With crisp edges, thick centers, and room for lots of decorating icing, I know you’ll love these soft cut-out sugar cookies. Use your favorite cookie cutters and try my classic royal icing.
Originally published on my website in 2014, this recipe is a massive fan favorite. You’ll also find the recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
This is my flagship recipe for cut-out sugar cookies. I’ve made them at least 38577 times (imagine all the butter), so I figured it’s time to share new recipe tips, a video tutorial, and more helpful information.
Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookies
- Soft, thick centers with slightly crisp edges
- Irresistible buttery vanilla flavor
- Leave plain or flavor with extras like maple, cinnamon, and more
- Hold their shape
- Flat surface for decorating
- Stay soft for days
- Freeze beautifully
Sugar Cookies Video Tutorial
Overview: How to Make Sugar Cookies with Icing
- Make cookie dough. You only need 7 or 8 ingredients. With so few ingredients, it’s important that you follow the recipe closely. Creamed butter and sugar provide the base of the cookie dough. Flour and egg give the cookies structure, and vanilla extract adds flavor. I almost always add a touch of almond extract for additional flavor and highly recommend that you try it too! Baking powder adds lift, and salt balances the sweet. So many *little ingredients* doing *big jobs* to create a perfect cookie. By the way, I also have a recipe for chocolate sugar cookies!
- Divide in two pieces. Smaller sections of dough are easier to roll out.
- Roll out cookie dough. Roll it out to 1/4 inch thick. If you have difficulty rolling out dough evenly, try this adjustable rolling pin. Speaking from experience—it’s incredibly handy!
- Chill rolled-out cookie dough. Without chilling, these cookie cutter sugar cookies won’t hold their shapes. Chill the rolled-out cookie dough for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Cut into shapes. If you need suggestions for cookie cutters, I love Ann Clark brand. (Not sponsored, just a genuine fan!) Some of my favorites include this heart set, dog bone, snowflake, snowman, leaf, and a pumpkin. I also use and recommend these heart cookie cutters.
- Bake & cool. Depending on size, the cookies take about 11–12 minutes.
- Decorate. See my suggested icings below. I also have a tutorial on how to decorate sugar cookies with even more helpful decorating tips.
Have a little flour nearby when you’re rolling out the cookie dough. Keep your work surface, hands, and rolling pin lightly floured. This is a relatively soft dough.
The Trick Is the Order of Steps
Notice how I roll out the dough BEFORE chilling it in the refrigerator? That’s my trick and you can see me doing it in the video tutorial in this post.
Let me explain why I do this. Just like when you’re making chocolate chip cookies, to prevent the cookies from over-spreading, the cookie dough must chill in the refrigerator. Roll out the dough right after you prepare it, then chill the rolled-out dough. (At this point the dough is too soft to cut into shapes.) If you chill the cookie dough and then try to roll it out, it will be too cold and difficult to work with.
I also divide the dough in half before rolling it out, and highly recommend you do the same. Smaller sections of dough are simply more manageable.
Another trick! Roll out the cookie dough directly on a silicone baking mat or parchment paper so you can easily transfer it to the refrigerator. (Parchment paper will slide around on your counter, so I always place a piece of parchment paper on top of a silicone baking mat to roll the dough without slippage.)
Pick up the sheet of parchment with the rolled-out dough on top, transfer it to a baking sheet, and place it in the refrigerator. You don’t need to make room for two baking sheets in your refrigerator—simply stack the pieces of rolled-out dough on top of each other, with the parchment paper in between.
How Thick Do I Roll Sugar Cookies?
These sugar cookies remain soft because they’re rolled out pretty thick. Roll out the cookie dough to about 1/4 inch thick or just under 1/4 inch thick. Yes, this is on the thicker side and yes, this produces extra thick and soft cookies. If rolling out cookie dough doesn’t sound appealing, try my drop sugar cookies instead.
Sugar Cookie Icing
I have 3 sugar cookie icing recipes, and you can choose whichever works best for you.
- Favorite Royal Icing: This royal icing is my preferred sugar cookie icing because it’s easy to use, dries within a couple of hours, and doesn’t taste like hardened cement. (It’s on the softer side!) I make it with meringue powder. Meringue powder takes the place of raw egg whites, which is found in traditional royal icing recipes. It eliminates the need for fresh eggs, but still provides the same consistency. You can find meringue powder in some baking aisles, most craft stores with a baking section, and online. The 8-ounce tub always lasts me a good while. The trickiest part is landing on the perfect royal icing consistency, but I provide a video in the royal icing recipe to help you.
- Easy Cookie Icing: This easy cookie icing is ideal for beginners. It’s easier to make than royal icing because you don’t need an electric mixer and the consistency won’t really make or break the outcome. However, it doesn’t provide the same sharp detail that royal icing decorations do. It also takes a good 24 hours to dry.
- Buttercream: This cookie decorating buttercream is also excellent for beginners. You can tint it any color you like, flavor it, and spread it on with a knife or use piping tips. It soft-sets after a few hours, meaning you can carefully stack the cookies for storage.
The pictured heart-shaped cookies are decorated with my royal icing using Wilton piping tip #4. If you’re not into piping tips, you can simply dunk the tops of the cookies into the icing, like we do with these mini animal cracker cookies. 🙂
Sugar Cookie Tips & Tools
Before I leave you with the recipe, let me suggest some useful sugar cookie tools. These are the exact products I use and trust in my own kitchen:
- Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer)
- Baking Sheets
- Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Sheets
- Rolling Pin or this Adjustable Rolling Pin
- Food Coloring: Liquid food coloring can alter the consistency of the icing, so I recommend gel food coloring. For the pictured cookies, I used a few drops of dusty rose and 1 drop of sky blue. This Americolor Soft Gel Paste Color Kit is great to have if you do a lot of decorating and want to have a variety of colors on hand.
- Piping Tips/Squeeze Bottle: If you’re using royal icing, I recommend Wilton piping tip #4 for outlining and flooding. This is a wonderful basic piping tip to have in your collection. If you’re using my easy glaze icing, I recommend using a squeeze bottle.
- Piping Bag: If you’re using royal icing and a piping tip, you need a disposable piping bag or reusable piping bag.
- Couplers: Couplers are handy if you have multiple colors of icing and only 1 tip, and need to move the tip to the other bags of icing.
- Cookie Cutters: I like this heart-shaped cookie cutter, but you can use any shape you desire!
For even more recommendations, see this complete list of my favorite cookie decorating supplies.
Here’s What You Can Do With This Dough
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Striped Fudge Cookie Sandwiches
- Snowman Cookies
- Cinnamon Roll Cookies
- Stained Glass Window Cookies
- Valentine’s Day Cookies
- Maple Cinnamon Cut-Out Cookies
- St. Patrick’s Day Cookies
- Easter Cookies
- Fireworks Cookies
And if you’re craving sugar cookies with a little extra tang, try my cream cheese cut-out cookies with Nutella glaze.
Print
Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours (including chilling)
- Yield: 24 3-4 inch cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With crisp edges, thick centers, and room for lots of decorating icing, I know you’ll love these soft sugar cookies as much as I do. The number of cookies this recipe yields depends on the size of the cookie cutter you use. If you’d like to make dozens of cookies for a large crowd, double the recipe. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)*
For Decorating
- Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (royal icing is pictured)
- Assorted sprinkles
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar together on high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough should be soft. If it seems too soft and sticky for rolling, beat in 1 more Tablespoon of flour.
- Divide the dough in half. Place each portion on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use a bit 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 dough portions with flour. (This prevents sticking.) Place the second rolled-out dough portion, still on the parchment paper, on top of the first. Cover the dough tightly and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Carefully remove the top piece of dough from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Gather the scraps, reroll, and continue cutting until all the dough is used. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you reroll.) Repeat with the second piece of dough. Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 11–12 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are very lightly browned and set. If your oven has hot spots, rotate the baking sheets halfway through bake time. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing, easy cookie icing, or cookie decorating buttercream. Feel free to tint any of the icings with gel food coloring. See post above for recommended decorating tools. No need to cover the decorated cookies as you wait for the icing to set. If it’s helpful, decorate the cookies directly on a baking sheet so you can place the entire baking sheet in the refrigerator to help speed up the icing setting.
- Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Once the icing has set, these cookies are great for gifting or shipping. Store plain or iced cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days. If decorated with cookie buttercream, cover and store decorated cookies at room temperature for up to 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Plain or decorated sugar cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Wait for the icing to set completely before layering between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container. To thaw, thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can also freeze the cookie dough (before rolling it out) for up to 3 months. Prepare the dough through step 2, divide in half, flatten each half into a disc (like we do with pie crust), wrap each disc in plastic wrap, place both wrapped discs in a freezer-safe container, and freeze. Thaw the wrapped discs in the refrigerator overnight, then bring to room temperature for about 1 hour. Roll out the dough as directed in step 4, then chill the rolled-out dough in the refrigerator for 1 hour before cutting into shapes and baking.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand Mixer) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Wooden Rolling Pin or Adjustable Rolling Pin | Heart-Shaped Cookie Cutter | Americolor Soft Gel Paste Color Kit | Piping Bags (Disposable or Reusable) | Couplers | Wilton Tip #4 | Squeeze Bottle
- Room Temperature: Room-temperature butter is essential. If the dough is too sticky, your butter may have been too soft. Room-temperature butter is actually cool to the touch. Room-temperature egg is preferred so that it mixes quickly and evenly into the cookie dough.
- Flavors: I love flavoring this cookie dough with 1/4 teaspoon almond extract as listed in the ingredients above. For more flavor, use 1/2 teaspoon. Instead of the almond extract, try using 1 teaspoon of maple extract, coconut extract, lemon extract, or peppermint extract. Or add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or ground cinnamon. If using lemon extract, you can also add 1 Tablespoon lemon zest.
- Icing: Use royal icing, easy cookie icing, or cookie decorating buttercream. See post above to read about the differences.
- Can I Double the Recipe? Yes. Double all of the ingredients and divide the dough into 3 or 4 portions in step 3.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
This is an amazingly delicious cookie! It will be my go to recipe for sugar cookies! I really like the idea of rolling the dough out before it’s chilled! Take it from the frig and cut out the cookies. I think that’s my favorite part of making these cookies, (besides eating them)! Everyone loved them- yum, yum!!
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted for this recipe?
Hi Lexi, if using salted butter you can reduce the added salt in the cookie dough from 1/4 teaspoon to 1/8 teaspoon. Happy baking!
Butter seems to stay solid these days because of the palm iil fed to cows. Will this make a difference?
OMG these cookies look delicious. Thank you so much for this great recipe. Cant wait to make some cookies!!! Btw you are so beautiful!!
Made for a competition at work… won first place.. they are delicious, easy to make, and still taste great 3 days later…
Another family favorite !
These cookies came out amazing! They were delicious, soft, and sweet (but not too sweet)
Needless to say, I will be making them again!
But sally I did encounter a problem I hope you can help me fix! I had a terrible time icing the cookies, as they did not come out flat! They were slightly puffy on top, so the icing dropped off on the sides ! What a mess! For next time, is there a way to prevent them from puffing out? Maybe less baking soda ?
Hi Kristina, make sure you are rolling your cookie dough out and then chilling it! It’s important for the dough to be very cold when going into the oven so that it holds its shape. You can even pop the cutout dough back into the refrigerator for a few minutes before baking to chill them further. Be sure to use baking powder (not soda) too — we don’t recommend reducing the amount. Hope this helps for next time!
Made these last year for the first time and loved them. This year we’re bringing them as a kids activity to a family gathering. If I make the cookies plain a day before is that okay? Are there any tips if I do this? Will it still be okay to ice the cookies the next day? Thank you!
Hi Courtney, you can absolutely do that. Simply store them in an air tight container or ziplock bag overnight. If it’s helpful, we have an entire post dedicated to how to host a cookie decorating party!
Can this recipe work with biscuit stamps or is the dough to soft to maintain the indentation?
Hi Maddy, we’ve used cookie stamps with this recipe with success (the little snowflake cookie toppers from these sugar plum fairy cupcakes were made with cookie stamps).
I’ve made these with regular butter and with lard, for an easy dairy-free option, and they turn out great no matter what! So easy and so good!
I am going to my sister’s house to do a baking day this weekend. Would it be possible to just refrigerate the dough without rolling it out? And then roll it out at her place? Should I take it out of the fridge a little ways before I’m ready to roll it out? Love this recipe, it makes soft cookies! I make my own vanilla extracts, vanilla sugar and vanilla paste so I use a little bit more vanilla in my recipes! ❤️
Hi Stephanie, that should work, it just may take a bit longer to roll out. Be sure to pop the cut cookies back into the refrigerator for a few minutes before baking, since the dough will get warmer as it’s rolled out. Have fun!
Great recipe. Cookies were delicious
This is a perfect cutout cookie recipe! Agree that the almond does enhance the flavor. I made a couple small changes: I used vanilla bean paste plus an extra splash of pure vanilla extract with the almond extract, and I added 1/8 c. of cornstarch. I read in other recipes that this can help make the dough more workable and also help ensure crisp edges. They turned out delicious!!
Delicious!!! Can I freeze the dough for a couple of weeks?
Hi Cat, absolutely. See recipe notes for freezing instructions.
Hello, would i be able to use bakers sugar instead of granulated?
Hi Amanda, we haven’t tried bakers sugar here, but it should be a fine substitute.
I’m hoping to make a gluten and dairy free batch along with a batch as written. I have GF flour, do you have any suggestions for a butter substitute? I was thinking shortening, I just don’t have much experience baking with it.
Hi Kristen, we haven’t tested it ourselves, but you might try a plant-based butter instead. The results may be different but let us know if you give it a try!
HI Sally!!! Looking for a sugar cookie that will hold the definition of a cookie cutter that has a design in it, in this case Super Mario Bros face for my son! Lots of detail and wondering how this recipe will hold the shape of the indents from the cutter. Your recipes have never done me wrong and you have given me SO much confidence in my baking!! Merry Christmas!
Hi Colleen! This recipe should work, as I’ve done something similar with snowflake “stamped” cookie cutters. I recommend chilling the shaped cookies (after cutting them) in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes right before baking. This will help guarantee the faces come out perfectly.
This is a favorite!!
Is it possible to do this recipe in a celiac safe way? (Gluten-free) what flour(s) would you recommend?
Hi Alec, we haven’t tested a gluten free version of this recipe, but some readers report success using a 1:1 gluten free flour blend. If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Can self rising flour be used instead of the all purpose flour, baking powder and salt?
I apologize in advance if you’ve already addressed this question, though I didn’t see it posted in the comments for this particular recipe.
We don’t recommend using self raising flour here. For best results, stick with the all purpose flour + baking powder + salt amounts as written. Hope you enjoy the cookies!
HEY, So I was looking over the reside and noticed that there is not a materials list could you please add one? Thanks,Catie
Hi Catie, a full ingredients list can be found in the gray recipe card towards the bottom of the post. Or, you can use the pink “Jump to Recipe” button at the top of the page, which will take you right there.
This is the best sugar cookie recipe I have ever found. The cookies come out perfect every time and taste delicious. They are are hit with everyone.
Really great cookie recipe!!! I broke down the recipe by half so I could see if this would work for Christmas cookies cards. The flavor is wonderful. Just needed to ask how to make the middle just a little softer? Have you heard to double the yokes and eliminate the whites? Let me know what you suggest. Thanks and Merry Christmas!!
Is there something I can substitute for the egg? I love this recipe but one of my cousins is allergic to eggs.
Hi Melissa, we haven’t tested an egg-free version of these cookies, but let us know if you give anything a try. If you’re interested, here are all of our egg-free recipes.
This is my all time favourite sugar cookie recipe. I make them every year for my sons whole class & his teachers however, this year one of the students in his class is dairy & egg free.
I’ve found an egg replacer & a dairy free butter which I am going to use so I’ll let you know how they go!
They have a great egg replacer at Woolworths, McKenzie’s brand. I’ve used it in many other recipes & it’s great!
Can the recipe be doubled? Or should it be made in two different batches?
Hi Olivia, This dough recipe multiplies well as long as your mixer can handle the volume.
A perennial favorite in our house.
These are the BEST sugar cookies I’ve ever eaten or made!!!
I’m wondering if ithe recipe would work in a shaped cookie pan as well?
Hi Sally
I have noticed that some sugar cookie recipes add cornstarch. Suppose to make a more tender cookie. What is your thought on this?
Hi Rhonda, We do not add it this recipe as the cookies are very soft as written without spreading. We do add it to other cookies like our chocolate chip cookies to keep those extra soft!
As the holiday season begins again and I pull this recipe out (again!) — it stays on my counter through the new year! — I had to write and say thank you. This recipe is a staple in my holiday baking and in the cookie decorating kits I make for friends and family. Thank you Sally!
Hi, how long does this recipie normally take???
Hi Katla, this recipe takes about four hours total, to include prepping, chilling, baking, cooling, and decorating. If you don’t want to do all those steps at once, there are plenty of ways to do this recipe in steps. See make ahead options in the recipe Notes and further detailed notes in the written recipe for more!
Can I make the dough a d chill it without rolling it out?
I have made these many times and absolutely love them! I now have to make a batch that is Gluten free. Can I substitute the flour? Any tips/tricks? Not used to GF baking…Thanks so much for such complete recipes x x x
Hi Carlotta, We are so happy you enjoy this recipe! We haven’t personally tried it, but many readers have reported success using 1:1 gluten free flour substitutes. If you give it a try, we’d love to know how it goes!
Hi, can you add pumpkin spice to the cookies?
Hi Grace, yes! Add 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice.
I absolutely love this recipe and so does anyone who tastes these cookies! I am wondering if they would hold up to being partially dipped in chocolate instead of decorated with royal icing?
Yes, absolutely!
This recipe is great and I use it every year for my cookies for the holidays! Just an extra tip if you’re keeping the cookies at room temperature…if you put a slice of bread in the container with the cookies, the bread will get hard and keep the cookies soft. Just a little something that I learned from my mom when my dad was overseas with the US Navy. We would send him care packages around the holidays and with his cookies she put in a metal tin, she always put a slice of bread so his cookies wouldn’t be hard as bricks by the time they got to the ship. It was funny because some of the other guys noticed that my dad‘s cookies were always soft and they wanted to know what the secret was. When my dad told them it was simply a slice of bread in the package, they all told their wives to please do the same lol
What a cute story. Thanks for sharing!
Hello!
First time making sugar cookies !
I followed directions 100%
When I divided the dough onto parchment paper it seems very crumbly … is this normal?
I patted it down as much as I could and placed in the fridge to chill… how long should chilling be?
Thank you
Hi Ashley! How did you measure the flour? Make sure to spoon and level (instead of scooping) to avoid packing in too much flour into your measuring cups – or use a kitchen scale. You can read more about properly measuring baking ingredients in this post. A crumbly dough can still be workable – try to bring it together with your hands. It should also come together as you roll it out. Chill the rolled-out dough for at least 1-2 hours and up to 2 days (see step 5).
It was VERY crumbly dough for me too – and I measured everything out. I was surprised. I can’t figure out what I did wrong. I ended up melting another tablespoon of butter and pouring it in to give it a little more moisture. It still was pretty crumbly but that helped