Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Cut out sugar cookies are one of the best Christmas sugar cookies recipe to make.Requiring just simple ingredients, these soft and chewy cookies are so much fun to make with the whole family!

Christmas sugar cookies are part of our family holiday season traditions. This Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie recipe is often the first thing I pull out of my recipe box to make. In fact, my kids think it’s the best sugar cookie recipe of all. The first time I made it with my boys’ help was when they were 2 and 4 years old!

Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (1)

Why you’ll love these Christmas sugar cookies

This cut out out sugar cookie recipe is a great recipe that makes a soft sugar cookies that can be easily frozen if desired.

The tender dough mixes up quickly and doesn’t need to be chilled before rolling.

I usually bake the whole batch, let them cool, and then freeze them between layers of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Once it’s time to serve them, I thaw out the baked rolled sugar cookies and mix up a small batch of icing for the amount I want to serve. It’s easy and so delicious.

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How to Make Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookies

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Supplies Needed for Soft & Tasty Cut Out Sugar Cookies:

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Rolled Sugar Cookies Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Butter
  • 2 large Eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
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How to Make this Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe

(A printable recipe card is located at the end of this post for your convenience.)

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You’ll mix up this simple recipe in 2 seperate bowls.

1. In the first large bowl, mix together:

  • 4 cups flour,
  • 1 tsp. baking powder, and
  • 1/2 tsp. salt,
  • Cut in 1 cup butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
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2. In another bowl, mix together:

  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk,
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar, and
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
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4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently.

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5. Flip the dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat, and knead it gently ~ just so it sticks together.

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6. Divide dough into 2 portions. Start with the first portion and roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.

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I use my Grandmother’s antique dough rolling pastry set (pictured above), but I’ve rounded up a whole list of top tools for dough rolling here.

Here is a video on tips for rolling out this sugar cookie dough:

7. Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut out whatever shapes you’d like. We have stars and trees at our house…

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8. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (Placing parchement paper on the baking sheets makes for easy clean up.)

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9. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 5 minutes – or until very lightly golden brown.

Top Tip: The secret to soft and chewy old fashioned sugar cookies is to take them out before they start to brown. If they are too browned, they will turn crunchy!

10. Cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

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Once completely cooled, ice with your favorite homemade frosting.

Here is my quick and easy homemade frosting for sugar cookies. Or, you could try a fun idea using marbled icing.

Yield: About 4 dozen

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How should I store these cut out sugar cookies?

Store these sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. However, I feel better always refrigerating or freezing mine until I’m ready to use them.

To freeze sugar cookies, place them in an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bag, being careful to seperate each layer with wax paper or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Store in the freezer for up to six months.

For Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies:

You can use this same sugar cookie recipe for all seasons! Just use whatever shaped cookie cutter matches the holiday. Heart shaped cookie cutters with pink icing make darling Valentine’s Day cookies. Another option is to make marbled heart sugar cookies. They’re so pretty!

Need more help with Christmas cookie making?

I’ve put together a recipe collection of Christmas cookie recipes to help you save time & stress. Click the button below for all the details!

SAVE TIME & STRESS!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECIPES COLLECTION

With a mix of traditional & trendy Christmas cookies, this recipe collection with pictures can help bring back the fun (& simple) traditions of Christmas baking.

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For more Merry Christmas Season Recipes, you may want to check out these posts:

  • Christmas cookie recipes with pictures
  • Christmas Dipped Chocolates,
  • Swedish Tea Ring,
  • Overnight Buns,
  • Christmas Breakfast Recipes

More Christmas Cookies Recipes:

  • Never Fail Fudge
  • Make this condensed milk fudge recipe in the microwave in 5 minutes!
  • Chocolate Marshmallow Log
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  • Jam Sandwich Cookies (a shortcut recipe!)
  • 75+ Christmas cookie recipes with pictures
  • Cute & quick Rudolph Cookies
  • Brownie Mix Cookies
  • Gluten-free cut out cookies
Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (15)
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Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe

Yield: 4 dozen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This old fashioned rolled sugar cookie recipe is the best cut out cookie recipe! The dough is easy to work & the cookies are soft & YUMMY!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 cup Butter
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Instructions

  1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender
  2. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, and baking so
  3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently
  4. Flip the dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat, and knead it gently ~ just so it sticks together
  5. Divide into 2 portions and roll each portion out to about 1/2 inch thick.
  6. Using cookie cutters, cut out whatever shapes you’d like. We have stars and trees at our house…
  7. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 5 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees.The secret to soft and chewy old fashioned sugar cookies is to take them out before they start to brown. If they are lightly browned, they will turn crunchy!
  9. Cool completely on wire racks before icing.Step 10: Once completely cool, ice with buttercream icing with food coloring.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 48Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 100Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

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Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to sugar cookies? ›

It holds its shape, and one major trick is that after you make your dough, you'll roll it out, cut out your cookie shapes, and then put them on a lined baking sheet and only then PUT THEM IN THE FREEZER for 10 minutes, then straight into the oven after. No cooling and then rolling. You roll, cut, and then cool!

How thick should sugar cookie dough be rolled out to? ›

On a lightly floured work surface, roll out the sugar cookie dough to ¼-inch thick. Cut out shapes as desired, transfer to prepared baking sheets, and bake cookies until set but still pale, 10 to 12 minutes. Cook for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to a cooling rack. Cool completely before decorating.

Why are my rolled sugar cookies spreading? ›

Butter. Too much butter in your cookie dough can cause spreading while baking as the dough doesn't have enough binding ingredients and the fats simply will melt and spread.

How long should you chill sugar cookie dough? ›

It's not required for this sugar cookie recipe. Immediately baking after mixing will result in absolutely delicious cookies; however, if time permits, chilling the dough for 24-72 hours does result in cookies that are thicker, chewier, and more flavorful. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap before refrigerating.

What is the secret to making cookies? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  • Always use butter.
  • Choose the right sugar.
  • Choose the right flour.
  • Check your flour is in date.
  • Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  • Cream the butter and sugar.
  • Beat in the eggs.
  • Fold in the flour.

Is it better to roll sugar cookies on flour or powdered sugar? ›

Use powdered sugar instead of flour to roll your dough: if you're like me and use every bit of your dough, I recommend using powdered sugar instead of flour to roll your dough. When I use flour it adds too much flour to the dough and makes it drier.

Do you have to chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while. Skip this step, and the dough will be sticky, and much harder to work with.

Can you roll out store-bought sugar cookie dough? ›

Roll on floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with 2 1/2-inch cutter. Bake 8 to 11 minutes.

How long should sugar cookie dough sit out before rolling? ›

Let the dough harden for around 30 minutes, then take the dough out. There's no need to let it come to room temperature before working with it.

Why is my sugar cookie dough falling apart when rolling? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

What is the secret to thick cookies? ›

Chill Your Cookie Dough

Chilling your cookie dough for at least 24 hours or up to 72 hours does magical things to your cookies. Think of this like a “marinating” period. Not only will the flavors intensify, but the texture will also improve, so your cookies will bake up nice and thick and chewy.

Why poke holes in sugar cookies? ›

The holes trick

There's also a new technique going around when preventing craters in a second layer of icing: poke holes in the base flood (under the area you'll cover with a second layer of icing). You can even do this when the first layer flood has completely dried!

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

Should I chill my sugar cookie dough? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

How do I get better at decorating sugar cookies? ›

Colored layers & embedded designs
  1. Start with a completely dry flooded cookie. This may take several hours or overnight.
  2. Using a second, colored icing, add details and designs by outlining and flooding certain areas, or simply by piping. Use wet icing to adhere decorations such as sugar pearls.

Why don't my sugar cookies keep their shape? ›

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

How to make sugar cookies look professional? ›

Start by outlining the cookie with piping-consistency icing in any color you choose. Then, use flooding-consistency icing to fill the outlined area, starting by flooding around the edges and working your way towards the center. If the flooding is inconsistent in thickness, redistribute the wet icing with a toothpick.

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