Cutout Sugar Cookies
This is the BEST cutout sugar cookie recipe you’ll ever taste! With simple steps and just one hour of chilling, these cookies are foolproof and so fun to make. Experiment with different icing patterns and toppings for a fun treat perfect for the holidays.
We make these cutout sugar cookies every Christmas, alongside our chocolate crinkle cookies and one bowl chocolate chip cookies. With a subtle, sweet flavor and thick, creamy frosting, they’re way better than anything store-bought and super fun to make! Our little ones love getting to decorate their own cookies and add their toppings, and it’s such a fun holiday tradition.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredients and instructions!
- Salted butter – Let it come to room temperature for easy mixing!
- Sugar – You can’t have sugar cookies without sugar! We use granulated sugar to sweeten the dough and create a classic sugar cookie taste.
- Eggs – We use both whole eggs and egg yolks to give the cookies structure and add extra richness.
- Flour – All-purpose flour forms the base of the dough. We haven’t tested it, but we think a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour would also work well if you need to keep your cutout sugar cookies gluten-free!
- Icing – Skip the store-bought options, and make a homemade icing glaze using powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, vanilla extract, and salt.
How to Make the Best Cutout Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Prepare the dough. Cream the butter and sugar in a bowl. Then, beat in the vanilla and whole eggs, followed by the egg yolks. Mix in the dry ingredients just until a smooth dough forms.
2. Chill. Cover the bowl, and transfer the dough to the fridge to chill. Don’t skip this, or your dough will spread and become tough and flat!
3. Shape the cookies. Divide the chilled dough in half, and squeeze each half into a round disc. Roll the dough on a floured surface until it’s roughly ¼ inch thick. Then, use festive cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
4. Bake. Arrange the cookies in a single layer on a prepared baking dish, and bake just until the centers are puffed and no longer look wet. The cookies won’t be browned at all!
5. Cool. Let your cookies cool on the baking sheet slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Prepare the icing. Mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until a thick paste forms. Then, divide the icing between bowls, and add your favorite gel food coloring.
7. Decorate. Spread the frosting over the cooled cookies, let them set, and enjoy!
Our Top Tips and Tricks
- Use properly softened butter. It should be soft enough to press your finger into, but not greasy or melted. This keeps the dough sturdy and prevents spreading.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough! The 1-hour chill firms up the butter, making the dough easier to roll and helping the cookies hold their shape.
Flour lightly, not heavily. Too much flour on your work surface can dry out the dough. Use just enough to prevent sticking. - Roll evenly to ¼-inch thickness. Uneven dough can cause cookies to bake inconsistently, with thinner spots becoming dry.
- Bake just until puffed. These cookies should stay pale and soft. If they brown at the edges, they’re overbaked.
- Let cookies set before moving. Cooling them on the baking sheet for 5 minutes prevents breakage while they firm up.
- Adjust the icing. If the icing is too thin, make it thicker by adding 1 tablespoon of powdered sugar at a time. If your icing is too thick, thin it out by adding ½ teaspoon milk at a time.
How to Store
Once cool and the icing is set, store leftover cutout sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They’re the perfect addition to treat boxes alongside Christmas energy bites, reindeer chow, and hot chocolate truffles.
You can also store leftover icing in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. To use, let it come to room temperature, and whisk to redistribute the ingredients, if needed.
Freeze undecorated cookies or raw cookie dough for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge, and decorate, or roll, shape, and bake.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
Thick Cutout Sugar Cookie Recipe with Glaze Icing
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened (see notes)
- 1 heaping cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 egg yolks
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Icing (about 2 cups)
- 1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk (see notes)
- ¼ cup corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
Optional Decoration
- gel food coloring
- sprinkles
Instructions
Cookies
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a wooden spoon.1 cup butter, softened, 1 heaping cup granulated sugar
- Beat in the whole eggs and vanilla. Then beat in the egg yolks until combined.2 eggs, 3 egg yolks, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Pour in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix until a dough forms.3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/2 Tablespoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Cover the bowl of dough and chill for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 375F. Place Silpat liners or parchment paper on baking sheets and set aside.
- Remove the dough from the fridge. With a spoon, divide the batter in half. With your hands, press and squeeze the dough into a round disc shape. Place the dough on a floured surface and sprinkle flour on top. With a rolling pin, roll out the dough to 1/4” thick. Use cookie cutters to cut out the cookies and place on the prepared baking sheet 1 inch apart. Reroll the scraps until all the cookies are made.
- Bake for 8 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and no longer look wet. The cookies should not be browned at all, but still cream colored. Don’t over bake.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to the cooling rack.
Icing
- Prepare the icing by adding all the ingredients to a large mixing bowl.1 pound (4 cups) powdered sugar, ¼ cup milk, ¼ cup corn syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- Mix everything with a spoon until everything is fully blended and you will end up with somewhat of a thick paste (see notes). If the icing is too thin, make it thicker by adding 1 Tablespoon powdered sugar at a time. If your icing is too thick, thin it out by adding ½ teaspoon milk at a time.
- You can now divide the icing into separate containers and use gel colors to color them.gel food coloring
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost and decorate the cookies and return to the cooling racks or set frosted cookies on a large sheet of wax paper for the icing to harden enough to stack the cookies.sprinkles
- The cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
Nutrition
Did you enjoy this Cutout Sugar Cookie Recipe? We’d love it if you left a rating and review to let us know, and don’t forget to tag us in your recreations on Instagram!
We have been making these cookies for almost 20 years! They. Are. The. Best. The perfect texture and flavor. Plus, sooooo pretty when decorated!