These Holiday Sugar Cookies are soft, delicious, and hold their shape after baking. You can use all your favorite cookie cutters!

This post may contain affiliate links. This means if you decide to purchase through my link, I may earn a very small commission at no additional cost to you.
the best cut out sugar cookie recipe
This is the best cut-out sugar cookie recipe you'll find. Some sugar cookies don't cut well, need to be formed into balls to cook, or when they bake they lose shape. With these, they still remain soft, they're delicious, they are easy to cut and retain their shape when they bake.
With this recipe, you get the best of both worlds. You'll have a cut-out recipe that maintains its shape when baked but is also soft and delicious. Everyone who tries them will be asking you for the recipe!
sugar cookie ingredients
- unsalted butter
- sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
- all purpose flour
- baking powder
- salt

how to make homemade sugar cookies
Detailed instructions and measurements to make holiday sugar cookies are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- Cream together the butter and sugar for approximately 2 minutes. You want the mixture to be light and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla and egg until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. If you are using a stand mixture, be sure to switch to the paddle attachment at this point in time. Slowly add in the flour mixture about ½ cup at a time until it is fully incorporated.
- Remove the dough and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of wax or parchment paper and roll out to between ¼ - ½" thickness.
- Place on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once chilled, remove from the fridge and remove the top sheet of paper. Cut out all the shapes, cover in sprinkles if you'd like and place on a silpat lined cookie sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 8-9 minutes. If you have to go in batches, keep an eye on them as you progress. If the dough has had time to come closer to room temperature, it will need less time to bake. You want them to firm up, but pull them from the oven before they begin to brown at all. Remove from the oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for about 30 seconds and then transfer to a cooling rack. Leaving them on the sheet will cause them to over cook.
- Once they've cooled completely, you can top with icing if you choose. Have fun baking and enjoy!
tips, tricks and faqs
The secret to making really easy cookie cutouts, especially if you're baking with children is to roll out the dough between two sheets of wax or parchment paper before chilling. If you do this and lay it on a cookie sheet, it only needs to chill for about 20 minutes. When you go to cut them out, it's very easy and they hold together much better. You also don't have to fight to roll out the dough and the best part is that there is no flouring your surface or your rolling pin!
Be sure to spoon the flour into your measuring cup instead of scooping it. By spooning it into the measuring cup, you get an accurate measure and you won't end up with too much. Scooping can cause it to compact in the measuring cup resulting in too much flour. Too much and your sugar cookie dough becomes a sand texture and you have to start over. If you have too much flour, they also get a different flavor and don't bake upright.
If stored properly, sugar cookies will last up to a week.
Sugar cookies spread when baking because of the amount of fat melting in the oven. The flour to fat ratio needs to be perfect to maintain its shape. With this recipe, you'll have cookies that keep their shape even after baking.
Sugar cookie dough can be made ahead of time. It will remain fresh in the refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months when stored properly.
Yes! Sugar cookie dough works well frozen. You can choose to freeze it whole or after cutting out the cookies.

products and tools you'll need to make sugar cookies








how to store sugar cookies
Sugar cookies need to be stored in an airtight container on the countertop. They'll remain fresh and soft as long as they are stored properly.
other cookie recipes you might like

Homemade Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 sticks unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 3 cups flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Instructions
- Cream together the butter and sugar for approximately 2 minutes. You want the mixture to be light and fluffy.
- Add in the vanilla and egg until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. If you are using a stand mixture, be sure to switch to the paddle attachment at this point in time. Slowly add in the flour mixture about ½ cup at a time until it is fully incorporated.
- Remove the dough and place on a sheet of wax or parchment paper. Cover with another sheet of wax or parchment paper and roll out to between ¼ - ½" thickness.
- Place on a cookie sheet and put in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Once chilled, remove from the fridge and remove the top sheet of paper. Cut out all the shapes, cover in sprinkles if you'd like and place on a silpat lined cookie sheet.
- Bake in the oven for 8-9 minutes. If you have to go in batches, keep an eye on them as you progress. If the dough has had time to come closer to room temperature, it will need less time to bake. You want them to firm up, but pull them from the oven before they begin to brown at all. Remove from the oven and allow to sit on the cookie sheet for about 30 seconds and then transfer to a cooling rack. Leaving them on the sheet will cause them to over cook.
- Once they've cooled completely, you can top with icing if you choose. Have fun baking and enjoy!
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy. It should only be used for estimation purposes and is not a guarantee of any kind. Nutritional information varies widely between brands and types of ingredients used. It is recommended that you calculate the nutritional information based on your own ingredients and brands used. Sweetly Splendid, LLC makes no guarantees as to the exact nutrition information.
Binky Bell
This is the absolute best sugar cookie recipe I’ve used. It’s incredibly easy to make, they hold their shape when baked, they stay soft and the flavor is amazing. I’ve already passed the recipe to a dozen people.
Cristina Schackman
Super easy and fun with the kids! I never thought about rolling the dough between two pieces of parchment paper before but it is a game changer.
Annette
Just made a triple batch. Do you have the royal ucing recipe? Ty.
kara
Hi Annette! I usually don't ice mine, but when I do, I use a combination of 4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tbsp meringue powder, and 3-5 tbsp of milk. The milk is what I use to get my desired consistency. I also sometimes add a little vanilla extract.