This simple no spread sugar cookie recipe is perfect for cutout sugar cookies. They are not too sweet, perfectly soft, and extra chewy. Decorate them with royal icing or enjoy them as is for any holiday or cookie baking occasion!
If you have your eye on some intricate cookie cutters for a special occasion, this no-spread sugar cookie dough is perfect for baking with!
The dough is made with simple ingredients with just a little bit of cornstarch added to keep it from spreading in the oven.
If you love soft sugar cookies and need a reliable dough that maintains even the most intricate shape, look no further!
This no spread sugar cookie recipe is perfect for any of your cookie-baking needs and bakes perfect cookies every single time.
For other sugar cookie recipes, try Raspberry Linzer Cookies and Cinnamon Sugar Cookies.
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why you'll love this recipe
- Best sugar cookie recipe: I have worked in many bakeries and compiled everything I know into this one super delicious and easy sugar cookie recipe. They are so good, that you'll even want to eat them on their own without any sugar cookie icing!
- Cut-out cookies: Because this dough doesn't spread in the oven, it's perfect for maintaining the shapes of cut-out cookies. No more Santa heads that turn to unknown blobs in the oven.
- Versatile: You can easily use this recipe to decorate with royal icing or buttercream. You can even flavor the dough with different extracts for any holiday or special occasion. If you crave more of a classic sugar cookie, they are super delicious on their own with a plain vanilla flavor!
- Soft and chewy: If you love soft and chewy sugar cookies, you will love this recipe!
sugar cookie ingredients
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
- Butter: Unsalted butter is best for this recipe. If you use salted butter, omit ¼ teaspoon of salt from the recipe.
- Egg: Your egg should be at room temperature before use. To warm it quickly, place the egg in a mason jar or cup and fill it with hot tap water for 5-10 minutes before using it!
- Vanilla extract: I highly recommend using real vanilla and not artificial. Real high-quality vanilla will give your cookies the best flavor. For even more vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste!
- Flour: This recipe calls for all-purpose flour and should not be substituted.
recipe instructions
Here's how to make these sugar cookies! You will need a stand mixer or electric hand mixer to make the dough. Before you start, set aside a few large sheets of parchment paper and two cookie sheets.
STEP ONE: Cream the butter and sugar together. In a large stand mixing bowl or with an electric hand mixer, cream together the unsalted butter and sugar with the paddle attachment until just combined.
STEP TWO: Mix in the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape down the bowl and mix again until completely combined.
STEP THREE: Mix in the dry ingredients. Mix in the all-purpose flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt until just combined and there are no more pockets of dry flour. Do not over-mix! The cookie dough should feel soft and malleable like play dough, but not sticky. If it feels sticky, add one tablespoon of flour at a time and mix to combine until it has the right texture.
STEP FOUR: Divide the dough. Divide the dough in half. Press one half together and place it in a mound on top of a large piece of parchment paper.
STEP FIVE: Press into a disk. Place another large sheet of parchment paper on top then press it down into a flat disk.
STEP SIX: Roll out the dough. Use a rolling pin to roll it out into ⅛ inch thickness for thin cookies or ¼ inch for a thicker cookie. Transfer the parchment sandwiched dough to a large cookie sheet. Follow the same steps for the other half of the dough. Chill both trays in the freezer for at least 5-10 minutes or until firm.
STEP SEVEN: Cut and bake the cookies. Remove the rolled dough from the freezer one tray at a time and remove the top sheet of paper. Cut out the desired shapes and place them back on the baking tray. You can rework any dough scraps 1-2 times but no more than that, or the cookies will shrink from being worked too much. Once all of the dough has been cut, chill the trays in the freezer again until they are completely frozen solid.
Bake the cookies on the lined trays spaced 2 inches apart at 375 F/ 200 For 10-12 minutes, depending on the thickness. You will know they are done baking when the tops look matte and dry, with slightly wrinkled tops. The edges should NOT be brown, otherwise, you will have more crisp edges.
expert baking tips
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Use room temperature butter. The butter needs to be firm but still soft. Leaving the butter out longer than a few hours will result in too soft butter that will make your cookies spread.
- Use a high-quality vanilla extract or paste. The high-quality vanilla makes a huge flavor difference since there are so few ingredients in this recipe.
- Do not over-cream the butter and sugar. You are looking just to combine the ingredients. Creaming the butter and sugar past the point of being just combined will make them spread in the oven!
storage & freezing
- Fridge: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling out!
- Freezer: To freeze the unrolled dough, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 weeks. To freeze the rolled and cut-out cookies, let them freeze solid then transfer them to an airtight container with parchment in between layers for 2-3 weeks.
- Room temperature: Store the baked cookies in a zip lock bag or airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Make-ahead: You can pre-make the dough and keep it in the fridge, or you can store the cutout cookies in the freezer and pull them when you want to bake some!
variations
- Substitute the vanilla with lemon, peppermint, cherry, or almond extract.
faq's
Mix the butter and sugar together until just combined. Creaming them too much will cause them to spread in the oven. Also, make sure the cookies are completely frozen before baking as this will help them not spread.
You can decorate them with royal icing, buttercream frosting, or just eat them plain!
Rolling the dough between parchment as shown above in the instructions is the best trick. You can keep the dough in the freezer or fridge in between not using it to keep it firm so it doesn't stick.
Yes! In this case, I would omit the ¼ teaspoon of salt.
The answer depends on how thick you roll the dough and the size of the cookie cutter! I've found if you roll them to a ¼ inch thickness, this batch makes about 20-22 large cut cookies.
more cookie recipes to try
If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I'd love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Recipe 📖
No Spread Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F/190 C.
- In a stand mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until JUST combined.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula. Then mix in the egg and vanilla. Scrape down the bowl again.1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste
- Mix in the flour, baking powder, corn starch, and salt until just combined and there are no more dry flour streaks.3 cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoon corn starch, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Divide the dough in half. Place one half on a piece of parchment paper.
- Press the dough down into a flat disk and place another sheet of parchment paper on top. Roll the dough to ⅛ inch thickness for thin cookies or ¼ inch thickness for thicker cookies.
- Transfer the slab of dough still between the sheets of parchment on a baking tray and chill it in the freezer while you roll out the other half of dough in the same way.
- Chill both trays of dough for 5-10 minutes or until it feels firm.
- Then remove the top sheet of parchment paper. Cut out cookies with your desired cookie cutter. Place the cut cookies back on the baking tray. You can rework the dough 1-2 times but no more than that or they will shrink from being worked too much.
- Freeze each tray of cut cookies until completely frozen solid, about 15-25 minutes.
- Bake one tray at at time for 10-13 minutes depending on the size and thickness. They are done baking when the tops look matte, dry, and slightly wrinkled. Do not let the edges brown or they will be more crisp.
- Allow the tray to cool completely on a wire rack before removing and decorating.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is much more accurate than cup measurements. To convert this recipe, click the "metric" button next to the ingredients title on the recipe card.
- Use room temperature butter. The butter needs to be firm but still soft. Leaving the butter out longer than a few hours will result in too soft butter that will make your cookies spread.
- Use a high-quality vanilla extract or paste. The high-quality vanilla makes a huge flavor difference since there are so few ingredients in this recipe.
- Do not over-cream the butter and sugar. You are looking just to combine the ingredients. Creaming the butter and sugar past the point of being just combined will make them spread in the oven!
- Fridge: Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Let it come to room temperature before rolling out!
- Freezer: To freeze the unrolled dough, wrap it tightly with plastic wrap and freeze for 2-3 weeks. To freeze the rolled and cut-out cookies, let them freeze solid then transfer them to an airtight container with parchment in between layers for 2-3 weeks.
- Room temperature: Store the baked cookies in a zip lock bag or airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.
- Make-ahead: You can pre-make the dough and keep it in the fridge, or you can store the cutout cookies in the freezer and pull them when you want to bake some!
Nutrition
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.
Carsen says
Such a great recipe. The dough was easy to make and they were perfect for some birthday cookies I made! They are also soooo good to eat on their own.