Description
This classic Sugar Cookie Cutouts with Icing recipe features soft, buttery sugar cookies that are easy to roll and cut into fun shapes. Decorate these festive cookies with a smooth, sweet icing and colorful sprinkles for a delightful treat perfect for holidays, parties, or any celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Sugar Cookies:
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227 g)
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all purpose flour, spooned and leveled (344 g)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
For the Icing:
- 4–5 tbsp milk (60–75 ml)
- 3 cups powdered sugar (390 g)
- Sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- Prepare the dough: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla extract, mixing well to combine. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the dough: Divide the dough into two equal parts, flatten each into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour. This step helps the dough firm up for easier rolling and better cookie shape retention during baking.
- Roll and cut cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one chilled dough disc to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out your desired shapes and place them about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies: Bake the cutouts in the preheated oven for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden but the centers remain pale. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing: In a small bowl, whisk together powdered sugar and milk, starting with 4 tablespoons and adding more milk as needed to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency. Adjust thickness by adding more powdered sugar to thicken or milk to thin.
- Decorate the cookies: Once cookies are fully cooled, spread or pipe the icing onto each cookie surface and immediately add sprinkles before the icing sets. Allow the icing to dry completely, about 1 hour, before serving or storing.
Notes
- If the dough is too sticky to roll out, chill it longer or lightly flour your rolling surface.
- You can substitute milk with almond milk or another milk alternative for a dairy-free version.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- For sharper cookie shapes, chill the cut dough on the baking sheet before baking.
Keywords: sugar cookie cutouts, sugar cookies, cookie icing, holiday cookies, decorated sugar cookies, classic sugar cookie recipe