These thick, bakery-style, soft cut out sugar cookies are a fun and festive addition to your Christmas cookie tray! Every mom (or grandma) should have an easy sugar cookie recipe that she can whip up in minutes.
If you love holiday baking, try a batch of soft gingerbread man cookies, chewy molasses cookies, or soft peanut butter blossoms next. You’ll also find more ideas in my Easy Christmas Desserts collection.
These were the best sugar cookies I’ve ever tasted! The almond extract really adds flavor and the cookies stayed in shape perfectly while also being soft! I’ll use this recipe from now on.
– Jessica
How to Make this Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe | 2-Minute Video
Why This Is the Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
For years, I searched for an easy sugar cookie recipe that would yield perfectly thick, soft cut-out cookies that don’t spread in the oven. Ultimately, I adapted a recipe that I found in Country Woman magazine to create these bakery-style treats that are absolutely the best!
What makes these cookies soft and tender instead of dry or crispy? It comes down to a few key things: room temperature butter creamed with sugar creates a tender crumb, just enough flour keeps the dough stable without making it tough, and chilling the rolled dough before baking prevents spreading so the cookies hold their shape perfectly.
These cookies are easy to make ahead, perfect for sharing with friends and neighbors, and always a hit with kids. My boys love decorating these fun holiday shapes, largely because they’re a vehicle to pile on as much icing, sprinkles, and candy as possible. It’s a holiday tradition that you’ll want to save and enjoy for years to come!
Before You Get Started
A few key steps will set you up for soft, perfectly shaped cookies every time:
- Roll the dough before you chill it. This is the secret to easy rolling and no-spread cookies. Roll while the dough is still soft, then chill the flat discs until firm. The cookies go into the oven cold, which helps them hold their shape beautifully.
- Use room temperature butter (not warm). Butter that’s too soft or melted will make the dough sticky and cause spreading. It should be soft enough to indent with your finger but still hold its shape.
- Roll to ¼-inch thickness for soft, bakery-style results. This is thicker than many recipes call for, but it’s the key to that puffy, tender texture. Thinner cookies will bake up crispier.
- Don’t overbake. Remove the cookies when the edges are just starting to turn golden but the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll firm up as they cool, and you’ll get that perfect soft, chewy bite.
** A note on batch size: This recipe yields a small batch (up to 36 small cookies, depending on cutter size and how you re-roll scraps). If you’re baking for a crowd or a cookie decorating party, I recommend doubling the ingredients.
** And about the almond extract: I borrowed this trick from my friend Kelly, a professional sugar cookie baker. A touch of almond extract gives these cookies a delicious, slightly unique flavor. I use ½ teaspoon, but you can cut it back to ¼ teaspoon for something more subtle, or swap it out for extra vanilla if you prefer.
How to Keep Sugar Cookies from Spreading in the Oven
Here are a few of my best tips to prevent the cookies from spreading:
- Roll First, Then Chill. I learned this process from America’s Test Kitchen, and it’s genius! Roll out the cookie dough before chilling, while it’s still soft. After the discs of dough have hardened and chilled, you can cut out the cookie shapes and bake them immediately. Rolling the soft dough is much easier than rolling a hard ball of chilled dough, and the cookies go into the oven while they’re still very cold and firm (thus preventing spreading).
- Chill the dough for at least 1-2 hours. It’s very important that you chill the rolled dough before cutting. If you re-roll the scraps and cut out additional cookies, chill again just before baking to make sure that the dough is nice and cool.
- Use enough flour. The total amount of flour required for this dough can vary (often by the humidity in the house, the season, and the way that you scoop and measure the flour). If you don’t have enough flour in your dough, the cookies are more likely to spread. While rolling, add small amounts of additional flour as necessary to make sure that your dough doesn’t stick to your hands, parchment paper, or rolling pin.
- Don’t overmix. Whipping the wet ingredients too much or overmixing can add excessive air to the dough, causing the cookies to collapse and spread in the oven.
- Line the baking sheets. Spraying the baking sheets with cooking spray or greasing with butter creates a slippery surface that causes cookies to spread. Instead, line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats for “grip.”
- Use cool baking sheets. Never place cookie dough on warm baking sheets.
How to Make Cutout Sugar Cookies
This easy and delicious cookie dough comes together in just minutes! You’ll need to be patient while it chills in the fridge, but the end result is well worth the wait. Find the detailed directions in the recipe card below, but here’s a quick overview:
Step 1: Mix the Dough
Cream together the butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract and mix until combined. Finally, mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. The texture should be very similar to Play-Doh!
Step 2: Roll It Out
Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or on a silicone mat, then roll to ¼-inch thickness.
Step 3: Chill Until Firm
Stack the discs of dough on a baking sheet (separated by parchment), cover tightly with plastic wrap, and chill for at least 1 hour or until firm.
Step 4: Cut Out the Shapes
Once the discs of rolled out dough are nice and cold, use your favorite cookie cutters to create the desired shapes. Transfer the shapes onto lined baking sheets.
Step 5: Bake at 375°F for 8-10 Minutes
The cookies are done when the edges are just starting to brown, but they’re still fairly soft in the center. They will firm up as they cool, so be careful not to overbake them or the cookies will become hard. Cool completely on a cooling rack before decorating (see my decorating tips at the bottom of this post).
Serve and Enjoy!
How to Decorate Sugar Cookies
Decorating sugar cookies is half the fun, especially during the holidays. I include a simple powdered sugar icing made with confectioners’ sugar, milk, vanilla, and a little corn syrup for shine. It sets in about 30 minutes, can be tinted with food coloring, and works well in piping bags or zip-top bags with the corner snipped.
For more detail, use royal icing; for a thicker frosting, try a vanilla buttercream frosting; or keep it easy with tubes of store-bought Betty Crocker cookie icing (a great mess-free option for kids).
More Fun Decorations
- Red, white and green sprinkles are always an easy, festive touch and will stick nicely to your icing before it sets.
- Red hot cinnamon candies make great buttons, ornaments, holly berries, or reindeer noses.
- Mini chocolate chips create perfect little eyeballs on reindeer, Santa shapes, or gingerbread men.
- Candy eyeballs are also a cute way to create a face.
- Cut them into hearts, add red, pink, and white sprinkles, and offer them for Valentine’s Day.
Preparation and Storage Tips
Storage: Store the cut out sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Make Ahead: Prepare the dough up to 1 day ahead, roll out the discs, and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough discs for up to 1 month. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and then proceed with cutting and baking.
To bake the cookies in advance, allow them to cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature before decorating.
Freezing decorated cookies: You can freeze the cookies after icing and decorating, too. Be aware, though, that the quality of the icing or decorations may not be quite as good when thawed. It can run, thin, or get smooshed.
I’ve looked for years and tried many recipes.These are the best and easiest I’ve ever made. They really do stay soft inside.
– b. scofield
Frequently Asked Questions
How thick should I roll sugar cookie dough?
For soft, bakery-style cookies, roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness. This is thicker than many recipes call for, but it’s the key to getting that puffy, tender texture instead of thin, crispy cookies.
How do I keep sugar cookies from spreading?
The most important step is chilling the dough after rolling. Cold dough holds its shape much better in the oven. Also make sure your butter isn’t too warm, use enough flour, and always bake on parchment-lined (not greased) baking sheets.
What does the almond extract do?
It adds a subtle, slightly sweet flavor that makes these cookies taste more like bakery-style treats. You can reduce it to ¼ teaspoon for a milder taste, or substitute with extra vanilla extract if you prefer.
More Holiday Cookies to Try
Did you make this recipe?
If you enjoyed this recipe, please leave a comment with a 5-star review at the bottom of the post. Thank you!
Watch How to Make It
Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (or reduce to ¼ teaspoon for a more subtle flavor)
Icing (Optional)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside. In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing to combine. Add vanilla extract and almond extract; mix until incorporated. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture; mix on low until a soft dough forms.
- Divide the dough into 2 equal portions. Place each portion on a piece of lightly-floured parchment paper or a lightly-floured silicone mat. With a lightly-floured rolling pin, roll the dough to about ¼ -inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems sticky.
- Lightly dust the top of the dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours (or overnight).
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Carefully remove one portion of the dough from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into desired shapes.
- Arrange the shapes about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. You can re-roll the dough scraps to cut out additional cookies, but you will need to chill the cut-out dough on the baking sheets in the fridge or freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking. This will give the dough a chance to firm up again so that the cookies don’t spread in the oven. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or just until lightly browned. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
To Prepare Icing (Optional):
- Combine confectioners sugar, 2 tablespoons of milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract in a medium-sized bowl and stir until combined. If icing is too thick, add more milk, about a teaspoon at a time, until the icing is thick but spreadable. If it’s too thin, gradually add more powdered sugar until it reaches the desired consistency. Use gel food coloring to tint the frosting, if desired. Pipe or spread onto the cooled cookies and then allow the icing to firm up and set before packaging (this may take a couple of hours).
Notes
- Roll to ¼-inch thickness for soft, puffy cookies. Thinner dough will bake up crispier.
- Chill rolled dough for at least 1-2 hours before cutting. If you re-roll scraps, chill again before baking.
- Don’t overbake. Remove cookies when edges are just starting to turn golden but centers still look slightly soft. They’ll firm up as they cool.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To make ahead: Prepare the dough up to 1 day ahead, roll out the discs, and chill in the refrigerator overnight. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough discs for up to 1 month. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator overnight and then proceed with cutting and baking.
- To freeze baked cookies: Allow them to cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw on the counter at room temperature before decorating.
Nutrition
Originally published in November, 2020, this post was updated in December, 2025.
These are absolutely delicious. I made these for our neighborhood Valentine’s Day party. They were a hit. I obviously had to double the recipe and had no issues. I also halfed the recipe and used a 1-to-1 gluten free baking mix and they were equally perfect. I also made them dairy free. If you’re making them dairy free I found they need to chill a bit longer than the minimum. But seriously, if you follow this recipe, you’ll have the best soft cookie. Thank you.
Thank you, Amber! Great tips about the gluten-free and dairy-free options. So glad that they were a hit! 🙂
Used this recipe for Christmas cookies 2021, Valentine’s Day 2022, and again this weekend for Easter! For anyone who prefers unsalted butter like me, adding an extra 1/4 teaspoon salt levels it out 🙂
Thank you, Kira! I’m so glad that you like them!
This recipe produced the kind of sugar cookies that I’ve been seeking to make for YEARS! I’ve tried so many recipes! Thank you for sharing this one! I made 4th of July cookies today with buttercream frosting and they are a delight, if I do say so myself.
Oh, good! What a fun treat for the 4th of July. So glad that you like them, Beth! 🙂
So excited to try these!
Hope you love them, Lisa!
How many cookies do this 1x ingredient list yield? Very confused on servings bc it says “3” on top of recipe and then below on the nutritional info, it says 1 serving is one cookie. But why would you give a recipe that yields only 3 cookies? Or 6 cookies for the 2x? Doesn’t make sense
Sorry about that, Agg. It should say “3 dozen.” We updated the recipe cards site-wide last month, and the new cards cut off some of the info on the older recipes. You should get about 36 cookies out of this recipe, but that will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutters that you use. Hope you enjoy!
Love the recipe worked out great never thought of putting the cookies back into the refrigerator but it works wonderfully thank you so much
So glad to hear it, Cindy. Thank you!
I made these cookies. They tasted good and not too sweet. Mine were not really soft but they were not hard either. I also was wondering how to get a perfect one fourth inch height so I looked up on a video. If you put the dough between two pieces of waxed paper and roll the dough you don’t need flour. To get the correct perfect height you use two dowel rods one on each side of the dough that are one fourth thickness and roll.
Great tip, Susan!
Hi Blair. I don’t know what I did wrong but I couldn’t roll out my dough. It was like mush. I ended up throwing it all a way. I followed the recipe like you said I just don’t know what happened. Hints please.
Hi, Angela! I wonder if maybe you accidentally mis-measured the flour and didn’t add enough? Or was your butter way too soft? I can’t think of any other reasons that the dough would have that texture. It’s not an issue I’ve ever run into.
Love almond taste… do u add almond extract along with vanilla I assume or replace the vanilla with almond? And do u put the almond in both the cookie and icing? Tk u!
Hi, Ali! If you want a stronger almond flavor, I would add a little bit more almond extract in addition to the vanilla extract called for in the recipe.
I don’t usually put the almond extract in the icing, but you absolutely can do that if you want. Just use small amounts, because a little goes a long way!
Can I use unsalted butter with this recipe?
Hi, Lindsay! Yes, you can. You’ll just need to add some extra salt to the dough. I’d try about 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon of additional salt.
I love this sugar cookie recipe. Very easy to make
Thank you, Regina!
Worked out perfect for Christmas cookies
Wonderful! Happy holidays, Jessica!
I usually kinda dread making cutout cookies but this is a great recipe and my go-to from now on! Love how easy the icing is too and how it dries so pretty. Thank you! Merry Christmas!
Thanks, Andrea! I totally agree! I just made another batch of these today, since they are one of the few cut-out cookies that I deem worth the effort. Thank you for your note, and merry Christmas!
These were amazing!!
Thanks, Jessica!
Can I leave out the almond extract? My daughter is allergic to almonds and dont want to risk it. I am looking for a sugar cookie recipe but all of them have almond extract
Never mind just found it in you part about almond extract. LOL
No problem, Nycole. Definitely omit the almond extract. They’ll still be great!
First time making them! Came out amazing, my oven is different so I had to do 325 for only 4-5 mins & they were super soft. My son & I decorated them with icing, very time consuming but so worth it 🙂 … Thank you, will definitely be making this recipe again!!
Thanks, Amanda! Happy holidays to you!
Made these cookies and followed directions exactly. They came out so perfect! Super easy to cut out too!! Personal preference: is there a way I can make the cookies sweeter? I love sweet sweet cookies!!
Thanks, Sydney! Add lots of icing! That’s what my kids would say. 🙂 You can play around with using more sugar, but I would test the recipe with a small amount added first, and then gradually increase with subsequent batches until they’re just how you like them. If you add too much sugar, you risk a brittle cookie (rather than soft), so just go slowly.
So tasty and truly the softest sugar cookie recipe I’ve found! Thank you!
Yay! Thanks, LA!
Best sugar cookies I have ever made! I added nutmeg to the dough. Delicious!
Amazing! Thanks, Michelle!
What if I don’t have ALMOND favoring ….what can I substitute?
You can just omit that ingredient, or add a little bit more vanilla extract. Up to you!
Are there any changes for high altitude?
Hi, Katie! I’m definitely no expert at high altitude baking, so I haven’t been able to test this recipe that way. I would refer to this article for general tips on baking cookies at high altitudes: https://www.dougheyed.com/baking-cookies-at-high-altitude/
These were delicious. I’ve bookmarked this page.
Thanks, Chelsea!
I followed the recipe exactly. My dough wouldn’t get firm. I ended up throwing the whole thing in the trash. Ugh this was my 1st time making them. I’m so disappointed.
Hi Angela and happy holidays! Dont give up. Try again. I’m sure you will get them right!
These are the best cutout sugar cookies I have ever eaten I will be doing this every Christmas Valentine’s Day and whatever holiday that you can make sugar cookies
Thank you, Deborah! Merry Christmas!