If you’re looking for the ultimate cookie recipe, look no further than these award-winning Cut-Out Sugar Cookies. With a dough that doesn’t need chilling, clean and crisp edges that hold their shape, and a buttery vanilla-almond flavor, this recipe is ideal for baking and decorating with friends and family. Whether you’re crafting for a birthday celebration, snowflakes, stars, or holiday sweaters, this is the sugar cookie recipe you’ll come back to year after year. Make sure to check out our Maple Brown Sugar Cookies for a fun fall twist!
Why This Sugar Cookie Recipe Stands Out
This no-chill dough is a game changer (especially when you are already busy planning parties and holidays!). Ready in under 20 minutes from mixing to baking, it produces soft, flavorful cookies that don’t puff up or lose their shape. You can roll and reroll the dough without worrying about it toughening or cracking, perfect for intricate cookie cutters and busy baking days.
The combination of butter, sugar, and just a hint of almond extract gives these cookies a rich, classic taste. While the almond is optional, it really enhances the festive flavor. For a nut-free version, feel free to omit it or swap in more vanilla extract.
Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookies Every Time
- Use room temperature ingredients. This helps everything mix evenly and gives your dough the perfect consistency.
- Cream the butter and sugar well. This step aerates the dough, resulting in cookies with a tender texture.
- Sift your dry ingredients. It may seem unnecessary, but it ensures even mixing and prevents lumps.
- Roll dough evenly. Aim for 1/8 to 1/4 inch thickness for best results and even baking.
If your cookies are spreading, try placing cut-out shapes on a baking sheet and freezing them for 10-15 minutes before baking.
Decorating Your Sugar Cookies
This recipe pairs beautifully with glaze icing, which hardens just enough for stacking without turning your cookies rock-solid. Prefer buttercream? A classic American buttercream also pipes wonderfully and crusts lightly for easier handling.
Want to take your cookies up a notch? Add edible glitter, gold stars, or food-safe metallic paints to highlight your cut-outs, especially pretty on star or wreath shapes.
Storing and Freezing Sugar Cookies
These cookies stay fresh for up to a week in an airtight container, or up to six months when frozen properly. Once decorated and dried, stack cookies between layers of parchment or wax paper and store them in a sealed container or freezer bag.
To freeze undecorated cookies, let them cool completely, layer with parchment, and store in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature before decorating.
Final Thoughts
Whether you’re baking with kids or preparing holiday cookie platters, this no-chill sugar cookie recipe is the dependable go-to you’ll want in your recipe box. Easy, delicious, and decoration-ready—holiday baking just got a whole lot simpler.
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract, optional
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a stand mixer on medium-high for 1–2 minutes, until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until incorporated. Scrape down the sides as needed.
- Mix in baking powder, then gradually add the flour ½ cup at a time until a soft dough forms.
- Roll dough out on a floured surface to ⅛–¼ inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes.
- Bake for 6–8 minutes, just until edges start to set (not brown). Cool on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack.
- Decorate with your favorite glaze or buttercream once fully cooled.
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