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Easy Sugar Cookie Cut-Out Recipe

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★★★★★

4.9 from 50 reviews

This Easy Sugar Cookie Cut Out Recipe creates soft, tender cookies perfect for cutting into festive shapes and decorating. With a buttery dough enhanced by vanilla and almond extracts, these cookies bake quickly and hold their shape well. The recipe also includes a simple, smooth icing to adorn your cookies, making them perfect for holidays, celebrations, and fun baking projects with family or friends.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookies

  • 2 and ½ to 3 cups (300-360g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg (room temperature)
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 1 and ¾ cup (210g) powdered sugar

Cookie Icing

  • 1 and ½ cups (180g) powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30mL) warm water
  • ½ tablespoon (10g) light corn syrup
  • ⅛ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine 2 and ½ cups of all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss together and set aside to prepare for dough mixing.
  2. Beat Egg and Flavorings: In a small bowl or measuring cup with a spout, beat the large room-temperature egg with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2 teaspoons almond extract. Set aside.
  3. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment, cream the softened butter with 1 and ¾ cups powdered sugar until light and fluffy, around 3 minutes.
  4. Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and extract mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, then beat on high until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl sides as needed.
  5. Add Dry Ingredients Gradually: With the mixer on low, slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, letting the dough come together after each addition. The dough should cling to the beaters when mostly combined.
  6. Adjust Dough Consistency: Test the dough by touch; it should be tacky but not sticky, similar to Play-Doh. If too sticky, add flour in ¼ cup increments, not exceeding 3 cups plus 2 tablespoons total, to avoid dense cookies.
  7. Rest Dough and Preheat Oven: Shape the dough into a ball and rest it for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400ºF (204ºC) and prepare two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  8. Prepare Rolling Surface: Lightly dust your rolling surface and rolling pin with powdered sugar. Optionally, place two ¼” wooden dowels on either side of the dough for consistent thickness while rolling.
  9. Roll and Cut Dough: Divide dough into four pieces for easier handling. Roll each piece to desired thickness using the sugared rolling pin. Cut shapes with cookie cutters dipped in powdered sugar regularly to maintain clean edges.
  10. Arrange and Bake Cookies: Transfer cut cookies to baking sheets, grouping similar sizes and shapes for uniform baking. Re-roll scraps and repeat. Bake for 4–6 minutes: 6 minutes for 2″ circles, 5 minutes for stars, 4 minutes for 1″ mini circles. Remove when slightly puffed and no longer shiny, edges may brown slightly.
  11. Cool Cookies: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. For best decorating results, wait a day as cookies become sturdier. Undecorated cookies freeze well up to 3 months, but do not freeze decorated ones.
  12. Prepare Icing: When ready to decorate, place 1 and ½ cups powdered sugar in a medium bowl. In a small bowl, mix warm water, light corn syrup, and ⅛ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract until syrup dissolves.
  13. Make Icing Consistency: Stir the syrup mixture into powdered sugar until combined. The icing should slowly drip and disappear into the bowl within about 15 seconds. Adjust by adding a drop of water if too thick or more powdered sugar if too thin. Use immediately or store covered for up to 1 day, stirring again before use.

Notes

  • Use room-temperature egg and butter for better blending and texture.
  • Do not over-flour the dough to keep cookies soft and tender.
  • Chilling dough is not necessary but resting for 10 minutes helps handling.
  • Rolling surface and rolling pin dusted with powdered sugar prevent sticking without toughening dough.
  • Dipping cookie cutters in powdered sugar keeps clean edges while cutting.
  • Bake cookies until just no longer shiny for soft centers and slightly golden edges.
  • Decorate cookies the day after baking for sturdier results.
  • Undecorated cookies freeze well but not decorated ones; thaw overnight before decorating frozen cookies.
  • Adjust icing thickness as needed for piping or flooding cookies.

Keywords: sugar cookies, cut out cookies, holiday cookies, easy sugar cookies, cookie icing, baking cookies, soft sugar cookies

Find it online: https://lucabites.com/easy-sugar-cookie-cut-out-recipe/