A foolproof recipe for the best Cut Out Sugar Cookies to celebrate the Holiday Season! They are perfectly soft inside with crispy edges and great for decoration!
This is my favorite foolproof recipe that never fails, for the best Cut Out Sugar Cookies. They have perfectly crispy edges and soft buttery texture inside. Plus, these cookies keep their shape and are perfect for decoration.
This is the base cookie recipe I used in my popular Twix Cookies and Donut Cookies. For the Halloween Cookies, the recipe base is the same, but I added cocoa powder to make them chocolate.
Here is what we need to make these Cut Out Sugar Cookies:
- BUTTER. Use room temperature butter, so it will be easier to incorporate it with sugar.
- GRANULATED SUGAR.
- EGG. It will work as a binder.
- VANILLA EXTRACT. For extra aroma and flavor. You also can use a bit of almond extract.
- ALL-PURPOSE FLOUR.
- BAKING POWDER.
- SALT. To balance the sweetness.
How to make Sugar Cookie Dough
In a standing mixer with a paddle attachment, put room temperature butter and granulated sugar. Beat the ingredients on high speed for about 5 minutes until its pale and fluffy.
Then add an egg and vanilla extract and beat again for 1-2 minutes or until well incorporated.
Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula a couple of times in-between of mixing, so all the ingredients are evenly distributed.
In a mixing bowl, add dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt). Mix and add to the mixing bowl in two steps. Mix on a low speed until well combined.
When done, slightly knead the dough with your hands, making a ball. Flatten it in a disk and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at lease 1-2 hours or overnight.
How long to chill Cookie Dough
It is vital to refrigerate the cookie dough for these two reasons:
- After the dough is chilled, it will be less sticky and more elastic. Which means it will be easier to roll it out.
- When you bake the cookies, they will keep the shape and won’t spread.
How to roll out Cookie Dough
Here is a trick that I use all the time when rolling out the sugar cookies.
Cut the dough in 4 equal pieces. Place one part of the dough in-between of two parchment papers. Then roll it out with a rolling pin. This way the parchment paper will keep the dough smooth and won’t stick.
Now you can take the cookie cutters of your choice and cut out the cookies.
NOTE: I usually roll out the cookies to ¼ inch thick. If you want your cookies crispier and to snap, you can roll them out thinner. And if you want them to be cakier, keep them thicker.
How to bake Sugar Cookies
After you cut out the cookies, place them on a baking sheet with parchment paper.
NOTE: I like to put it back to the fridge for 10 minutes before baking. The reason I do is because while you are working the dough it warms up. Chilled dough will help your cookies to keep their shape.
I usually make my cookies ¼ -inch thick and bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
When done, take the cookies out of the oven and let them sit on the counter on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Twix Cookies
- Chocolate Chunk Cookies
- Almond Spritz Cookies
- Orange Chocolate Sandwich Cookies
- Halloween Cookies
- Donut Cookies
- Raspberry Almond Thumbprint Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies with Cranberries and White Chocolate
- Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Orange Cranberry Biscotti
MORE DESSERT RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE:
- Homemade Caramel Sauce
- Chocolate Bourbon Truffles
- Orange Pound Cake
- Chocolate Mousse Pie
- One Bowl Brownies
- Mini Cheesecakes with Blueberry Sauce
- Classic Apple Pie
- Mini Blueberry Hand Pies
The Best Cut Out Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Using a standing mixer, beat 1 cup room temperature butter with ¾ cup sugar really well, so it becomes fluffy and pale in color.
- Add an egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract and mix until combined and smooth consistency.
- Mix dry ingredients (3 cups flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and ¼ tsp salt) together in a separate bowl, then add to the wet ingredients in two batches. Mix everything until well combined but don’t overmix it.
- When done, you can lightly knead the dough, making a ball, wrap in a plastic wrap and refrigerate from 1-2 hours to overnight.
- When you roll out the dough it might be a bit sticky. You can use a little bit of flour to prevent it from sticking to a roller or a counter. However, I have a different trick that always helps me. Put the dough between two sheets of parchment paper, then roll over the parchment paper about ¼-inch thick.
- Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutter.
- After you cut out the cookies and put them on the baking sheet, put the sheet with the cookies back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill.
- Bake the cookies at 350°F for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden.
- When done, take the cookies out of the oven and let them sit on the counter on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool off completely.
Hi, i was wondering if we have immediately cut out the shapes after the dough is complete, without the 1-2hrs in the fridge. Do you think it’ll be ok still?
Hi Summayyah! It’s always better to refrigerate cut out cookie dough before you roll it out, so it will will keep the shape while baking.
Best sugar cookies I ever made! Big thank you for the recipe and tips!
Thank you so much, Maria! I’m so happy you enjoyed the recipe!
These sugar cookies were off the chain delicious! My kids loved them, and so did my coworkers. I enjoyed seeing the smiles on their faces. I will be adding this recipe to our *Keep* file! Excellent instructions and tips! Happy Holidays to you and your family.
Heidy
These cookies look like the perfect shape and texture. I love recipes like these that help get me into the holiday spirit
My sugar cookies turned out perfectly with your recipe and instructions. Sometimes my cookies would spread out too much or be too brown. These cookies did not and now I’m waiting to decorate them. The cookies have such a nice delicate taste. This will be my sugar cookie recipe.
I finally found the recipe for sugar cookies that works! Your instructions and photos were a great help, the cookies came out beautiful, with a lovely snap and delicious flavour to them! Thank you!
Love that you include step by step photos! 🙂 Sugar cookies are such a classic, I need to start baking for the holidays, so excited!
One of my favourite things to do with my girls around the holidays is to bake with them. Sugar cookies are SO fun because they can cut out the cookies all by themselves. Thanks for the great recipe, and an hour of fun with my little ones 🙂
I ALWAYS have issues with my sugar cookies puffing up! I’m going to use your recipe this year and follow the helpful hints too. Saving for later!
My girl has been looking for something we can bake and decorate. We are making these cookies this coming weekend.
I was looking for a recipe for cookies we could decorate and these came out great! They held shape really well, rolled out easily, and cut out easily.The perfect sugar cookie for this time of year…. will be making this one again!