The pinnacle of holiday baking joy lies in creating the perfect Christmas cookies decorated with festive colors and intricate designs. The cutout sugar cookie is the canvas for this artistry. However many bakers struggle to find a dough that delivers both the structural integrity needed for sharp edges and a soft buttery flavor that is genuinely appealing without icing.
I spent years searching for the ideal balance a recipe that wouldn’t spread in the oven yet wouldn’t bake up rock hard. The traditional goal is simple a FLAWLESS cookie base that is easy to roll and holds the shape of a snowflake or Christmas tree perfectly.
This Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies recipe is the definitive answer.
It is formulated with a higher butter ratio than typical cutouts which gives it that delicious soft buttery flavor and prevents a dry mealy texture. The secret lies in the precise amount of leavening and the mandatory chilling process which ensures the cookies hold their sharp edges without spreading. They are the ULTIMATE blank slate ready for your royal icing decorating.
This recipe is a must-pin for anyone searching Christmas Cookies Decorated because it solves the biggest challenge of cutout baking and delivers a reliable soft buttery texture. If you are looking for the BEST cutout cookie recipe and a cookie swap champion this simple method is your guaranteed winner.
Why You’ll Love These Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies
This recipe is a massive holiday success because it delivers a professional-quality decorating base using simple ingredients and a manageable technique.
- FLAWLESS Shape Retention The primary appeal is the dough’s stability. With controlled chilling and the right flour ratio this dough minimizes spreading. This means your Christmas trees snowflakes and gingerbread men come out of the oven looking exactly like the cutter—perfect for intricate royal icing decorating.
- The BEST Soft Buttery Flavor Unlike many cutout recipes that sacrifice flavor for structure this cookie contains plenty of butter and vanilla extract. The result is a genuinely soft buttery and flavorful base that is delicious even before the icing is added. It’s the ULTIMATE Christmas dessert base.
- Perfect for Royal Icing Decorating These cookies are slightly thicker and sturdy enough to handle the weight and moisture of royal icing without crumbling or dissolving. The smooth baked surface is ideal for flooding and piping making your Christmas cookies decorated look magazine-worthy.
- Easy Make-Ahead Dough The dough is designed to be made ahead. You can mix it and store it in the refrigerator for up to a week or freeze it for months. This flexibility makes it the perfect cookie swap solution and greatly reduces holiday baking stress.
Ingredients and Instructions The Perfect No-Spread Dough
The key to the FLAWLESS shape of these Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies is the high fat content and minimal baking powder combined with precise chilling.
| Component | Quantity | Notes |
| Unsalted Butter | 2 cups | Softened to room temperature |
| Granulated Sugar | 2 cups | |
| Large Eggs | 2 | Room temperature |
| Vanilla Extract | 3 teaspoons | Adds warm flavor |
| All-Purpose Flour | 5 cups | Spooned and leveled |
| Baking Powder | 1/2 teaspoon | Use sparingly to prevent spreading |
| Salt | 1 teaspoon | Balances sweetness |
- Sift Dry Ingredients Sift the flour salt and baking powder together in a medium bowl and set aside.
- Cream Wet Ingredients In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter and sugar together for about 1 minute until just combined. Scrape down the sides frequently.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla Add the eggs one at a time mixing until fully combined. Add the vanilla extract and mix briefly.
- Combine Dough Gently Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be firm.
- Roll and Chill Mandatory Divide the dough into smaller manageable sections. Roll each section between two pieces of parchment paper to 1/4 inch thickness. Place the rolled dough sheets on a baking tray and chill in the refrigerator for 30-45 minutes. This chilling is mandatory for shape retention.
- Cut and Bake Preheat oven to 350°F. Remove the chilled dough sheets and use your favorite cutters to cut shapes. Place the cutouts on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-12 minutes depending on size and thickness until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool Fully Allow cookies to cool fully on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They must be fully cool before any royal icing decorating begins.
Step by Step Mastering Royal Icing Decorating
The challenge with these Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies is ensuring the dough behaves perfectly and the final decoration sets without cracking—the key to a FLAWLESS presentation. My early attempts sometimes cracked; I learned the drying time is critical.
Here is the detailed human-written guide to mastering this spectacular cutout cookie recipe:
- Measure Butter Accurately The large amount of butter in this recipe is what gives the cookies their rich soft buttery flavor. Ensure your butter is properly softened but not melted. If the butter is too warm the dough will be too sticky and spread in the oven even after chilling.
- The Parchment Rolling Trick Rolling the dough between two sheets of parchment paper is the ULTIMATE hack. It prevents the need for excess bench flour which can dry out the dough and it allows you to easily transfer the soft dough to the refrigerator for chilling.
- Chill Firmly Before Cutting The secret to preventing spreading is ensuring the dough is cold and firm when it hits the oven heat. The quick chill time of 30-45 minutes sets the fat preventing the butter from melting too quickly during baking.
- Bake Just Until Edges are Golden For the softest cookie remove them from the oven immediately when the edges begin to turn a light golden color. The centers will still look soft but they will firm up as they cool. This preserves the soft buttery interior.
- Allow Icing to Dry Completely If using royal icing FLAWLESS results require patience. After royal icing decorating allow the cookies to air dry for at least 6-8 hours or overnight before stacking or storing them. This prevents cracks dents or smudging of your beautiful Christmas cookies decorated.
Variations Serving and Storage Tips
This core Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies recipe is a perfect template for any Christmas cookies decorated theme.
Delicious Variations to Try
- Almond Sugar Cookies Substitute 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract with 1 teaspoon of almond extract for a classic festive flavor.
- Lemon Zest Add 1 tablespoon of fresh lemon zest to the butter and sugar mixture for a BRIGHT citrus profile that complements the sweet icing beautifully.
- Chocolate Cutouts Substitute 1/2 cup of the flour with 1/2 cup of unsweetened cocoa powder for a delicious chocolate cutout cookie base.
- Sprinkled Finish If skipping the royal icing brush the cut-out dough lightly with an egg wash or milk and sprinkle heavily with sanding sugar before baking for a sparkling finish.
Serving Suggestions
These FLAWLESS cookies are perfect for:
- Cookie Swap Winner Their perfect shape and professional decoration make them the star of any cookie swap.
- Gifting Package them individually or layered between sheets of parchment paper in elegant boxes to showcase the royal icing decorating.
- Family Tradition Make them the foundation of your annual cookie decorating party setting up stations for flooding and piping.
Storage and Recipe Notes
| Item | Details |
| Keep Fresh | Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks |
| Iced Storage | Store fully dried Christmas cookies decorated for up to 2 weeks at room temperature |
| Freezing Dough | Freeze wrapped dough disks for up to 3 months thaw overnight before rolling |
| Cookie Thickness | Roll to 1/4 inch thickness for the BEST cutout structure |
Conclusion Your Most FLAWLESS Cutout Cookie Recipe
The Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies recipe is the perfect blend of simple technique and professional finish. It’s the BEST cutout cookie recipe that guarantees a FLAWLESS soft buttery base ready for your royal icing decorating every time.
By mastering this simple dough you eliminate the baking stress and ensure your holiday platter is filled with beautifully shaped and Christmas cookies decorated with pride.
Pin this cutout cookie recipe today and enjoy the BEST FLAWLESS Easy Holiday Sugar Cookies
The BEST Decorated Christmas Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together for about 1 minute until just combined and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the eggs one at a time, mixing until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the sifted dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be firm but smooth.
- Divide the dough into sections. Roll each between two sheets of parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness. Place the sheets on a tray and chill for 30–45 minutes until firm. Chilling is mandatory to prevent spreading.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Cut chilled dough into shapes with cookie cutters. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets and bake for 8–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden.
- Cool cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate with royal icing or sanding sugar once fully cooled.