Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe: Cut Out Cookies for Decorating: By far my favorite recipe to use when making cutout sugar cookies, AND they hold their shape!
We all remember my sugar cookie decorating obsession last year, right!? Well since then, you’ve asked for the recipe that I use to make my sugar cookies, and I’m super excited to share it with you!
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe: Cut Out Cookies for Decorating
The sugar cookies taste ah-mazing, and hold their shape after baking. The best of both worlds, really!
Here are some rave reviews on Pinterest of this recipe!
My favorite sugar cookie recipe so far. No need to chill. Yields about 24 cookies…yum! See review.
Jossie Linares
🎄🌟👢😀 success!!! Happy holiday season everyone! See review.
xymenakp
Best Sugar Cookie Recipe:
I use my Kitchenaid mixer to make these bad boys in… even though you don’t have to have one. (Have you seen the super fun Kitchenaid mixer “lift,” that’s installed in my cabinets? BEST decision ever. See it HERE!)
For the full recipe ingredients and instructions, you’ll find the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. However, I’d love to walk you through the step-by-step process with images so you can grab more helpful tips along the way!
Heat your oven to 350 degrees.
Cream the Butter, Sugar and Egg
In your mixer, cream the butter and sugar and then add in the extract/emulsion and egg!
Mix In Dry Ingredients…
In a separate bowl, combine the flour and baking powder, and then slowly add the flour mixture to wet ingredients, until mixed!
“How to Make Sugar Cookies” Tip!
I love using big-white, art paper, to roll my sugar cookies out. It keeps my counter “cleaner,” and I can just roll it up and throw it in the trash when I’m done rolling them out.
Sprinkle a little flour on the paper, that way the cookie dough doesn’t stick!
How to Roll Out Sugar Cookie Dough
There are two different ways you can do this.
Place the dough out on a rolling surface and LIGHTLY sprinkle with flour or powdered sugar, IF necessary, to reduce sticking (too much flour can make the dough crumbly).
2. OR… roll the dough between wax or parchment paper. Place between two pieces of wax or parchment and then there’s no need to dust the dough with flour.
Knead the dough, and roll out (with a rolling pin) to a 1/4 thickness.
Once rolled out, cut cookies in to desired shapes!
No Chill? Refrigeration?
So many sugar cookie recipes require the dough to be chilled before cutting out and baking.
I’ve found that this recipe does NOT need chilled, however… some have stated that they need to and do just to be safe. So it’s completely up to you. If you have time, feel free to chill!
Bake in your 350 degree oven for 6-8 minutes!
Adorable Sugar Cookies for Holidays and Parties
Aren’t those adorable little ice cream cookie cutters? Look at the final result of the ice cream sugar cookies for the ice cream party I styled!
I just love how easy these are to cut out, and especially love how they hold their shape while baking!
Common Sugar Cookie Questions:
If you choose to chill your dough, you can chill it in the freezer for 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.
Are you just starting out with making sugar cookies, and decorating? A tip I like to share is to make a few batches of these sugar cookies, and then freeze them after baking, until you’re ready to use them. This works GREAT if you’re making cookies for a party, and don’t want to wait to make them on party day!
When it comes to decorating, if you want to decorate with sugar, lightly brush the cookies with a solution of one part light corn syrup to two parts water and before it dries, pour the sugar onto the cookie. Then, gently tap the cookie on its side to remove any excess sugar.
New Baking Mat LOVE!
Friends, since writing this post a couple of years ago, a dear friend has introduced me to a new baking mat that makes a HUGE difference in my baking. No non-stick spray needed, and the bottoms of the cookies turn out BEAUTIFUL!
You can buy the baking mat here!
I finally remember where I found this original recipe, and it’s from the lovely Katrina’s Kitchen! The moment I saw her cookies on Pinterest, I saw how perfectly they turned out, and I knew they were the ones I had to try! However, I updated the extracts with butter and vanilla emulsion and almond emulsion, and I’ve REALLY liked how it increased the flavor.
Now… they’re the ONLY sugar cookies I make! Head over there to see all of the cute ideas and recipes that she comes up with!
Ingredients in US measurements.
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe: Cut Out Cookies for Decorating
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon butter vanilla emulsion Can use regular vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond emulsion Can use regular almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees
- Cream the butter and sugar
- Add in extract and egg
- In a separate bowl, combine flour and baking powder
- Slowly add flour mixture to wet ingredients, until mixed
- Place dough out on rolling surface
- LIGHTLY sprinkle with flour, IF necessary, to reduce sticking (too much flour can make the dough crumbly)
- Knead dough, and roll out to a 1/4 thickness
- Cut cookies in to desired shapes
- Bake for 6-8 minutes
Nutrition
Then, if you’d like to dabble in royal icing decorating, then don’t be intimidated. If I can do it, you can do it:
See the whole post on decorating sugar cookies with royal icing!
Here’s to good tastin’ cookies that look like actual shapes!
More Easy Cookie Recipes You’ll Love!
- Cookie Dough Crescent Bites
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The BEST No-Bake Cookie Recipe
- Sugar Cookies with Nutella
- Twix Cookies
- Cookie Cups with Whipped Cream
- Strawberry Shortcake Gooey Butter Cake Cookies
Great, Now I have to try these….Lol! totally counts as “preparing meals for baby,” though right!? Can’t wait to test this out! does freezing the dough change anything about the texture?
Haha!!! You crack me up! You know, I haven’t frozen just the dough. I usually freeze them after I’ve already baked them! I hope that helps!
Do I frost then before or after freezing?
Hi Kerri! I wouldn’t frost before freezing. I’ve never tried it… but afraid that it could sweat too bad during thawing! 🙂
do you need almond extract
Hi Jaqki! I’m sure you can do without it… it just may not have the same flavor as it would with it. But I wouldn’t think it would mess up the cookies from baking correctly!
Thank You! So yes it is February but the cookies came our great! Everyone loved them!
Yay!!! I’m so glad they did!! Thanks for letting me know! XO
I have to say that these cookies rolled out really well. However they didn’t brown around the edges and they don’t have much of a flavor. Not sure I’ll make again.
Aw well I’m sorry they didn’t turn out like you had hoped. Thanks for letting us know what you thought!
Hi Jessica
I have just made this cookie dough but I found the dough really dry and hard to work with. I don’t use white sugar but tourmaline sugar.
Any suggestions on how to make it easier to work with.
I’m not a beginner in the baking area but this is my first from scratch sugar cookie….
Thanks in advance
Mindy
Hi Mindy! Thank you for dropping a comment! I’m sorry they turned out dry and hard to work with! I’m not sure what may have caused that. I’ve never used tourmaline sugar… but not sure if that would make a difference or not. I’ve made them multiple times, and they’ve turned out just fine, so I’m not sure what to suggest to change! But if I find out, I’ll be sure to let you know!
I found this dough needed to be chilled. I could not work with it at all until after I chilled it. The cookies were tasty and held up well to decorating.
Oh good, I’m so glad that they ended up working out for you. It’s good to know that you had to chill them to work with them too! I haven’t had that problem yet, but good to know that it helps if need be! Thank you!!
I love these cookies! This is my first time ever making sugar cookies. They really hold their shape! I’m going to try the emulsions next time for extra flavor. The batter was dry and crumbly at first, I think I over mixed it? I added a little but if milk and that really did the trick. Tomorrow,I tackle royal icing….. Have a wonderful day!
Awww yay! I’m so glad that they turned out for you at the end!! So so happy to hear that. Thank you for coming by and dropping a note!
Just made these for Valentine’s Day and my family loved them! I did have to add some extra water- they were a little dry. Maybe because I live in a high altitude place (Lake Tahoe). King Arthur Flour has a nice Buttery Vanilla flavoring that I used along with almond extract and it was yummy!
Excellent! I’m glad they ended up turning out for you with the extra water!! That could be it! I’ve made them, along with others who live near me, and we haven’t had that problem. So that’s definitely something to look at! Thank you for letting me know!! XO
I have to make cookies for a baby shower and found this recipe. I really loved how easy they were and how they held their shape after baking. Mine also came out dry (also live in high altitude) I put a little sour cream in the dough along with a little orange extract and zest. They really came out awesome. Can’t wait to ice and decorate!
Thank you SO much for sharing the trick of using sour cream, orange extra and zest! That sounds delicious!!! I’m so glad you let us know. XO
I too found the dough to be a little too dry and crumbly making it a bit hard to work with but all in all it worked out and tasted great!
Well shoot. I sure don’t know why this turned out dry and crumbly for some. I hate that too, because I’m not sure what to suggest to help with it, or why it may be doing it.
But I am so glad that they worked out for you and tasted great! I think they do too! Thank you for sharing! XOXO
I just made this recipe for the second time. The dough was very crumbly, so I added a little milk and that helped. The dough is a little harder to work with than other recipes I have used. But the taste… OMG. I live the taste of these cookies!!!
Hi Chris! Oh that’s so good to know!! Thank you so much for sharing. I may make a note to add a little milk if others find it crumbly. I’m still unsure of why it’s crumbly for others since I’ve never had this problem I love hearing what you do to help it! Thank you!
Hi Jessica, I dont use flour to roll my dough I find it makes the cookies a little tough. I use confectioners sugar serves the same purpose as the flour while rolling dough and it does not make the dough sickening sweet. Thank you for a great recipe.
Hi Donna!! That’s a great idea! Love it! Thank you so much!
I was a little confused by your instructions. The recipe itself called for one egg get the instructions kept referring to “eggs”. Is it one egg or more? That could be why it’s crumbly if there’s not enough egg.
Hi Karen! Thank you for letting me know! You’re right… it did say “eggs” in the post quite a bit, but should only be one egg. 🙂 Thanks for the tip! I’ve edited the post to say “egg”. 🙂 Have a great night!
This recipe was awesome. I picked chunks of the dough at a time instead of one big roll out. Then I chilled the dough in between the time I Cutout other cookies, that was perfect. How long can they be stored on the counter though before freezing?
Hi Michelle! So glad that you liked them and thank you for letting us know what you did! I would say 4-5 days would suffice. A week is still probably fine, but I’d want them as fresh as possible! I hope that helps!