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.
2,093 Comments on “Best Sugar Cookie Recipe EVER”
Came out perfectly and tasted great!
Can the dough be frozen?
Loved these! So easy and delicious. Can I make them and freeze in an airtight container to decorate at a later time?
What am I doing wrong? Always so crumbly I can’t even roll it out. Following the recipe exactly…at a a loss.
Hi Jessica, can I ask how you are measuring your flour? Are you using a scale? It’s okay if not, but it’s really easy to add too much flour to a cookie recipe. If you are using measuring cups, be sure to spoon the flour into your cup so that it’s not compacted. Also, the mixer is your friend here. Give your butter and sugar plenty of time to get to know each other. Finally, if my dough looks crumbly, I let it mix on low-medium for another 60 seconds or so until it pulls away from the bowl of the mixer. Good luck next time!
Indeed it is the best! I use this every holiday and love it so much!
can I freeze the unbaked dough
This is the best sugar cookie recipe. It’s my go to cookie recipe for my family. Easy to make and comes out perfect everytime.
I made these spontaneously because my son asked me to bake heart shaped cookies for his school class. The dough was a little wet, but I added flour and presto the cookies were perfect. I will never go back to chilling sugar cookie dough again. Thank you!
Perfect and easy to make, all my friends loved them.
They really are the best sugar cookie recipe.
Stand mixer or hand mixer
I LOVE this recipe! It makes sugar cookies so fun and easy! This is becoming a family tradition for my daughters, daughter in law, grandkids and nieces and nephews. The frosting is easy to whip up and goes on smooth and beautiful. My little addition to the frosting is meringue powder-
3 Tbl. Just because I had it and wanted to use it up. Cookies and frosting actually taste great!
I love this recipe and I’ve been using it for 3 years and I get nothing but compliments . I was wondering if it would work if i could but them in the freezer after I rolled them out and cut them? Wanting to start prepping for Christmas. Thank you
My favourite recipe, so glad I found it. I’m interested in using this recipe to make tartlet cases for Custard Tarts, would blind baking be required?
I’ve tried several different sugar cookie recipes. Not only do these taste fantastic, but they do not spread out. They actually keep their shape and are perfect for decorating for the holidays!
This recipe was so easy to follow and make, and the dough rolled out perfectly!!! They are delicious, soft and baked up flat so I can use Royal icing on them!! thank you for a great recipe!!
I come back to this recipe every year. It’s a fan favorite amongst my family and friends and the fact that I don’t have to chill it makes it even better/easier.
Hi and thanks for sharing this great recipe. I made these and they turned out great first time. Since then I have done three more batches but they have spread each time and I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong/ have done differently to before. Any ideas what would be causing them to spread so much? Thank you
Maybe try checking your ingredients for freshness. Also, try using colder butter than you normally would.
I’ve been making this recipe for 4/5 years now and it’s my go to!!! SO good and super easy!
This really is the best cookie recipe ever! I’ve been making these for about 3 years and I get sooo many compliments. Just follow the recipe and the end product will be delicious! Thank you for this recipe cause it is my to go recipe for sugar cookies!
these remind me of my grandmothers cookies that I loved as a kid
I have just started to try this recipe however every time (i tried twice) the dough comes out sticky. why does it keep happening what can I do to resolve it 🙁
If the dough is too sticky, you could try sprinkling in about 1 teaspoon of flout at a time until it reaches a consistency that is not sticky.
I made this recipe this weekend. I confirm no chill required!! Indeed the best recipe after trying and experimenting with several
Hello!
I love using this recipe!! They are so good and very addicting 🥰 I was wondering, you said the baked cookies could be put in freezer for a later date. How long can they be in the freezer? I was thinking like 3-6 months if stored properly, but figured I would ask to be sure.
I tried this recipe and it turned out really good. Thanks for the recipe.
I don’t normally comment but I have to about these sugar cookies. I have been making annual Christmas sugar cookies for 25 years. I have used several recipes and this one is by far the best recipe I have ever used. I have been using it for years and never have an issue. They are not super sugary but by the time you frost them they are perfect, even without frosting they are perfect. They freeze amazing! I cook them and pop them in the freezer, take them out to room temp, microwave for a few seconds or eat frozen. They stay good for a long time, I think, they normally don’t last long in my house. They are that good. I always get so many compliments on how well they taste and many have said “these are the best sugar cookies ever.” This is a fool proof recipe, use good ingredients (which make a difference) and follow recipe. It works every time!! Im so grateful for the recipe!! Thank you 😊
If you follow read the entire post and follow Katrina’s directions, YOU CANNOT FAIL. This is an OUTSTANDING cookie recipe and is perfect in every way if you want an “al dente” sugar cookie with a thick layer of decorated ABC. Thank you so much!
Oopsie—- I meant, “If you read the entire post and follow …..” silly me… ; )
My go to sugar cookie recipe. So nice you don’t have to chill and they still keep perfect shape. And they taste good!!
This is the best and easiest sugar cookie recipe I have ever used! You must cream butter and sugar for at least the recommended three minutes !! Thank you !!
I was asked to make sugar cookies for my nieces baby shower. I have decorated cupcakes before but never cookies. I tried this recipe and it was SO easy to make. The fact that they stay soft and taste great make it even better. Love this recipe. I also used your recommended frosting recipe. That was also a hit! I think I may add a bit more almond flavor to it. Now I need to work on the decorating part :). Thanks so much for sharing this.
These were so very easy and so very good. Thanks!
I hate it I wanted the INGREDIENTS and DANG MESUREMENTS I hate it
The ingredients and measurements are here. ??? I hope your day gets better.
I have used this recipe for years (AND LOVE IT), but have recently started eating gluten free. Would any flour work in this recipe or does it have to be AP flour?
Many people have used gluten-free flour with success in this recipe!
I was wondering how many cookies 1 batch makes i want to make loads for my baby shower and Christmas and I need to know rought how many 1 makes so I know how much of each thing ill need, thank you.
Honestly This is THE BEST sugar cookie cut out recipe ever! Easy to roll out. I will never use any other!
I’ve used your recipe for sugar cookies and the linked recipe for flood and piping icing for about 4 years now. It’s the best! I started just making cookies for friends at Christmas & now I bake about 700 cookies with the help of a friend. We get so many compliments on the taste, texture & how great they turn out! I never loved making roll-out cookies until I found your recipe. *Disclaimer: I should’ve written this 4 years ago. Also, I’ve hand-written this recipe & shared it 40+ times. This is the only sugar cookie & royal icing recipe you ever need!
This has been a favorite recipe for me the last couple of years. This year I tried a couple different sugar cookie recipes and kept coming back to this one. Today I decided to try to make it vegan and gluten free so I could share with coworkers. Once I put on my decorating glaze, the cookies will have the perfect amount of sweetness!
It is best to use scale when measuring
I’ve been baking about 40 yrs, this is by far the best sugar cookie recipe ever, Thank you
Toddler proof and toddler approved!
you stink it only made 35 !!!! how am i going to feed my 36th kid im absolutly fuming
Sorry…
Wow! Sounds like your error and maybe you should’ve went to the store and bought ONE cookie. Pathetic. Can’t please everyone! I have made this exact recipe 3 times now and have had NO issues. Delicious every time!
I followed steps, weighed ingredients and these still spread. They also had an after taste of baking powder. Unfortunately they went in the bin
Hi!
Looove these cookies and make them all the time! The best recipe!
Wondering if you’ve tried it with margarine? And I only ask because I’m in a time crunch and it’s all I have!
Or gluten free flour!
Amazing cookies!! Made them for my daughter in law’s baby shower and they will now be my go to cut out recipe for life ❤️
I LOVE this recipe! Been using it for about 6 years now. I’m needing to make some in advance, and freeze for a benefit. Should I freeze them raw- or cook them, let them cool, then freeze them?
Thanks!
Beautiful recipe. Made three batches so far. Easy cookies!
I have been using this recipe for years for the cut out cookies with royal icing and it is great!!! tastes delicious and cookies hold shape!
This is a GREAT recipe. The cookies are delicious and the dough is so easy to work with. Foolproof! Do you have a recipe for chocolate sugar cookies?
I love this recipe!! Have you ever tried to make one large cookie with this? Any suggestions on baking time? Ultimately I’m trying to make a “fruit pizza.” Thanks!
I don’t make these cookies very often as decorating them is a lot of work, but when I do, everyone loooves them! I’m very surprised they don’t have 5 stars!
To address some of the comments I’ve read from people having trouble with the recipe:
1. She gives the weights for the ingredients so if you have a kitchen scale, this recipe is foolproof! If not, you need to really sift your flour before measuring, otherwise you could be out by as much as 1/2 cup! Maybe don’t add ask the four at once as you may not need it all.
2. You can totally use salted butter. I like the extra bit of saltiness but you could reduce the salt to 1/4 tsp.
3. I think these cookies are totally sweet enough as the icing on them really sweetens it up!
4. I love the addition of almond extract as it gives them a great flavour! I was never really fussed on sugar cookies until this recipe 🙂
Hey Katrina,
Thanks for your nice recipe. It really reminds me of my granny’s cookies. I intend to make these soon, but I can’t lay my hands on any vanilla, what do you think I can use as substitute?