These cut out sugar cookies taste amazing, are super easy to bake (no dough chilling!), and are perfect for decorating! I baked hundreds of cookies to arrive at this recipe! We love making these with our little ones for Christmas, birthday parties and just because it is fun to put frosting on cookies you made yourself! I’ve included my delicious buttercream icing recipe that is perfect for piping or spreading on your cookies. There are also lots of tips, tricks, and tools to help you bake the most wonderful sugar cookies of your LIFE!
I didn’t grow up making sugar cookies. My mom thought it was a ton of work and that the cookies didn’t taste very good. Even as a kid I agreed that every sugar cookie I had ever eaten was blah! When I thought of sugar cookies I thought of bland, dry, cookies that you had to plan ahead for because the dough took FOREVER to bake!
Fast forward to my 20s and my brother married a woman who loved to make sugar cookies. Rachel made the cookie making a special part of our family traditions and I wanted to create a recipe we would love baking together. And it HAD to be easy so we could do it when our kids were little.
I experimented with many, many recipes until I created something perfect that our family could make together over and over without all the hassles of chilling dough just for cookies that didn’t taste good. I expect you will enjoy these just as much as we do!
World’s Best Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
What if you had a recipe for roll out sugar cookies you actually loved? It should be yummy but not too sweet because you plan to frost those puppies.
It should be easy because you want to have fun and not spend the day trying to time the chilling of dough. Finally, it should look beautiful when you are done.
THIS is that recipe! The dough is ready in minutes and it is crazy easy to roll out. The cookies hold their edges and they taste amazing warm out of the oven, cool out of the cookie jar, and decorated with creamy vanilla buttercream frosting!
I have well over 300 recipes posted online and to date I’ve never called anything else the “world’s best” anything! But I think this sugar cookie recipe deserves it!
Easy Sugar Cookies for Christmas
Cookie decorating has been going on since the 14th century! In the US making sugar cookies for Christmas is a beloved tradition that reminds us of the simple things in life and the joy of flour, butter, and sugar beaten up with vanilla! I have enjoyed baking since my childhood and the experience has tied me to my history even as my grandparent’s generation passed away.
Now that I’m raising my own children I’ve come to understand the importance of traditions in the rhythm of life. My children mark seasons and time through the traditions we have built and they look forward with joy and expectation to simple little things that mean a great deal to them!
Making sugar cookies at Christmas has become a precious tradition in the rotation of our year. We take that time to be creative, to enjoy each other’s company, and to share sweet, delicious cookies!
Kid Friendly Cookie Decorating Ideas
This sugar cookie recipe is so easy that it is perfect for making with children. Even my two year old enjoys cutting out her own cookies (with a little help from mom) and will sit still decorating them for more than an hour! If you have a fancy table or table with groves in the wood try putting down a disposable table cloth to protect it before getting started. I keep a vinyl table cloth on hand for projects like this. It is easy to shake off outside and then wipe off.
I also recommend giving each child a paper plate to decorate on so extra sprinkles are more contained.
Sometimes we take a butter knife or frosting spatula and spread the frosting on the cookies and then the children decorate with sprinkles etc. Sometimes we pipe the frosting on.
When we are piping I put small amounts of frosting in the piping bags so the children can easily squeeze it out. The youngest ones need a little help but still love to squeeze the frosting. If they are having trouble you can use warm hands to warm a bag of frosting up a little bit before squeezing so that the buttercream is more pliable.
These are my favorite ways to decorate with little ones: If you live by a store that has a bulk section it is fun to buy 1/2 cup of different candies, nuts, etc for decorating.
- Buttercream frosting (recipe included). It tastes great and is easy to spread or pipe depending on age.
- Sprinkles and edible glitter
- Red hots
- Chocolate Chips – miniature and regular size
- Mini M&Ms make cute eyes and buttons
- Sweetened dried coconut flakes
- Edible pearls (a favorite on ginger bread girl dresses)
- Jelly Belly size jelly beans
My Favorite Tools to Bake Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Some tools are more important than others in baking. This is a list of my favorites to make things easy but remember you don’t have to have all the gadgets to have fun! You could use a wine bottle or a water bottle to roll out the cookie dough! Cookies can be cut out using a butter knife so you don’t have to have a fancy cookie cutter! Baking is about creating and being inventive and making something delicious.
Rolling Pin: This rolling pin has measuring disks so every cookie gets rolled out to exactly the right thickness every time. It helps to make cookies perfect!
Cookie Cutters: I LOVE Ann Clark Cookie Cutters. They are high quality metal cookie cutters made in the USA. They are sturdy and come in tons of great designs. (I splurged recently on her lama and cactus set and the are adorable!)
Parchment Sheets: Parchment paper helps make cookies bake up correctly. I use Reynolds Kitchens pre-cut parchment sheets which saves a lot of time prepping my parchment. I re-use the same sheet for every tray of cookies for the batch and throw it away when I finish baking. This means that I usually use two sheets total every time I bake a batch of cookies.
High Quality 1/2 Sheet Baking Pans: The quality of your cookie sheet is directly related to the quality of your cookies. Using something from Dollar Tree is a no go here! Buy the best quality, sturdiest pan you can afford – you get what you pay for. My favorites are from Sur La Table. I also like the higher end Calphalon Cookie Sheets and higher end Nordic Wear Sheets.
Cooling Racks: I have two of these for cooling cookies. They have held up over a decade now.
My Favorite Tools to Decorate Cut Out Cookies
Decorating cookies can be as simple or as fancy as you like. You can use a knife to spread some frosting on the cookies or you can pipe on frosting. These are my favorite cookie decorating tools.
Disposable Piping Bags: Cost effective and easy to use. I keep a bunch on hand so I can make half a dozen colors of frosting if I want.
Gel Based Food Coloring: Gel based food coloring gives bold colors without diluting the frosting recipe. A little goes a long ways. I dip a toothpick into the gel about 1/4″ and then stir the toothpick into the frosting to add the color. As the frosting dries it is usually a few shades darker than it looks wet.
Frosting Tips: I have hundreds of frosting tips (prior run in with wedding cakes) but you only need a few to have fun. Start with a set or just pick a few favorites off the shelf at the craft store. Wilton makes good ones and they are available in most cake decorating sections.
Decorating Couplers: Having a few couplers is really nice. It means you can make one bag of purple frosting and just screw different tips to the bag. This is great for saving time and energy and they are inexpensive.
All of Your Sugar Cookie Questions Answered!
This recipe has been beloved for years here on Mirlandra’s Kitchen and I’ve had questions and emails about lots of things. These are the questions I hear most often. If you have more please leave a comment at the bottom of this post!
Can I Make the Dough in Advance?
- Yes! It is so fast I like to make it fresh but you can make it several days ahead and then refrigerate it. See instructions below on chilling the dough.
Can I Chill the Dough?
- This dough does not HAVE to be chilled. You can make it and use it without chilling!
- But, if you need to save it in the refrigerator for a few hours or a few days you can! Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate it. Afterwards let the dough come to room temperature before trying to roll it out. Dough that has been refrigerated might need a little additional flour to keep it from sticking when you roll it out.
My Dough Seems Sticky or Crumbly?
- This sugar cookie dough should feel like play dough when it is finished. It will be smooth and pliable and soft but not sticky.
- Flour measurement is the most normal culprit. Always use the dip and sweep method of measuring flour when baking. Dip a spoon into the flour and use the spoon to fill your measuring cup. Then level the cup with the flat side of a knife. Never pack flour into a measuring cup or use it to scoop up flour. These methods will get too much flour into the recipe.
I Don’t Have a Stand Mixer – Can I Make Sugar Cookies Another Way?
- I don’t believe you should own a stand mixer unless you bake frequently. People have been baking by hand for hundreds of years with great results! You absolutely can bake these cookies without a mixer at all! You can also use a decent quality electric hand mixer for one batch of cookies. If you are using a hand mixer don’t double the batch – many mixers can only do one batch of dough at a time.
- If you are considering buying a stand mixer I suggest avoiding the Kitchen Aid. You can read more about my extensive testing of three stand mixers here.
Can I Make These Cookies Gluten Free?
- Absolutely! Just switch out the regular flour for your favorite Gluten Free blend.
Can I Leave Out the Almond Extract?
- Yes you can! Use the same amount of vanilla instead as a substitution. I love the light, faintly cherry flavor of the almond extract in these cookies but if that subtle flavor is not for you use vanilla instead!
What Kind of Frosting Do You Use for Christmas Cookies?
- Many people decorate Christmas cookies with Royal Icing. I’m not a fan of this because it doesn’t taste good! I use vanilla buttercream frosting to decorate the cookies. It is a crusting buttercream so the outside will develop a little bit of a crunch while the inside is still smooth and creamy. It tastes amazing for a week and never dries out to become super crunchy and weird.
- You can’t stack decorated cookies that have been frosted with buttercream but if you transport them in a single layer they stay beautiful and taste wonderful.
- The frosting recipe is included in this post – see below!
Can I Freeze the Baked Cookies?
- Yes! Baked cookies freeze well so you can make them in advance and freeze them for later.
How Do I Transport Decorated Cookies?
- Baking sheets or wooden trays are a great option. Lay the cookies in and cover the top with plastic wrap.
How Do I Package Decorated Cookies as Gifts or Favors?
- I’ve been using these self sealing treat bags to package up cookies. The frosting recipe crusts nicely so they can be bagged. You can’t stack them on top of each other but once sealed you can transport them in a single layer.
- Decorated cookies can be put on paper plates with plastic wrap over the top of the plate.
My Best Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies (No Chill)
- Soft Ginger Cookies with Icing Drizzle
- Cinnamon Roll Sugar Cookies (No Chill)
- 4 Ingredient Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies With Chocolate Frosting
- My Best Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Anise Cookies
Easy No Chill Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter, softened (can sub unsalted + 1/2 teaspoon salt)
- 1 cup granulated white sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer use the paddle attachment to beat the butter and sugar together at medium-high speed for 1 minute. (Or beat by hand or use hand held electric mixer.)
- On medium speed, beat in the egg, vanilla, almond extract, baking powder and salt. (Note - if you used salted butter you don't need to add any additional salt here.)
- Measure the flour correctly (see note) and add to the mixer 1 cup at a time, beating until combined after each addition.
- Don't chill the dough!!! Divide it into two balls and roll out to exactly 1/4" thick on a clean piece of parchment paper using just enough flour on your rolling pin to prevent sticking. Scraps of dough can be gathered up, kneaded together until they are a uniform ball and then rolled out again. Repeat as needed until used up.
- When removing cut cookie dough from the parchment paper use a thin, flexible metal spatula. Quickly slide the spatula under each cookie and use the spatula to put the cookie on the baking sheet.
- Line cookie sheets with clean parchment paper. Space out cookies on sheets with enough room to rise. Bake at 350F for 6-8 minutes. The cookies will not be brown at all. They will be dead white but look set. (For crisp cookies instead of soft bake an additional 2-3 minutes until edges start to brown.)
- After removing from the oven let the cookies cool on the sheets for several minutes until firm enough to move without breaking. Use a spatula to put the cookies on a wire rack. Cool completely before frosting.
- Decorate with vanilla buttercream (below) and store tightly covered for up to five days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
MirlandrasKitchen.com is written to share great recipes. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline, we are not registered dietitians and the values provided here should be considered estimates – not exact scientific data.
Buttercream Frosting For Decorating
Ingredients
- 2 cups salted butter softened
- 2 pounds of powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup whipping cream does not have to be heavy whipping cream
- 1 Tbsp. real vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp. salt
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whip attached beat butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar and beat on slow speed until incorporated. This is a good time to use a shield or throw a towel over the mixer.
- Add the cream, vanilla and salt. Beat on low speed until combined and then beat on medium-high speed for two - three minutes. The frosting will be fluffy and light. Taste for salt and vanilla if desired.
- Use at room temperature to frost cookies by spreading or piping.
- Leftovers can be saved in the fridge for a month of frozen for long term storage. This stuff is always great to have around!
Nutrition Disclaimer
MirlandrasKitchen.com is written to share great recipes. While we do our best to provide nutritional information as a general guideline, we are not registered dietitians and the values provided here should be considered estimates – not exact scientific data.
I read each and every comment and I try to respond to questions asap, so ask away! If you’ve made a recipe, I would love to hear about it! Please come back and share your experience and give the recipe a 5-star rating so other people will know how much you loved it!
This post was originally published in October of 2015 and has been updated for content and photos in Oct 2020. Recipe adapted from here.
Paula says
Hi, I tried this recipe last night. We loved it. Its easy to work with,without chilling and not overpowering in almond. Just made another batch to decorate for an auction. Thanks
Mirlandra says
Yeah! That makes me happy. We love these and it is nice to know other people are enjoying them too.
Evy says
I followed your recipe exactly and it is not producing cookie dough consistency. It is too soft to roll. How can I correct this problem?
Mirlandra says
Hi Evy, I’m sorry you are having that problem. Odd things can impact baking but this dough is generally quite easy to work with. Did you try rolling it out or did it just look sticky? This dough does look more sticky but rolls out great for me. One thing to check is to make sure you are measuring flour correctly – the recipe has notes on that or you can look up online if you have questions. You can also try adding an extra Tablespoon or two of flour if you feel like none of the other options will work. It is not my favorite option but you could have some sort of odd issue that I can’t identify without being in your kitchen and this might solve it. Good luck!
kessi says
sounds easy enough. I use to work at a specialty cookie bakery. i’m still looking for that one recipe that comes the closest. was wondering if the frosting dries nicely on the cookies for packaging?
Mirlandra says
It is a true crusting buttercream but not a royal icing that might ship well. I think you would need to take special care with shipping it. Does that answer your question?
Stephanie says
Hi, your frosting recipe calls for 1/2 cup cream. Forgive me, does this mean whipping cream?
Mirlandra says
Thanks for asking! Yes, whipping cream. I will update the recipe so it is more clear 🙂
Alyssa says
What type of cream are you using for the icing? Light cream, heavy cream, etc? Also do you have recommendations on how to spread the icing on the cookies properly? Is there a certain tool I should use? I usually spread icing on each cookie and let my daughter decorate with sprinkles. Any other kid-friendly decorating ideas we can do? Thanks!
Mirlandra says
I use both standard whipping cream or heavy dream depending on what is in my refrigerator. Either will work for you! My mom always thinned her buttercream with a few splashes of milk but I think the cream makes a more fluffy and spreadable texture. I have spread mine with the back of a spoon in a hurry for pretty swirls or just a little metal frosting spatula for a smoother finish. If I was trying to make them perfect I would use a spatula to get them mostly smooth, and then spay a bit of water mist on the cookie before smoothing again with a clean spatula. This gives a more class like finish but I don’t usually get that fussy for most baking. Depending on how old your daughter is / the size of her hands sometimes it is fun to let the kiddos use small pastry bags of colored frosting. I will put just a few ounces of frosting in the bags so that they can grip it with their hands. Craft stores carry cost effective disposable pastry bags now that make it easy to give several colors. Aside from sprinkles my other favorite decorating items are red hots, chocolate chips (including green mint or white), and mini chocolate chips. Marshmallows can be cute for snow too if you put them on in thick frosting that just went on the cookie. Enjoy your time with your daughter! She will treasure these memories all her life 🙂
Jessica says
I am not an experienced baker thus I do not have a stand mixer, is it possible to make these cookies with just a hand mixer?
Mirlandra says
I think it is possible but more work as I’m sure you know. Most hand mixers have lighter duty engines and using it for the final dough could burn up the motor. The best idea would probably to use the hand mixer to cream the butter and sugar and then add everything except the flour. I would stir the flour in by hand with a wooden spoon to protect your mixer. For the frosting I think I would start with the mixer and also plan to finish with a wooden spoon. For hundreds of years people made amazing baked goods with just a wood burning oven and a whisk. Talented cooks made whipped cream and beat egg whites quite successfully. I think you could make any stand mixer recipe you wanted to without one as long as you don’t mind the extra elbow grease and are willing to put some time into it. Good luck!
Debbie M says
I used a fork and it worked out just fine.
Mirlandra says
I’m glad!
Kelsey says
hi there!! We made these last night and I must say, THEY ARE AWESOME! I sadly cannot afford a stand mixer 🙁 so I did use a hand mixer. The first batch did great with the hand mixer and then to speed up the process (because I was tripling this recipe for a party) I doubled the next batch and that was a killer. My hand mixer made it through luckily. But it would have been awesome to have had a kitchen aid or something. Anywho. They were great, i love that they kept their shape and didn’t spread much at all. Amazing taste also!
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Coming from a somewhat experienced baker, this is one of the best recipes by far.
Mirlandra says
Thank you! What kind feedback. I admit a stand mixer makes this a lot easier by far – particularly for double batches! I’m so glad you were able to make it work with a hand mixer. Sometimes the motors burn out on cookie dough!
Elena says
We are going to be making these tonight
Mirlandra says
Enjoy!
Sandy says
How thick did you roll out your cookies?
Thanks!
Mirlandra says
1/4″ I find this thickness holds up well for baking and frosting but is not so thick that it is hard to get it fully cooked. My results are always very soft and chewy.
Sandy says
Thanks Mirlandra! Now that re read the directions above, you already said 1/4″. I will make these and hope I can get the same results.
Mirlandra says
No worries! I think one of the great things about a blog versus a cookbook is that you can interact differently with the recipe creator! It is a neat way to experience cooking. I’m sure you will have wonderful results. These are pretty easy to bake 🙂
Amy Hill says
I agree these are great! When they came out soft and chewy I wasn’t sure if I did it right, but I guess that’s the way they’re supposed to be? I actually really like that, I usually find sugar cookies disappointing because they are too crispy. 🙂
Mirlandra says
Thank you! I like mine soft and chewy but firm enough to hold frosting. The crispy ones don’t usually seem to be quite right to me. You could bake these until they were crispy but I think they loose something…
Shelly says
Can I eliminate the almond I’m allergic to it
Mirlandra says
I’m sorry to hear that. The almond does provide a wonderful flavor but another extract that you can enjoy can be used instead. Vanilla is the most common choice. If using vanilla I would use twice as much as the almond.
Shelly says
Thank you
Christin @ Blue Crab Martini says
Hi Mirlanda! I just made these cookies today for the first time and they are everything you said they’d be- easy, no chill, and most importantly delicious! I’ve pinned this one and will be making it again for years to come 🙂
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad! It is wonderful to find a recipe you love that will be a cooking staple throughout life. Thanks for letting me know 🙂
tristen says
Yum! These are really good. Every year I dread the making of the sugar cookies with my daughter. They are always horrible and tasteless. These are great! Thanks for the very helpful tip on the parchment paper! So easy!
Mirlandra says
I know exactly what you mean! I thought it was no fun to make sugar cookies at all until I started playing with the idea of a recipe that was not hard work and actually tasted good! I’m glad you enjoyed them too!
Anais says
To make a double batch or triple batch do you double/triple EVERY ingredient? Or does it only apply to some, for example:flour?
Mirlandra says
If you want to make a double or triple batch you must double or triple every single ingredient. When I am doing that sometimes I write the new measurements by hand to make sure I do not make a mistake while I’m baking. I have the larger size of Kitchen Aid stand mixer and a double batch fits very well in it. A triple batch might be pushing it. Depending on the mixer you have available you might want to make one batch at a time. Good luck with your baking project!
Anais says
Can we substitute baking powder for baking soda?
Mirlandra says
I wish you could – that would be so easy! But they function differently in baking. Both are leaveners but they are actually chemically different. The best option is to use what the recipe calls for in this case. Sorry!
Wendy says
Your sugar cookie and buttercream frosting recipes are the best! Made the cookies yesterday and they are perfect and the frosting has a wonderful crust. So glad I found your website.
Mirlandra says
Awe thank you! I’m so glad you found something to enjoy! Merry Christmas 🙂
Kat says
Do these work well with a rolling pin that has shapes on it. All the recipes I’ve tried so far don’t work because when the cookie rises the shape goes away.
Mirlandra says
I have not used a rolling pin with shapes in it so I can’t make you any promise. However, if the cookies come out of the rolling pin the same way they would out of cookie cutters you should be fine. I tried a lot of different types of cookie cutters and even ones with smaller details came out well. Let me know how it works for you!
Megan says
On the buttercream recipe, it calls for 2 pounds of powdered sugar. I don’t have a scale, how do you measure that without one?
Mirlandra says
I usually buy powdered sugar in 1 or 2 pound bags and just use the right number of bags in the recipe. If you need to measure it 1 pound of powdered sugar = 3 1/2 cups. 2 pounds of powdered sugar is 7 cups. Happy baking!
Aly says
Thank you so much for this recipe, I’ve tried so many other sugar cookie recipes and they haven’t worked out. This one is perfect!! I’ve made 2 batches in one week; the dough is so easy to work with and they’re delicious! Thank you!
Mirlandra says
That is wonderful to hear! I’m so glad they have worked well for you. Enjoy the holiday baking season 🙂
Susan says
I can’t wait to try your sugar cookies and icing. Can you please tell me how long the iced cookies will be good for?
Mirlandra says
I think cookies are best the first two days and still nice up to about seven days. Usually I keep mine in a container with a tight lid to help keep them fresh. They do not need to be refrigerated. Where you live and how you store them will make a difference. I live in Idaho and it is very dry here so I have to be careful not to leave baked goods out even for a short time!
Carol says
How long will the cookies stay fresh without freezing? I am decorating them for a party a week away.
Mirlandra says
I like to serve them within a few days of baking though they are still nice up to a week. Any baked good looses something over time 🙂
christen says
Hi, I was wondering if these cookies taste good without frosting them? The cookie cutters I have are superhero symbols and if frosted would cover up the symbol. Thanks!
Mirlandra says
They are excellent without frosting or with.
Anni says
These sound great and I’m really excited to try them! However, as measuring cups are not sized universally, (I’m in Australia) would you be able to provide cup measures by weight please?
Mirlandra says
I’m sorry, Anni, but I don’t have the right tools to give you those measurements. I would guess if you searched the internet you could find some good conversion charts. Lots of people want this type of conversion info. Good luck!
Karen says
I’m new to baking and just found and made your recipe. THANK YOU!!! It was great, I through the ingredients into my Nija Blender system with the dough attachment/speed and it whipped up in seconds. Perfect cookies with no spreading, love the hint of almond.
Do you have a good Royal Icing Recipe that you could share???
Mirlandra says
I am SO glad you enjoyed this so much! Nothing like a great Sugar Cookie! I don’t have a Royal Icing Recipe that I love. It is on my list of things to develop. I had meant to get one done this fall but pregnancy slowed me down a lot more than I had expected. I’m hoping to do one sometime this year in time for the next holiday season. You could try this one if you want: https://www.favfamilyrecipes.com/royal-icing.html I have not tried it personally but I eat lots of Erica’s cooking and she always makes yummy food!
Olliedar says
I made these with salted butter but omitting the salt.
I accidentally forgot to add about half cup of the sugar. I noticed it in a bowl on the table while I was cleaning up and the last batch were in the oven. I thought ” oh no I’ll have to make a new batch” but you know what? They were still awesome! So feel free to reduce the sugar amount by a 1/4 or even a half….. Especially if you plan on icing them.
Everyone loved them. I think it’s the almond extract that gives it that extra yummy taste.
Mirlandra says
Wow! I love it when things turn out like that. Sometimes it feels like there is just grace in my kitchen for the little things. So glad you all enjoyed it. I’m totally addicted to almond extract – it adds a magic something to all sorts of foods!
Kimbra Brunk says
I used this recipe today and thought I had great success! My Granddaughter is 9 and it was simple enough for her to mix up with a little supervision. I have always used butter and vanilla flavorings but not almond. It was a nice surprise and tasted lovely. Thanks for the recipes! We have cut out cookies all set for an early thanksgiving dinner at church tomorrow.
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad to hear that! The time we spent together with our family in the kitchen is so precious.
Victoria says
Tried making this dough tonight and it is very sticky! Not sure what I did wrong but it will NOT roll out
Mirlandra says
It sounds like something went amiss. The dough should not be that sticky. In baking flour needs to be measured carefully or you can run into this problem. I would check the measurements and try again. The best way to measure flour is to spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. I hope it works better next time!
Sandy says
Finally, a sugar cookie recipe that didn’t make me cuss one time!! Bless your heart, Mirlandra, for the yummy recipe. Every year I dread hearing my son ask for these fussy cookies. After much searching and reading the positive reviews for this one, I decided I would try it. I was skeptical about not chilling the dough, but this is a keeper!!
Mirlandra says
You made my day! I am so glad this worked well for you and your son. There is lots in life to cuss over but cookies should not be one of those things!
Julie says
Hi there, do you think I could bake these. Freeze them unfrosted for a week then frost them? Thank you, looking forward to trying this out.
Mirlandra says
I have not done it but I think they might do well that way. If you try it please let me know how it goes!
Susan says
Your recipe is delicous and oh so easy. This is the second time I have made them. They roll and cut beautifully…my only problem is I have trouble picking up the remaining dough that surrounds the cookie. I live in FL and lower the air conditioner in hopes that helps. Any suggestion?
Thank you for all your wonderful information!
Mirlandra says
Awe, thanks, Susan! I am so glad they worked well for you! Here in ID we have very dry air and I have never run into that problem with these cookies. I don’t know if it is the air as you suspect or something else. If you have a silpat it might work to roll out on that and use a rubber scrapper to get the dough up? I have made the cookies in OR with moderate humidity but nothing like what you have in FL. I wish I had a better answer for you! Good luck and Merry Christmas 🙂
Susan says
Thank you for your quick reply…sorry for the delay on my end but my hubby had a terrible accident…he is doing well now thank God!
I did use a Silpat type mat this time and it was better. Well,even though the dough around the cookie is hard to pick up, the cookie itself comes out perfect and delicious.
I hope you had a wonderful Christmas and that your New Year be filled with Blessings.
Mirlandra says
I’m sorry to hear about the accident but so grateful to hear your husband is doing well! God is so gracious with us!!! I pray your 2017 will be healthy and well! Thanks for letting me know the silpat worked well. If you have trouble getting the dough up you could always use a spatula and just scrape it up for re-rolling. Sometimes you just have to tell the dough who is boss!
Ashley says
These are seriously the perfect sugar cookies. I just finished making a batch and they are the perfect texture and sweetness. I haven’t made the frosting yet (my mixer just broke!), but this is definitely my go-to from now on! Thanks for the awesome recipie!
*Easy to make
*Easy to work with (dough)
*Delicious!
Mirlandra says
Yeah! It is always wonderful to hear when these cookies meet with rave reviews! We are looking forward to making some ourselves this weekend. Thanks for sharing you experience! Have a Merry, Merry, Christmas!!!
Joan says
Love this recipe!!! Have been making sugar cookies for years and wanted to find one that I didn’t need to chill first. So happy I found this one!
Easy to mix
Rolling on parchment paper worked great
Dough was incredibly easy to work with
Held their shape when baking
Almost like working with play dough, kid friendly
Love the taste…thanks for sharing!
Mirlandra says
Woohoo! I’m so glad it worked so well for you! Thanks for stopping by to let me know – you made my day 🙂
Kira says
I just found your recipe and can’t wait to try them based on all the positive reviews! I have 4 kids (3, 2, 1, & 6 mos.) so I’ve been on a hunt for a quick and easy recipe as the older ones have been asking to make cookies. I LOVE chocolate but would I be able to make these into chocolate sugar cookies? If not, that’s okay. I’m gonna make these anyways! 🙂
Mirlandra says
Oh I think you will love doing this with the kids! It is easy enough that it will still be fun with littles 🙂 I have never made a chocolate version of these… But you are not the first to ask for one this year! I will plan to play around with the dough and see if I can develop a chocolate version that works as well! If so keep an eye out for it for next year. Happy Baking!
Mirlandra says
Hi Kira! I have been thinking about your question since last December! This fall I stared playing around and I came up with a chocolate sugar cookie recipe I think you will enjoy! It went live today and I wanted to make sure to let you know. You can find it here: https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/no-chill-chocolate-sugar-cookies/ I hope it helps 🙂
laurie says
thank you for this great recipe!
i have some extra dough, can i freeze it?
merry christmas!
Mirlandra says
I have not tried to but I think it would work well. Let me know how it goes!
Judy says
The Calphalon baking sheets are great HOWEVER…Even though they are dishwasher safe the caustic products that clean our dishes also remove the shine from these pans. The pans still do every thing they just aren’t very pretty. (Every kitchen should have at least two of these pans)!!
Tonya says
THIS RECIPE IS GENIUS. Thank you!!!!
Mirlandra says
You are most welcome! I have been working on using this dough as the base for a fruit pizza. Post coming soon – stay tuned!
Kristen says
Do you mind if I share your recipe on my blog? My daughter and I made them this morning and they were amazing!
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Your daughter is a lucky girl to have cooking time with mom 🙂 Thanks so much for asking about the sharing. My policy is that you may use the photo from the recipe with a link back to my original post for the ingredients and instructions. I do have to ask that the recipe not be posted elsewhere though.
Samantha says
What would the difference be if I were to use milk instead of the whipping cream?
Mirlandra says
It would be such a small difference you might not notice it. The frosting might be a bit more thin but barely. I would make that substitution any day. Enjoy!
Paulina says
I was just wondering if the frosting would harden enough to stack the cookies? I love buttercream and would prefer not to have to make royal icing!
Mirlandra says
I’m a buttercream fanatic and don’t much care for royal icing. This will crust some and I suspect you could stack maybe two cookies deep? It depends on if you need them to look perfect after. Honestly I would transport them in single layers if at all possible. Generally buttercream just does not have the fortitude of royal icing. That beeing said I will do anything to serve buttercream over royal icing because it is perfection with cookies. If you end up trying to stack them let me know how it turns out!
Liz says
Hi..i hope to try your recipe sometime soon coz it sounds amazing from the comments ive read. May i ask if your buttercream frosting will not smudge if the cookies were packed? Would like to make them them as party favors.
And also, taking into consideration our weather here in the Philippines which is hot most of the time..will it melt? Thanks😊
Mirlandra says
While I have not been to the Philippines I have traveled to places with similar weather patterns and I think you may face a few challenges! This is a really amazing, creamy buttercream frosting but it is not going to pack well! If you have to have something pack-able you might have to use royal icing. It does not taste as good but that is what people use for packing cookies. Once these cookies are decorated with buttercream they would have to be individually packed and not have anything put on top of them. Also in any humid / hot environment you would have to keep the cookies cool – not outside in the sun. That is true of this buttercream. I don’t know how royal icing would hold up. Once I made a wedding cake on a hot August day here in the US and the icing FELL off the side during the wedding! It was awful 🙁 Buttercream icing just does not stand up well in the heat! Sorry 🙁 Let me know what you end up doing! I’m excited to hear about what you choose and what your experience is!
Brigitte says
My son is allergic to nuts–can I just leave out the almond extract?
Mirlandra says
That is an option! I would replace it with vanilla. The other option might be to use an imitation almond extract. Usually those have nothing to do with nuts. HOWEVER – if you want to do this make sure to ask a doctor or do your own research. I’m not an authority on allergies and I would never want to steer you wrong where your son’s health is concerned. Good luck – I hope your son loves the cookies!
Paulina says
Do you think it would be a bad idea to cut the cookies out and freeze them for when I need them (like a week before I need them baked)?
Mirlandra says
Hi Paulina, I’m not sure cutting them and then freezing them is going to work well. I would be concerned they might get dinged up some in the process or that the dough could dry out a bit. I think you might have better luck making the dough and freezing it, then thawing and rolling out cookies when you are ready.
That being said I have never tried to cut them out and freeze them – it might work really well! If you do try it, let me know how it turns out! (By the way, I just tested this dough today for a new twist – cinnamon roll sugar cookies! They were amazing and I will be sharing them on the blog in October! Stay tuned!)
Abigail Warden says
Hi I came across this recipe because I’m trying to figure out how I went wrong…this recipe is exactly the same as the one I use and it is delicious but the batch I baked last night were so hard (I didnt change anything except a little less baking powder because of them spreading a bit but other than that everything was exact.). I live in the south so could humidity cause this to happen?
Mirlandra says
Hi Abigail,
Humidity can be a real pain in cooking! My first suggestion is to try throwing out your baking powder and buying fresh (unless you just bought this can). In humid climates baking powder can absorb a lot of moisture over time and become ineffective. I’ve started buying small cans of baking powder and using a sharpie to note on the lid when the can should be thrown away. It is a cheep enough ingredient I don’t mind throwing out some. As far as I’m concerned I would rather throw out some baking powder than my hard work in a batch of cookies! I also suggest trying the recipe as written with the correct amount of baking powder. If you are having problems with spread make sure your butter is soft but not melted or on the verge of melted.
Let me know if that helps! Nothing worse than getting frustrated over cookie problems 🙂
Sandi says
What if the butter is salted, can you still use it for you No Chill Sugar Cookies?
Mirlandra says
Hi Sandi,
I think we connected by email but I wanted to make sure this question got answered here in case anybody else needed it! Salted butter has 1/4 tsp. of salt in each 1/2 cup. You can always use unsalted butter and add salt to a recipe or use salted butter and reduce the salt in a recipe! Happy baking!
Marcie says
Since i do not have almond extract should i just double the amount of vanilla extract? I noticed you put “genuine vanilla not imitation” Mine is Kroger brand, will it work ok? I’ve swayed away from making sugar cookies for years now bc it was such a headache another time i tried to make them. We cut them out in cute Christmas themes and they all ended up molding together. Not sure what we did wrong but after reading through all the positive comments I’m excited to make these with my little girls.
Mirlandra says
You can totally use 2 tsp of vanilla instead of the almond. If you end up liking the cookies and plan to make them again I would encourage you to try the almond extract – it is delicious and gives the cookies a really great flavor most sugar cookies lack. Kroger brand vanilla comes in genuine and imitation. Imitation vanilla is just artificially flavored water and alcohol. Genuine 100% vanilla is actually vanilla beans steeped in alcohol. It will say either way what it is on the bottle. But one clue – if it was a few dollars it is imitation. If it was crazy expensive it is the real deal. At the end of the day you can use what you have but do understand there is a big flavor difference. They are different ingredients.
Sounds like you and I had similar experiences with sugar cookie making! I think these will turn out much better. Make sure to leave plenty of room between them for baking but other than that you are good to go! Enjoy the time with your girls – that is time well spent indeed!
Nickie says
Hi, please help! My cookies always come out lightly golden edge, it’s tranferable and hold it shape nicely. but the center always has a different setting color, like maybe it’s still wet in the inside? It’s more noticeable with it’s completely cooled. Is my cookie undercooked? How do I fix this problem? Cookies are supposed to come out with even color all around, correct?
Mirlandra says
Hi, Nickie, thanks for asking! I know it sounds odd but I think your cookies might be over cooked. I pull mine before the edge starts to brown and then they are a uniform color. But at the end of the day cooking should come out he way you want it to! If you like the cookies the way they are coming out then enjoy them that way! If not, try cooking them less and see what you think 🙂 Good luck!
Jocelyne Preville says
I am new to cake decorating but LOVE it. A customer asked for sugar cookies to go along with a cake. Never made them before…shortbread yes…not sugar cookies (but tons of other cookies). I found this recipe and made a test batch. YUM! Made them for the shower…a huge hit. Just made another batch now for a baby shower. Great recipe. Fantastic flavour! Thank you!
Mirlandra says
Oh Jocelyne! I’m so glad to hear it! I don’t know exactly why but it does seem to me that good cookies can change the world 🙂 Happy baking!
Doris says
Have tried many sugar cookie recipes but this one is by far the best. Love that you don’t have to refrigerate it. Have made several batches already. LOVE IT!!! Super easy. Thank you for sharing.
Mirlandra says
Wonderful! I’m so glad to hear it is useful to you. Hard to beat a great sugar cookie 🙂
Ashley says
I have a question I have regular butter flavor crisco that I was planning to use. It does have a recipe on the back that says to make like butter. Do I do this and follow your recipe the rest of the way?
Mirlandra says
Hi Ashley,
I have not used butter flavor Crisco in this recipe before. You can totally give it a shot but it will change the flavor and texture some. Crisco is a vegetable shortening and it will act differently in baking than butter. The difference is going to be a personal preference. I’m a die hard butter lover so that is my preference but Crisco can also make a very nice cookie. At the end of the day it will all depend on what you like. I hope that answers your question. If you try it please let me know! I would love to hear all about your results.
Amber Kersenbrock says
I have made this recipe with my kids for several years and we love it! When I originally printed the recipe, I missed seeing your frosting recipe and so have used other recipes. I’d like to try yours but I’m wondering if the frosting comes out white? In past experience any frosting recipe with vanilla comes out kind of tan. My kids like white frosting for decorating snowflakes.
Mirlandra says
These cookies are SO wonderful! This frosting will be fairly white but there is some vanilla in it so it will be a touch off white. I use Costco vanilla and I find it does not dye my frostings badly. They seem to be a true white to me. Using imitation vanilla will make more of tan. Your other option is to look at buying a clear imitation vanilla like this one: https://amzn.to/2BqPqLk You can also look at the pictures from my Classic Chocolate Cake. The buttercream here is very similar and you can see from the picture that it is a fairly true white: https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/chocolate-cake-with-vanilla-buttercream/ I hope that helps you figure things out! Happy baking – enjoy decorating with your kids.
Ashley says
Im so excited about how these turned out ! I’ve never made my own sugar cookies before and this was so easy to follow ! Could I maybe use less flour though ? Thanks again!
Mirlandra says
I’m glad they turned out well for you – it is such an easy recipe and I love that! Unfortunately I don’t think adjusting the amount of four in the recipe would work very well. With baking you need to be fairly precise or things are not going to go well.
Rose says
These cookies came out perfect for decorating, and tasted amazing!
Mirlandra says
Thank you! They are such a wonderful cookie – we love them!
Amy says
Wonderful!!! I made these with my six year old. The cookies and the Frosting are great 👍. The only problem we had was holding the icing bags for too long and the Frosting would get a little runny. I just put it in the fridge for a bit and it was fine again. I’d add a pic of our masterpieces ( as my daughter calls them) but I don’t know how.
Mirlandra says
Amy thank you so much for telling me! I love hearing the stories of fun people are having with these cookies. I’m not sure that there is a way to add a photo in the comment section. You can always upload it to Instagram and tag me @mirlandra if you would like. Have a wonderful New Year! 🙂
Pat says
Absolutely love this recipe. Taste is fantastic, easy to work with. Have used this several times already and going to try your chocolate sugar cookie recipe next. Using royal icing to decorate. Thank you this is now my go to sugar cookie recipe.
Mirlandra says
Oh Pat! Thank you so much for telling me. It gives me a lot of joy to know somebody else is loving something I’ve created 🙂 My kids love these cookies and they are always a special part of our holidays!
Christi Gottesman says
I love the idea of using the buttercream frosting instead of royal, but I’m worried the cookies will look awful once packaged and transported in a car. I have 4 dozen to decorate for a party. What’s your favorite way to package these?
Mirlandra says
Hi Christi – Great question! I don’t usually do individual packaging for these (but with all the life changes this year that might be a good idea!) My usual method is to put them on a tray with sides and plastic wrap over the tray! This way the cookies are touching at the sides enough to not shift around and then the plastic does not touch the cookies. For other cookies like my soft ginger cookies I’ve used individual self sealing bags like this: https://amzn.to/3fDPZna I’m actually getting ready to update this post in a few weeks with new photos and I will test individual bags with the buttercream to see how it goes! I’m curious. Best of luck with your party and I hope you enjoy the cookies! Thanks for taking the time to ask about transit 🙂
Anita says
Recipe was perfect but didn’t come out as soft as I expected not sure what I did wrong 😞
Mirlandra says
Hi Anita! I’m sorry they were not as soft as you were hoping. My guess is too much flour or too much time in the oven! Make sure you are spooning the flour into your measuring cup! There is information about this in the recipe. Also try pulling the cookies out right as the edges are solid. The tops will look raw and puffy but they are not! If you let them cook until golden it will be crispy and less soft. I hope that helps!
Monica Wise says
So glad I found your recipe. It is wonderful! I have a friend that lives in Colorado and is looking for a cut out cookie recipe that works well in altitude. Do you know if this one works well at higher altitudes? Or do you have any alterations for baking these in the mountains?
Thanks.
Mirlandra says
Hi Monica,
I’m so glad you enjoyed the cookies (and thank you for the lovely email too!) Because I live in Boise I don’t have the ability to test at CO levels of altitude. My suggestion is to search for high altitude sugar cookie recipes to find something developed by somebody with experience in high altitude baking! Sorry I can’t be more help!
Carole Hansen says
Can you tell me about how many cookies this recipe will make?
Mirlandra says
It makes about 36 if you are using average size cookie cutters. If you are using much larger cutters than expect fewer cookies. Hope that helps! Enjoy your baking!
Anjali says
These were great!! I have to say, we were pretty nervous about a no chill recipe and we were going out on a limb to try these, but they taste so delicious and were so easy to make! And they hold perfectly when you bite into them. Thank you!
Mirlandra says
Hi Anjali! I’m so glad you gave it a shot! I know it is hard to try a new recipe and not always get what you expect. I hate it when the photo looks SO good and the final result is…epic in a NOT good way. I’m so glad to year that the cookies were a good experience for you! Happy baking – hope to see you stop by again sometime soon 🙂
Regnell says
Hello. I just stumbled onto this recipe and am excited to try it. Question – without chilling the dough do you have trouble with the cookies spreading when baked? Generally that is the reason for the chilling so I thought I’d ask how this recipe works with out chilling.
Mirlandra says
Hi Regnell – this is a NO spread recipe!!! I get very precise edges without spreading. I’m careful when I edit my photos for recipes that they are clear representations of the finished product. What you see is what you get. I hope that helps! This year my kids even had a 12″ cookie cutter of a Christmas Tree and they made a 12″ cookie with no issues – no spreading or anything! If you try this you will have to let me know what you think – this is one of our favorite holiday recipes 🙂
Maida says
Wow.this is a great recipe my 2kids and I tried it today..will make again loved it.
Mirlandra says
Thank you, Maida! I’m so glad your family enjoyed it!!! Merry Christmas 🙂
Sara Vesc says
Hi\ I am working on this recipe and the second part about adding vanilla, almond, vanilla, baking powder ect and it says salt also, but I didn’t see a measurement anywhere for salt? Did I miss something? Thanks so much looking forward to this!
Mirlandra says
If you use unsalted butter you need to use some salt too. So the salt is included in the butter line of the ingredients. I hope that helps clarify! Enjoy those cookies 🙂
Lee-Ann Gaspar says
We love these cookies ! Is there a way to make them peanut butter ?
Mirlandra says
Woah!!! That is some next level baking!!! I’ve never tried that but now I’m really curious. If you are looking for a good peanut butter cookie this is the one our family drools over: https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/4-ingredient-gluten-freepeanut-butter-cookies/ The other thing you might try is frosting the sugar cookies with a heavenly peanut butter frosting!!! https://www.mirlandraskitchen.com/peanut-butter-frosting/ Happy Cooking!
Elaine says
The ingredients doesn’t list salt but the instructions says to add salt. How much should be added?
Mirlandra says
You only need to add sold if you are using unsalted butter. In that case it is 1/4 teaspoon of salt for every 1/2 cup of butter. Hope that helps!
Denise says
Just made these as part of my Christmas cookies gifting and WOW! These are delish!!
Mirlandra says
Awe, thank you! I’m SO glad they were enjoyed!
S says
What is the weight of the flour in your recipe? A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 4 – 5.5 ounces
Thank you
Mirlandra says
You are absolutely right! Please assume a standard cup here which should be measured at 120 grams or 4.25 ounces.
Brielle & Shelley says
I made this recipe with my grandma and it is easy to make. the dough is a little sticky just a little flour and it works. easy to take off the cookie sheet. I recommend you try it. P.S. don’t worry about chilling the dough
Mirlandra says
I’m so glad you enjoyed it! Thank you so much for letting me know!