Description
These Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies are tender, chewy, and perfect for any occasion. Rolled out to a ¼-inch thickness and chilled before baking, they hold their shape beautifully for detailed cookie cutter designs. The optional smooth vanilla-almond icing adds a sweet finishing touch for decorating. Ideal for holiday treats, parties, or everyday snacking.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 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 ¼ teaspoon for subtler 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
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.
- Cream butter and sugar. In a separate large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add eggs and extracts. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add the vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until incorporated.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Divide and roll dough. Divide the dough into two equal portions. Place each portion on lightly floured parchment paper or silicone mats. Roll out each dough portion to about ¼-inch thickness, using additional flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Chill dough. Lightly dust the rolled dough with flour, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1-2 hours or overnight to firm up.
- Prepare for baking. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Cut the cookies. Remove one dough portion from the refrigerator. Use cookie cutters to cut into desired shapes. Arrange the shapes about 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Chill cut dough if re-rolling. If re-rolling scraps, chill the dough pieces on the baking sheets in the refrigerator or freezer for at least 10 minutes before baking to prevent excessive spreading.
- Bake cookies. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes until the edges just start to turn golden and the centers remain slightly soft. Avoid overbaking for a soft texture.
- Cool cookies. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating or storing.
- Prepare icing (optional). In a medium bowl, combine sifted powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, light corn syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth. Adjust consistency by adding more milk (a teaspoon at a time) if too thick, or more powdered sugar if too thin. Tint with gel food coloring if desired. Spread or pipe onto completely cooled cookies. Allow icing to set for a couple of hours before packaging.
Notes
- This recipe yields approximately 36 small cookies depending on cutter sizes and re-rolling. For more cookies, double the batch.
- Rolling the dough to ¼-inch thickness yields soft, puffy cookies; thinner dough will be crispier.
- Always chill rolled dough before cutting and chill again after re-rolling scraps to minimize spreading during baking.
- Remove cookies from oven when edges just turn golden but centers remain soft; they firm as they cool.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- You can prepare the dough up to one day ahead and refrigerate overnight. Alternatively, freeze dough discs up to 1 month; thaw in refrigerator overnight before using.
- Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before decorating.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie (approximate, depending on size)
- Calories: 110
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 5 g
- Saturated Fat: 3 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.3 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 25 mg
