Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
These cut out sugar cookies are soft, buttery, and easy to roll and cut, with a simple marbled icing that makes decorating feel effortless.
Servings: 24 cookies
Cost: $15
Ingredients
Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
Marble Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 4 tbsp milk whole is best but 2% works
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 tsp natural food coloring more or less if needed
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until smooth and creamy.
- Add the eggs and vanilla extract and mix until fully combined.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (or overnight). Chilling is essential for clean cut out cookies.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to ¼–½ inch thick.
- Cut into shapes using cookie cutters and transfer to the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 7–9 minutes, until the edges are just set and the tops look matte.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth. The icing should be thick but pourable, similar to glue.
- Add a few drops of natural food coloring and gently swirl with a skewer or toothpick to create a marbled effect.
- Dip each cooled cookie into the icing, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl.
- Place cookies on a wire rack and let the icing set completely before stacking or storing.
Video
Notes
- Chill the dough. Cold dough is key for clean edges and no spreading when making cut out sugar cookies.
- Roll evenly. Roll the dough between ¼–½ inch thick so the cookies bake evenly and stay soft.
- Re-roll as needed. You can re-roll scraps 2–3 times; chill again if the dough gets warm.
- Watch the bake time. Bake just until the edges are set and the tops look matte—overbaking will dry them out.
- Get the icing right. The icing should be thick but pourable; add milk or powdered sugar a little at a time to adjust.
- Let icing fully set. Allow cookies to dry completely before stacking or storing to keep the finish smooth.
Nutrition
Calories: 214kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 36mg | Sodium: 154mg | Potassium: 46mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 18g | Vitamin A: 263IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg
