These Cut Out Sugar Cookies are a classic sugar cookie that stands up to decorating. I have tested many sugar cookie recipes, and these are always the winner.
These Roll Out Sugar Cookies are famous in our family for their flavor and texture.
My mom originally got this recipe from a coworker on a handwritten index card. It was titled "Granny's Sugar Cookies."
For years, we referred to these are Granny Sugar's Cookies. When I was writing the recipe for Fall Leaf Cookies, I referred to them as [Not My] Granny's Sugar Cookies.
It's time that they had their own post as well as a more descriptive name.
I often use these cookies for royal icing cookies. They are sturdier than shortbread cookies so hold up better to the longer drying times needed for royal icing.
Due to a higher sugar content, these cookies are crispier on the edges. If you prefer a soft sugar cookie, you might want to try these Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies.
These cookies can be kept plain and decorated with sprinkles or red hots. They are also ideal for adding royal icing. I have also used them with a simple glaze and added royal icing details.
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Ingredients
These are a very basic sugar cookie with simple ingredients.
- flour
- baking powder
- salt
- butter
- sugar
- egg
- vanilla extract
Make the Dough
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
Beat the butter and sugar together, then blend in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add dry ingredients until just combined.
If you are going to color the dough, you would add the food coloring liquid or gel now.
Gather the dough into a disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in the refrigerator for around 15-30 minutes or until it reaches a rollable consistency.
Meanwhile preheat oven to 400°F.
Roll Out the Dough
Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thick or preferred thickness. I use wooden dowel rods that are ¼-inch in diameter as rolling pin guides to ensure even thickness.
If you want thinner, crispier cookies, you can roll them thinner than this.
Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies.
Place the cut cookies on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
At this point, you can add sprinkles, red hots or sugar pearls if you are not planning on adding icing later.
Bake the Cookies
Bake the cookies for 6-10 minutes or until just starting to brown on the edges. The time will depend on the thickness of the cookie and how crisp or soft you like them.
Some people prefer them a little more brown on the edges. The longer you bake them, the crispier they will be.
Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before decorating with icing.
Decorating Options
These cookies can be dipped in a simple powdered sugar glaze, which I did with these Snowflake Cookies and these 4th of July cookies.
I have a lot of information for how to decorate glazed cookies in my Painted Watercolor Cookies recipe, as well as how to paint gold cookies.
Alternatively, the cookies can be decorated with royal icing, like I did with these Penelope Bird cookies.
You can refer to all my royal icing cookies here, my Easy Royal Icing recipe here, as well as my Q&A with Royal Icing here.
Gluten Free Option
You can substitute a gluten free flour blend, such as Bob's Red Mill, in place of the all purpose flour. Please note that cookies made with gluten free flour tend to be more fragile and crumbly, but the flavor will be the same.
📖 Recipe
Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter (1 stick)
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.2 cups flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Cream together butter and sugar. Blend in the egg and vanilla. Slowly add sifted dry ingredients until just combined.½ cup butter, 1 cup sugar, 1 egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Form the dough into a disc shape and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill dough in refrigerator for around 15-30 minutes or until it reaches a rollable consistency (you may also store it in the refrigerator for a day and bake later; simply let dough warm a bit on the counter if it has been chilled for a long time). Meanwhile preheat oven to 400°F.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thick or preferred thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out cookies.
- Place the cut cookies on a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5-10 minutes or until just starting to brown on the edges. The time will depend on the thickness of the cookie, how large of a cookie cutter you used, and how crisp you like them.
- Remove to a cooling rack and allow to cool to room temperature before decorating with icing.
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