I’ve perfected the Best Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe that yields soft, thick cut-out cookies that never spread and hold perfectly shaped edges for decorating.
I finally cracked what I call the Bake Perfectly Soft & Thick Cut Out Sugar Cookies Recipe. I promise these won’t spread, they keep every cookie cutter shape true, and you can go wild decorating.
I use cold unsalted butter and a hit of vanilla extract so the flavor feels round, not flat. People have told me this is the Best Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe they’ve tried, and yeah, sometimes I treat it like a cheeky answer to How To Make Shaped Cookies because it really holds up.
If you’re curious how such small tweaks change everything, youre in the right place.
Ingredients
- All purpose flour: Provides structure and carbs, little fiber, so cookies are soft but not dense
- Cornstarch: Adds tenderness and slight silkiness, mostly starch so lower protein than flour
- Unsalted butter: Fat rich, gives flavor and crisp edges, helps spread, not a health food
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens, adds crunch and browning, helps cookies spread and caramelize
- Egg plus yolk: Provides protein, moisture and binding, yolk adds richness and color
- Vanilla extract: Tiny bit but big flavor, masks egginess and makes them taste homemade
- Heavy cream or milk: Adds moisture and tenderness, higher fat makes cookies cakier and softer
- Baking powder: Leavening boost, tiny lift for slightly cakey texture
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances flavor, not salty tasting when used right
Ingredient Quantities
- 3 cups all purpose flour (about 375 g)
- 3/4 cup cornstarch (about 90 g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed (about 226 g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
How to Make this
1. Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed.
2. Add 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed, and cut it into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or pulse in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left.
3. In a separate bowl beat 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk until smooth and a bit glossy.
4. Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir gently until the dough just comes together; avoid overmixing or the cookies will get tough. If it looks crumbly add a teaspoon of cream at a time until it holds.
5. Turn the dough onto plastic wrap or into two disks, press tightly, wrap well and chill at least 1 to 2 hours in the fridge (overnight is even better for flavor and shape).
6. When ready preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Keep your work surface and rolling pin lightly floured.
7. Roll the cold dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick depending how thick you want them. Thicker dough = softer interior and less spreading. If it warms up, chill the rolled sheet 15 minutes.
8. Cut shapes with cookie cutters, transfer shapes to the prepared sheets leaving space, and chill the cutouts on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before baking so they hold their edges.
9. Bake 9 to 13 minutes until edges are set but centers still pale for soft cookies. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet 4 to 5 minutes after they come out then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once cool decorate or store in an airtight container. Tips: keeping the butter cold, using cornstarch, and chilling the dough and cutouts are the keys to no spreading; don’t overbake, and try to handle the dough as little as possible.
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking the flour cornstarch baking powder and salt
2. Medium bowl, to beat the sugar egg egg yolk vanilla and cream (or use the same bowl if youre careful)
3. Whisk, for the dry mix and smoothing the wet mix
4. Pastry cutter or food processor, to cut the cold butter into coarse crumbs
5. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you prefer grams)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to gently fold wet into dry and scrape the bowl
7. Plastic wrap, to form and tightly chill the dough disks
8. Rolling pin plus extra parchment paper sheets, roll the dough between them so it wont stick
9. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leave room between shapes for chilling on the sheet
10. Cookie cutters and a wire cooling rack, to cut shapes and cool cookies without getting soggy
FAQ
Bake Perfectly: Soft & Thick Cut Out Sugar Cookies Recipe! Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap with cake or pastry flour 1:1. It’ll make the cookies softer and more tender, though they might spread a little more.
- Cornstarch: replace with arrowroot powder or tapioca starch 1:1 for the same tender, almost melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- Unsalted butter: use salted butter 1:1 but skip the recipe salt, or use cold vegetable shortening 1:1 for thicker, cleaner cut edges and less spread.
- Granulated sugar: use superfine (caster) sugar 1:1 for a smoother dough, or replace up to half with light brown sugar for a softer, slightly chewier cookie and deeper flavor.
Pro Tips
1. Keep the butter really cold and handle the dough as little as possible, cube the butter and work fast; if it starts to warm up just chill the dough 15 to 30 minutes or your cookies will spread and get greasy.
2. Dont skimp on the cornstarch, it is the secret for that tender, almost shortbread crumb. If you want them even more delicate, add a tablespoon more cornstarch but not too much or they turn mealy.
3. Chill the rolled sheet and the cutouts on the baking sheet before they go in the oven so the edges stay sharp, this is extra important in a warm kitchen or when cutting detailed shapes.
4. Watch the bake not the clock, pull them when edges are set but centers still pale, let them rest on the hot sheet 4 to 5 minutes then move to a rack. And store in an airtight container with a slice of bread if you want them soft the next day.
Bake Perfectly: Soft & Thick Cut Out Sugar Cookies Recipe!
I’ve perfected the Best Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe that yields soft, thick cut-out cookies that never spread and hold perfectly shaped edges for decorating.
36
servings
119.5
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl, for whisking the flour cornstarch baking powder and salt
2. Medium bowl, to beat the sugar egg egg yolk vanilla and cream (or use the same bowl if youre careful)
3. Whisk, for the dry mix and smoothing the wet mix
4. Pastry cutter or food processor, to cut the cold butter into coarse crumbs
5. Measuring cups and spoons (and a kitchen scale if you prefer grams)
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon, to gently fold wet into dry and scrape the bowl
7. Plastic wrap, to form and tightly chill the dough disks
8. Rolling pin plus extra parchment paper sheets, roll the dough between them so it wont stick
9. Baking sheets lined with parchment paper, leave room between shapes for chilling on the sheet
10. Cookie cutters and a wire cooling rack, to cut shapes and cool cookies without getting soggy
Ingredients
-
3 cups all purpose flour (about 375 g)
-
3/4 cup cornstarch (about 90 g)
-
1 teaspoon baking powder
-
1/2 teaspoon fine salt
-
1 cup unsalted butter, cold, cubed (about 226 g)
-
1 cup granulated sugar (about 200 g)
-
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
-
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-
2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk
Directions
- Whisk together 3 cups all purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a large bowl until evenly mixed.
- Add 1 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed, and cut it into the dry mix with a pastry cutter or pulse in a food processor until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea sized bits of butter left.
- In a separate bowl beat 1 cup granulated sugar with 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons heavy cream or whole milk until smooth and a bit glossy.
- Pour the wet mix into the dry ingredients and stir gently until the dough just comes together; avoid overmixing or the cookies will get tough. If it looks crumbly add a teaspoon of cream at a time until it holds.
- Turn the dough onto plastic wrap or into two disks, press tightly, wrap well and chill at least 1 to 2 hours in the fridge (overnight is even better for flavor and shape).
- When ready preheat oven to 350 F (175 C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Keep your work surface and rolling pin lightly floured.
- Roll the cold dough between two sheets of parchment to about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick depending how thick you want them. Thicker dough = softer interior and less spreading. If it warms up, chill the rolled sheet 15 minutes.
- Cut shapes with cookie cutters, transfer shapes to the prepared sheets leaving space, and chill the cutouts on the baking sheet for 10 to 15 minutes before baking so they hold their edges.
- Bake 9 to 13 minutes until edges are set but centers still pale for soft cookies. Let cookies rest on the baking sheet 4 to 5 minutes after they come out then move to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool decorate or store in an airtight container. Tips: keeping the butter cold, using cornstarch, and chilling the dough and cutouts are the keys to no spreading; don’t overbake, and try to handle the dough as little as possible.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 27.47g
- Total number of serves: 36
- Calories: 119.5kcal
- Fat: 5.67g
- Saturated Fat: 3.45g
- Trans Fat: 0.21g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.22g
- Monounsaturated: 1.46g
- Cholesterol: 21.4mg
- Sodium: 51.8mg
- Potassium: 15.6mg
- Carbohydrates: 15.75g
- Fiber: 0.28g
- Sugar: 5.83g
- Protein: 1.3g
- Vitamin A: 56.6IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 4.33mg
- Iron: 0.42mg
