The Best Soft & Sturdy Cutout Sugar Cookies for Decorating
You get soft, buttery sugar cookies that hold their shape perfectly for cutting and decorating. This easy recipe is ideal for Christmas and holiday baking.
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 10 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 35 min
- Yield: 3 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Cut out desired shapes using cookie cutters.
- Place the cutouts onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. For soft cookies, err on the side of underbaking slightly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Notes
- For the sturdiest cookies that hold sharp edges, chill the cutouts on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking.
- If you want extra chewy sugar cookies, slightly reduce the baking time.
- Use high-quality vanilla extract for the best buttery sugar cookie flavor.
- This dough freezes well; wrap tightly and freeze for up to three months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 150
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 95
- Fat: 8
- Saturated Fat: 5
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0
- Carbohydrates: 18
- Fiber: 0
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 30