Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies

Name: Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 1 h 25 min
Yield: 36 cookies (in various sizes and shapes)
Ingredients: 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup salted butter; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 large eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; ½ teaspoon almond extract; 3 cups Powdered sugar; 3-4 tablespoons milk; 2 tablespoons light corn syrup; ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; Gel food coloring

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5.0

222 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings
36 cookies (in various sizes and shapes)
Calories
94 kcal
Course
Baked Goods
Cuisine
American

Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies

Maisie Hall

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The only sugar cookie recipe you'll ever need! These easy bakery-style treats are soft, thick, and perfect for decorating.

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Ingredients

Servings

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

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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

*This recipe yields a small batch of dough. I can get up to 36 small cookies out of a batch, but that includes a lot of very little cookie cutters (and re-rolling the scraps). If you want to be sure to have enough cookies, I recommend doubling the ingredients.
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 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.

Nutrition Information

Show Details

Serving 1cookie (not including optional icing or decorations) Calories 94kcal (5%) Carbohydrates 13g (4%) Protein 1g (2%) Fat 4g (6%) Saturated Fat 3g (15%) Cholesterol 19mg (6%) Sodium 70mg (3%) Potassium 26mg (1%) Fiber 1g (4%) Sugar 6g (12%) Vitamin A 131IU (3%) Calcium 9mg (1%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 36cookies (in various sizes and shapes)

Amount Per Serving

Calories 94 kcal

% Daily Value*

Serving	1cookie (not including optional icing or decorations)
Calories	94kcal	5%
Carbohydrates	13g	4%
Protein	1g	2%
Fat	4g	6%
Saturated Fat	3g	15%
Cholesterol	19mg	6%
Sodium	70mg	3%
Potassium	26mg	1%
Fiber	1g	4%
Sugar	6g	12%
Vitamin A	131IU	3%
Calcium	9mg	1%
Iron	1mg	6%