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Ok so this is my personal recipe I came up with after much trial and error. These sugar cookies are very soft and absolutely delicious! I made at least two dozen because they're so good. And it's all homemade!

It's ridiculous how store-bought sugar cookies have such a long ingredient list with so many chemicals and preservatives you can't even pronounce. Such a turn off, and an immense disappointment, when I tried to enjoy sugar cookies, only to learn that I can't buy them because of the toxic ingredients. This is why I bake my own desserts instead of buying chemical-laden ones from the store.

Anyways, the recipe! Ohh, these sugar cookies are the bakery quality ones! You know, the kind you get from fancy bakery shops. They're soft and delicious! I modified from the original recipe because I wanted them very soft, and I learned a secret for soft cookies.

I have cookie cutters to make cookies shaped like butterflies, a castle, and a Phoenix. But you can make them any shape you want! I just make mine Iredescent style :)

Enjoy! ✨

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✨Ingredients for the Cookies ✨

~ 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) shifted, all-purpose flour
~ 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
~ 1/4 teaspoon salt
~ 1 teaspoon cinnamon, optional
~ 3/4 cup (170g) unsalted, softened butter
~ 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
~ 2 large eggs
~ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
~ 1 teaspoon almond extract
~ 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (the secret for very soft cookies!)

✨ For the Icing ✨

~ Buttercream icing! Just 1/2 stick butter, 1 bag powdered sugar, and a little milk. I added purple powder to make light purple icing
~ Edible glitter ✨

✨ Instructions for Cookies: ✨

~ Whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

~ In a large bowl, using a handheld or a stand mixer (I use my beautiful lilac purple KitchenAid mixer), beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add 1 egg, vanilla, and almond extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.

~ Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low until combined. The dough will start to look like cereal puffs. Add 1 egg (the second one) and mix slowly to make it into actual cookie dough. Dough will be a bit soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add 1 more Tablespoon of flour.

~ Divide the dough into 2 equal parts. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper, a lightly floured silicone baking mat, or a wooden bamboo board. Personally, I use a wooden bamboo board that doesn't slide but stays on the table.

~ With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick. Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Cover with plastic wrap or zip it in a ziplock bag, then refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days, or chill in a freezer for at least 30 minutes. You don't have to chill the cookies, but it kind of makes a difference if they're chilled for at least 30 minutes.

~ While the cookie dough is chilling, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).

~ Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough.

~ Arrange cookies on baking sheet. Bake for 11-12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

✨ Icing ✨

~ 1/2 stick softened butter (make sure it's not melted!)
~ 1 1/2 bag powdered sugar
~ 1 Tablespoon gel paste powder, purple color
(I get food coloring from TundesCreations on Etsy, the TruColor brand. They have them in many colors, including red and purple. I never do artificial food coloring)

✨ Instructions for Icing: ✨

~ Mix the butter and powdered sugar in the mixer at high speed. Add the purple powder to make the icing a light purple color. If it's not smooth and fluffy, add a little splash of milk. Let stand after mixing. The icing needs to set before placing it on the cookies.

~ Now the fun part: decorating! I decorate with edible glitter. You can find really cool iridescent ones on Amazon. Mine are the NiHome luster dust brand.

~ Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for gifting. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days when covered tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days.

✨ Notes ✨

~ If the dough is sticky, add flour!
~ If the dough is dry and looks like cereal, add an egg!

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These butterfly-shaped sugar cookies with light purple icing were inspired by the story, The Incandescent. I actually mention them in the story ✨