Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER
This is the BEST sugar cookie recipe– no chilling the dough, cookies keep their shape when baked, soft and flavorful, perfect for decorating.
Every year millions of people print this Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER from In Katrina’s Kitchen. I have been using this recipe for over 25 years, and it has never failed me.
The texture is medium-soft, but you can bake them longer if you prefer a crisp cookie. This cookie is my absolute favorite, and I have spent many years perfecting it for friends and family.
Why is This the BEST Sugar Cookie Recipe?
The dough comes together quickly with simple pantry ingredients.
It does NOT need to be chilled.
The recipe can be doubled easily.
Cookies hold their shape with very little expanding when baked.
Baked cookies freeze well.
The recipe I am giving you makes a large batch of dough because I like to bake many cookies. Also, I like to roll and cut my cookies fairly thick…to hold a lot of frosting.
Incorporating the last cup of flour may look dry and look crumbly. Turn out the dough onto your countertop and work with wet hands and/or more flour until the dough is smooth and ready to roll.
Most asked Q and A about this Recipe
Butter questions
- It is most important to note that the butter does not have to be at room temperature. We do not recommend rock-hard butter but allow the butter to sit on the countertop for 10-15 minutes while you assemble your ingredients.
- If you can press your finger into the butter and you can easily make a deep indent then the butter is too soft.
- You should be able to press the butter and make a small fingerprint.
- A tip for mixing butter is to cut it into cubes (or just small pats) before creaming with the sugar.
The dough is sticky and/or crumbly. What can I do?
- The final dough really comes together and has a texture close to Play-Doh. Wet your hands if you need to. Turn out the dough onto a floured surface. Don’t be afraid to use more flour and incorporate it in while you are “kneading” it into a smooth ball.
- Forget everything you know about sugar cookie dough. Don’t be afraid of sprinkling more flour as you roll it out. Use the scraps! Mix them back into the unused dough and keep going.
Can I chill the dough? I want to chill the dough. Actually, I need to make these 3 days in advance, is that okay?
- If you need to make the dough in advance, you can chill it. Wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator.
- Bring the dough to room temperature before rolling and cutting. You may need to use more flour on the countertop.
The cookies look under-baked. Can I bake them longer?
- I almost always suggest pulling out these cookies and the 8-9 minute mark for large cookie cutters, and 6-8 minutes for small cookie cutters. They will continue baking on the cookie sheet for a few minutes while they cool and set.
- After cooling for about 5 minutes, I use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack.
Can I omit the almond extract?
- You can omit the almond extract.
- If not using almond extract, replace it with an equal amount of pure vanilla extract.
- You can use any of your favorite flavorings in this cookie. I have used peppermint, maple, and lemon with great success.
How Do I Make these Cookies Gluten-Free?
- To make these the best gluten-free Sugar Cookie, swap out the flour for your favorite gluten-free 1:1 flour.
- I use King Arthur Flour Measure for Measure Flour
What is your favorite Christmas Cookie Frosting Recipe?
- I’m happy you asked! I like a soft, sweet frosting. Here is my favorite Christmas Cookie Frosting.
- Click here for my Small Batch Royal Icing recipe (it dries smooth and hard and is perfect for holding together gingerbread houses, too!).
- You could also try our Three Ingredient Chocolate Glaze
I hope you love this Best Sugar Cookie recipe as much as our family does! Merry Christmas!
Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 Cup unsalted butter, 226 grams
- 1 Cup granulated white sugar, 200 grams
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour, 360 grams
Instructions
- PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
- In the bowl of your mixer, CREAM butter and sugar until smooth, at least 3 minutes
- BEAT in extracts and egg. (PLEASE NOTE there is 1 egg in this recipe.)
- In a separate bowl, COMBINE baking powder and salt with flour and add a little at a time to the wet ingredients.
- IMPORTANT NOTE: If the dough looks crumbly keep mixing for 30 seconds to 1 minute longer. The dough should be pulling away from the sides of the mixer.
- If the dough still looks too dry or stiff for your mixer, turn out the dough onto a countertop surface, flour surface as needed. Wet your hands and finish off kneading the dough by hand.
- DO NOT CHILL THE DOUGH. Divide into workable batches (2-3 chunks), roll out onto a floured surface, and cut. You want these cookies to be on the thicker side (closer to 1/4 inch rather than 1/8).
- Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. Let cool on the cookie sheet until firm enough to transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Nutrition
Troubleshooting Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Scooping and dumping your flour may be the problem! Even with level scooping measurements can vary. Try getting a digital kitchen scale and adding your ingredients by weight.
If your cookies seem to consistently need a longer or shorter baking time consider calibrating your oven with an oven thermometer.
Bake with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
Invest in a small metal cookie spatula to transfer cookies.
If left on the counter top for about an hour your butter should be the right consistency- a finger pressed onto the butter will make a slight indent but not sink down into it. (Read more about room temperature butter in this post about XL Bakery Style Cookies.)
Whenever a recipe calls for room temperature butter you should use room temperature eggs. To take the chill off of eggs I place them in a shallow bowl of warm (not hot) water for 2-3 minutes. You can then crack them for use in your recipe.
Looking for more Christmas Cookies?
Try my Christmas Cookie archive for some of the most adorable and delicious Christmas cookies.
Some of my favorites are Grinch Cookies and Ugly Christmas Sweater Sugar Cookie Bars.
For something different, try Christmas Tree Meringue Cookies.
2,506 Comments on “Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER”
Hi! For how many days can I refrigerate the cookie dough if I make it in advance?
How long can you freeze baked cookies? How long do they last just in an airtight container at room temp?
Hi Katrina,
I just want you to know that this is my hands down favorite sugar cookie recipe!! Thank you so much for sharing this, I have been using it for years now – probably 8 or 9, and it is still my go to! Perfect cookies every time 🙂
what is the purpose of unsalted butter? and why should use it?
Hi Katrina – I love your recipe and I’m super thrilled you’re willing to share your recipes with everyone. You clearly have a generous spirit. Thank you.
One thing I’ve not figured out – is do you use room temperature butter and egg or straight from the frig? Does it make a difference? Honestly, I’ve done both and the results always vary regardless of which method I choose. I think it’s my oven, frankly – God forbid I claim user error!
🙂 Julianna
Can I sub the butter with Crisco?
These truly are the best sugar cookies ever! I am definitely not a baker & I had no issues making these. I’m actually more excited about baking than ever, thanks to this recipe! I followed it exactly the way it was written & bakes the cookies for 8 minutes. Thank you!
This continues to be my most favorite sugar cookie recipe. Everyone who tries them loves them! I love the flavor the almond extract gives. The flavor of the baked cookies strengthens when refrigerated, so I prefer to bake my cookies 2-3 days beforehand and keep them refrigerated until ready to frost. Thank you so much for this recipe!!
I made this recipe in December of 2019. My whole family just loved them! I’m a big fan of almond extract and in my opinion, that pushed it over the top. I was careful not to over cook them and they turned out perfect! Thank you for the recipe
It’s a little dry.. Is that normal?
what is the purpose of baking powder?
What do you think of gluten free flour was used?
I was wondering what the calories are for each cookie and the carb count
I used lemon extract in place of the almond extract with delicious results. A light cookie with just a hint of citrus.
This is my family’s favorite sugar cookie recipe and has been for years now, so thankful you shared it and I stumbled upon it all that time ago 🙂 Thank you & merry Christmas!!
Made these today for Christmas eve….. I gotta say… They are truly the BEST sugar cookie recipe! They taste incredible and definetly hold they’re shape well.. Also, they are very easy to make! Thanks!
I figured after years of using your recipe, I should probably leave a review. I first used this recipe probably five or six years ago. I fell in love. They are easy and quick to make and oh so yummy to eat! I had the recipe printed out but lost it. The last two years, I’ve had to search the internet to find it. Yes! It’s that good! So to all who are searching for the best sugar cookie recipe that will give you compliments and make you keep coming back for more, look no further! This is one for your recipe box!
Best Cookies Ever 👌
I made 2 different recipes.. this one holds the shape!!! Now one of my favorites
This recipe is horrible. There is way too much flour. It’s dry and doesn’t work to cut out cookies. I made two pans of cookies and threw the rest of the dough out because it was that bad. I’m very disappointed and will never use this recipe again.
I have been baking sugar cookies for 50+ years. Where has this recipe been? It’s great. No chilling required, easy to cut without sticking in the cutters and doesn’t spread in the oven and oh they taste good and are nice and chewy. Thanks for sharing.
This is the best cookie recipe. This is my second Christmas useing it.Its every thing you say it is.I posted it to my friends on FB.Thank you so much!
This has become my go-to recipe for cut out cookies! I’ve shared your recipe over and over! The almond extract gives them the taste of a seasoned baker!
Can you add a Print option? And for some reason, my cookie dough turns out too soft and crumbly, not workable or rollable. I follow the recipe word per word. But my cookies spread and are too thin. What am I doing wrong? I wanna use almond extract cos I love the flavor. Please advise.
Hey I have made this recipe before with butter, but I was wondering if it would work with margarine and if the cookies would spread to much as that is my biggest concern. Btw love your recipe, one of the best I have ever had and the people I handed them out to last year agree.❤❤
These cookies were delicious! I agree with the recommendation to leave them in the oven for 8-9 minutes. My batch definitely needed it. Otherwise, simply divine.
This really is the best sugar cookie recipe ever!
We tried this recipe and it turned out really well!! The first time we made a batch and it was way too crumbly but we didn’t quite read all of the directions. So we started over. Second time around, it was perfect! The only thing I didn’t get from the directions is when do you add the vanilla extract? Other than that, super easy, super yummy!
Hands down THE BEST sugar cookie recipe to ever exist!!! I am by no means a professional baker, but this recipe makes me look like a pro!! I love how flexible the recipe is with the water and flour!! If it’s too soft add flour, too crumbly, add water! Seriously love it, thank you for sharing this gem!!
How long will the cookies keep included container, refrigerated and /or frozen? I made them today but not decorating for 5 days.
These cookies are exactly what I was looking for. I live at 5,000ft so I adjusted the oven temperature to 375 degrees F for 8 minutes and only put in 1/2 tsp baking powder. They came out with perfect edges. Since I frost my cookies the next day, I put them in an airtight container after cooling so they stay nice and soft. Thank you for the recipe!
Hello, I can’t wait to try this cookie recipe, thank you!
I have a question. In one spot it says to cook them eight to nine minutes (It says in the Q & A section: The cookies look under-baked. Can I bake them longer?
I almost always suggest pulling out these cookies and the 8-9 minute mark.)
but in the actual recipe it says 6 to 8 minutes. Just wondering what the best?
I have tried a dozen or more recipe over the years. And this one is the best. Thank you 😊
Best sugar cookie recipe! I used to hate making roll-out cookies, but this recipe makes it so much easier! Do you happen to have a gingerbread recipe that is similar?
This is what I was looking for. My oven doesn’t go above 350 degrees. I am making a Christmas tree out of star shaped cutters.
Anyone ever freeze these cookies before frosting??? Looking for suggestions
I freeze them in a sealed container. You can also put them in freezer grade zip bags.
This dough is perfect! You are a baking goddess. I have books about cookies, using cornstarch and unusual flours.. you had me nervous about the amount of dry ingredients, but it melded together perfectly, immediately 🌺I made turkeys for Thanksgiving, the kids and I are about to decorate them🦚thank you again, you are awesome!🦑
I made these today and they truly are the best sugar cookies! I have tried several different recipes and these taste wonderful, hold their shape, and stay flat making them easy to ice!
So great to hear this! Happy holidays!
Do you know how a person would change these into chocolate sugar cookies? Thanks!
Dearest Katrina THANK YOU FOR SHARING!!! This recipe rocks!!! The dough was so easy to work with, just like you said, and not having to chill it saved SO much time!!! My daughters and I made three batches of your recipe today and the entire family, including Gma and Gpa agrees – these are hands down the best sugar cookies EVER and also the easiest cutout recipe I’ve ever worked with. Thanks again.
LOVE this! Thank you! ~ Katrina
Is the temperature for a conventional oven?
This has been my go to recipe ever since I stumbled upon it 3 years ago. I just made 4 batches tonight (prepping for a birthday party), and my cookies spread! A lot! I’m pretty sure the first batch was totally my error bc I forgot to add the egg and flavorings with the wet ingredients, and just added them at the end. But the other batches I followed the recipe correctly and I still got some spread.
Any thoughts on how to trouble shoot? I last made these at Christmas last year using a snowflake cutter and they were perfect. I’m just confused and lost.
Many thanks in advance!!
Love this recipe. I add 1/4 c honey, and .5 c more flour. I cut at at least 1/2 thick! Thank you.
My sister is coeliac so I tried your recipe using gluten free flour the cookies were wonderful. Everyone enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing.
Hi Katrina-
I have a question – can you freeze the cookies after they are made? Will they last a few days?
Your link will not open on pinterest and won’t let me save a new pin on pinterest. This is my GO-To recipe! Im bummed it is kind of a pain to get to it now. Can you look into fixing this?
Thanks!
It was my first time tey to bake cookies! And I LOVE IT♡♡♡
Thank u♡
Hello! I need to make 5 dozen of these, decorated with royal icing. Can I make them, decorate them and then freeze them?
I had to come and find this recipe for our Christmas in July party! Made these in December and absolutely loved them 🙂 I don’t see anywhere to leave a review – on Google it says no reviews and these should have 5 stars!
I tried this recipe in Japan, and hoped I could give a note. If you’re using a Japanese microwave that doubles as an oven (because conventional ovens are more rare than seeing another foreigner), you can bake about 6-8 cookies at a time on small trays at 180C, but mine worked best at 200C for 10-12 minutes baking time. I also used a caramel-cinnamon-sugar spice for the top, which you can buy around Christmas time in most Japanese stores.