Description
If you’ve ever wondered how to make perfect holiday cookies, this easy cut out sugar cookie recipe is for you. It makes buttery soft sugar cookies that hold their shape. Perfect for frosting and decorating!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (95g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tablespoons (30m) milk
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla or almond extract
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups (300 g) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Beat the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until the sugar is dissolved and creamy.
- In a small glass dish, dissolve the baking soda in the milk. Add the baking soda/milk, vanilla and egg to the butter. Beat until all ingredients are well incorporated.
- Slowly add the salt and the flour 1 cup at a time and mix until a stiff dough forms.
- Form 3 softball size balls of dough. Flatten and wrap tightly in plastic wrap then chill in the freezer for at least 15 minutes or in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days.
- Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
- Remove the dough from the fridge, roll the dough out on a well-floured surface about ¼” thick. Use a cookie cutter to cut the shapes and transfer to a lined baking sheet. Use parchment paper or a baking mat.
- Bake at 350° for 8-12 minutes. Allow to cool for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- If you find the dough to be crumbly, see my troubleshoot tips in the blow post.
- Frosting options: These are frosted with my perfect vanilla frosting. They also go great with this easy icing recipe.
- Make the dough ahead of time: The dough can be refrigerated for 2 days, otherwise I suggest freezing. Thaw frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator.
- How much does this recipe make? This batch produces about 24 cut-out cookies depending on the size of your cookie cutters. It can easily be doubled for a large batch
- Storing baked cookies: These are best kept in an airtight container, and they will stay fresh for several days. While this buttercream does have a little “crust”, I don’t recommend stacking more than 1 cookie on top of another, as it will crush the peaks of the frosting.
- Freezing baked cookies: Baked cookies (unfrosted) can be stacked in an airtight container and frozen for one month. Thaw completely before frosting. Frosted cookies can be frozen as well. Place them on a cookie sheet in the freezer for 15-30 minutes until the frosting is hard. Transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze. Place a piece of parchment paper between stacked layers. Thaw on a cookie sheet in a single layer so as not to damage the frosting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookies
- Calories: 101
- Sugar: 4.3 g
- Sodium: 54.8 mg
- Fat: 4.2 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 14.2 g
- Fiber: 0.4 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 17.9 mg