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The Best Soft & Chewy Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Recipe (Holds Shape for Decorating)

Three golden brown sugar cookie rounds sprinkled with coarse sugar, resting on a light gray plate.
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This is the classic, buttery sugar cookie recipe you need for holidays and celebrations. You get soft, chewy cookies that hold their shape perfectly when you cut them out, making decorating easy.

Ingredients

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  • 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set the dry ingredients aside.
  2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step develops the texture.
  3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture 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, or up to 3 days. Chilling is key for cut-out cookies that hold their shape.
  6. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  8. Carefully transfer the cut-out sugar cookies to the prepared baking sheets. Reroll scraps as necessary.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. For softer cookies, bake closer to 8 minutes.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely before you decorate them.

Notes

  • For the best cut-out results, chill the cut-out shapes on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking. This prevents spreading.
  • If you prefer a thicker, bakery-style sugar cookie, roll the dough to 3/8 inch thickness and slightly increase the baking time.
  • This dough freezes well. You can freeze the dough disks or the cut-out, unbaked shapes.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://chefsily.com/soft-chewy-cut-out-sugar-cookie-recipe/