If you’re looking for the perfect cut-out sugar cookie, this no-spread dough is exactly what you need. Easy to roll and shape, it bakes into cookies that stay beautifully flat for decorating, buttery and soft with crisp, defined edges. They hold their shape perfectly and won’t puff up or spread in the oven.
You can use this dough for all kinds of cookies: jam-filled cookies, decorated sugar cookies with royal icing, or topped with chocolate plaques in the theme of your choice, like my Halloween cookies.
The result is tender, flavorful cut-out sugar cookies with a perfect texture and irresistible taste.
Table of Contents
How to Make Perfect Sugar Cookies: Tips and Tricks
Take the butter out of the fridge ahead of time. It must be soft to be easily creamed with the sugar. Do not use melted butter or butter that is too cold.
If you want sugar cookies that are slightly more crisp, replace some of the powdered sugar with granulated sugar. Half and half works well.
The amount of flour may vary slightly depending on how much liquid it absorbs. The dough should be soft but not sticky. It must form a smooth ball that is easy to roll on a lightly floured surface.
After adding the flour, mix only until the dough comes together without activating the gluten. As soon as it forms, stop working it. You can push the dough forward with the palm of your hand on the work surface once or twice to help it come together, then shape it into a smooth ball.
Gluten activation makes the dough elastic. If it becomes elastic, the dough may shrink when you roll it out and distort the shape of the cookies during baking.
Rest the dough in the fridge for 20-30 minutes before rolling, which firms it up and makes handling easier.
Once you’ve rolled out the dough, place it back in the fridge for another 20 minutes or so. A chilled dough will hold its shape better when you cut it, and your cookies won’t warp when you move them.
Finally, before placing the cookies in the oven, give them a last 20-minute chill to ensure they bake perfectly and don’t spread.
Note: These last three chilling tips are optional, but they make the process easier and help ensure perfectly shaped cookies.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of baking paper. This prevents you from flouring the work surface and the rolling pin, which could add too much flour and change the texture of the dough. If you need to, flour very lightly.
I recommend using a perforated baking tray and baking mat. This ensures even baking and gives the cookies a nice, finely patterned bottom.
Keep an eye on the cookies while baking so they reach the golden color you want. You can brown them more or less to suit your taste.
Let the cookies cool on a wire rack to prevent moisture from softening them.
Ingredients for Easy Sugar Cookie Dough :
NB: You can print out the recipe card at the end of the article.
For about thirty cookies
- 125 g soft unsalted butter (4.4 oz)
- 100 g powdered sugar (3.5 oz)
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons milk (20 g / 0.7 oz)
- 3 g baking powder (1 level teaspoon)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 320 g all-purpose flour (11.3 oz)
Preparation Steps
Take the butter out of the fridge about an hour in advance so that it is soft enough to cream.
In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a mixing bowl, blend the softened butter with the sifted powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then mix to combine. Pour in the milk and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to collect all the dough.
Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture, then mix just until a homogeneous dough forms, being careful not to overwork it.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into two smooth balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap, flatten slightly, and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before rolling out.
Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 3 mm (about 1/8 inch). This avoids flouring the work surface and the rolling pin.
Place the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about twenty minutes to firm it up. Working with a firm dough will make it easier to cut out shapes and move the cookies without distorting them.
Then cut out the shapes using the cookie cutters of your choice. Here, I’ve used Silikomart’s Cookies Choc mold and Decora’s CiocCookies mold, but there are plenty of options to choose from.
Arrange the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or, ideally, on a micro-perforated Silpat mat. This gives a nice grid pattern to the bottoms of the cookies. I also use a perforated baking sheet for perfect heat distribution, but even without it, the results are great.
Chill the tray of cookies in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking.
Gather the dough scraps into a ball, handling it lightly on the work surface to smooth it out. Roll it out again following the same procedure to use up all the dough.
Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F) on static heat mode.
Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping a close eye on them toward the end to achieve the perfect golden color.
Keep an eye on your first batch, as baking times may vary depending on the oven.
Once baked, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Decorate as desired with royal icing or by attaching chocolate plaques with your chosen designs.
How to Store Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies will keep for up to two weeks at room temperature in an airtight tin. If stacking, place a sheet of parchment paper between each layer to prevent sticking.
For longer storage, they can be frozen for up to 2 months. Remove them about 1 hour before serving to fully enjoy their flavor and texture.
I hope you enjoy this sugar cookie dough recipe and that it inspires you to create a variety of delicious cookies.
Other Recipes You might Like
Easy Moroccan Gazelle Horn Cookies
Cookies with Jam and Sesame Seeds
Walnut Cookies
Easy Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies (No Spread)
INGREDIENTS
For about thirty cookies
- 125 g soft unsalted butter
- 100 g powdered sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons milk 20 g / 0.7 oz
- 3 g baking powder 1 level teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 pinch of salt
- 320 g all-purpose flour
PREPARATION
- Take the butter out of the fridge about an hour in advance so that it is soft enough to cream.
- In the bowl of a food processor fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a mixing bowl, blend the softened butter with the sifted powdered sugar until smooth and creamy.
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, then mix to combine. Pour in the milk and continue mixing until fully incorporated.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to collect all the dough.
- Sift the flour and baking powder over the mixture, then mix just until a homogeneous dough forms, being careful not to overwork it.
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and shape it into two smooth balls. Wrap each ball in plastic wrap, flatten slightly, and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes before rolling out.
- Roll out the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of 3 mm (about 1/8 inch). This avoids flouring the work surface and the rolling pin.
- Place the rolled-out dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate for about twenty minutes to firm it up. Working with a firm dough will make it easier to cut out shapes and move the cookies without distorting them.
- Then cut out the shapes using the cookie cutters of your choice. Here, I've used Silikomart's Cookies Choc mold and Decora's CiocCookies mold, but there are plenty of options to choose from.
- Arrange the cookies on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or, ideally, on a micro-perforated Silpat mat. This gives a nice grid pattern to the bottoms of the cookies. I also use a perforated baking sheet for perfect heat distribution, but even without it, the results are great.
- Chill the tray of cookies in the fridge for 20 minutes before baking.
- Gather the dough scraps into a ball, handling it lightly on the work surface to smooth it out. Roll it out again following the same procedure to use up all the dough.
- Preheat the oven to 165°C (330°F) on static heat mode.
- Bake the cookies for 20 to 25 minutes, keeping a close eye on them toward the end to achieve the perfect golden color.
- Keep an eye on your first batch, as baking times may vary depending on the oven.
- Once baked, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired with royal icing or by attaching chocolate plaques with your chosen designs.
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