These old fashioned sugar cookies bake up crispy, buttery, and perfect for royal icing. This is my go-to sugar cookie dough recipe when I want cookies that hold their shape but still taste like that classic sugar cookie dream.
Why You'll Love It
This easy sugar cookie dough recipe is my holiday season lifesaver. With minimal effort, it creates cut-out cookies that hold their cookie shape during baking, yet still have the perfect balance of crisp edges and a soft, chewy center. The buttery flavor shines through, and the simple ingredients make it approachable for home bakers at any skill level.
This is the best sugar cookie recipe when you want something reliable. The dry ingredients blend effortlessly with the wet ingredients to create a dough with the right consistency every time. You can use cookie cutters of any kind and the dough won't spread across the baking sheet. It's perfect for fun shapes, holiday cookies, or little balls for edible cookie dough (directions for that below!). Plus, the buttery flavor is unmatched when it comes to that classic sugar cookie taste.
These yummy homemade sugar cookies stay fresh for 3-4 days in an airtight container, making them great for gifting. You can even freeze unbaked cookies on a baking tray before storing them in a ziploc bag.All you need to do is follow the step-by-step instructions and you'll get perfect sugar cookies every time.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here's a quick overview of the simple ingredients you need for these cut-out sugar cookies. You can get exact amounts at the bottom of this post.
- Unsalted Butter: Softened butter creates the right texture and buttery flavor.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives the perfect amount of sweetness and crisp edges.
- Eggs: Bind everything together but avoid raw eggs in edible cookie dough versions. Notes on that in the recipe card below.
- Flour Mixture: All-purpose flour, baking powder, and kosher salt ensure a chewy sugar cookie base.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds classic flavor, but almond extract is another favorite way to brighten the dough.
- Melted Butter: Brushed on top for extra flavor and a golden brown finish.
- Extra Sugar: Adds sparkle and sweetness before baking.
- Optional Additions: Add 1 cup of milk chocolate morsels for a yummy chocolate chip cookies recipe. You could also add lemon zest to this kind of cookie if you're into that!
How to Make It
Here's your quick overview before the full recipe: This dough mixes easily, rolls smoothly, and cuts beautifully. Let's walk through the steps.
- CREAM THE BUTTER: Use an electric mixer, hand mixer or stand mixer to whip softened butter and sugar mixture until fluffy and light.
- ADD EGGS: Mix in each egg for 1-2 minutes so the wet ingredients fully blend.
- MIX DRY INGREDIENTS: Combine flour mixture, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- MAKE THE DOUGH: Add dry ingredients into the butter mixture until fully combined.
- ROLL DOUGH: Sprinkle the kitchen counter with flour and roll dough to ¼-inch thickness. Just make sure you maintain an even thickness while using your rolling pin, which helps every batch bake cookies beautifully and consistently golden brown.
- CUT SHAPES: Use cookie cutters to cut out fun shapes and transfer to cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- BRUSH AND SPRINKLE: Brush the tops with melted butter, then dust with sugar.
- BAKE COOKIES: Bake on a baking sheet until edges turn golden brown. Cool on a cooling rack.
- DECORATE: Want to turn these chewy sugar cookies into the perfect festive Christmas cookies?! Serve these sweet treats with royal icing, ice cream, or enjoy them plain. Or do as I do and set out various colors of icing and lots of sprinkles and have your family have at it!
- SAVE: Store leftovers in an airtight container for best results. If you have extra dough, you can wrap the remaining dough in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for next time.
How to Heat-Treat Flour for Edible Cookie Dough
If you want to turn this sugar cookie dough recipe into edible sugar cookie dough, you'll need to heat-treat your flour. Raw flour can contain potentially harmful bacteria, and this quick step makes it safe to eat without baking. The best part? It only takes a couple of minutes and uses simple ingredients you already have out on the kitchen counter.
Here's your quick overview for heat-treated flour:
- Spread the flour mixture
Add your cups of flour to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or wax paper, breaking up any clumps with your fingers or a mixing bowl whisk. - Bake for safety
Heat in a 300°F oven for 5-10 minutes, or until the flour reaches 165°F (use an oven thermometer for best results). This ensures it's safe for edible cookie dough with raw eggs removed. - Cool completely
Let the flour cool to room temperature before mixing it into the butter mixture. If it's warm, it can change the right consistency of your dough. - Use or store
Once cooled, roll them into cookie dough balls and enjoy! You could also mix in chocolate chips, or just stash it in an airtight container for later. It'll keep in the fridge for a few days but freezing gives them even more life.
Now you've got safe, scoopable, edible cookie dough that tastes just like the best sugar cookies-minus the baking. It's my favorite way to satisfy a sweet tooth without waiting for the cookies to bake and cool on a wire rack.
What to Serve It With
I love to make a huge batch of these delicious old fashioned sugar cookies when I'm having people over. I typically serve them with various colors of icing and lots and lots of themed sprinkles. If you're having a Christmas party, serve with my frozen hot cocoa pie, royal icing, chocolate chips, ice cream, edible cookie dough, or other holiday cookies for a full sweet treat spread. If these sound yummy, try my 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies and these Easy Oreo Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Recipe
Easy Sugar Cookie Dough Recipe for Decorating
Ingredients
- ¾ cup Unsalted Butter softened
- 1 ¾ cups Granulated Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 4 cups All-Purpose Flour sifted
- 1 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ¼ cup Unsalted Butter melted
- ¼ cup Granulated Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and sugar in a mixing bowl for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
- Add the eggs and mix until smooth.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough to about ¼-inch thickness on a floured kitchen counter.
- Cut out cookies using cookie cutters, re-rolling the remaining dough as needed.
- Brush cookies with melted butter and sprinkle lightly with sugar.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes or until the edges turn lightly golden brown. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
- Freeze unbaked cookies on a baking tray before transferring to a ziploc bag.
- For crisp edges, bake 9-10 minutes.
- For chewy cookies, bake closer to 7 minutes.
- Royal icing works perfectly with these cut-out sugar cookies.
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