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    Home » Cookies

    Published on: December 13, 2015 by Janice; Updated on: February 11, 2022 1 Comment

    Cut out sugar cookies

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    I think every baker should have a recipe book filled with the tried-and-true basics. Sure, you could find a zillion sugar cookies if you googled it, but you need to find the recipe that works for you, in your kitchen, with your ingredients, baked in your oven. This is my best sugar cookie recipe that makes cut out sugar cookies that don't spread and are perfect for decorating and even shipping.

    Cut-out sugar cookies shaped like stars and coated in sparkly sanding sugar served on a gold plate.

    This recipe was adapted from a sugar cookie recipe I posted in 2010. Two thousand ten! I kid you not. That is how old this blog is. If you want something simpler, slice and bake is the way to go. Try these crystallized ginger sugar cookies, vanilla sablés. Or for other kinds of cutout cookies, there are these matcha gingerbread cookies or more traditional gingerbread cookies.

    Ingredients to make rolled sugar cookie cutouts.

    What are sugar cookies made of

    This easy recipe makes sturdy crisp sugar cookies that are firm enough that they store well and can be shipped. Here are the ingredients you need to make these:

    • butter, preferably unsalted butter because you will add salt to the dough, but if you have salted, it will work. Just adjust the salt in the recipe accordingly, otherwise your cookies may be too salty
    • granulated sugar though brown sugar would also work here and would add a mild caramel/molasses flavour. Brown sugar may also lead to a slightly more chewy cookie
    • large eggs, don't use smaller eggs because your cookie dough may be too dry and your cookies won't spread enough, but don't use extra large eggs because they could cause the cookie dough to puff too much as it bakes, leading to a more cake-y cookie
    • vanilla extract adds vanilla flavour to the cookies. You could use artificial vanilla extract, but use about half the amount since it may be more potent
    • all-purpose flour is needed to bind all the ingredients together and give the cookies structure. If you don't use enough flour, your cookies may spread too much as they bake
    • salt is really important to balance out the sweet flavour. Don't skip it. I like to use Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt, but table salt will work, though the cookies will be saltier and you may want to halve the salt in that case.
    Sugar cookie dough divided into two equal disks.

    Baking sugar cookies that don't spread

    First of all, you will notice that there are no chemical leaveners in this recipe. That's because we don't want to encourage the cookies to puff and rise up (from baking powder) or spread (which baking soda could cause).

    Cutting out stars from rolled sugar cookie dough with cookie cutters before transferring to a sheet pan lined with parchment.

    Another trick: get the ratio of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour right to prevent cookies from spreading. Too much butter, sugar, or eggs can lead to cookies spreading as they bake. Not enough flour relative to those ingredients can also lead to cookies spreading. Make sure to measure your ingredients carefully.

    Star sugar cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan before baking.Star sugar cookies on a parchment-lined sheet pan after baking.

    The final key step: chill the cookie dough. You can do this before rolling out the cookie dough and cutting your shapes, especially if the butter was quite warm or your kitchen is hot. Or you can chill the cut out cookies before baking. Chill them until they are very firm.

    Brushing freshly baked sugar cookies with maple syrup and coating in sparkly sanding sugar.

    As you can see from the photos, these sugar cookies do not spread at all, especially if you chill the cookie dough properly.

    Cut-out sugar cookies shaped like stars and coated in sparkly sanding sugar served on a gold plate.

    Ways to decorate them

    I usually like to keep sugar cookie cut-outs plain because I like to dip them in hot cups of tea, but if you would prefer to garnish or embellish them, you can:

    • decorate them with royal icing using gel colours to dye the icing and a piping bag. This is a good technique if you want to ship the cookies in the mail.
    • smear them with simple American buttercream frosting, the crusting kind made from butter, icing sugar, and a little cream or milk to achieve a smooth consistency.
    • brush them while still hot with maple syrup (or even honey could work) and then garnish with sprinkles. The heat will set the syrup, drying it out and glueing the sprinkles. It also works on cold cookies, but not as well.
    • dip them in melted chocolate, like I did with these matcha gingerbread cookies and then garnish with sprinkles (if you'd like).
    Rows and rows of sugar cookie stars coated in sanding sugar.

    Frequently asked questions

    How do you store the cookie dough?

    If you want to make the sugar cookie dough ahead of time, before the holidays, you can make the dough, shape it into two disks, then wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Place the tightly wrapped doughs in a freezer bag and freeze for at least a month, if not two months.
    When you are ready to bake cookies, defrost the cookie dough overnight in the fridge, then set it on the counter 30 minutes before rolling to allow it to soften a little to make rolling easier. Make sure your kitchen isn't too hot though. If it's too hot (like in hot/humid summer months), reduce the time you leave the dough at room temperature.

    How do you store sugar cookies?

    Cut-out sugar cookies like these should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. You don't need to refrigerate them. This type of cookie is not soft and therefore won't dry out, but if it's humid, make sure to get them into an airtight container as soon as they have completely cooled to avoid them becoming soggy. You can freeze these cookies too. If stored correctly, these can last a month.

    A gold plate of sugar cookie stars with a cup of coffee.
    A gold plate of sugar cookie stars.
    Print Pin

    Sugar cookies

    Prevent your screen from going dark
    This easy recipe makes classic sugar cookies that aren't overly sweet and that bake well without losing their shapes in the oven. This is the perfect sugar cookie for cutting out fun shapes and decorating for the holidays, but they also taste great plain.
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Keyword cut out sugar cookies, sugar cookie cutouts
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 10 minutes
    Total Time 20 minutes
    Servings 80 cookies
    Author Janice

    Equipment

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    5 Qt mixer
    Rolling pin
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    Sheet pan
    Star cutters

    Ingredients

    • 200 g (14 tablespoon) unsalted butter softened
    • 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
    • 1 large egg room temperature, lightly beaten
    • 5 mL (1 teaspoon) pure vanilla extract
    • 400 g (3¼ cups) bleached all-purpose flour
    • 2.5 mL (½ teaspoon) Diamond Crystal fine kosher salt

    Instructions

    • In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar.
    • Add the egg and vanilla. Beat well until creamy and well mixed. Scrape down the sides of the bowls as needed to make sure the ingredients are evenly mixed.
    • Add the flour and the salt. Mix until a dough forms.
    • Divide dough in half and form two disks.
    • Working with 1 disk at a time, roll out to ~¼-inch thickness (or however thin you want).
    • Cut out shapes, and transfer them to a parchment-lined baking sheet. Be sure to place similar sized cookies on same baking sheet for even baking time. Chill for at least 30 minutes to prevent cookies from spreading as they bake.
    • Preheat oven to 350°F.
    • Bake chilled cookies until the edges begin to brown (for crisp cookies). This takes 10 to 15 minutes depending on size and thickness.

    Notes

    If you would like to decorate these cookies:
    • royal icing dries hard and stores well.
    • brush the freshly baked hot cookies with maple syrup and sprinkle with sanding sugar.
    Tried this recipe?Mention @bakesomethingawesome or tag #bakesomethingawesome!
    Sugar cookie cutouts
    « Chocolate biscotti
    Chocolate sugar cookies »
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    Comments

    1. torviewtoronto says

      December 13, 2015 at 6:51 am

      the cookies look fabulous

      Reply

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    This is a picture of Janice Lawandi

    Hi, I'm Janice! I am a baking-obsessed recipe developer with a PhD in Chemistry who writes about baking and the science of baking.

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