Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
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These holiday cut-out butter cookies are a dream to make, and they’re as delicious as they are pretty!
Photo by Suzana Marinkovic
I usually think of cut-out sugar cookies as something to admire rather than eat, but this recipe from King Arthur Flour is different. The cookies are buttery and tender-crisp, and the frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness. They’re also a dream to make. The dough is super easy to roll out and cut—and the cookies won’t puff up or spread out in the oven, so go ahead and break out all those ornate cookie cutters!
If you’re looking for another delightful holiday baking project, be sure to check out the Christmas wreath cookies. They’re equally fun to make and add a charming touch to your holiday dessert spread.
“I just made these cookies for the first time and loved them!! The dough was easy to work with and the cookies taste so good!!!”
What You’ll Need To Make Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Confectioners’ Sugar: Sweetens the dough. Confectioners’ sugar is used instead of granulated sugar as it gives the cookies a wonderfully tender texture.
- Butter: Adds moisture and helps create a flavorful cookie.
- Egg Yolk: Contributes to the dough’s structure and adds richness.
- Almond Extract: Adds a distinct, aromatic flavor to the cookies. If you don’t have almond extract, substitute with vanilla extract.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the base for the cookies. To ensure you’re using the correct amount of flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off.
- Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Store-Bought Icing: Used for decorating the cookies and adding a sweet, decorative finish. The recipe for easy glaze icing can be found below.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by combining the confectioners’ sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and almond extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.
Beat until smooth.
Add the flour.
Mix on low speed until well combined. The mixture will seem dry at first but don’t worry, it will come together.
Scrape the dough onto a work surface (if it’s sticky, dust very lightly with flour).
Knead into a ball and then cut it in half.
Shape the dough into 2 discs, then wrap in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
When you’re ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator, and let it soften for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Work it with your hands for a minute or so, until it feels soft and pliable enough to roll. Be careful not to overwork it; it should still feel cool.
Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough and rolling pin as well. Working with one piece of dough at a time, roll to between 1/8″ and 1/4″ thick.
Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, then use a thin metal spatula to lift the dough off of the counter and onto parchment-lined baking sheets (they can be close together; they don’t spread). Re-roll and cut the dough scraps.
Place the cut-out cookies on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F oven for 10 to 14 minutes, until they’re set and barely browned around the edges. Note that the cook time will vary depending on the thickness and size of the cookies. Very small cookies might be done in 8 minutes.
Let cool, then ice the cookies with royal icing, glaze icing (recipe below), or store-bought icing.
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Holiday Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
These holiday cut-out butter cookies are a dream to make, and they’re as delicious as they are pretty!
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups Confectioners' sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) plus 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract)
- 2¾ cups all purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with knife
- Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing (see recipe below), or store-bought icing, for decorating
Instructions
- Combine the confectioners' sugar, butter, egg yolk, salt, and almond extract in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed at first to incorporate the sugar, then increase the speed to medium and beat until smooth, about 30 seconds. Add the flour and mix on low speed until well combined. The mixture will seem dry and crumbly at first, but don't worry—it will come together into a cohesive dough.
- Lightly dust a clean work surface with flour. Scrape the dough onto the work surface and knead into a smooth ball. Cut the ball in half and form 2 discs, then wrap each disc in plastic and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
- When you're ready to bake, remove the dough from the refrigerator and let it soften on the countertop for 30 minutes to 1 hour. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set two oven racks in the centermost positions.
- Begin with one disc of dough, kneading it with your hands for about a minute until it becomes soft and pliable, similar in consistency to play dough. Remember, the longer the dough has been refrigerated, the more kneading it may require. Aim for a dough that’s neither crumbly nor cracking at the edges, yet be cautious not to over-knead; it should retain a cool temperature. If it becomes too warm or soft at any point, feel free to pop it back in the fridge for a bit.
- Sprinkle your work surface lightly with flour. Lightly sprinkle the top of the dough and the rolling pin with flour as well. Roll to between ⅛" and ¼" thick, sprinkling more flour over and under the dough as needed so that it doesn't stick. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes. Use a thin metal spatula to lift the cut dough off of the counter and onto the prepared baking sheets (they can be close together; they don't spread). Re-roll and cut the dough scraps, dusting more flour as necessary so the dough doesn't stick. Bake the cookies for 10 to 14 minutes, until they're set and barely browned around the edges. (Note that the cook time will vary depending on the thickness and size of the cookies. And mini cookies might be done in as little as 8 minutes.)
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
- Note: The cookies are best eaten within a day or two, when they are perfectly tender and crisp. They'll keep much longer stored in an airtight container, but they'll soften up.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be made up to 4 days ahead of time and refrigerated, or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze, wrap each dough disc securely in plastic wrap, and place in a sealable bag. When ready to bake, remove the disks from the freezer, thaw on the counter until pliable, and proceed with recipe. The cookies can also be frozen after baking. Let the cookies cool completely and store in an airtight container separating layers with parchment paper or aluminum foil. Before serving, remove the cookies from the container and let them come to room temperature.
- To Make Easy Glaze Icing: Combine 2¼ cups confectioners' sugar, 2 tablespoons light corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons milk. Stir with a spoon to make a thick but spreadable glaze. If the glaze is too thin, add additional confectioners’ sugar. If it's too thick, dribble in additional milk ½ teaspoon at a time. (You'll know the consistency is right when a ribbon of glaze dribbled from the spoon will sit atop the glaze in the bowl briefly, before settling and disappearing. Be careful not to make it too thin, or it will drip right off the cookies and make a sticky mess.) Using a small spoon, dollop the icing on the center of the cookies and use a spoon, knife, toothpick or your finger to spread it all the way to the edges. Sprinkle with colored sugar or other sugar decorations while the icing is still wet. Allow the glaze to harden before storing the cookies.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 82
- Fat: 4g
- Saturated fat: 2g
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Sugar: 7g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Sodium: 2mg
- Cholesterol: 12mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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These work with vegan butter!! I used Melt Organic plant butter and the dough came together beautifully. I actually had to add a few more spoonfuls of flour since it was a little sticky. They baked without spreading one bit AND they taste just like the Christmas sugar cookies of my childhood.
Made these last year and they were great. This year is another story. The refrigerated dough is so crumbly, it won’t stay together let alone roll out. Suggestions on a way to save this dough?
Hi Joyce, I’m sorry you had a problem with these this time around! Did you use the spoon and level method to measure the flour? Did you work the dough with your hands before rolling to make sure it was supple enough to roll?
After reading all the comments, both positive and negative, I followed the recipe to the letter. I’m not a baker per se, other than the odd chocolate chip cookie or apple crumble, but I followed the instructions and the cookie dough came together just as stated. I had to be very patient and gentle with the dough after getting it onto the counter. It took a while to get it to a cohesive point so I could actually knead it gently. I certainly didn’t get 5 dozen cookies out of it because I was using a cutter larger than 2 inches, but they tasted great.
Are you certain that you used the correct amount called for in the recipe, and that you used almond extract not essense?
Just right and with the Royal Icing delightful
Beautiful recipe! My toddler and I made this recipe several times last year (cookies for Santa and for Easter!). The dough was easy to work with (even with a 2.5 year old helping!) and froze/defrosted wonderfully.
Could I add some fresh lemon juice and/or zest to turn these into lemon butter cookies and roll them out a bit thicker (like a half cm)?
Thanks Jen!
So glad you like them and that it’s been a good activity to do with your toddler! I would stay away from lemon juice, but you could add some lemon zest. And, yes, you can roll them out a bit thicker; just keep in mind they may take just a little longer to bake. Hope that helps!
These cookies are delicious and the texture is perfectly delicate. The dough comes out well if you follow the directions exactly as stated. I used a decorative rolling pin to add a nice flair. I also dipped some of the cookies in chocolate for a “milano” effect. Absolutely delicious!
Thank you for your comment. I was hoping to find out if these would work with a decorative rolling pin and glad I didn’t have to look far. 🙂
Such a great buttery tender cookie with a hint of almond. I made these yesterday for my mother who resides in an assisted living facility. It’s been a tough year so baked cookies brighten up the residents’ day! She loves to pass out cookies to her friends. I made these and she was a real hit! The cookies were so easy to make and did not spread. I used shamrock cookie cutters and tinted the glaze light green with sprinkles on top and they looked like cookies you see in the bakery! Thanks again for another great recipe!
[One note to the reviews that complained the dough is so crumbly–the butter has to be super soft otherwise the dough will be very dry]
Cut-out cookies turned out perfectly… and tasty, too. Frosting stays soft just long enough to decorate. Thank you for sharing and Happy New Year!
We make sugar cookies once a year at Christmas and every year I am disappointed with my choice of recipe. The dough is either possible or the cookies are tasteless or both. This year, I made your butter cookies and icing–winner! The dough was good to work with and your tips were excellent. The cookies looked terrific with taste and texture to match. I won’t be looking again–and maybe we’ll even be inspired to make and decorate cookies more than once a year!