Homemade Sugar Cookies are the perfect Cookie to make. This easy homemade Sugar Cookie recipe makes the most beautiful cutout cookies when topped with homemade royal icing.
Homemade Sugar Cookies Recipe
I use this as the basic recipe for all our sugar cookie recipes. All the pretty decorated cookie recipes we share start with this perfect sugar cookie dough recipe.
This sugar cookie recipe works perfectly with cookie cutters. You can use any cookie cutters you want to and when you bake the sugar cookies they will come out of the oven exactly the same shape they went in!
Seriously, these no-spread sugar cookies are a total showstoppers, easy sugar cookie recipe that when you decorate them with royal icing you are totally going to WOW everyone! If you have never decorated cookies with royal icing before, check out how to decorate cookies with royal icing for all the tips and tricks!
Sugar Cookie Recipes
- Whoville Cookies Christmas Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Minion Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Zombie Sugar Cookies
- Elf on the Shelf Cookies
- Minion Cookies
- Rainbow Swirl Sugar Cookies
- Jack Skellington Cookies
Tips for Making the Best Frosted Fall Sugar Cookies
Use Gel Food coloring. It is best to use gel food coloring to make your royal icing.
Don’t skimp on cooling time. Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting them or the royal icing will melt off the cookies.
Cookie cutters. Use any cookie cutters that you want to, but to make the baking time easier try to make them all the same size if possible.
Outline the cookies with the frosting and then fill in the cookie and then add the small details for decorating.
Clean work space. Making cookies is so much easier when your work surface is cleaned between making the cookies and decorating them.
How long should sugar cookies cool before frosting them?
You want the cookie to be room temperature before putting the icing on them. 30 minutes to an hour is about what it takes depending on the temperature of your house.
How many cookies does this make?
This sugar cookie recipe will make 18-20 cookies if you are using large cookie cutters, if you are using smaller cookie cutters you will get 30-40 cookies.
Can this recipe be doubled
Yes! You can easily double or triple this sugar cookie dough recipe.
How do you put icing on sugar cookies?
I find it best to use an icing piping bag and frosting tips when decorating cookies. It makes things easier and I can put extra details on the cookies.
How to Store Sugar Cookies
Store homemade sugar cookies in an air tight container, in a cool dry place out of sunlight for best results. If they have frosting on them, allow the frosting to fully harden before storing the cookies in a container. If they are frosted it is best to store frosted sugar cookies with wax paper between each layer.
How long do Sugar Cookies last?
Sugar cookies will keep for up to 2 weeks after being baked in an airtight container.
Do I need to store cookies with royal icing in the fridge?
No, do not store sugar cookies decorated with royal icing in the fridge.
Can I make Sugar Cookie dough ahead of time?
You can make sugar cookie dough ahead of time and store it in an air tight container for 3-5 days in the fridge. When you want to make the cookies, remove the dough from the fridge and roll out and shape as desired, and then bake according to the recipe directions below.
Can I freeze the cookie dough?
Yes. If you are wanting to make the cookie dough ahead of time to use later, make the pumpkin sugar cookie dough and then wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. Store in the freezer for 3-6 months. When you are ready to make the cookies, remove the dough from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge. Roll out and shape as desired and then bake according to the recipe directions below.
Can I freeze sugar cookies after they are made?
Yes. After baking the cookies and allowing them to cool completely you can freeze them. Then when it is time to decorate them just remove them from the freezer and bring to room temperature before decorating with royal icing. I find it best to place them in a single layer on a wax paper lined baking sheet and then put them in the freezer. Once frozen I remove them from the baking sheet and put them in a zip close freezer bag.
Homemade Sugar Cookies Supplies
Homemade Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cup butter (2 sticks)
- 1 egg
How to Make Homemade Sugar Cookies
In a large bowl or with your stand mixer cream the sugar and butter until it is fluffy. If using the stand mixer it will take about 5 minutes.
Once the sugar and butter are creamed together, add in the egg and vanilla extract.
In a medium-sized bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to mix everything together thoroughly.
Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar, butter, egg, and vanilla extract mixture. Mix everything until well incorporated.
Put a handful of the freshly made dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until you get your desired thickness and set aside still on the parchment paper.
Repeat with the rest of the sugar cookie dough.
Put the rolled dough including the parchment paper, on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
After your dough has been rolled out and refrigerated for half an hour cut your cutout cookies with the cookie cutter from the dough.
Place the cookies onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies have browned on the edges.
Move the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to completely cool.
When your cookies are cooling prepare your royal icing and decorate cookies as desired.
If this is your first time making sugar cookies, check out everything you need to know about making sugar cookies for some awesome tips!
If you have never used Royal Icing before be sure to read up on how to use Royal Icing when decorating cookies and how to decorate with royal icing.
Cookie Recipes
Cookie Making Supplies
Want delicious cookies that come out perfect every time? Check out some of our favorite tools to make super easy cookies with fun decorations!
Homemade Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Homemade Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- 3 cups flour
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cups butter 2 sticks
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large bowl or with your stand mixer cream the powdered sugar and butter until it is fluffy. If using the stand mixer it will take about 5 minutes.
- Once the sugar and butter is creamed together, add in the egg and vanilla extract.
- In a medium sized bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and salt. Use a whisk to mix everything together thoroughly.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the sugar, butter, egg and vanilla extract mixture. Mix everything until well incorporated.
- Put a handful of the freshly made dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll until you get your desired thickness and set aside still on the parchment paper.
- Repeat with the rest of the sugar cookie dough.
- Put the rolled dough including the parchment paper, on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- After your dough has been rolled out and refrigerated for half an hour cut your cookies with the cookie cutter from the dough.
- Place the cookies onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat, bake at 350 for 8 to 10 minutes or until the cookies have browned on the edges.
- Move the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to completely cool.
- When your cookies are cooling prepare your royal icing.
Nutrition
Approximately 9 Weight Watchers SmartPoints per cookie on the Freestyle Program.
Brenda Jones says
Anxious to make your no spread sugar cookies but am confused. The recipe calls for granulated sugar but your instructions say to cream the “powdered sugar “. Would you please clarify?
Thank you.
Stephanie says
sorry the recipe has been fixed.
Claudia Tune says
Hey there – I’m confused with the recipe. In the instructions for the cookies it says to mix powdered sugar with butter. Then after that, it says to mix the flour mixture with granulated sugar, but you just show granulated sugar in the recipe. Is something missing in the ingredients list?
Stephanie says
Im not sure what happened here but the recipe is fixed