If these aren’t the cutest cut-out sugar cookies you’ve ever seen, you either play with puppies and kittens all day and are on cuteness overload, or you’re not from Texas. Only one of those excuses is forgivable, by the way.
I scaled down sweet Bridget’s recipe, and not only is her recipe easy (yes, roll out cookies are easy!), they are delicious. Every baker I know uses her recipes when they want perfect cookies every time. I quartered her full size recipe in order to make 1 dozen cookies.
Feel free to use this dough for festive holiday cookie cutters; I won’t mind a bit. But, since I'm going home to Texas for Christmas, these feel festive to me.
Yield: 12 cookies
1 Dozen Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
A simple sugar cookie recipe.
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
10 minutes
Total Time
25 minutes
Ingredients
- ¾ cup flour, plus extra for rolling
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- ⅛ teaspoon almond extract
For the icing:
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 3-5 teaspoons milk
- a few drops of vanilla
- a few drops of red food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- In a medium bowl, beat together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar. Once light and fluffy, add the egg yolk and extracts. Once well incorporated, sprinkle over half the flour mixture and beat gently until combined, then sprinkle over the rest. Beat until no streaks of flour remain, but be careful not to over-mix.
- Dust a clean counter top with flour, and dump the dough out onto it. Gather it into a ball and press it into a 2" thick round disk. Flour your rolling pin, then roll out the dough out big enough to cut out about 8 shapes. Place the shapes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Gather the dough scraps and re-roll to cut out 4 more shapes and place them on the cookie sheet.
- Place the cookie sheet in the freezer for 5 minutes while you preheat the oven to 350.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, until the edges of the cookies just start to turn brown. Let them sit on the sheet a few minutes before moving them a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, make the icing by whisking together all ingredients. Start with 3 teaspoon milk, and add more to achieve a slightly runny consistency. Ice your cookies by outlining the shape using a squeeze bottle or small piping bag with a tip, then flood the icing within the borders to fill it in. To make the little hearts, scoop a small amount of the frosting into a separate bowl and add red food coloring until you get the desired color. Use a toothpick to make heart shapes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
12Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 139Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 26mgSodium: 34mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 0gSugar: 18gProtein: 1g
Maureen says
I am using this recipe to make 'Teddy Bear' cookies, as I am going to a play date with my four year old Grandaughter - we are having an indoor 'Teddy Bears Picnic' (indoor as in UK it is the middle of winter).
This recipe is so nice as it is a small amount.
I will Ice and decorate the teddies - and I will try to give the 'Teddies' hearts also.
after all every Teddy has to have a heart :-)
Thank you for this recipe
Jadyn says
Wow! Love your cookies. How adorable! And the Texas cookie cutter, what a awesome way to spice up your cookies by style. And FYI, I made these cookies, added cinnamon to the batter, made it into a brownie-ish doe, and drizzled caramel ontop! What a great recipe
Mariel Button says
This is a great recipe for when I want to design a cookie for a display, makes a small batch.
Although, I would suggest. Beating the egg and then measuring out about 2 table spoons instead of just the yolk. Makes a fluffier cookie!
I added a tablespoon of pumpkin spice and it made an amazing flavor!
SERLINA GARBALDI says
these turned out like butter cookies. they didnt live up to my expectations. the cookies didnt spread and it was tasteless. THESE WERE AWFUL.
SERLINA GARBALDI says
so im guessing all bad comments get deleted. CHEATAS. no wonder i chose this horrible recipe.
Debora Herman says
Serlina....Christina's cookies are always spot on, delicious and amazing...could it be that something went wrong in your measuring or omission of something...I would try again...
Christina Lane says
Hey Serlina,
Calm it down over there. Cut-out sugar cookies are butter cookies. And they're actually not supposed to spread so that they maintain the shape of the cookie cutter. I think you were looking for an entirely different recipe.
And I'm no cheater.
Sarah Nolan says
I love this recipe it is so easy and fun to do
Ara says
I made these to eat just plain without icing, and the cookies taste delicious! First time i made them and they turned out super good.
Isabelle says
Tastes fine, but I'm disappointed it only made 6 cookies! How small are your Texan cookies!?
Christina Lane says
My entire website only makes small batches of desserts...hence the name 'dessert for two.'
Madi says
Nice recipe. I did little cats. I ended up doing 1/2 and 1/2 vanilla and almond flavoring in both the cookie and the frosting, and I had to sub in 1/8 tsp of baking soda instead of powder, as I was out. This makes less than a dozen. I only got six good-sized cookies out of it. I was wanting a small batch so I was fine with it, but that's something to keep in mind. I was trying out this recipe for the holidays, so I varied the thickness. I think the ones that were about 7-8 mm turned out the best.
The best part about this recipe is that the cookies don't spread hardly at all. They looked almost exactly the same shape and size as after I cut them out. It made icing way easier.
Diana Nye says
Came out amazing and delicious! I needed to make mini Lombardi trophies for a Super Bowl cupcake topper. The dough came tiger easily and was super easy to work with.