of freshly baked cookies! Of all the cookies, sugar cookies are probably the most loved by all. They are a delight for people of any age. With all the different shapes, flavors and colorful icing, who can say no to cookies? But the best thing about them is that, they are easy to make and they only need a handful of ingredients which are easily available in the pantry.

Now, one of the important ingredients in all sugar cookies is baking powder. But baking powder contains cornflour and aluminum, which many people are allergic to. However, it is not impossible to make sugar cookies without using baking powder. Here are some recipes that you can try the next time you have a craving for cookies.

Sweet Lavender Sugar Cookies
Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, 2 cups
• Unsalted butter, 1 cup (softened)
• Sugar, ⅔ cup
• Culinary lavender flowers, 1 tablespoon (fresh or dried)
• Vanilla extract, 1½ teaspoons
• Salt, ⅛ teaspoon
• Sanding sugar or sprinkles for decorating

Method
Grind the lavender flowers and the sugar with a mortar and pestle or a food processor. Now, combine butter and lavender-sugar mix in a bowl. Beat them together with an electric mixer or wooden spoon till the paste becomes light and fluffy. Add the flour, vanilla extract and salt. Blend till the dough is soft, but not sticky. Separate the dough into two balls and wrap them in a plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours.

Preheat the oven to 325 °F and line the baking sheet with greaseproof paper. Remove the plastic wrap and roll out one dough ball at a time. Sprinkle some flour on the rolling surface so that the dough does not stick. Roll the dough to a thickness of about ¼ inch and use cookie cutters to get the desired shape. Place them in the baking sheet and sprinkle some sanding sugar and refrigerate for another 10 minutes.

Bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes or until they are lightly golden. Cool them in a wire rack and savor the delicious freshly baked sugar cookies.

Cheat’s Sugar Cookies
Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, 1¾ cups (sifted)
• Sugar, 1 cup
• Unsalted butter, 1 cup (softened)
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon

Method
Mix the sugar, butter, and vanilla extract in a blender. Once they are blended well, add the flour slowly. Add it till the mixture begins to stiffen up. Use the leftover flour to sprinkle on the rolling surface. Roll the dough to a thickness of ½ inch and cut them in the shapes of your choice. Spread the cookies in a lined baking sheet.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and bake for 10 to 15 minutes till the edges turn slightly golden. Remove from oven and let it cool. If you want to frost them with icing, wait till they are completely cooled. This ‘four ingredients cookie’ is the easiest cookie you can ever make, without having to compromise with the taste.

Sweet Cookies
Ingredients

• Flour, 2¾ cups
• Granulated Sugar, 1¾ cups
• Unsalted butter, 8 ounces
• Egg, 1 (large)
• Vanilla extract, 2 teaspoons
• Salt, ½ teaspoon
• Sprinklers, for decorating

Method
Beat butter and sugar in a mixer till the mix becomes absolutely light and fluffy. Now, add the egg and vanilla extract. Add the flour and salt till everything is combined. Use two big pieces of parchment paper to roll out the dough. This ensures that the dough does not stick. Roll it into a thickness of ½ inch. Use cookie cutters to make the shapes and transfer them to a lined baking sheet. If the cookies seem to be too soft, just keep them in the refrigerator for 30 minutes. Cover with the parchment paper to prevent them from becoming dry.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Once the cookies are firm enough, bake them for 13 to 15 minutes or until slightly golden in the edges. Remove from the baking sheet and let them cool. You can add a fun element by decorating the cookies with some colorful sprinklers.

Zesty Sugar Cookies
Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, 4 cups
• Unsalted butter, 1 cup
• Granulated sugar, 1 cup
• Egg yolks, 2 (large)
• Chinese five-spice powder, 2 tablespoons
• Orange zest, 1 tablespoon (finely grated)
• Salt, ¼ teaspoon
• Decorating sugar

Method
Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and then add the five-spice powder, orange zest and salt. Slowly, add the flour and blend till the dough comes together. Divide the dough into 4 balls and wrap with a plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.

Preheat the oven to 350 °F and line the baking sheet with parchment paper. Now, roll the dough balls into ¼ inch thick sheet and cut out the desired shapes. Chill the cookies for about 10 to 15 minutes, if you want to get a defined shape once they are baked. Sprinkle the decorative sugar and bake them for 10 minutes. Remove from the baking sheet and let them cool. Finally, enjoy these tasty delights with your afternoon tea.

Cookies with Cream Cheese
Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, 2¼ cups
• Butter, 1 cup
• Sugar, 1 cup
• Cream cheese, 3 ounces (softened)
• Egg yolk, 1
• Almond extract, ½ teaspoon
• Vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon
• Salt, ¼ teaspoon

Method
Blend all the ingredients except the flour, until smooth. Now, stir in the flour and mix well. Once the dough comes together, wrap it in a plastic wrap and chill overnight.

Preheat the oven to 375 °F and roll the chilled dough into a thickness of ½ inch. Cut it into shapes and place them on a baking sheet. Remember to use only chilled cookie dough or else it will be sticky and messy. If you want to decorate the cookies, brush them with some egg white and stick desired candy sprinkles. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes until they are lightly brown. For frosting, make sure they are completely cool.

‘Shot of Cherry’ Cookies
Ingredients

• All-purpose flour, 2¼ cups
• Butter, 1 cup (softened)
• Powdered Sugar, 1 cup
• Maraschino cherries, ½ cup (chopped)
• Chocolate covered cherries, 36
• Maraschino cherry juice, 2 teaspoons
• Almond extract, ¼ teaspoon
• Granulated sugar, for sprinkling on the cookies

Method
Preheat the oven to 325 °F. Using the paddle attachment in your stand mixer, beat the butter till it is creamy. Now, reduce the speed to its lowest setting; slowly add the sugar, cherry juice, and almond extract. Blend till everything is combined properly. Add the flour one spoon at a time, all this in the lowest speed setting. Once all the flour has been added, mix the cherries and increase the speed to medium.

Remove the flour and cherry dough, and make 1 inch balls and place them in a baking sheet. Remember to keep some space between the balls as they will spread when baked. Press each ball in the center with your thumb and sprinkle some granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for 12 to 15 minutes or till they are slightly browned in the bottom. Take them out of the oven and press a chocolate covered cherry in the center. If you want, you can leave the stem of the cherry intact.
Making sugar cookies without using baking powder is not very difficult and certainly not impossible. You can try the above ideas as they are easy to make. Also, these cookies do not require tons of ingredients and still taste yummy. However, sugar cookies are best savored with some icing on it. That’s why, we have provided you with a simple icing recipe.

Simple Vanilla Icing
Ingredients

• Powdered sugar, 2 cups
• Water warm, 2½ tablespoons
• Vanilla extract, 1 teaspoon
• Orange juice or lemon juice, 1 teaspoon
• Food coloring, if desired

Method
Combine the sugar and warm water to achieve the desired consistency. Add vanilla extract and orange juice or lemon juice. If you want to tint the icing, keep the icing in separate bowls and add the food coloring. Spread the icing on the cookies and keep them aside till they are completely dry.
Sugar cookies are so yummy, that you don’t even have to coat them in any icing. If you are in a hurry and want to indulge in some freshly baked cookies, then skip the icing (read: waiting) and simply dip them in melted chocolate. Trust me, they taste divine!

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