Hey, everyone!
I am completely new to cookie decorating and am having issues with my sugar cookie dough. The recipe I am using is 6 cups of flour, 2 cups of butter, 2 eggs, 2 tsp vanilla and I think that is all. But by the time I add the 5th cup of flour it gets all crumbly. Than when I try to roll it out it crumbles a lot. 
Should I be adding less flour? I have tried 2 recipes now and it has happened both times. Any advice would be much appreciated.
Jessica
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Er, 6 cups of flour to 2 cups of butter and 2 eggs... yep, I'd say it's a bit too much flour 
As I'm from Germany I don't work with cups but gramms, but still, the usual cookie dough is more like 1 part butter, 2 parts flour, 1 egg, 1 part sugar. More or less.
You don't use sugar at all?
Woops Yes there is sugar in there too haha, 2 cups of sugar. Thank you so much! At 4 cups of flour it looked good so maybe I will give that a try. Thank you so much for you help 
How are you measuring your flour or could the flour be compressed? The way I know my dough is done is the sides of the bowl. When most of the dough has pulled from the side of the bowl I have the right amount of flour. My recipe is very similar to your recipe, except I use 2 eggs and 2 tablespoons of vanilla. You could also be missing moisture, plus eggs help bind the dough. When you roll out the dough use equal parts flour and powdered sugar. Your dough will be less dry. One more thing, I use 2 teaspoons of baking powder, which I add before the flour. I was told baking powder binds to flour, so adding first makes for more even mixing. Good luck and let us know what happens!
I started weighing my flour to make sure I wasn't getting too much or too little. I weigh the sugar too. I bought this Escali kitchen scale on Amazon and I use it for so many things. http://www.amazon.com/Primo-Di...escali+kitchen+scale
I'm with Laegwen; I think the flour to fat ratio is probably too high. My sugar cookie recipe has ratios more in line with what Laegwen stated. And as others have said, weighing is always the best way to ensure consistency from batch to batch once you have a working formula.
I've been using my recipe for 1992 and there have been two occasions that my dough was too dry. One time I tapped the flour down and the other my eggs were too small. I'm still using the same recipe. . . . lesson learned.
when i first saw that ratio i did a double take im with julia laegwen and econ good that you got the scale thats the only way for me add flour gradually hold back some of the flour to knead in if needed otherwise you can use the leftover flour for dusting
That's super close to my recipe. Be sure you wait for the butter to warm up enough before you start mixing. ...and that your eggs are room temp. Do you do butter and sugar, then eggs and vanilla to that, then the flour? Would love to hear if everyone's advice helps you out. Aren't we lucky to be able to come here to ask all our questions and get so much wonderful inspiration?
