The best (& easiest) Cutout Sugar Cookies
This recipe for cutout sugar cookies produces a soft cookie that can be enjoyed simply without icing or decorated to match a theme for the holidays. Made in just 30 minutes with a handful of ingredients, there is nothing a simple sugar cookie can't do!
Servings 24 cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 cups (360 g) all purpose flour
- ½ Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- To a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and cream together on medium speed for 5 minutes.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated white sugar
- Add in the egg, salt, and flour and mix until just combined.1 large egg, ½ teaspoon salt, 3 cups all purpose flour
- Add in the vanilla and lemon extracts and mix until combined.½ Tablespoon vanilla extract, ⅛ teaspoon lemon extract
- Divide the dough in half and roll each half between two sheets of parchment or wax paper (no additional flour needed) into approximately ¼" thickness.
- Chill the rolled dough for 10 minutes so it's easier to work with.
- Once chilled, use various cookie cutters to cut shapes and then lay onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Reroll the scraps of dough between the wax paper and chill as needed if it starts to get too warm. The dough is easiest to work with while slightly chilled.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until just set.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool completely before icing or enjoying as-is.
Notes
- Don’t skip chilling—the short wait makes the dough easier to handle.
- Roll the dough before chilling; it’s tough to roll once cold.
- Cookie count varies by cutter size—about 28 cookies with a 3" cutter.
- Recipe can be doubled; freeze extra dough for later use.
- Lemon extract adds a nice touch, but it’s optional.
- Swap lemon or vanilla extract with almond extract for a different flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temp for up to a week—let icing dry fully before stacking.
- Dough freezes well—wrap in discs, freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in fridge, then bring to room temp before rolling.
Nutrition
Serving: 1g | Calories: 161kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 53mg | Potassium: 22mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 248IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg
