The Easiest Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
This recipe has been tested over 15 times in my home kitchen and works every time! I created this recipe to make roll-out sugar cookies with melted butter (no creaming or electric mixer required!). The dough comes together so quickly. Chill it for a few hours to cool the butter back down and then just roll out (no sticking!) with powdered sugar and bake up tender cut-out sugar cookies.
If you are looking for more holiday cookie ideas, browse my Christmas Cookie section or just cut to the chase and add one of my most indulgent recipes to your baking queue: Frozen Hot Chocolate Cookies.
Roll-out sugar cookies are a Christmas tradition and honestly, they are great year-round. They are simple to make and fun to decorate for any occasion.
So. Let’s make it easy. How about a recipe that takes 10 minutes to mix together? Rolls out with no sticking? And tastes great? You got it!
I developed this easy recipe because I wanted to see if I could get perfect sugar cookies from a melted butter base, instead of a creamed base using room temperature butter. Creaming is usually ideal because of the structure it creates in the final cookie, but honestly not everyone owns an electric mixer (or some of us need to be quiet around sleeping babies or roommates).
So in my quest to make a recipe that could be mixed up with a spoon, this variation was born. My recipe uses melted butter and a few hours of chill time in the fridge instead. The cookies have a bit more texture in the tops than my creamed versions of roll-out sugar cookies, but that’s basically the only difference.
I reach for this recipe again and again when I need a batch of sugar cookies–especially for decorating. I love that I can mix it up in minutes.
I’ve made this recipe over 15x in my home kitchen and I can tell you another great thing about it. It doesn’t stick! A proper sugar cookie recipe won’t stick.
But, you’ll have to do your part too! Make sure the dough is completely chilled and you are working with a cool countertop and a cool kitchen. If things start getting warm, you’ll have issues with the dough sticking to the countertop or rolling pin.
Use my easy cookie glaze to make these cookies extra-special! It’s an egg-free royal icing substitute and works great for dipping, flooding, and simple piping.
Substitutions & Modifications
One of the easiest modifications to this recipe is to simply change the flavor. Swap the vanilla extract with peppermint, lemon, or almond extract for something a little different.
I recently used this recipe to make sugar cookie gingerbread houses (SO fun!) and am eager to publish that recipe and notes to Elle Makes Dessert. It’s a great way to use this recipe.
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Recipes by a Real Person in a Real Kitchen
In the age of AI-generated content, it’s important to me to share that I’ve created and tested my own recipes. My recipes have been hypothesized, baked, taste-tested, and refined by a real human (me!). I only publish recipes I think are awesome.
How to Make Easy Sugar Cookies!
Tips and tricks for this recipe!
Find the complete ingredients list and full instructions within the printable recipe card below.
Let’s walk through a few tips and tricks before you start baking!
To chill the dough I form it into a thick disk before I refrigerate it. That way it’s ready to roll. It will be cold and stiff so it’s much easier to roll out if it starts in a dish shape.
Use powdered sugar instead of flour. I learned this tip as a kid watching Alton Brown and yes, it’s a game-changer. Instead of toughening your cookies up with loads of flour as you try desperately to prevent sticking you can operate with just a sprinkle of the sweet stuff.
The keys to no sticking when you roll out sugar cookie dough are as follows: use a good recipe, CHILL the dough thoroughly, work in a cool kitchen with a cold countertop. For instance, don’t try to roll out cookies right above a steaming dishwasher etc.
Roll the dough to 1/8″-1/4″ thick (thicker cookies will take slightly longer to bake).
Cut out cookies close together and use as much of the dough as you can. Re-roll scraps just once.
I always bake my last bit of scraps as messy tester cookies for snacking!
Bake until just barely golden on the edges.
How to Make Ahead and Store
Make Ahead: Follow the directions for refrigerating the dough as noted in the recipe so it’s ready to roll out. Leave it in the fridge up to 2-3 days before rolling and baking.
Storing the Cookies: You can store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Or, freeze completely cooled cookies for up to 1-2 months in freezer safe packaging.
FAQS for Cookies
Sometimes things just don’t turn out! If your cookies aren’t perfect, read through these troubleshooting tips to figure out what went wrong.
This recipe is specifically designed not to stick! The key is really to follow the instructions and measurements closely and then make sure everything is very COLD when you roll it out. The dough should be chilled for at least two hours and you should work on a cool countertop in a cool kitchen to prevent sticking. Don’t forget to sprinkle your surface and the dough with powdered sugar as well.
The most likely reason is TOO much flour! Weigh your ingredients and you will have much better results. This recipe is designed to have just the right amount of flour for a tender cookie that keeps its shape.
More Delicious Cookies to Bake
One cookie recipe is simply not enough, agreed? So after you make these sugar cookies, try one of these next!
- Buckeye Brownie Cookies – Crumbl Style!
- Mini Lemon Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Cereal
- Crumbl Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chunk Cookies
If you loved this recipe, leave a quick comment and a 5-star rating!
Thanks so much for trying one of my recipes!
EASY Cut-Out Sugar Cookies!
Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter 5 ounces
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar 4.7 ounces
- 1 large egg
- 1 ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour 8.35 ounces
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Melt butter in the microwave in a heat-proof medium bowl, stirring every 20 seconds. Add granulated sugar. Stir until the mixture is totally combined. Stir in egg and vanilla extract until combined and smooth, about 60 seconds.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt into the bowl with the other ingredients and use a spatula or spoon to stir together until combined. Dough will be very soft.
- Cut a rectangle of parchment paper and place the dough into the middle. It's quite soft, but do your best to form a thick disk shape. Wrap the parchment around the dough. Wrap this whole package in plastic wrap. Chill dough for 2 hours or up to overnight.
- After chilling, preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.Sprinkle a clean & cool countertop with powdered sugar. Unwrap the cold dough and place on the countertop. Sprinkle the dough with sugar as well and roll out using a rolling pin. Roll to 1/8” thickness. You can also roll to 1/4" or slightly thicker if preferred (this will yield less cookies).
- Cut cookies out with cutters and place them onto the lined baking sheets about 1.5" apart.Note: Combine scraps and re-roll them 1x. Any remaining scraps I just press into cookies shapes and bake as "tester cookies". You get to eat these so yay!
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time for 9-10 minutes. Check at 7-8 minutes to be sure you don’t overbake. You want just the tiniest bit of golden brown on the edges. Thicker cookies will take slightly longer than thinner cookies. Bake a single test cookie if you aren't sure.
- Cool cookies completely before decorating.
