These easy no-spread authentic Sugar Cookies are a favorite during the Holidays. The yearly ritual of making and decorating these easy-to-make cut out cookies with the family is a long time tradition.
The Ultimate Sugar Cookie Recipe
What’s the Holidays without sugar cookies? This is totally my favorite time of the year because I get to listen to Christmas music, watch tons of Christmas movies and bake all the cookies that I love. Sugar cookies really are the ultimate Christmas cookie, everyone loves them and they’re so much fun to decorate with your children!
These cookies have a perfect soft center with a slightly crisp edge, they’re buttery, sweet and totally delicious. You’ll love making these, they don’t spread or puff out during baking and require minimal chill time.
Sugar Cookie Highlights
HOLIDAY FAVORITE. We all have that one favorite Christmas cookie recipe that we make year after year and sugar cookies are always at the top of that list.
EASY TO MAKE. Not only are they easy to make, but they are so delicious.
FUN TO DECORATE. These are so much fun to decorate not only for children but for us adults too.
What Ingredients You’ll Need
- Sugar – They are sugar cookies, so I guess you could say this is the star ingredient in the recipe. I use plain white granulated sugar.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter to control the amount of sodium in the cookies, and soften it to room temperature. If you only have salted butter, that’s fine as well but just omit the salt.
- Vanilla – Vanilla extract is used here and will enhance all the flavors. This is a vanilla sugar cookie.
- Egg – Any brown or white egg works.
- Flour – You’ll need some white all-purpose flour for the cookie dough.
- Baking Powder – Baking powder is used to increase the volume and lighten the texture of baked goods. We only need a little bit because we don’t want these cookies spreading too much.
- Salt – Believe me, salt makes all the difference, so don’t skip this!
How To Make Sugar Cookies
Make Cookie Dough
Cream butter and sugar together: Add the sugar and the butter to the bowl of your mixer. Mix on medium until creamy, light and fluffy. Then, add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
Combine the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt together.
Make the cookie dough: Turn down the mixer to low and add about half the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and beat until just combined. Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until combined. If the dough is a bit too soft add another tablespoon of flour, as this should help with rolling.
Chill: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours or overnight.
Roll, Cut And Bake
Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
Roll and cut the dough: Roll out the dough with a rolling pin on a lightly floured surface to ¼” inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using your favorite cookie cutter. Re-roll leftover dough and cut into shapes.
Bake cookies: Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 9 to 11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling completely before icing.
What Is The Trick To Sugar Cookies?
Too much sugar and butter can make sugar cookies spread and lose their shape when baked. This one requires a little patience because once you roll out your dough, you are ready to bake. Be patient and bake your cookies when the dough is really cold.
How Thick Do I Roll Sugar Cookies?
The ideal thickness to roll out your sugar cookie dough is about ¼-inch. That way, they’ll be thick enough to be handled and decorated, soft in the center, but thin enough to stay a little crunchy.
Expert Tips And Tricks
- Throw in an extra egg yolk which is full of fat and can contribute to a more chewy cookie.
- It’s very important for your butter to be at room temperature so that your dough doesn’t end up too soft.
- Even if you’re tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge as it will spread less while cooking.
- When cutting your cookies, dip the cookie cutters in flour first, this way the cut out dough will release easily from the cutter.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating with icing.
- It’s not necessary to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or even spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. There’s enough butter in the cookies so they will easily lift from the baking sheet.
- To make your own icing to decorate the cookies you can use my recipe here.
Storing Sugar Cookies
Store these cookies plain or decorated in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
These sugar cookies, plain or decorated, will last in the freezer for up to 3 months stored in an airtight container. You can thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
You can also freeze the dough properly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months.
More Great Recipes To Try
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Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter unsalted, softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar: Add the sugar and the butter to the bowl of your mixer. Mix on medium until creamy, light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and continue mixing until well combined. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
- Combine the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and salt together.
- Finish the cookie dough: Turn down the mixer to low and add half the flour mixture to the mixer bowl and beat until just combined. Add the rest of the flour and continue mixing until combined. If the dough is a bit too soft add another tbsp of flour, this should help with rolling.
- Chill the cookie dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for 1 to 2 hours to overnight.
- Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 375°F.
- Roll and cut the dough: Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼" inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes. Re-roll leftover dough and cut into shapes.
- Bake the cookies: Place cookies 1 inch apart onto an ungreased cookie sheet and bake 9 to 11 minutes. Allow to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Recipe Notes
- Throw in an extra egg yolk which is full of fat and can contribute to a more chewy cookie.
- It’s very important for your butter to be at room temperature so that your dough doesn’t end up too soft.
- Even if you’re tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge as it will spread less while cooking.
- When cutting your cookies, dip the cookie cutters in flour first, this way the cut out dough will release easily from the cutter.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating with icing.
- It’s not necessary to line your baking sheet with parchment paper or even spray the baking sheet with cooking spray. There’s enough butter in the cookies so they will easily lift from the baking sheet.
- To make your own icing, you can use my recipe here.
- Store these cookies plain or decorated in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or up to 10 days in the refrigerator.
- These sugar cookies, plain or decorated, will last in the freezer for up to 3 months stored in an airtight container. You can thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature.
- You can also freeze the dough properly wrapped in plastic wrap for up to 3 months.
Can I substitute gluten free all purpose flour
Technically you could, but I’m not an expert on gluten free, so I don’t know if it’s cup for cup.
This is a great recipe! Loved the flavour of the cookies♥️ Also, when I make them during the year, I cut them in rounds, dab whole or canned milk on top and sprinkle with sugar, it makes a lovely little crust on the top. ♥️