1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 egg
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon pure almond extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
6-1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-1/2 tablespoons milk
1 teaspoon pure almond extract
Pink gel food coloring
Directions
Step 1: Cream the butter, oil and sugars
Preheat the oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the butter, granulated sugar, powdered sugar and oil. Cream until well combined and smooth. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients
In a small bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
Step 3: Press the dough
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Form large balls of dough, about three tablespoons each. Roll them into smooth balls and place four or six on the prepared baking sheet so they have plenty of room. Use the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar to press down each ball of dough, keeping them about 1/2-inch thick. Chill the baking sheet for 10 minutes before putting the cookies in the oven. Bake the cookies for eight minutes, remove them from the oven, and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Make the pink frosting
In a mixing bowl with a hand mixer, cream the butter. Mix in two cups of powdered sugar and the milk. Gradually mix in the remaining powdered sugar until the frosting begins to form. Turn the speed up on the mixer to whip the frosting until smooth. Mix in one to two drops of pink food coloring to achieve desired light pink color. Use a flat spatula to generously frost each cookie.
Tips for Making Utah’s Pink Sugar Cookies
Press the cookie dough with a glass
Utah’s pink sugar cookies have a signature look to them, with textured edges. To create this classic look, form large balls of cookie dough. Then, use a glass to press the dough instead of your hand. Dip the bottom of the glass in sugar to help create that textured design.
Don’t bake too long
These cookies aren’t in the oven for very long, and that’s on purpose. To create the perfect texture, pull the cookies out of the oven before they start to turn golden on the edges. Leaving them on the hot baking sheet right out of the oven and allowing them to cool on the baking sheet plays a role in creating that signature soft texture.
Keep them cold
These cookies are soft and dense, and keeping them in the fridge truly does make them that much better. It helps to keep their structure and texture intact while maintaining their delicious flavor.
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