The BEST cookie decorating recipe ever! This cut-out sugar cookie recipe has just a few ingredients, never spreads, and is crazy delicious. Pair with perfect royal icing for easy, beautiful decorated cookies. Scroll to the end for printable recipe and how-to video.
best cut-out sugar cookie recipe
You won’t get far in cookie decorating without a perfect canvas: The cut-out sugar cookie recipe. For veterans of my blog and books, you already know this recipe, so forgive the repetition of these cookie decorating recipes. But it’s buried on my recipe page, and I feel it deserves a bit of spotlight.
My favoritest ever, most super duper cut-out cookie recipe made it into both of my cookbooks (Sugarlicious) because I’ll never use another.
Not only does it taste so good that I’ve seen people at parties hide these cookies in their pockets before the stash disappeared (really, their pockets), but this recipe
- has only six ingredients
- holds the cookie cutter shape flawlessly, and
- bakes beautifully
The cookies are thick with an interesting texture, not too crunchy, not too soft. No spreading, no burned bottoms, no poofs or bubbles.
It’s freezable, roll-able, bake-able. Paired with my favoritest ever, most super duper royal icing recipe, you get decorated cookie perfection. Am I being a tad overdramatic about my cookie recipe? Nope. Not one bit.
Instead of royal icing (which uses meringue powder), you can also decorate cookies with this shortcut, easy sugar cookie icing.
Scroll to the end for a printable sugar cookie recipe AND video.
This post was originally published in September 2012 and updated in May 2019.
cookie decorating basics
And if you want to learn how to decorate cookies like a pro in less than an hour of video how-tos (and with 27 pages of printables), be sure to check out my cookie decorating for beginners course at The Sugar Academy! You can also learn cookie decorating basics HERE.
cookie decorating ideas
.Check out my whole collection of decorated cookies from this blog.
cut-out sugar cookie recipe
ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup or 226 grams)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar (icing sugar/114 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1 1/2 teaspoons of flavored extract (I highly recommend almond extract)
how to make the dough
- Briefly sift together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the flat beater, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, blend the butter and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy. Add the egg and blend well. Mix in the vanilla extract and optional flavored extract, if using. Gradually blend in the flour mixture on low speed.
- Cover the dough or transfer to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and flatten evenly. Chill the dough for about two hours.
- When chilled, work with about one-third of the batch at a time. Briefly knead the dough and roll it out 1/4-inch thick, or 3/8 inch if inserting sticks for cookie pops on a floured surface. Cut out your cookies and place one-inch apart on a good quality baking tray lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes. Thicker or large cookies may need up to 20 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are golden brown.
Yields: 25 to 30 cookies (2 to 4-inches), 65 to 70 mini cookies (1 to 2-inches) or about a dozen large cookies (6-inch).
tips on making cut-out sugar cookies
- You can make this dough the night before you bake with it. Just take it out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature until it’s still chilled, but pliable.
- You can also freeze this dough. After mixing, put the dough in a gallon size Freezer ziploc bag (or wrap well) and freeze. Thaw overnight or for at least a few hours in the refrigerator in the ziploc bag. If the dough is too chilled to handle, let it sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour until it’s workable. Chilled is good, though, don’t let it get too mushy.
- If you’re short on time, I’ve been known to put the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes instead of chilling for 2 hours.
How long do sugar cookies last?
Cut-out sugar cookies for cookie decorating last a good bit longer than drop cookies (such as chocolate chip cookies). If you keep the cookies in an air-tight container in a cool area away from sunlight (a refrigerator isn’t necessary) they can last up to 3 weeks.
For optimal freshness, I would make and give the cookies within the first few days, however. Also note, the decorated royal icing may start to fade or the colors may bleed a bit after a week or two.
useful cookie decorating links:
How-tos on making cookie pops.
Basic cookie decorating how-tos.
Tips on supplies and where to find them.
How to build a cookie cutter collection.
how to decorate swirl cookies
To decorate these cookies… I originally made these swirly, sparkly cookie pops way back almost three years ago, HERE. You’ll find the link to the decorated instructions in that post.
Using sprinkles makes cookie decorating so very easy, because sprinkles have the magic power of covering any mistakes. To decorate, divide your royal icing and tint your preferred colors, including white, using Americolor Soft Gel Pastes (Red Red, Orange, Egg Yellow, Electric Green and Sky Blue used here).
Then, prepare decorating bags with couplers and size “5” tips, fill with icing, and close tightly with rubber bands. Pipe a swirl on a cookie with one of the icing colors, and immediately coat with a coordinating color of sprinkles. Turn over to remove excess, then pipe a swirl of white on the cookie. Let the cookies dry overnight before handling or packaging.
sugar cookie recipe video
printable recipe for the best cut-out sugar cookie recipe
best cut-out sugar cookie recipe
The BEST cut-out sugar cookie recipe with only six ingredients. It bakes perfectly, holds its shape, is easy to make, and delicious.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (1 cup or 226 grams)
- 1 cup confectioner's sugar (icing sugar/114 grams)
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (320 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Optional: 1 1/2 teaspoons of flavored extract (I highly recommend almond extract)
Instructions
- Briefly whisk together the flour and salt in a bowl and set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer with the flat beater, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, blend the butter and sugar together on medium speed until fluffy. Add the egg and blend well. Mix in the vanilla extract and optional flavored extract, if using. Gradually blend in the flour mixture on low speed.
- Cover the dough or transfer to a gallon-size Ziploc bag and flatten evenly. Chill the dough for about two hours.
- When chilled, work with about one-third of the batch at a time. Briefly knead the dough and roll it out 1/4-inch thick, or 3/8 inch if inserting sticks for cookie pops on a floured surface. Cut out your cookies and place one-inch apart on a good quality baking tray lined with a piece of parchment paper.
- Bake in an oven preheated to 375 degrees F for 12 to 14 minutes. Thicker or large cookies may need up to 20 minutes. Cookies are done when the edges are golden brown.
Notes
- You can make this dough the night before you bake with it. Just take it out of the fridge and let sit at room temperature until it's still chilled, but pliable.
- You can also freeze this dough. After mixing, put the dough in a gallon size Freezer ziploc bag (or wrap well) and freeze. Thaw overnight or for at least a few hours in the refrigerator in the ziploc bag. If the dough is too chilled to handle, let it sit at room temperature for about 1/2 hour to 1 hour until it’s workable. Chilled is good, though, don’t let it get too mushy.
- If you're short on time, I've been known to put the dough in the freezer for 30 minutes instead of chilling for 2 hours.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
30Serving Size:
1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 83
baking conversions
UPDATE: Conversions for the rest of the known world!!!!
Because I’ve had some requests from those masses that live outside the US (wherein we stubbornly reject the switch to metric), I’m including some UNofficial conversions. I came up with this list ages ago based on what is printed on the ingredients’ packaging and some internet research.
2 sticks butter = 1 cup = 8 ounces = 227 g
1 cup confectioners (or icing/powdered) sugar = 128 g
1 teaspoon extract = 4.2 g = 5 mL
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour = 312 g
1 teaspoon salt = 4.2 g
4 tablespoon meringue powder = 56 g
1/2 cup water = 4 ounces = 60 mL = 113 g
6 cup confectioners sugar = 768 g
1/4 cup vegetable shortening = 56 g
1 cup granulated sugar = 200 g
2 cup flour = 240 g
1/2 cup cocoa powder = 62.5 g
1/2 teaspoon baking soda = 2.1 g
1/2 teaspoon salt = 2.1 g
375 degree F = 190 degree C
Kristen says
Question. I’ve run out of plain flour but have self raising flour, if I remove the salt will this still work? Or should I just go to the supermarket.
meaghanmountford says
I warily say it shoooould be OK. I think the bigger issue would be a leavening, but since this recipe doesn’t have baking soda or powder, it should be OK even with the salt. The cookies might just be a bit puffier. However, I’ve never tried to bake them with self-rising flour, so that’s my disclaimer :). Just a non-tested theory!
Jasmine says
This is by FAR the best recipe I have ever tested, tasted and topped with royal icing! Thank you so much for sharing. 🙂
Richard says
I reached cookie recipes for a long time. This is really the perfect cookie. I outlined and flooded with royal icing. They are amazing. Friends can’t stop eating them. The dough is easy to work with. Scraps can easily be reworked. Not a bit of wasted dough. My only question is this. How long can a frosted cookie be kept and maintain its original texture. What type of storage do you recommend. In the past I have found that plastic storage containers make a cookie get soft. I have my current batch in a tin but have no idea how long they will keep on the shelve. Is freezing this cookie frosted a good idea? Will it taste as great and look as great once thawed?
meaghanmountford says
Hi Richard, Yay, that’s great about your success with the cookies!
Usually, when I make them they are for a party or event, or to giveaway, so I wrap them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon, and they last well, several days at least this way. Though I know the bags and ribbon are a bit wasteful for every day use. They freeze super-duper well. Very well. Often I freeze when I need to make a lot for an occasion. To freeze a decorated cookie, let them dry well (overnight at least). Then, place them in single layers in a Freezer-safe Ziploc, the gallon size. And stack in a box. Freeze. To thaw, remove from the freezer and let them come to room temperature IN THE BAG! Don’t unzip before they are thawed or moisture will get in and blur the icing.
Hope this helps! 🙂 meaghan
Karen says
I know this is a little late to be helpful to Lisa, who posted months ago. But I wonder if the issue with the spreading cookies was butter. There are so many qualities of butter on the market, and I’ve found the affect baking. This is an article that was helpful for me: https://www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/dining/17bake.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
Krystie says
I have used this recipe about 12 times now and it is the most delicious, most forgiving, and easiest recipe for cut out cookies. I always, ALWAYS get compliments on the look and the flavor. I do almost NO baking except for Christmas cookies and this recipe is nearly foolproof! Thanks!
meaghanmountford says
That’s fantastic Krystie!! I’m so so glad that it works as well for as as for me. Phew. Thank you thank you!!
Julie says
I made these the other night and they turned out great! If you like a soft, delicate sugar cookie, this is the recipe for you!
Janet says
wonderfully delicious cookies! But the royal icing makes enough for about 10 batches!
meaghanmountford says
It does make a lot, Janet, but it lasts for so long and I find it irksome to make, so I always make the full batch! Then store it in Tupperware for the next cookie decorating session :).
Crystal Davis says
I am so disappointed with this recipe. I don’t know if I did something wrong. I followed the recipe and chilled over night. I brought to room temp on the counter. The dough was solid. It crumbled as I tried to knead it and cracked when I rolled it. The cookies came out cracked and very brittle. Any suggestions? I also had to decrease the baking time as I burnt the first batch at 12 mins 🙁
meaghanmountford says
Yikes Crystal, I’ve never had any of those things happen, so I’m not sure what may have gone wrong?? Did you use butter that was softened but not melted? And mix in the powdered sugar well? Add one egg, beating well after the addition. Perhaps you used too much flour? Chilling overnight shouldn’t be the issue, as I’ve left dough in the fridge for several days. It doesn’t take long to get pliable. But this is a super easy dough to work with and it cooks very well every time, so I’m guessing the problem was either in your wet ingredients (the butter or egg mixing) or too much dry (flour).
meaghanmountford says
Actually… Crystal, now that I’m mulling it over, did you remember to put the egg in? If you forgot the egg, all of the above sounds about right.
BettieRocker says
Pointy: Criso is solid vegetable shortening. I can’t think of what it’s called overseas. It’s white, looks like lard, but is made from vegetable, not animal. For your buttercream, you can make your regular recipe, but substitute white vegetable shortening (crisco), and add some clear butter flavoring. For decorating purposes, the recipes with merengue powder hold up the best. An icing without butter, using only clear flavoring extracts, will be white, and will take the colors very well. Royal icing is also pure white and takes color exceptionally well, but it’s not as tasty as buttercream. I personally hate the way crisco feels in my mouth, so I don’t use it unless I’m doing elaborate decorations, and even then, I only use it for the decorations. I always ice my cake with a really delicious frosting, then do the decorations in the shortening “buttercream.”
Heidi says
I’ve seen other recipes very similar, almost exact but they add baking powder. Why is that? I am making cookies for a baby shower and would like a recipe that does not spread.
meaghanmountford says
Hi Heidi, Baking powder is a leavening agent, so it’s added to help cookies rise, and it reacts chemically to help make cookies lighter and softer. However, I prefer a denser cookie and a sturdier cookie, especially when making cookie pops! I’ve had great success with my recipe and it almost never ever spreads. Make sure the butter isn’t too soft when mixing. And definitely chill the dough for a couple hours before rolling out. Hope this helps!
Cherrelle says
Hi, I am from the UK, I haven’t tried this recipe yet. As far as the measurement conversions go, I’m assuming when you say one cup is equal to 8oz, that’s 8 fluid ounces? It’s just the one cup of butter and one cup of confectioners sugar are stated as different gram measurements, but both are one cup… Help!
meaghanmountford says
Hi Cherrelle! Yep, that’s what’s so frustrating about the US not getting on the metric board, the conversions are tricky. It isn’t a straight ounce to gram conversion because of the different densities of ingredients. One cup is a container measure here, so it’s essential what fills a certain size container (a cup). Butter is much heavier than the sugar. 1 cup of butter here, which is 8 ounces, is the equivalent of 226 grams (according to the butter package). But one cup of icing sugar is about 125 grams of confectioner’s sugar. I really need a sabbatical overseas now, I think :).
Cherrelle says
I just want to say that this recipe turned out fantastic! I used baking margarine instead of butter (since that’s what I had to hand) and it’s turned out great! I iced my cookies with royal icing and they taste just like the cookies I used to get from the bakery when I was a kid. I’m super pleased. Will definitely use again 🙂
meaghanmountford says
woohoo!! Fist pumping myself. Thank you! So glad to hear!! I’ve also made them with vegan “buttery sticks” and egg substitute and they turned out well, so there seems to be a bit of forgiveness in the recipe. Thank you for checking in!!!
tamara says
Hello Meaghan!
I was browsing the net, and came across your sugar cookie cut out recipe. This sounds like exactly what I am looking for. So my question is this. I want to make about 75 cookies for my daughters 1st BDay. Alice in Wonderland is the theme, so I was thinking of a simple heart cut out, and writing EAT ME on them. What would you recommend as far as how to decorate, and baking in bulk?
Thank you!!
Tamara
meaghanmountford says
Hi Tamara,
Great question! I’ve done cookies for events in those numbers before, and as one person in a home kitchen, it’s just impossible to do that all in one day, especially when you are the host of the party and have a jillion other things to do (and have a 1 year old!). Someone else just asked me that question and I put some tips in my last newsletter for baking in bulk. I think this link should work (let me know if it doesn’t)
https://us8.campaign-archive2.com/?u=3a630f3c69c69aee8d2d6bf34&id=56eec3e62f&e=[UNIQID]
Essentially what it says is that you can prep all the icing and the icing bags one day, then decorate anywhere up to a week later. But your best bet is freezing. You can freeze cookie dough and the cookies that are cut out and baked. I usually freeze the cut out, baked, decorated cookies and have had great success. To freeze decorated cookies, put them in freezer-safe ziplocs, store in the freezer, when ready, remove from the freezer but KEEP IN THE BAGS until totally thawed. Some tips to avoid the icing running, especially if you have writing: don’t thin the flooded icing too much and let the background dry well before doing the writing. Also, make sure the cookies dry totally, overnight, before freezing. More tips are in the newsletter though. Hope this helps! 🙂
Jessica says
Just wanted to give you a BIG thank you for this recipe! I’ve had a huge problem with my sugar cookies spreading and this left me with PERFECTLY shaped cookies.
meaghanmountford says
Yay! That’s fantastic Jessica! I don’t know what the secret is… the one egg thing? The chilling? using confectioner’s sugar instead? I don’t know, but I’ve had great success with it, too. So glad it worked for you!
Carrie says
I LOVE these cookies – they’re the best cutout recipe I’ve ever made. Can’t wait to do a double batch tonight. 🙂 I like to do a simple glaze on mine of powdered sugar and a little milk. Once it hardens, I pipe on a little buttercream and use some pretty sugar crystals to look like snow!
meaghanmountford says
Woohoooooo!!!! So so glad to hear Carrie! I’m making mine for the holidays right now. Love your decorating idea… yummy, quick and gorgeous!
Nicki says
Hi – These sound great and are soooo cute! We are thinking about making these for a graduation party. Have you ever baked and decorated them and then frozen them for a period of time? We want to be able to make these a few weeks ahead of the party but aren’t sure the best way to store them. Have you ever stored them in the freezer or refrigerator? Any thoughts on best way to keep them for that long?
Thanks!
meaghanmountford says
Hi Nicki! I’ve had great success freezing decorated cookies for several weeks! The instructions are in the post above. After decorating, let them dry well (overnight). Then, package them in one layer in freezer-ziplocs. Freeze. To thaw: Remove from the freezer and let sit at room temperature IN THE ZIPLOCKS! Don’t remove from the ziplocks until fully thawed.
Marg says
Chilled over night and now the dough is so crumbly it’s impossible to work with. Any troubleshooting tips?
meaghanmountford says
Hmm, is it possible you added too much flour? Also, did you let it rest at room temperature until pliable? If it has chilled overnight, you can’t use it right away. It will be too cold. Let it sit out for 30 minutes and check it. And if needed, another 15 to 20 minutes.
Joan says
These cookies turned out great! I was looking for an easy sugar cookie recipe to cut out cookies with young grandchildren. I made and chilled the dough overnight for convenience and it worked out well to cut them out and decorate the next day. Thanks.
meaghanmountford says
Yay! That’s wonderful to hear, Joan, thank you so much!!!
Sheila says
I love this cookie. I refrigerate over night and I use weight rather than cups. Seems a bit sticky when I am putting in the ziplock bag. Does spread a little bit. What can I do so it doesn’t spread at all? I roll it out between parchment paper and refrigerate or freeze before baking.
meaghanmountford says
Hi Sheila, It does sound like it may need a bit more flour. My dough isn’t very sticky. Is your conversion 128 grams for a cup of flour? Also, the number one cause of spreading is the butter melting too fast. So definitely use real butter (not margarine) and err on the side of cold when softening. I barely soften my butter.