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Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe 

Everyone needs an Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe! These are literally melt-in-your-mouth delicious and our go-to sugar cookie dough. It is perfect for decorating Christmas sugar cookies. 

We love festive holiday treats like melt-in-your-mouth Snowball Cookies, soft Chocolate Chip Cookies, and of course Baklava. These beautifully decorated sugar cookies are a beautiful addition to the Christmas cookie platter.

Sugar cookies recipe decorated on a platter for Christmas

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My name is Natalya and I run a food blog Momsdish. I love simple dishes that use minimal ingredients. During the holidays, I love baking but I hate making messes. This recipe for sugar cookies gives me the best of both worlds — perfect cookies and an easy clean-up. I’m so excited to share this recipe with you! 

Sugar Cookies

Whether you are planning a cookie making party for the holidays or whipping up a batch for a friend’s birthday, you need a sugar cookie recipe that you can rely on. These cookies taste amazing, keep their shape and are perfect for eating plain or decorated with frosting and sprinkles. Let’s get started! 

Sugar cookies decorated with frosting and festive holiday sprinkles

Tips For The Best Sugar Cookies:

Sugar cookies may seem simple, but there are a lot of bad recipes out there! After much trial and error, I feel confident that I have mastered the art of the sugar cookie. Here are all the best tips and tricks I have gathered throughout the years: 

Rolling Out Sugar Cookies Dough

Roll your dough out directly on a silicone baking mat or piece of parchment paper so you do not have to transfer your delicate shapes onto a baking sheet later. You can cut your shapes out right atop the mat and make your life a bit easier.

How Thick Should Sugar Cookies be Rolled Out?

Roll your dough out to about ¼-inch thick. This is the sweet spot. You’ll have cookies thick enough to keep their shape, while also thin enough to promote even baking. 

Sugar cookies rolled to 1/4-inch thickness

Avoid Crumbly Dough

Crumbly dough makes for misshapen cookies that are prone to uneven baking. To prevent this, don’t overmix your dough. You want the dough to be as smooth as possible. However, if you do get a crumbly texture, add ½ tbsp of water, or milk to the batter and incorporate it until it remoistens the dough.

Avoid Overbaking

10 minutes might seem like a very short baking time for cookies. But, trust me, do not overbake them! At around 10 minutes, the edges of the cookies should just start to turn golden brown. This is the time to pull them! If you continue baking, you risk compromising that signature tenderness of a perfect sugar cookie. 

How to make perfectly baked Sugar Cookies without over-baking

Storing Sugar Cookies

The great part about this recipe is that it can be made a couple of days in advance and the cookies will still retain their freshness. Below, I will share how you should store them and also how you can freeze your dough or baked cookies for later munching! 

Storing Cookies at Room Temperature:

Store baked sugar cookies on the counter in an airtight container. They will keep for up to a week. Remember, if you have decorated your cookies, it is best to store them between layers of parchment paper to prevent sticking and/or destroying your designs. 

Freezing Baked Sugar Cookies:

To freeze baked sugar cookies, first, make sure that you allow them to cool completely. Then, stack the cookies in an airtight container between layers of parchment paper. Freeze cookies for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat them, allow them to thaw in the fridge overnight. 

Baked sugar cookies ready for baking

How to Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough:

To freeze your sugar cookie dough, roll it into a ball or a log. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and store it in an airtight container or freezer bag. The dough will keep for up to 2 months before you need to use it. When you are ready to bake, allow the dough to thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Then, make sure it reaches room temperature before you shape your cookies and bake them. 

How to Make Sugar Cookies

  • First, you will combine your flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl and set the dry mixture aside. 
  • Using a stand-up or handheld mixer, beat your butter, sugar and vanilla extract together until smooth and creamy.
  • Slowly beat flour into the butter mixer until it is fully incorporated. 
  • Divide the dough into two equal parts and roll out each piece to ¼-inch thickness.
  • Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favorite shapes or freeze your dough for later use. 
  • Bake the cookies and allow them to cool. 
  • Decorate the cookies as you please or gobble them up plain!

Step by step photos how to make sugar cookies by creaming together butter and sugar, adding flour, dividing dough and cutting shapes

How to Decorate Sugar Cookies:

To decorate sugar cookies, you can make your own homemade royal icing which makes a great sugar cookie icing, add food coloring, then pipe it on with a squeeze bottle or little zip bags (handy and inexpensive for cookie decorating parties), or you can purchase an icing decorating kit with pre-made frostings in a variety of colors which makes it really easy. Don’t forget the Christmas sprinkles and crushed candy canes.

Decorated Christmas cookies with sprinkles and frosting

More Holiday Cookie Recipes

These are our best-loved (and reviewed) Christmas cookies to fill up your holiday cookie platters. These are well-loved by all ages and you’re sure to find some new favorites in this list. Looking for more Christmas recipes and inspiration? Check out our Christmas archives here.

Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe 

4.99 from 569 votes
Author: Natalya Drozhzhin
Sugar cookies recipe decorated on a Christmas cookie platter
Everyone needs an Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe! These are literally melt-in-your-mouth delicious. I am positive these Christmas cookies will win you over. 
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 40 cookies

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 °F with a rack in the center. Whisk together flour with baking powder and salt in a small bowl and set aside. 
  • Using a stand-up or handheld mixer, beat the butter together with sugar. To the mixture add vanilla extract and egg and beat to combine.
  • To the butter mixture, add flour in 3 parts until fully incorporated. 
  • Divide the dough into two equal parts. On a lightly floured surface, roll into ¼-inch thickness. Use a cookie cutter to cut out your favorite shapes. 
  • Bake cookies on a parchment or silicone-lined baking sheet at 350˚F for 10 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden.
  • Let the cookies cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely and decorating with cookie icing

Nutrition Per Serving

96kcal Calories12g Carbs1g Protein5g Fat3g Saturated Fat16mg Cholesterol17mg Sodium43mg Potassium1g Fiber5g Sugar148IU Vitamin A16mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe 
Amount per Serving
Calories
96
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
5
g
8
%
Saturated Fat
 
3
g
19
%
Cholesterol
 
16
mg
5
%
Sodium
 
17
mg
1
%
Potassium
 
43
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
12
g
4
%
Fiber
 
1
g
4
%
Sugar
 
5
g
6
%
Protein
 
1
g
2
%
Vitamin A
 
148
IU
3
%
Calcium
 
16
mg
2
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: sugar cookies
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 96
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pics of your creations on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter! Hashtag them #natashaskitchen

Natalya Drozhzhin

Natalya is a food blogger who founded Momsdish to make cooking easier. Growing up on a farm in Ukraine, Natalya was inspired by the amazing dishes that were prepared using simple ingredients. Natalya is most notably known for making cooking approachable for any person.

Read more posts by Natalya

4.99 from 569 votes (497 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Krista Wollet
    December 10, 2020

    How do you get your icing so red? I buy the gel but it never seems to get that deep bright red like yours?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 11, 2020

      Hi Krista, you can purchase an icing decorating kit with pre-made frostings in a variety of colors which makes it really easy.

      Reply

  • Diane
    December 10, 2020

    Is it ok to freeze the dough to make later ?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 10, 2020

      Hi Diane, I answer that question actually in the recipe. Check out the portion, How to Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough

      Reply

  • CLAUDIA MUNOZ
    December 8, 2020

    I absolutely love your recipes.
    I was wondering if I can use almond flour instead of regular flour?

    thank you and keep up the great job. your recipes are the best!!!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 8, 2020

      Hi Claudia! I’m so happy you’re enjoying our recipes! I haven’t tested this with a gluten-free/ almond flour substitution, but I would love to know how you like that if you happen to experiment.

      Reply

  • sam
    December 7, 2020

    Hi Natasha,
    I have tried many of your recipes, they have come out perfect! thank you!
    Can I bake the cookies a week and a half in advance and refrigerate until ready to decorate with royal icing?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 8, 2020

      Thank you, Sam. You can check this portion in the recipe How to Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough as there are tips in there.

      Reply

  • Nanci
    December 4, 2020

    These cookies turned out amazing!! Kept their shape beautiful and tasted great!!

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 4, 2020

      That’s just awesome, Nanci! Thank you for that wonderful review!

      Reply

  • Ashley Peltier
    December 3, 2020

    Hi Natasha! I stumbled upon this recipe awhile ago and it has become my go to! I am selling gift baskets with baking theme. I wanted to include my favourite sugar cookie recipe. Would I be able to include your recipe if it is credited to you and your site as the source?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 3, 2020

      Hi Ashley, I don’t see any problem with that since you’re going to be making it just following the recipe. Crediting us would be awesome!

      Reply

  • Rimma
    December 3, 2020

    Can the dough be frozen? Sorry if it was already answered in comments.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 3, 2020

      Hi Rimma, I answer that question actually in the recipe. Check out the portion, How to Freeze Sugar Cookie Dough

      Reply

  • Nadia Cardone
    December 2, 2020

    I made these sugar cookies this afternoon, and I am very happy with how they turned out. These have a nice chew to them and are not dry. I’m always skeptical of sugar cookies, as I find they rarely come out the way I want them too. These were great, thanks again for the great recipe!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 3, 2020

      Hello Nadia, that makes me happy! Thank you for your awesome feedback, I’m glad you enjoyed these cookies.

      Reply

  • Sana Tsung
    December 2, 2020

    Hi Natasha,I’m from SriLanka love all your receipes would like to know how to make hard glazed icing for the cookies.Sana

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      December 2, 2020

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me & thank you for that suggestion!

      Reply

    • Krista Wollet
      December 10, 2020

      Yes, me too!

      Reply

    • Dawn
      December 11, 2020

      This was her answer to the same question above:
      We ran out of time to publish a royal icing for the cookies. I would suggest googling for a Royal Icing. A couple of varieties out there are 1 with egg whites and 1 with meringue powder (no raw egg whites). Both work well; it just depends on preference or if someone may be allergic to egg whites.

      Reply

  • Chanelle
    December 2, 2020

    Hi natasha

    I love you recipes, I just wanted to know if you can give me a recipe to make my own gingerhouse for Christmas please.

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      December 2, 2020

      Thank you, Chanelle. I don’t have a recipe for that yet but thanks for your suggestion. I’ll take note of that for my future recipes and videos.

      Reply

  • Jyothi
    November 29, 2020

    Hi!

    I am a big fan of your recipes and have made many of them.

    Could you please post how to make the icing for the sugar cookies?

    Thank you!
    Jyothi

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 30, 2020

      Thank you, Jyothi. We ran out of time to publish a royal icing for the cookies. I would suggest googling for a Royal Icing. A couple of varieties out there are 1 with egg whites and 1 with meringue powder (no raw egg whites). Both work well; it just depends on preference or if someone may be allergic to egg whites. You may try this frosting recipe that I have here.

      Reply

      • Jyothi Sethuraman
        December 2, 2020

        Thank you so much. I will try the buttercream link you mentioned.

        Looking forward to seeing more recipes from you.

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          December 2, 2020

          You’re welcome!

          Reply

          • Jyothi Sethuraman
            December 9, 2020

            I made cookies based on this recipe and it was amazing. Everyone loved it! Thank you

          • Natasha's Kitchen
            December 10, 2020

            That’s so great to hear! Thank you for sharing that with us.

  • Kim
    November 27, 2020

    No salt in this recipe?

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 27, 2020

      Hi Kim, that’s right, no salt for this recipe.

      Reply

  • Daisy
    November 23, 2020

    I absolutely love your recipes and I wish I could just print them as I used to do with other recipes in the past. Saves time in writing and its neat so I can just pop in a notebook. But now I can’t look through a recipe without being slammed with bloody ads!!!! I hate ads and I feel like they are everywhere. Don’t you own this site to where they can be eliminated! Ads dont make me want to buy what they offer. They make me not want to view the recipes anymore therefore not make what looks good. It’s inconvenient to take a screen shot, edit, take another screen shot and edit again until I have the full recipe that now I have 2-4 pages. Not worth the trouble.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      That’s so great! It sounds like you have a new favorite!

      Reply

  • Jami Thompson
    November 23, 2020

    Hi Natashia !
    I am making these for the kiddos at church/community to decorate. I will paint some of them with food coloring so the little ones can decorate with success. Thanks Ever So for what you do

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      Yum! That sounds amazing Jami!

      Reply

  • Sarah Coomansingh
    November 23, 2020

    Hi, after cutting out the shapes, should it be chilled before baking? I have heard that chilling the dough is integral to sugar cookies. Thanks in advance

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      Hi Sarah, this recipe doesn’t’ require any chilling!

      Reply

      • Sarah Coomansingh
        November 26, 2020

        Thank you so much 🙂

        Reply

        • Natashas Kitchen
          November 26, 2020

          You’re welcome, Sarah! Happy Thanksgiving!

          Reply

  • Jeannie
    November 23, 2020

    Is the baking powder 1 T correct? Love all your turorials. So much fun while we’re learning!

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      1 Tbsp baking powder

      Reply

  • Jill parker
    November 22, 2020

    Dear Natasha please may have your creamy pumpkin pie recipe my grandsons partner has a birthday Sunday she is here in NZ cant see her family in the States Covid!! And pumpkin is her favorite..

    Reply

    • Natasha's Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      Hello Jill, sure. Here is my Pumpkin Pie recipe. Enjoy and I hope you love it!

      Reply

    • Harbir
      December 4, 2020

      I hate when sometimes people will give a recepie 5 stars but still adda nd subtract the ingredients. So, Now I think I found the best so far. I followed receipe exactly as it was. Cookies turned out amazing. I however did use cookie press thingamigiggy. Thank you Natasha . All the best !!

      Reply

      • Natashas Kitchen
        December 4, 2020

        You’re welcome! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

        Reply

  • Alicia
    November 22, 2020

    Do you have a royal icing recipe that is as glossy as the one on these cookies?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      November 23, 2020

      Hi Alicia, thank you for that suggestion. We ran out of time to publish a royal icing for the cookies. I would suggest googling for a Royal Icing. A couple of varieties out there are 1 with egg whites and 1 with meringue powder (no raw egg whites). Both work well; it just depends on preference or if someone may be allergic to egg whites.

      Reply

  • Karyn
    October 27, 2020

    No salt?!? Surely salt is needed for flavor!?

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      October 27, 2020

      Hi Karyn, that’s right! No salt for this recipe!

      Reply

  • Maryam
    September 11, 2020

    Hi Natasha! will you please share butter cookies recipe…….Thankyou

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      September 11, 2020

      You’re welcome Maryam!! I’m so happy you enjoyed this recipe!

      Reply

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