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 easy sugar cookie 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 in the oven, so go ahead and break out all those ornate cookie cutters!
If you’re on the lookout for more fun holiday baking projects, be sure to check out my Christmas wreath cookies, gingerbread cookies, and linzer cookies. They’re just as easy to make and will add a festive touch to your Christmas cookie spread.
Table of Contents
“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. The cornstarch in confectioners’ sugar gives the cookies a wonderfully tender texture.
- Butter: Adds moisture and helps create a flavorful cookie. Bringing the butter to room temperature makes it easy to combine with the other ingredients.
- 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: 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 chill in the refrigerator 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 paper-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 have slightly crisp edges. Note that the bake 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.
Make-Ahead, Freezing & Storage Instructions
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.
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 the 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.
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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 cookies are fantastic! Every time I make them, they are gone quickly. It’s fun making different shapes for various holidays.
I have never had this happen when making these types of cookies. The dough was dry and crumbly and fell apart when trying to roll. I had to add water to the dough to get it to hold together and roll out. The frosting was also very odd- stiff and hard to spread on the cookie. I will go back to my old sugar cookie recipe.
This were perfect! I have tried many recipes but this one with the icing was delicious.
This has become my go to site for all my sweet baking. Have since replaced 2 recipes I have used for years with the ones I found here.
Thank you!!
Ugh I’m so sad! First time I made these they turned out perfect. Second time I made sure to follow the instructions perfectly and let it rest over nt in fridge and the dough never came together.
Do you have any ideas on how I can salvage this? Some sites recommended adding a little room temp butter at a time u til the dough some together. I am so sad. I was planning on having these for my daughters bday.
Hi Lena, So sorry you’re having trouble. Is it possible that you left something out? This should not be a crumbly dough once it’s mixed. I’d let it come to room temperature and then see if you can knead it into a pliable dough (perhaps it was under-mixed?). If you still don’t have any luck, I’d try adding another egg yolk. Hope it works out!
I just made these cookies. They are awaiting the glaze as I write this. I just want to say I am so pleased with how perfectly they cook, with no spreading. The flavor is very mild, a perfect background to any flavor glaze. A super nice basic cookie.
Glad you like them, Anne – happy holidays!
Hi Jen, I’ve made many of your recipes and have been thrilled with the result. Thank you! This is the first recipe I’ve made that didn’t work. The dough never “came together” and is dry and crumbly. I’m thinking it is because I didn’t have a paddle attachment as I only have a hand mixer. Is there any adjustment to make it work based on that?
Hi Jennifer, I’m sorry to hear you had a problem with these! I don’t think using a hand mixer would cause a problem (although it may take a little more time to come together). It sounds like your dough was either too dry or too cold. 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?
Could some of the dough be frozen at the refrigerator step? I have different events I want to make these for that are spread out over the next week and a half and I saw that you said the dough will only keep in the fridge for 3-4 days.
Yes, Kaylie, it would fine to freeze some of the dough. Hope you enjoy!
These sugar cookies are delicious .
You are right Jen the dough is very forgiving making them with two children. Didn’t use the silver dragees that you have in your cookie picture because a recent article in USA Today recommends against eating them, use only as decoration. Pre ordered your cookbook. Can’t wait! Thanks for sharing such delicious recipes.
Just made these and they are delicious! Very buttery and tender. I was inspired by the pretty ones in your picture. Mine came out looking quite amateurish, but still yummy. I’ll have to keep practicing the decorations (and eating, ha!)
Hi Jenn,
I was wondering if I could halve this recipe and get the same results? Do I simply divide everything in half excluding the egg? Also, do you have a time reference for how long it takes for the icing to harden? Thank you!
Hi Stacey, yes, it would be fine to halve it. And regarding he egg, I would use half an egg yolk – you don’t need to measure it – just separate the yolk from the white and then use the shell to scoop up half of it. The icing should take a few hours to dry completely. Hope you enjoy!