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”
How long will this dough stay good in fridge/freezer?
My cookies turned out crumbly? What am I doing wrong?
I just made your sugar cookies (and they are perfect!) and won’t have a chance to frost them for a couple days, should I put them in the freezer, fridge or just leave them out in the meantime??
Kisses and hugs for this simple yet delicious cookie recipe. I really appreciate it.
Warm regards
Wendy
This is the best tasting and easiest Sugar Cookie recipe I have ever used! The addition of the almond extract with the vanilla is brilliant. Not having to refrigerate the dough is a time saver and for me it never really helped. Rolling was always a nightmare. Thanks Katrina!
LOVE this! Just made them with my 3 year old (we were up at 3:45 this morning for no reason at all so why not make sugar cookies!). 🙂 Turned out perfect and I’m going to post about it on my blog this afternoon. Will link back to you! Thank you!! Great recipe.
Hi, can I freeze the dough leftovers and for how long?
Can you freeze uncooked dough?
Can you freeze it?
I’m making these for a cookie decorating craft at my sons school halloween party. How many days in advance can I make them?
This recipe was easy, quick, and perfect. This will be my go to sugar cookie recipe.
OMGoodness! Best cookie cut out recipe I ever tried! Thanks! I followed your tips and they came out perfect.
These are AMAZING! Truly the first cutout cookie I’ve ever made that 100% kept their shape after baking! Followed the recipe exactly and baked for 6 1/2 minutes and they were perfect. Soft and no brown bottoms/edges. Thanks for a truly awesome recipe! Absolutely my new “go-to” cutout recipe!
I’ve made these cookies several times now over the last 2 years or so and love them! I am prepping to make some for my son’s bday coming up, and I’m not an experienced baker- can I use your icing recipe to ice them and then freeze them iced or would you recommend icing them the day or so before his bday??
This recipe sounds wonderful. I sometimes like to make and freeze my cookie dough. Can this dough be frozen?
Unfortunately one of my family members does not like sweets. Great. Thank you. I was able to follow and enjoy it.
My recipe is like yours only not the almond flavoring – you said you have tweeked it to make it better, is that one of your ‘tweeks’?
I’ve been making these cookies for about 65 years now except for a few years when I lost the recipe, was so glad when we found the recipe in an old recipe box that belonged to my Mom. Always loved this because you didn’t have to chill the dough, it has a great taste, and easy to cut out shapes that look like the cookie cutter after baking. My nieces continue to use this recipe and gets raves when they take them to any gathering.
They are great any time of year – different holidays, birthdays, and a friend even made them for her daughter”s wedding..
I just made these cookies using a chili pepper cookie cutter. I followed the directions to a T and cooked them for 7 min. They are unfortunately are falling apart after cooked and are not stiff enough to frost 🙁
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe, I just made 200 cookies with this for a baby shower! I tested a few different recipes but the cookies either spread too much or had a chalky taste from huge amounts of cornstarch. I loved how much easier it was than traditional sugar cookies, and they look and taste amazing.
I have made these multiple times and they really are fantastic! Very soft and they hold their shape perfectly. Thank you!
Should the butter be softened first?
You’re right it’s a perfect recipe. Thanks so much for all the hours saved!
This recipe was absolutely perfect. I wanted a cookie recipe that would allow my kids to write on them with food-grade edible color markers. The taste is fabulous, the texture is to die for. Follow the directions and don’t make them too thin! The thickness is so yummy. Thank you!
Has anyone ever tried putting these in a spritz cookies gun?
Love this recipe. I had failed a few of sugar cookies recipes before I found yours.
I always return to this recipe when I bake sugar cookies. The best is I do not have to chill the dough. Wonderful!
The cookies are always light and crisp, hard to stop munching.
Thank you so much Katrina!
Could you substitute shortening for butter for the cookies? Thanks!
Hey could you substitute shorting for butter in this recipe?! Thanks!
This is truly the best recipe for sugar cookies that I have ever tried, and I have tried many! They are absolutely delicious, cut cookies transfer easily to the baking sheet, and they KEEP THEIR SHAPE after baking! I have made these for several school events and they have always been a huge hit. I have been asked several times where I bought them. I roll them about 3/8″ thick, but have also made 1/4″ and they both bake up well. All other cookies I’ve made require refrigeration, and after working with the dough for a while, it gets warm and soft and makes it very difficult to move the dough once it’s been cut – they become misshapen, forcing you to put it back in the fridge. Thank you Katrina, for sharing this!
Fabulous recipe, just perfect!! Made exactly according to the directions and they came out perfect. Rolled out beautiful and no need to chill like it says. Very soft and wonderful flavor! and I did reuse all my scraps and you could not tell any difference.
Thank you for this recipe, it’s a keeper! My search is over for a sugar cookie recipe
Hi, how many grams are in a cup you use? Internet gives different suggestion.
I see a lot of people trying to win kitchen AIDS in this comments section what I don’t see is anybody that is commending this young lady on an amazing cookie recipe that totally pulled my ass out of the fire and completely works 100% my cookies came out just the way I cut them out
Best cookies ever. Make them every holiday I can. Easy and perfect every time.
Lovely recipe and easy to adapt! Will definitely be using it again:)
Can you freeze already baked cookies and if so for how long?
I’m curious how early you could make and decorate these for a party? What would your suggestion be?
What a lovely and easy recipe,i have your recipe by half and it tuned out amazing,but is it possible to substitute the butter with canola oil or coconut oil and not adding the egg??
Thanks so much
Nancy
Just tried these tonight – you are right. They are the best cut out cookies ever!!! I have tried so many different recipes over the years and have never been happy with them. Lately I have been resorting to using mixes. This recipe is perfect – love the simplicity of the recipe, the fact that you don’t have to chill them (I never want to wait!), and they roll out and cook like a dream. I used your suggestion of taking them out a bit early and letting them finish baking on the hot baking sheet. Going to decorate tomorrow night with my grandson – fun, fun, fun! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Greased or undressed cookie sheet?!
Is there really no salt in this recipe?
I love this recipe thanks. I find I need to add a couple tbsp water to the batter as it seems too dry. Then it’s perfect texture.
just made ur recipe for the second time this time i marbled the dough to make green shamrocks! must say they turned out great and despite my fear of not chilling all butter cookies the edges were sharp and they didnt spread! thanks for the recipe!
Can I make these cookies and freeze them, then put royal icing or can I make them, royal ice them, cool them and freeze? Need to make way ahead wondering if there ok to freeze till day of consumption?
We made these for our Oscar party this weekend and HOLY CRAP they really were the best sugar cookies ever. Such a hit. We shared the recipe on our blog too and of course linked back to this site. They were such a hit! So good.
Hi, I want to know if I can use cane or brown sugar with this recipe. And if you think this is the best recipe to use with these cookie cutters for kids birthdays
( like cartoon character’s faces). Thanks!
Very good
Delicious and profession-like cookies. Made 14 large, heart-shaped cookies–(7) 4″ and (7) 5.5″. Definitely measure thickness and err on the side of thicker so they don’t break or, bake slightly longer. I baked them 8 min. Thx for the recipe.
This recipe is delicious. I added 2 TSP of cornstarch to the floor mix. They fixed beautifully and are ready for our Valentine’s cookie decorating party. My husband and I keep sneaking them out of the freezer. I’m going to have to make more!
I made the cookies loved very easy didn’t get crumble was so easy to roll out loved it will make again for Easter thank you
Tried this recipe a few times. Worked like a charm. Last time I substituted third of the flour with teff and half of the sugar with fruit sugar. The kid still loved it 🙂
Not very flavorful. I’ll be sticking to Rombauer.