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The Best Soft and Chewy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

A tall stack of soft, thick sugar cookies coated in sparkling cinnamon sugar, sitting on a white plate.
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You can make bakery-style sugar cookies at home. This recipe creates soft, chewy cookies that hold their shape perfectly for cutting out and decorating, making them ideal for holidays or any celebration.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step builds texture.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. Chilling is key for no spread sugar cookies.
  6. Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  8. Place the cut-out sugar cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. For thicker cookies, aim for 10 minutes.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate once fully cooled.

Notes

  • For the softest cookies, slightly underbake them. They will firm up as they cool.
  • If you plan to decorate heavily, chill the cut-out shapes on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking to help them maintain sharp edges.
  • This dough freezes well. Wrap chilled, unbaked cut-out shapes tightly and freeze for up to 3 months.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://kitchenican.com/best-sugar-cookies-soft-chewy-cut-out-recipe/