Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe

Introduction

Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are a delightful treat perfect for sharing with friends and family. These tender cookies hold their shape beautifully and offer a perfect canvas for your favorite decorations. Whether for holidays or everyday enjoyment, they are easy to make and fun to decorate.

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)
• Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (for decorating)
• Assorted sprinkles (optional)

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract (if using) and beat until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. Step 3: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. The dough should be soft. If too sticky for rolling, beat in 1 more tablespoon of flour.
4. Step 4: Divide the dough in half. Place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Roll each to about 1/4-inch thickness, using extra flour if sticky.
5. Step 5: Lightly dust the bottom dough with flour to prevent sticking. Place the second rolled dough on top of the first, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
6. Step 6: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
7. Step 7: Remove the top dough from the refrigerator. If it sticks, run your hand underneath to help remove it. Cut dough into shapes with a cookie cutter. Gather scraps, reroll, and cut until all dough is used. Repeat with second piece of dough. Arrange cookies 3 inches apart on prepared sheets.
8. Step 8: Bake for 11–12 minutes until edges are lightly browned and set. Rotate pans halfway if your oven has hot spots. Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Step 9: Decorate cooled cookies with royal icing, easy glaze icing, or cookie buttercream. Tint icings with gel food coloring if desired. You can decorate directly on a baking sheet to refrigerate and speed icing setting.
10. Step 10: Enjoy immediately or wait for icing to set. These cookies are great for gifting or shipping once decorated and set.

Tips & Variations

• If dough feels too sticky, add flour gradually to avoid drying it out.
• Using almond extract enhances the flavor but can be omitted if preferred.
• For a fun twist, try dipping cooled cookies in melted chocolate instead of frosting.
• Store decorated cookies on a flat surface to avoid smudging icing.

Storage

Store plain or iced cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate up to 10 days. If decorated with cookie buttercream, keep cookies covered at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. When reheating, let refrigerated cookies come to room temperature for best texture.

How to Serve

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I freeze the cookie dough?

Yes, you can freeze the dough after rolling it out and layering as described. Wrap tightly and freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw in the refrigerator before cutting and baking.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

This can happen if the dough is too warm or too soft. Make sure to chill the dough for at least 2 hours before baking and avoid adding too much extra butter or sugar. Using parchment or silicone mats helps cookies bake evenly without excessive spreading.

Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 137 reviews

These Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are delightfully tender with just the right amount of sweetness, perfect for decorating with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. With a simple yet rich dough that benefits from chilling, these cookies hold their shape beautifully and bake up with soft edges and a delicate crumb, making them ideal for festive occasions or everyday treats.

• Author: Ria
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 3 hours 37 minutes
• Yield: 24 servings 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

Dry 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

Wet Ingredients

• 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

1. Combine dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside for later.
2. Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, use a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. This step ensures a fluffy texture.
3. Add eggs and extracts: Beat in the egg, pure vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) on high speed until fully combined, about 1 minute. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to mix evenly.
4. Incorporate dry ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined and a soft dough forms. If the dough feels too sticky to roll, beat in an additional tablespoon of flour to stabilize it.
5. Divide and roll dough: Split the dough in half and place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Using a lightly floured rolling pin, roll each portion out evenly to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use flour as needed if dough is sticky.
6. Chill the dough: Dust one rolled dough portion lightly with flour, then place the second portion (with parchment) on top of the first. Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days to firm up the dough, aiding ease of cutting and better cookie texture.
7. Preheat oven and prepare pans: Heat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
8. Cut cookies: Remove the dough from the fridge. Gently peel apart the two dough sheets. Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes, gathering scraps to reroll and cut more shapes until all dough is used. Place cookies onto baking sheets spaced about 3 inches apart.
9. Bake: Bake the cookies for 11–12 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned and set. Rotate pans halfway through if your oven has hot spots. Remove cookies and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Decorate: Once cooled, decorate cookies using your choice of royal icing, glaze, or cookie buttercream. You can tint icings with gel food coloring and apply sprinkles. Decorating directly on a baking sheet helps for easy refrigeration to set icing.
11. Store and enjoy: Enjoy the cookies immediately or allow the icing to set first. Store plain or iced cookies covered at room temperature up to 5 days, or refrigerated up to 10 days. Cookie buttercream-decorated cookies can be stored at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerated for up to 5 days.

Notes

• If dough is too sticky for rolling, add an extra tablespoon of flour cautiously to avoid tough cookies.
• Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours is essential for clean cut shapes and better texture.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant cookie icing colors without altering icing consistency.
• Decorating directly on baking sheets allows easier transfer to the fridge to speed up icing setting.
• Cookies are best stored in airtight containers to maintain softness.
• Almond extract is optional but highly recommended for enhanced flavor depth.
• For longer storage, refrigerate iced cookies and bring to room temperature before serving.

Keywords: soft sugar cookies, cut-out cookies, sugar cookie recipe, holiday cookies, decorated cookies, vanilla sugar cookies