Name: Cut Out Sugar Cookie
Yield: 24

This simple Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe is my go-to when using a cookie cutter! A simple but satisfying cookie recipe with stunning results and minimal hands-on or chilling time. Plus, the sugar cookie icing is straightforward to work with and so tasty (unlike a lot of royal icing recipes.)

This post includes a video tutorial and step-by-step photos to help you be successful in decorating beautiful sugar cookies — even if it’s your first time.

Not looking for a Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe? Try these super chewy and Soft Sugar Cookies or these Sugar Cookie Bars instead.

The BEST Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

Few things beat a super soft and chewy Brown Sugar Cookie, but as far as a cookie recipe that can be cut out and maintains its shape, this recipe is the best! These cookies not only hold shapes really well, but they also don’t require loads of hands-on preparation or chilling time. They’re soft with slightly crisp edges, evenly sweet, and have a wonderfully nuanced flavor.

By adding just two “secret” ingredients: ground cardamom and the zest of an orange (or lemon), we heighten the flavor of these cookies, adding a wonderful freshness and vibrancy to the flavor.

Process shots-- images of the butter and sugar being creamed together

What Is The Trick To Cut-Out Cookies?

There are so many tips and tricks to perfecting Cut-Out Sugar Cookies, but here are my top tips:

Roll out the dough on wax paper or plastic wrap. This serves a couple of purposes: first, the dough won’t warm and stick to the counter, and second, the wax paper can be lifted from the counter to coax the cut-out shape off nicely.
Freeze the dough. Instead of spending hours chilling, You can pop the dough in the freezer for a quicker chill.
Tap the cookie cutter in flour. Simply tap the cutter in a bowl of flour before each cut. This will help it cut into the dough without sticking.

Process shots of Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe-- images of the eggs, vanilla, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and flour being added to a bowl

Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Ingredients

Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipes have fewer ingredients, so the better the ingredients, the better the results will be. Here are our top ingredient tips (certainly not requirements, but ways to elevate your cookies’ flavors):

Sugar. I have a big container of sugar that I store vanilla beans in. This really heightens the flavor of the sugar.
Butter. The better the butter, the richer the flavor. It is satisfying to Challenge® Butter. Choose unsalted to have reliable control over the amount of salt in the dough.
Fresh baking powder. Check to make sure the baking powder is fresh.
Cornstarch. This ingredient helps the cookies hold their shape better as well as keeps them nice and soft.
Vanilla. These cookies definitely benefit from vanilla bean paste which adds more flavor than liquid vanilla. That said, vanilla extract also works well. Just make sure to use a pure vanilla extract for maximum flavor.
skippable ingredients: Citrus zest and ground cardamom. These two ingredients are skippable and can be left out if you want a “pure” recipe. That said, home cooks enjoy these cookies with those two ingredients — they add vibrancy and flavor!

Process shots-- images of the dough being rolled out and cut into shapes

How Do You Get Cut-Out Cookies To Keep Their Shapes?

Keep the dough as cold as possible at all times.
Cut out thick (1/2-inch) shapes.
Chill the dough. The longer the fat (butter) stays solid, the less the cookies will spread. Additionally, the sugar has a chance to absorb more liquid and further prevent spreading.
Chill it twice. The dough is easier to roll out and cut if it has been chilled for a little. Next, we recommend chilling again — chill the cut-out shapes (on the tray) before baking. This is a game changer for helping cookies keep their shape and avoid the dreaded spread.

Process shots of Cut-Out Sugar Cookie recipe-- images of the cookies unbaked and baked.

Let’s Chat Icing

I have tried every icing to top sugar cookies — from meringue powders to egg whites and I’m here to tell you this one is not only the tastiest, but it’s also the easiest and most foolproof!

Here are some tips:

Sift powdered sugar to keep clumps and bumps out of the icing (prettier cookies!).
Don’t frost warm cookies. In fact, we think it’s best to chill the baked cookies in the fridge before icing them.
Mix up the extract. Feel free to swap vanilla for a different flavor (almond, lemon, orange, etc.) to change the icing flavor.
Keep the extract to a minimum. Much more than a few drops (1/4 teaspoon) of extract and your icing will taste off.

Process shots-- images of the icing being made

Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Tools

The following tools make the process so much easier:

Silicone liner or parchment paper
Extra-large (15×21) inch sheet pan (Fitting more cookies on a tray means less overall baking time!)
Sieve
Squeeze bottles (easier “flooding”)
Piping tips (or just cut the tip of the bags off with scissors)
Piping bags
Rolling pin
Rubber spatula

Quick Tip

What is flooding? After you have outlined the cookie (and it has dried) you then “flood” the cookie with the remaining icing. This gives the cookie a smooth and glossy finish. Once the flooding has dried, you can pipe on more details to the cookies.

How Far In Advance Can You Make Cut-Out Cookies?

One of a reliable things about this recipe is that it can be made months in advance! Bake the unfrosted cookies, freeze them on a sheet pan, then move to an airtight bag or container with layers separated by wax or parchment paper. Thaw at room temperature and frost fresh. Stored properly, they’ll last 3-6 months in the freezer.

Fresh sugar cookies are best enjoyed within 3-5 days of being made. (We like them best the first couple of days.)