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Perfectly Shaped Classic Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Every Time!
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May 17, 2025
Discover the secret to perfect Classic Cut-Out Sugar Cookies with this step-by-step guide! These cookies are a holiday favorite in my home, and in this video, I’ll show you how to create soft, buttery cookies that hold their shape beautifully—perfect for decorating! Whether you’re baking for Christmas, birthdays, or any special occasion, these sugar cookies are sure to impress. In this video, I’m making a double batch for my holiday baking marathon. Don’t worry, though—the recipe in the description includes single-batch measurements. I’ll also share tips on mixing, rolling, and cutting the dough to achieve perfect results every time. Let’s get baking! 💡 What you’ll learn: How to make sugar cookie dough from scratch Pro tips for rolling and cutting cookies How to chill dough for better baking results 🔗 Full Recipe and More Tips: https://arinaphotography.com/classic-cut-out-sugar-cookies/ 🥄 EQUIPMENT Measuring spoons https://amzn.to/3GcPxu8 Measuring Cup https://amzn.to/3mKlEKB Glass mixing bowl https://amzn.to/3spLnHY Blending whisk https://amzn.to/2vQdHYB Kitchen Aid mixer https://amzn.to/2X5212P silicone spatulas https://amzn.to/2ZUb3jK
View Video Transcript
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today we're diving into a recipe that's a true staple in my home classic cutout
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sugar cookies perfect for any occasion these cookies are versatile soft and
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hold their shape beautifully in the oven from birthdays to holidays they're a blank canvas for all your decorating
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creativity in this video you'll notice I'm making a double batch because this isn't just for fun it's part of my
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holiday baking Marathon I like to have plenty of cookies for gifting and freezing so doubling up is a must don't
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worry though the recipe in the description below includes measurements for a single batch to handle this larger
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quantity of dough I rely on my KitchenAid stand mixer it's a lifesaver
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for thick heavy batches if you're planning to double your batch too I highly recommend using
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a mixer with a larger capacity to make the process smoother I'm a Ena and I'm
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excited to share my favorite recipes and baking tips with you straight from my kitchen to yours my goal is to help you
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create treats that not only taste amazing but look incredible
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too in the description below you'll find links to all the tools and other recipes
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I mention so everything you need is just a click away let's Jump Right In and get
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started before anything else I like to get organized I measure out all my
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ingredients ahead of time and have my tools ready to go this step is key for a
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stress-free baking experience especially if you have little helpers in the kitchen I start with 2 and 1/2 cups of
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allpurpose flour to keep the cookies light and tender I recommend sifting the
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flour you can use a simple hand whisk to blend the flour or if if you want to go
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the extra mile sift everything through a sifter for an ultra smooth
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texture sifting helps eliminate clumps and air rates the flour which makes a
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noticeable difference in the final cookies next I add half a teaspoon of
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salt to the flour this small but essential ingredient balances the
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sweetness brings out the flavor of the cookies here's a tip if you want to
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ensure your cookies hold their shape even better try adding 1 tblsp of cornstarch cornstarch helps prevent
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spreading during baking giving you sharp clean edges on your cutout cookies it
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also adds a slightly softer texture to the dough making the cookies extra
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tender without compromising their structure whisk or sift everything
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together to ensure it's well combined and evenly distributed
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once everything is Thoroughly mixed I set the bowl aside ready for the next
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step in a separate Bowl I crack one large egg large eggs are ideal for this
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recipe as they provide just the right amount of structure to hold the dough together without making it too dry or
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sticky next I add one teaspoon of vanilla extract to the egg vanilla is
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the star of sugar cookie flavors it brings a warm cozy sweetness that ties
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all the ingredients together and makes the cookies taste Timeless and irresistible I grab my whisk and blend
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the egg and vanilla together until the mixture is smooth and fully combined
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this step is quick but important to ensure that the egg is evenly distributed throughout the dough later
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on whisking also helps create a silky texture that makes mixing into the
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butter and sugar affords once everything is well mixed I
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set this bowl aside keeping it ready to join the party in The Mixing Bowl soon
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now it's time to bring out the big guns my KitchenAid mixer this trusty helper
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is an absolute Life Saver especially for recipes like this where the dough is
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thick and needs to be perfectly Blended I start by adding 1 cup of softened unsalted butter to The Mixing
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Bowl sof often butter is key here it's been sitting at room temperature just
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long enough to blend easily and create that light fluffy texture we're aiming for by the way if your butter isn't
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quite at room temperature yet check out my blog post on how to soften butter
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quickly it's packed with easy tips to save time and get that perfect creamy
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consistency for mixing next I add 2/3 of a cup of granulated sugar
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sugar not only sweetens the cookies but also works with the butter to build a
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delicate tender structure at this point the bowl is ready to go and so is my
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paddle attachment I set the mixer to low speed at first because let's be honest
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no one no one wants your sugar explosion flying
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all over the kitchen once everything starts to combine I gradually increase
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the speed to medium then I let the butter and sugar cream together for about 2 to 3 minutes this step is Magic
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it transforms the mixture into something light Airy and pale in color setting the
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stage for cookies that melt in your mouth [Music]
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I hope you're having a much fun making these cutout cookies as I am if you're
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enjoying this recipe be sure to give it a thumbs up subscribe and hit the
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notification Bell so you don't miss out on more delicious baking ideas have you
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made cutout cookies before how did they turn out got any tips or creative
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decorating ideas to share I'd love to hear from you thanks for hanging out
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with me let's get back to making these perfectly baked cookies [Music]
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cookies after creaming the butter and sugar I grab my trusty silicone spatula
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and scrape down the sides of the bowl this ensures no sneaky bits of butter or
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sugar are hanging out unblended in the corners it's a small step but it makes a
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big difference in the final texture of the dough
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[Music]
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now it's time to add the wet ingredients I pour in the egg and
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vanilla mixture that I whisked earlier back to medium speed on the mixer it
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goes and I let everything blend until it's smooth and fully Incorporated by now the batter smells so
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good it's hard not to grab a spoonful for quality control but patience the
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cookies will be worth it [Music]
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oh
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ch [Music]
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now it's time to bring in the dry ingredients and this is where the dough
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really starts to come together I add the dry mixture gradually about a third at a
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time while keeping the mixer on low speed this avoids the dreaded flour
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explosion I've had enough snowstorms in my kitchen and ensures everything Blends
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smoothly as the dough thickens here here's my go-to tip if it feels too
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sticky add a tablespoon of flour at a time until it's firm but
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pliable if it's too dry or crumbly a small splash of milk will fix it right
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up the dough should feel like soft clay smooth pliable and ready to roll a quick
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pinch test will tell you it's perfect if it holds together without cracking or
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sticking
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if you're looking for healthier alternatives to some of the ingredients in this recipe I've got you covered on
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my blog I've included a list of substitutions to make these cutout
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cookies a bit lighter while keeping them just as delicious whether you want to
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reduce sugar try whole wheat flour or adjust the butter you'll find all those
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options detailed in my post it's a great way to customize the cookies to fit your
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dietary needs or preferences check out the full recipe
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and the healthier substitutions on my blog the link is in the description below
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[Music]
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once it's just right I stop the mixer and scrape down the paddle attachment
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with a silicone spatula because no dough goes to waste here a quick check at the
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bottom of the bowl ensures no sneaky flower is Left Behind and I fold it in by hand if needed these little steps
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make all the difference when it's time to roll and cut your cookies
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[Music]
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next I carefully divide the dough into two equal portions a little Precision
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here saves me from having one massive disc and one tiny one later using a
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silicone spatula I scoop each portion onto a piece of food wrap here's my
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personal trick I Loosely wrap the dough first then press it into a flat disc
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this keeps my hands clean and avoids the sticky mess of handling the dough
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directly plus shaping the dough into discs now save so much time when it's
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time to roll out once the discs are neatly wrapped I pop them into the
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refrigerator to chill for at least an hour trust me this step is
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non-negotiable chilling the dough firms it up making it easier to roll out and
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ensuring your cookies hold their crisp clean edges during
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baking skipping this step has resulted in some shapeless blobs in my oven more
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times than I'd like to admit if you're not baking right away say prepping ahead
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for the holidays these dough discs freeze beautifully for up to 3 months
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just wrap them in an extra layer of plastic wrap or foil to prevent freezer burn my Pro tip always label your discs
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with the date and sugar cookie dough using a Sharpie there's nothing worse
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than pulling out a mystery dough and playing the guessing game mid Holiday Rush when you're ready to to bake simply
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throw the discs in the fridge overnight and they'll be as good as
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fresh there's a saying in my my house when words fail cookies speak and let me
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tell you cookies have gotten me out of a lot of sticky situations there's just something about
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a homemade batch of cookies that says I'm sorry in the sweetest way possible
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literally I remember one time when my daughter made a mistake she felt so bad and wasn't sure how to make things right
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that's when I had an idea we'd B cookies together as a way to
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apologize not only did it give her a chance to do something thoughtful but it
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also helped her process the situation and feel more in control we whipped up a
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batch of our favorite cutout cookies decorated them with bright cheerful
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designs baking cookies as an apology isn't just about making something delicious it's about showing someone you
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care enough to take the time and effort and honestly who can stay mad when
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they're holding a plate of beautifully decorated cookies it's a universal piece
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offering if you'd like to see how we make and decorate our cookies check out
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the video I created with my daughter it's one of my favorite videos because
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it shows how much fun we have in the kitchen while also teaching her how to
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turn a simple recipe into a meaningful gesture have you ever baked cookies to
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say I'm sorry or maybe you've used another creative way to
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apologize I'd love to hear your stories or tips in the comments below let's Inspire each other to make things a
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little sweeter one cookie at a time
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[Music]
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I like to start my holiday baking prep early usually in September it's a system
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I've perfected over the years to keep things stressfree during the busy holiday season first I make the dough
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and freeze it in neat labeled discs this sugar cookie dough fits perfectly into
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that process after dividing and wrapping it into discs I either refrigerate it
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for baking later in the week or freeze it if I'm planning ahead for the holidays each disc is carefully labeled
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with the date and sugar cookie dough using a trusty shoie so there's no
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confusion when I'm juggling batches of gingerbread dough and other holiday treats by October or November I'm in
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full baking mode pulling out discs of dough as needed and baking cookies in
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big batches if I'm not decorating them right away I freeze the baked cookies to
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keep them fresh finally December is all about decorating and packaging that's
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when the magic happens turning these cookies into festive gifts for family
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and friends chilling the dough is an essential step in my process it firms up
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the dough making it easier to roll and cut into shapes that hold beautifully in
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the oven I divide the dough into two portions scoop each onto a piece of food
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wrap with a silicone spatula Loosely wrap it and press it into a flat disc
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this keeps my hands clean and makes Rolling a breeze later on if I'm
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freezing the discs they'll stay fresh for up to 3 months ready to be thawed
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overnight in the fridge whenever inspiration or holiday prep strikes
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starting early takes the pressure off and lets me truly enjoy the holiday season seeing neatly stacked discs of
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dough and trays of cookies in my freezer is so satisfying it's like having my own little baking
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headquarters ready to go at any time whether you're a planner like me or prefer last minute baking this recipe is
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a must for any holiday lineup trust me it's worth the prep
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after the dough has chilled I take one disc out of the refrigerator here's a
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personal tip from me when you're ready to roll out your chilled dough let the disc sit on the counter for about 10
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minutes before diving in straight out of the fridge the dough can feel like a hockey puck thanks to all that butter
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giving it a little time to soften saves you from a serious arm workout and keeps your
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rolling pin and your sanity intact trust
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me your wrists will thank you before diving into rolling out your dough and
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cutting out cookies it's time to gather your trusty tools don't worry if you
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don't have the exact ones I mention there's always a simpler alternative hiding in your kitchen first first up
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are cookie cutters the stars of the show Fancy Cutters make perfectly shaped
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cookies but if you don't have any a drinking glass or an empty can works
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wonders for simple round shapes feeling creative grab a knife and
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freehand some designs but maybe don't expect a cookie Masterpiece on your
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first try next a cake spatula is your best friend for carefully lifting cut C
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cookies and transferring them to the baking sheet without stretching or tearing them if you don't have one a
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pancake spatula works just as well or even a wide knife will do the trick just
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go slow and steady this is cookie making not a race to get perfectly even dough
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every time an adjustable rolling pin with thickness Rings is ideal no
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adjustable pin no worries a wine bottle
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preferably empty or a traditional rolling pin works just fine just keep an
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eye on the thickness of your dough and try to keep it consistent for sticky dough situations disposable vinyl gloves
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come in handy to keep your hands clean and the dough mess free if you don't
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have gloves lightly flower your hands but fair warning flower covered hands
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usually mean flour covered everything else when it's time to bake you'll need
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a baking sheet lined with parchment paper to keep your cookies from sticking if parchment isn't an option a silicone
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baking mat Works beautifully in a pinch you can grease your baking sheet but be
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prepared for crispier cookie bottoms finally my favorite little
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helper a dread Shaker filled with allpurpose flour for dusting the rolling
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surface evenly no dread Shaker a sifter fine mesh strainer or even a light
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sprinkle by hand wool will work too it might just get a little messy but hey isn't that part of the fun once you've
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got your tools ready you're set to start rolling and cutting and if you end up with flour all over your kitchen like I
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always do just remind yourself that the best cookies come from a little bit of
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Chaos
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on a lightly flowered surface I roll the dough out to about 1/4 in thickness
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keeping the dough evenly rolled is essential so all the cookies bake at the same rate uneven thickness can lead to
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some cookies being underbaked While others burn so I take my time with this
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step I also like to group cookies of the same size on one baking sheet to ensure
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they bake evenly no tiny cookies overbaking while waiting for the larger
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ones to catch up then comes the fun part cutting out shapes I press my favorite Cutters into
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the dough to create festive designs making sure to use up every bit of space
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before Gathering the scraps to reroll once all the shapes are cut I carefully
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transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper I place each cookie
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with care leaving enough room between them for slight expansion during
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baking by the end of this process the baking sheet is filled with perfectly
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shaped cookies ready for the oven it's a satisfying moment to see all
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those neatly arranged designs waiting to bake knowing they'll soon turn into
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delicious [Music]
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treats here's a tip from me when lifting cutout cookies from the surface always
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remove the excess dough around the shapes first before lifting the cookies
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themselves this makes it much easier to slide your spatula or hands underneath
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the cookies without stretching or distorting their shapes if you try to
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lift the cookies with the extra dough still in place they're more likely to stick or lose their clean edges removing
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the extra dough first gives you a clean surface and ensures your cookies stap
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pict your
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perfect when I'm done cutting out cookies I never let the scraps go to waste I gather them up in my hands mash
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them back together into a disc roll them out again and cut more cookies I keep
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repeating this process until I've cut every possible shape from the dough it's
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a bit like a game how many cookies can I squeeze out of one batch when I get down to the last tiny
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scraps that just can't make another cookie I wrap them in food wrap and set them aside this keeps them from drying
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out while I grab the next fresh dough
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disc from the fridge after cutting out cookies from the new disc I combine the
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scraps from both rounds mash them together roll them out and keep going
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waste not want not right here's a tip I've learned the hard way if the dough
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starts sticking to your rolling pin and you feel like you're wrestling with it lightly flower the pin it makes
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everything Glide smoothly and keeps the dough from turning into a sticky Mass plus it saves you from wanting to
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throw the rolling pin across the kitchen don't ask how I know with this method
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method you'll get the most out of your dough and have plenty of perfectly shaped cookies ready to bake
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[Music]
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before baking I always chill the cutout cookies on the baking sheet for another
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10 minutes this quick step is especially helpful if your kitchen is warm it firms
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up the dough again so the cookies hold their clean edges while baking trust me
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it's worth the weight to avoid your carefully cut stars or gingerbread people turning into something that
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resembles ex ract art in the oven once chilled I bake the cookies in a
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preheated oven at 350° f for 8 to 10
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minutes I keep an eye on them to make sure the edges turn lightly golden while
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the centers stay soft the centers might look slightly underdone when you take
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them out but don't panic they'll firm up as they cool if you don't have a wire
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rack for cooling no worries just leave the
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cookies on the baking sheet until they're fully feel like cool it's not
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fancy but it works and you won't risk accidentally cracking a cookie during
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the transfer here's a tip I've learned
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through plenty of trial and error I always bake my first tray at the lower temperature mentioned
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in the recipe this gives me a chance to check on the cookies and adjust the time or
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temperature for the next batches if needed baking at high altitude comes with its own quirks so I've had to
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figure out what works best for me plus every oven has its own personality what
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bakes beautifully in one might come out a little too crispy in
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another let's just say I've had a few learning experiences along the way
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once baked and cooled you'll have cookies with crisp edges soft centers
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and that perfect homemade touch and hey if a few cookies look less than perfect
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just call them unique and eat them before anyone else notices that's the baker's privilege
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right while the cook cookies cool I like to get my decorating supplies ready
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these cookies are a blank canvas just waiting for your Creative Touch whether
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you're working with royal icing chocolate icing or even a simple dusting
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of powdered sugar if you're new to decorating with royal icing be sure to
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check out my video where I show you step by step how to flood cookies with royal
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icing for a professional finish trust me it's easier than it looks and the
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results are totally worth it here's another tip if you're not ready to
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decorate right away you can freeze the cookies while they're still undecorated just layer them between
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sheets of parchment paper in an airtight container and they'll stay fresh for for
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weeks then when you're ready to
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decorate whether it's next week or closer to a big event you can simp thaw them out and get to work this makes
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holiday baking a breeze especially if you're juggling multiple projects these
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cookies are as versatile as they are delicious whether you're planning
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intricate designs or keeping it simple they're the perfect foundation for
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whatever your creative heart desires just don't forget to save a few plain
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ones for taste testing because we all know that's the best part a
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