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Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.6 from 76 reviews
  • Author: Jasmine
  • Prep Time: 40 minutes
  • Cook Time: 12 minutes
  • Total Time: 3 hours
  • Yield: 24 cookies (3-4 inch size)
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Description

These Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are delightfully tender with crisp edges and thick centers, perfect for decorating with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. Featuring a simple but rich vanilla and almond extract flavor, they roll out easily and bake evenly, making them ideal for festive occasions or everyday treats. The recipe yields about two dozen 3-4 inch cookies, soft yet sturdy enough to hold a variety of delicious icings and sprinkles.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (281g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled), plus more as needed for rolling and work surface
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
  • 3/4 cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes the flavor outstanding)

For Decoration

  • Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream (royal icing is pictured)
  • Assorted sprinkles

Instructions

  1. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a handheld or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on high speed until the mixture becomes light and creamy, about 3 minutes. This step ensures a tender and fluffy cookie base.
  3. Add Egg and Extracts: Incorporate the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) into the butter mixture. Beat on high speed for about 1 minute until fully combined, scraping down the sides as needed to incorporate all ingredients evenly.
  4. Combine Wet and Dry: Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined into a soft dough. If the dough feels too sticky or soft for rolling, blend in an additional tablespoon of flour.
  5. Divide and Roll Dough: Split the dough into two equal portions, placing each on lightly floured parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Roll each portion out with a lightly floured rolling pin to an even thickness of 1/4 inch, using extra flour as needed to prevent sticking.
  6. Layer and Chill: Lightly dust the first rolled dough layer with flour to prevent sticking. Place the second rolled dough on top of the first, cover tightly, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days to firm up, making cutting easier and helping flavors to develop.
  7. Prepare Oven and Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats for easy removal and even baking.
  8. Cut Out Cookies: Remove one piece of dough from the refrigerator and carefully peel it off the parchment if it sticks. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, gathering scraps and rerolling as needed until all dough is used. Arrange cookies about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 11–12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and set. Rotate baking sheets halfway through baking if your oven has hot spots to ensure even cooking.
  10. Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, preparing them for decoration.
  11. Decorate: Once cooled, decorate the cookies with royal icing, glaze, or buttercream, tinting with gel colors if desired. Decorate directly on a baking sheet to facilitate refrigeration for faster icing setting.
  12. Storage and Serving: Serve immediately or wait for icing to fully set. Store plain or iced cookies at room temperature covered tightly for up to 5 days, or refrigerate up to 10 days. Buttercream-decorated cookies should be stored at room temperature up to 1 day or refrigerated up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Cookies have a soft texture with crisp edges and thick centers perfect for decorating.
  • Yield depends on cookie cutter size; recipe makes approximately 24 cookies sized 3-4 inches.
  • For larger batches, double the recipe as needed.
  • This recipe is featured in Sally’s Baking 101, a New York Times best-selling cookbook.
  • The almond extract is optional but adds an outstanding depth of flavor.
  • Decorated cookies can be refrigerated on their baking sheet to set icing faster.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cookie (approx. 28g)
  • Calories: 130
  • Sugar: 8g
  • Sodium: 70mg
  • Fat: 7g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.5g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 16g
  • Fiber: 0.5g
  • Protein: 1.5g
  • Cholesterol: 25mg

Find it online: https://jmrecipes.com/soft-cut-out-sugar-cookies-recipe/