Description
These Sugar Plum Fairy Cookies are a delightful holiday treat featuring warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, combined with a buttery, soft texture and a dusting of powdered sugar for a festive finish. Perfect for sharing during the holiday season or as a sweet everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- Pinch of salt
Topping
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the perfect baking temperature before the cookies go in.
- Cream butter and sugars: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until the mixture becomes light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step helps to create a tender cookie texture.
- Incorporate eggs and vanilla: Add the eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture, followed by the vanilla extract. Beat until everything is well combined and smooth.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and a pinch of salt to evenly distribute the spices and leavening agent.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can result in tough cookies.
- Shape the cookies: Using a spoon or cookie scoop, drop rounded mounds of dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them adequately to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Place the baking sheets in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Keep an eye on them to prevent overbaking.
- Cool and dust: After baking, let the cookies cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely. Once cool, dust generously with powdered sugar to add a sweet, snowy finish.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier creaming with sugars.
- Do not overmix the dough after adding the flour to keep the cookies tender.
- Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute all-purpose flour with a gluten-free baking flour blend.
