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Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe

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4 from 2 reviews

These Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are tender, buttery, and perfect for decorating with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. Rolled to a perfect 1/4-inch thickness and chilled before baking, these cookies hold their shape well and bake to a lightly golden finish, making them ideal for holidays, celebrations, or everyday treats. With easy-to-follow steps and versatile decorating options, you’ll enjoy baking and sharing these classic soft sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)

For Decorating

  • Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (royal icing is pictured)
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until fully combined. Set this mixture aside for later use.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture is light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Then add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using, and beat again on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl sides and bottom to ensure all ingredients are well incorporated.
  3. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Slowly add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined. The dough should be soft but not sticky. If it feels too soft for rolling, incorporate one additional tablespoon of flour.
  4. Divide and Roll Dough: Split the dough into two halves. On lightly floured parchment paper or a silicone baking mat, roll each portion out to an even 1/4-inch thickness using a lightly floured rolling pin. If the dough sticks, lightly flour the surface and rolling pin as needed.
  5. Chill Dough: Dust one rolled-out dough portion with flour to prevent sticking, then place the second rolled-out portion on top. Cover tightly and refrigerate the dough stack for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to firm up for easier cutting.
  6. Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
  7. Cut and Arrange Cookies: Remove the top dough sheet from the refrigerator carefully. Using cookie cutters, cut out your desired shapes. Gather scraps, reroll, and continue cutting until all dough is used. Place cookies approximately 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  8. Bake the Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are very lightly browned and the cookies are set. If your oven heats unevenly, rotate baking sheets halfway through baking for even results. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
  9. Decorate the Cookies: Once cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing, glaze icing, or cookie buttercream. Use gel food coloring to tint the icings as desired. You can decorate cookies directly on the baking sheet for easy transfer and place the sheet in the refrigerator to help set the icing faster.
  10. Serve and Store: Enjoy the cookies immediately, or wait for the icing to fully set before serving. Store plain or iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 10 days. If decorated with buttercream, store at room temperature for up to 1 day or refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • If the dough is too sticky to roll, add an extra tablespoon of flour at a time until manageable.
  • Chilling the dough is crucial for maintaining the cookie shapes and preventing spreading in the oven.
  • Use gel food coloring for vibrant icing colors without affecting icing consistency.
  • Cookies continue to firm up as they cool, so remove from oven when edges are lightly browned, not dark.
  • Decorated cookies can be stored in airtight containers but separate layers with parchment to avoid sticking.

Find it online: https://glowcooks.com/soft-cut-out-sugar-cookies-recipe/