These tender sugar cookie cutouts hold their shape beautifully when baked and are perfect for decorating with your favorite frosting. This is the sugar cookie cutout recipe you’ve always been looking for. No long chilling times, no unusual ingredients. Just mix, cut, bake and enjoy!

Easy Sugar Cookie Cutouts hold their shape beautifully without having to chill the dough for hours on end.

I chose that picture on purpose – you can see both the finished cookie, and the cookie cutter that shaped it. (See how similar they look?)

I don’t have patience for sugar cookie dough that has to chill “for at least 8 hours or overnight” like so many recipes I’ve seen over the years.

(My family would argue that I don’t have patience, at all…but that’s another story.)

Nor do I have patience for recipes that call for cream cheese, pastry flour or vanilla paste, which I typically don’t have laying around…and the sugar cookie baking whim is real.

Sometimes you just gotta bake!

My recipe for Easy Sugar Cookie Cutouts uses everyday ingredients, and is ready to bake in a matter of minutes.

Key Ingredients

Sugar – You’ll notice, this recipe uses powdered sugar in the dough. That’s not a typo.
Flavoring – I use Vanilla Extract in my recipe, but I’ve also used a mixture of Almond and Vanilla Extracts. Feel free to mix it up!
Butter – I use regular ol’ unsalted butter when I make these cookies. Be careful when using something like a European-style butter, as the moisture/fat content may differ. Also, this is NOT the place for margarine for the same reason.

Easy Sugar Cookie Trees — Easy Sugar Cookie Cutouts are perfect for decorating with Royal Icing or Buttercream Frosting.

The Process

Start by creaming the butter and sugar together, before adding the egg and flavoring(s).

Note – If using, start SLOW with that mixer as powdered sugar can go EVERYWHERE.

Then add the remaining ingredients and mix until fully incorporated.

Once you have everything mixed, lay a piece of parchment paper on your counter and top it with about half of the dough.

Roll the dough out to about ¼in thickness and cut the cookies, but do NOT try to pick them up yet.

Once you’ve cut everything out you can place the parchment paper on a baking sheet and pop it in the fridge for about 5min (or long enough for you to repeat the cutting process with the remaining dough).

Now that the dough has chilled, it is a bit more firm. You can more easily remove the extra bits of dough from around the cut cookies and the cookies will be less likely to break or warp if you need to move them around.

Once you’ve got the sugar cookies placed, you’re ready to bake!

Cool on a wire rack before frosting.

Easy Sugar Cookie Cutouts

Tender, lightly sweet sugar cookie cutouts that hold their shape beautifully when baked without endless chilling, perfect for any occasion.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Cool Time 15

Total Time 1 30

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 2 dozen

Equipment

Large Mixing Bowl
Parchment Paper
Baking Sheet Pan
Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer (optional – these can be mixed by hand)

Ingredients

1 cup butter, softened
1 ½ cups powdered sugar
1 large egg
2-3 teaspoons vanilla extract (or 1tsp almond extract + 2tsp vanilla extract)
2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 400°F.
In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and powdered sugar.
Add the egg and flavoring and mix well.
Next, add the flour, baking soda and salt. Mix gently to combine thoroughly. Do not overmix.
On a piece of parchment paper, roll out the dough about ¼ inch thick. Cut the cookies using your preferred cookie cutter(s).
Do not remove the excess dough (yet).
Gently place the the parchment paper on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for about 5min (or while you roll and cut any remaining dough).
Once the dough has firmed up a little, remove the excess dough from around the cut cookies (I find a toothpick helps with this).
Set excess dough aside.
Pick up the cut cookies and arrange them evenly on the parchment-lined baking sheet, at least ½ inch apart.
Bake at 400°F for 7-8 minutes or until very slightly golden brown around the edges.
Repeat the rolling/cutting process with remaining dough.
(NOTE: I also let my cookies just hang out in the fridge while they're waiting their turn in the oven, but I've skipped this extra chilling time and they've been just fine as well. I just have limited counter space and stashing them in the fridge helps free up some room).
If your cookies were a little thicker, you may need to add 1 minute.
If your cookie were a little thinner, you may need to start checking them around 6min to prevent over baking.
Cool baked cookies on the baking sheet for about 5min before removing them to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.

Notes

Baked cookies will keep for 3-4 days, undecorated, if kept in an air-tight container. If decorated, they will keep a bit longer.

You can use any flavoring you like! I prefer a blend of almond and vanilla extracts.

Adding zest can give citrus flavored cookies some extra zing, without compromising the bake.

You don’t HAVE to chill after cutting your cookies, but I find this helps tremendously when removing excess dough and rearranging my cookies for baking.

Keyword Christmas cookie, cookie, Cut Out Cookie, sugar cookie

Recipe Notes

How long will Easy Sugar Cookie Cutouts last? These cookies will last 3-4 days, without icing, if kept in an air-tight container or bag. If they are frosted, they’ll last a little longer as the frosting helps keep them moist.
Can I make the sugar cookie dough ahead of time and chill it until I’m ready to use it? Yes – form the dough into a ball and wrap it tightly with plastic wrap to keep it from drying out. Allow the dough to come to room temperature on the counter before using.
What is the best way to decorate these cookies? I love using buttercream frosting, my husband prefers royal icing and my mom likes them dipped in dark chocolate. It’s really up to you!