Best Rolled Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe
Sugar Cookie Dough for Cut Out Cookies
yield: 16 SERVINGS
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 15 MINUTES
total time: 35 MINUTES
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (no substitutes)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
1
With an electric mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and blend well. Add extracts and blend.
2
Mix salt and flour together separately, then gradually add to the wet ingredients. Knead into a ball.
3
Cover dough and chill dough for about 2 hours (this step is a must!!).
4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with about 1/3 of the batch at a time, briefly knead the chilled dough and roll about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.
5
Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes with the dough.
6
Bake cookies on parchment paper-lined baking trays for about 12-14 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden.
7
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack, and frost as desired.
Who doesn’t love a soft and chewy classic sugar cookie recipe?
The great news is, sugar cookies are easy to make at home and don’t require a ton of ingredients. Rolled cut out sugar cookies are such a fun activity to do with the kids and perfect for every holiday!
If you have ever been disappointed when taking the time to roll out cookies and they come out wonky, check out this simple recipe that’s one of my all-time favorites!
Homemade sugar cookies are the best!
This is the recipe I use every year. It makes gorgeous cookie cutter shaped cookies that are both delicious and easy to make. I love that these cookies come out soft, chewy, buttery, and perfect every time!
Grab some fun cookie cutters and let’s get bakin!
Hip Tips:
- Great sugar cookies do take chilling time, so be sure to allow for that. This will help them keep their beautiful cookie cutter shape, and not spread so much.
- Sugar cookie dough freezes well! You can make this recipe up to 3 months ahead of time, store it in a freezer bag, and then thaw out when you want to bake cookies. You can also cover and store baked sugar cookies in the freezer too, and take them out of the freezer to thaw and decorate.
- If there’s a nut allergy be sure to omit the almond extract. We love the taste of almond extract in these cookies, but it’s easy to leave out.
- Prep a baking sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. This will ensure your cookies won’t stick to the pan.
- Check out this royal icing recipe via Wilton.com that I love to use. I do a sugar cookie decorating technique called “flooding” where you outline the cookie in royal icing with a pastry bag and then fill in the middle with a watered down royal icing using a squeeze bottle. It’s fun!
Sugar Cookie Dough for Cut Out Cookies
yield: 16 SERVINGS
prep time: 20 MINUTES
cook time: 15 MINUTES
total time: 35 MINUTES
This is the perfect sugar cookie dough for cut out cookies! You'll love the flavor and easy to mold cookie dough.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened (no substitutes)
- 1 cup confectioner’s sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp almond extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 tsp salt
Directions
1
With an electric mixer or hand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add egg and blend well. Add extracts and blend.
2
Mix salt and flour together separately, then gradually add to the wet ingredients. Knead into a ball.
3
Cover dough and chill dough for about 2 hours (this step is a must!!).
4
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Working with about 1/3 of the batch at a time, briefly knead the chilled dough and roll about 1/8 inch to 1/4 inch thick on a floured surface.
5
Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes with the dough.
6
Bake cookies on parchment paper-lined baking trays for about 12-14 minutes, or until edges are slightly golden.
7
Transfer cookies to a cooling rack, and frost as desired.
Grab a glass of cold milk and enjoy a homemade cookie!
There’s nothing better than a soft chewy sugar cookie. With this recipe you’ll be making cookies like a pro for every holiday and occasion. Some of my best and messiest memories are in the kitchen decorating cookies with my kids as little ones. Enjoy!
This looks like my mom’s recipe and it is the best! The Almond Extract is the key ingredient. It is so hard to wait 2 hours while it chills.
I have used this recipe for over 20years and it is the best. The key if you want soft cookies is to not roll out too thin. I never wait until it is chilled but I cut mine thick so it works fine.
I have cookie recipe that is THE BEST THING EVER! Lol it’s called cream cheese cake mix but they actually taste like chocolate chip cookies just made from scratch. They are made from scratch but they don’t take long or use a lot of stuff.
I’d love to see the recipe please?? Would you kindly share THE BEST THING EVER with us?? Please? Oh pretty please???? 😉
Oops! Didn’t read far enough to see you’ve already posted a link to it! Thanks!!!
This is very similar to the recipe I use. Everyone always raves about it, and I agree, the almond extract is what takes it over the top. No leavening so they keep their shape. Try cutting out a smaller heart in the middle and putting in a jolly rancher or lifesavers candy. It’ll melt, leaving a fun window in the middle.
(pics here: http://bluefield5.blogspot.com/2012/02/windowpane-heart-cookies.html)
Fun idea!
I used Lina’s recipe and put the jolly ranchers inside of our heart cutouts, the kids loved it and they turned out so cute. Note: the purple jolly rancher turned brown and tge kids thought it tasted like medicine! Otherwise, thanks for the yummy recipe and great idea for yet another snow day!
Recipe for the cream cheese cake mix? Don’t tease us!
http://www.justapinch.com/recipes/dessert/cookies/cream-cheese-cake-mix-cookies-8.html
😋 they are fantastic! It makes a lot of dough so I made two trays and saved the rest and made another 3 trays!
Sounds great but if you share please let people know there is almond extract in it. Those with nut allergies may assume a suger cookie is safe.
I know this is a silly questions, but what flour do you use? Self-rising or all Purpose or ? Sorry I am a new baker.
I use all purpose for these. thanks!
Thank you!
Anyone got a good recipe for the soft type surgar cookies (think lofthouse)? I’ve seen a number of them online and wondered if anyone has one that works out really well?
I like to add about half a cup of sour cream to mine. Sounds gross , but makes them really soft 🙂
Add half a cup of sour cream to sugar cookie recipe. Sounds gross , but makes the cookies soft. Yummy…
https://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/cream-cheese-cutouts/. I’ve been making cream cheese cut outs for years. I omit the almond extract (not my favorite flavor) and actually double the vanilla. The cookies are soft and just crazy yummy. I have to bring cookies to all family events.
I’m actually making sugar cookies myself right now
I really cant wait to get my grain-free flours so I can bake again. I found a rolled Paleo cookie it even has a icing… feeling inspired it try them after seeing these!
What did you use to write the words on the cookies? I am so making these for my husband for Valentines Day!!! Thank you!
Aw thanks Kim! I used a number 1 tip from wilton along with a pastry bag.
One more question… how does the icing taste with the meringue powder? I have never used that before.
It’s pretty thin and sweet but not too sweet. I don’t think the merengue adds much taste. They taste like a cookie from a fancy bakery 🙂
Is there any way to use another extract in place of the almond? My son’s allergic.
Omit and use a little more vanilla, Thanks!
The decorating is the hardest part…and frustrating. But at least it taste good…just not marketable.
Your cookies turned out great, Collin! And thanks for all the tips, especially on ‘flooding’. I can’t wait to try the recipe.
I finally feel brave enough to try these cookies for valentines day….but my question is, are these cookies sweet enough to eat on their own? My husband doesn’t like frosting and isn’t much for sweets, but he mostly likes to eat cookies either in the morning for breakfast or with his chai tea so hopefully these are sweet but not overkill (although I wouldn’t mind if ;)) thanks in advance!!
Yes! We love them without frosting too 🙂
Thank you so much for your reply!
I just made these (without the frosting), it’s my favorite sugar cookie recipe yet! Love the almond extract flavor in it 😉 and it was super easy. Thanks Lina!
That’s great! Thanks Donna!
Can you use salted butter and omit the salt?
How many cookies does the recipe above make? I need to make over 150 cookies for a cookie exchange.
Sure – I think that’d be fine.
The only time you do not want to use salted butter is when you arę making colored frosting. The suger, salted butter and food coloring in your frosting will not make a prętty frosting.
Made this recipes twice this week. Love the smell of the cookies while in the oven. I’ve tried other recipes but they always come out hard but this recipe is the best. I love how it stays soft even after a few days since I’ve cooked it. The kids enjoyed making them with me and decorating.
Just wanted to thank you, Lina. I have struggled for years to find a good, manageable sugar cookie dough. You just shared it! I made a double batch of dough earlier in the week and my boys and I rolled and cut cookies out to bake this morning. Yum! They don’t even need frosting. Warning to anyone considering making these: they are all too addictive! (And thank you, Lina, for the many recipes you share. Your crock-pot beans have been a go to for me now.)
Aw thanks for your kindness. Im glad they worked out!
Can these cookies be frozen? If so, with the icing on them?
Yes sugar cookies do well frozen. Maybe separate them first using parchment paper so they don’t stick.
Thanks for posting. I have tons of cutters I’d love to use but haven’t found a recipe that is foolproof. Hoping I have luck with this one!
Yes good luck and let us know! <3
TIP… ROLL THEM OUT ON PARCHMENT PAPER… after you cut them out remove the excess dough… all the cookies are now on parchment paper ready to be put on your pan and bake…. no worrying about having to lift and move the dough…
Love that! Thanks for sharing Debbie!
Can you use sugar substitute in this recipe?
That’s a great question. I would think so – i would use Swerve confectioners 👍
I just tried the recipe but perhaps I made them too thin they did not come out soft on inside – how thick should the dough be?-would adding sour cream help (I saw someone added sour cream)I am trying to find an easy recipe to use for 60th annivesary party need 75 for favors and extra to serve
Oh darn, ya maybe 1/4 of inch. I’d roll them thicker and maybe reduce bake time a minute or two.