There’s just something magical about a tray full of frosted sugar cookies around the holidays. These soft cut out sugar cookies keep their shape while staying thick and tender on the inside. Perfect for decorating with the kids or sneaking straight from the cookie tin
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies
These cookies are soft but sturdy enough to handle all your favorite festive shapes. Hearts stars trees and snowflakes all bake up without spreading into blobs. The dough rolls like a dream and bakes into buttery little pillows just waiting for icing and sprinkles
They’re also make-ahead friendly so you can prep the dough today and bake tomorrow. And if you’ve got littles who love to help these are practically made for family decorating days
Looking for more cookies to pair with these? These red velvet blossoms cookies make a colorful addition to your holiday tray
Ingredients You’ll Need
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract optional
For the Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 3 to 4 tbsp milk
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- Gel food coloring optional
How to Make Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- In a bowl whisk together the flour baking powder and salt
- In a large mixing bowl beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy about 2 to 3 minutes
- Add eggs vanilla and almond extract and mix until smooth
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix just until the dough comes together
- Divide dough in half and roll each portion between two sheets of floured parchment to ¼ inch thick
- Place on a tray cover and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours or overnight
- Preheat oven to 375°F
- Cut out shapes with your favorite cookie cutters and place on parchment-lined baking sheets
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until just golden at the edges
- Let cool completely before icing
Looking for a classic to go alongside? These chewy gingerbread men cookies are ultra nostalgic
Icing and Decorating Tips
- Whisk all icing ingredients until smooth and spreadable
- Add more milk for thinner icing or more sugar to thicken
- Tint with food coloring if you’re feeling festive
- Use piping bags for details or dip and spread with a spoon
- Let decorated cookies sit uncovered for a few hours to set
Helpful Notes and Variations
- Roll then chill. This keeps the dough from cracking and cuts chill time in half
- Swap almond extract for lemon or peppermint for a twist
- Don’t overbake. The cookies should look slightly underdone when you take them out
- Let your cookies cool completely before icing to avoid a melty mess
- Store in airtight containers for up to 1 week or freeze for later
Need more cozy baking inspo? For a wintery twist add these maple cinnamon cookies to your baking list
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. It can be made and chilled up to 2 days ahead or frozen for 2 months
Do they hold their shape?
Absolutely. Just roll evenly and don’t skip the chill time
How long does the icing take to set?
About 2 to 4 hours at room temperature depending on thickness
Try these soft cut out sugar cookies for your next cookie swap or cozy night in Leave a comment if you bake them and don’t forget to snap a pic
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Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie cutters
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¾ cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted (for icing)
- 3 to 4 tbsp milk (for icing)
- 2 tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract (for icing)
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
- Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients, mixing until the dough just comes together.
- Divide dough in half and roll each portion between two sheets of floured parchment paper to ¼-inch thickness.
- Place on a tray, cover, and refrigerate for 1–2 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Cut shapes using cookie cutters and arrange on parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are just golden. Cool completely before icing.
- For icing: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Adjust consistency as needed. Tint with gel colors if desired.
- Decorate cooled cookies with icing and sprinkles. Let set for 2–4 hours before storing.