Sugar Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters

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Sugar Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters

Sugar Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters

Here's my favorite, easy sugar cookie recipe for cookie cutters. This is the most popular recipe on our website, thousands of people around the world make this recipe every year!

Baking Sugar Cookie FAQ

How many cut out cookies can I make from one batch?

Yield will greatly depend on the size of the cookies you are making - but you will get about 3 dozen 3" cookies. You can halve this recipe for a smaller batch.

How do I keep cut out cookies from burning?

Use Mesh Cookie Baking Mats (link) or parchment on your baking sheets to keep your cookies from burning and spreading.

How long do I bake cut out cookies for?

Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cookies have just started to turn golden brown around the edges. For best results bake similar sized cookies on the same cookie sheet.

If I have 2 cookie sheets in the oven at once, I like to swap them halfway through, so they cook more evenly.

Should I turn on convection to bake my cookies?

I don't use my oven on convection as I find it cooks my cookies too fast and sometimes burns them. You may need to experiment with your oven for best results.

Where can I buy unique cookie cutters?

The Cookie Countess online store sells over 200 styles of cookie cutters for Christmas, Halloween, birthdays, baby showers, and more!

How do you store the cookies until you are ready to decorate them?

If you're only storing them for a day or two, an airtight container in the fridge will be fine. Any longer, and I'd recommend freezing them. You can read our blog article about How To Freeze & Defrost Sugar Cookies here.

NEXT: Royal Icing Recipe

Sugar Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters

Rated 4.1 stars by 156 users

Category

Cookies

Servings

3 dozen 3" cookies

Prep Time

30 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Calories

145

Author:

Hillary Ramos

How to make sugar cookies. This is my tried-and-true sugar cookie recipe, used by thousands of bakers around the globe!

Image of Sugar Cookie Recipe for Cookie Cutters

Ingredients

2 cups granulated sugar
2 cups (4 sticks) salted butter, softened
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla
6 cups white all-purpose flour (see note below)
Optional: A dash of lemon zest, I personally find the lemon becomes a background note and cuts the sweetness of the cookie.

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Directions

Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar until just incorporated.
Add eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest (if using). Mix at low speed until fully blended.
Then add flour, 2 cups at a time, starting on low speed and then increasing if necessary.
You will know your dough has been mixed enough after all the flour has been added, when it pulls away from the sides of your bowl and clumps around the mixing paddle.
Roll out to 1/4" thickness. You do not need to chill this recipe. Unless you prefer to use chilled dough, so that it is easier to handle when you are cutting it and moving it to your cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10-15 minutes, until cookies have just started to turn golden brown around the edges. For best results bake similar sized cookies on the same cookie sheet.
If I have 2 cookie sheets in the oven at once, I like to swap them halfway through, so they cook more evenly.
Remove pans from the oven, and let the cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

HOT TIP: If you don't have a cooling rack, the rack from your toaster oven makes a great substitute! If you are not going to use all racks from your oven to bake, remove one before starting the recipe to use as a cooling rack.

Recipe Note

What flour should I use for cut out cookies?

Do not use self-raising flour, because it will make your cookies expand and not hold their shape. We recommend a white all-purpose flour like King Arthur, Gold Medal, White Lily, Pillsbury, or Bob's Red Mill.

Filed in: Cookie

Previous article Vegan Sugar Cookie for Cookie Cutters

Comments

Debe Friedman - December 12, 2022
Hi I was wondering. Do you measure the flour after or before sifting….or do you even have to sift ????.thanx so much for sharing !!!!!
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
We don’t typically sift our flour for this recipe 😊

Stephanie - December 12, 2022
Can I use gluten free flour to make these? My hubby is celiac.
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Hi Stephanie! Yes, we use Bobs Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour as a gluten free substitute for this recipe.

Lisa - December 1, 2022
When I make the dough, it still seems a bit “wet”. It clumps and comes from edges but still quite soft and malleable. Is this normal?
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Lisa, the first thing I would suggest checking is the softness of your butter. Sometimes when my butter has been sitting out for too long, the dough will be much wetter than normal. If you use colder butter and nothing changes, I would suggest adding more flour in small increments until the dough isn’t so sticky.

McKenzie - November 21, 2022
If we fully bake the cookies one day and are not decorating them with icing until the next day, how do you suggest we store the cookies overnight? Do they need to be covered or stored in an airtight container or can they be left out?
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Yes, store them in an airtight container overnight and they should be just fine! If you don’t think you’ll get to them for a few days, you can also always pop them in the freezer to keep them extra fresh.

Joy Charlson - December 1, 2022
Hi, I noticed other recipes include baking powder. Why don’t you use/need baking powder in this recipe?
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
There’s no one specific reason, we just opted not to for this recipe 😊

Lauren - November 14, 2022
Didn’t this recipe used to have butter flavoring? Was it 1 tsp?
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Yes, it did! We adjusted the recipe while Buttery Goodness is out of stock, but the recipe previously listed ¼ – 1 TSP of buttery flavoring as an optional add on.

Joanna - November 14, 2022
Hi, I saw that you said this dough is ok in the fridge for 2-3 days. Is there a certain reason why that amount of time? I made some dough a couple days ago and thought I’d be able to bake it sooner, but it will be 4-5 days before I can get it baked. Thanks.
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Hi Joanna! The reason we say 2-3 days in the fridge is because of the eggs in the dough – if you’re not sure if you’ll get to it within 3 days, it’s always best to just put it in the freezer instead! It will be good for quite a while in there.

Marcie - November 4, 2022
Do these cookies taste well with NO icing? I am looking to use a custom “Merry Christmas” stamp and looking for a good recipe that tastes great first and foremost, but one that tastes well without icing and one that holds its shape well so we can still read the words. Thank you so much!
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
Hi Marcie, yes, these cookies will taste good on their own! You can also add any flavoring you’d like to customize them further.

Sharzi - October 31, 2022
A tip my grandmother gave me… if you don’t have cooling racks, crumple a bunch of aluminum foil then open it…. all the little hills and valleys will let air circulate under the cookies. She also did this when needing a rack inside of a roasting pan.

BTW… this is the recipe I use and it always comes out perfect.
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
That is such a great tip, thank you Sharzi! I’m so glad you love the recipe 😊

Mona - October 20, 2022
Can you please let me know how to make these cookies eggless?
Thanks
———
The Cookie Countess replied:
We have not yet recipe tested an egg substitute for this specific recipe, but we often use Aquafaba as an egg substitute in other recipes. We’re currently working on perfecting our Vegan Sugar Cookie Recipe, keep an eye out for that blog post!

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