Cut Out Sugar Cookies

5 from 1 vote

Crisp edges, soft centers, and buttery flavor—these cut out sugar cookies rival any from a bakery. They're ideal for decorating, making them perfect for holidays!

Ingredients

Sugar Cookie Dough

3 1/4 cups all-purpose flour *See notes below for measuring*
1 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup unsalted European butter (like Kerrygold) room temperature
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Royal Icing

4 cups powdered sugar
3 tablespoons meringue powder
6-10 tablespoons water plus more to thin
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract use clear vanilla for a pure white color
Gel food coloring

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making the Cookies

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a stand mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar with the paddle for 2 minutes.
Mix in the egg and vanilla on low until just combined. Scrape down the bowl.
Mix in the dry ingredients on low until just combined and the dough starts to come together.
Divide the dough in half. Wrap each half loosely in plastic wrap, and use a rolling pin to roll them into a flat disc. Refrigerate until firm, about 1-2 hours.
Once firm, unwrap the dough, lightly flour both sides, and place each slab between two sheets of parchment paper. Roll the dough between 1/4 inch-1/2 inch thick. Then, cut out cookies. Transfer any cut cookies with an offset spatula to a lined baking sheet. The dough scraps can be rerolled twice! You can have multiple layers of cookies on a baking sheet as long as there is parchment in between them. Then, freeze the cut out cookies for at least 3 hours or until they are completely frozen solid. I like to do this step the day before and let them freeze overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 355°F. Bake the cookies for 9-12 minutes or until the edges are set and the tops no longer look wet. You do not want the edges to be brown; otherwise, the cookies will be more crunchy than soft and chewy. Let the pan cool on a wire rack before decorating.

Making the Icing

Combine the powdered sugar, meringue powder, vanilla extract, and water in a stand mixing bowl. Beat with the paddle attachment on medium speed for 3 minutes until fluffy. At this point, the icing should be thick but still pipeable. If it's too thick, add more water to the icing, one tablespoon at a time.
Set aside some of the thick icing for borders and designs. To flood the cookies, add more water, one tablespoon at a time, until it has the consistency of runny peanut butter and settles back into itself within 15 seconds.
Color the icing with gel food coloring and decorate!
When not working with royal icing, be sure to cover the top with plastic wrap so that it touches the surface to keep the icing from hardening!

Video

Notes

*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*

Notes: Allow the cookies to be fully dry before boxing or packaging them, otherwise, it will ruin the icing. Depending on the humidity in your kitchen, this can take anywhere from a few hours to overnight.

Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. The decorated cookies should not be frozen, however, the cookies can be frozen and defrosted before decorating!