Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe

I’m finally, finally, finally getting around to sharing the recipe for my favorite Easy No Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies that I’ve been making and perfecting for years. I can’t even tell you how many times I’ve emailed or texted this recipe to a friend asking for it so it’s about time I share it on here with all of you.

It’s the perfect sugar cookie dough recipe. Because most importantly, the cookies taste delicious! We’re talking chewy and perfectly sweetened with a simple sugar icing that complements it so tastefully.

I like the results I get from using half-and-half in both the dough and the frosting. It adds just the right amount of rich moisture to the texture of the cookies and thickness of the icing.The dough is balanced perfectly to hold its shape through baking, icing, sprinkling, serving and enjoying.

The All-Holiday Sugar Cookie

We bake this recipe all throughout the year. Whether it’s a birthday party, a football watch party, Valentine’s Day hearts for the school party, the Christmas cookie exchange or just our family in the kitchen having fun, this recipe is a success for any occasion.

Watch Me Make No-Chill Sugar Cookies

Join me in the kitchen to make these scrumptious sugar cookies!

Ingredients and Supplies

(see recipe card at the bottom of this post for measurements and details. To learn more about specific baking ingredients and how they function in baking recipes, reference my Complete Guide to Baking Ingredients)

Ingredients:

• Unsalted COLD butter
• White granulated sugar
• COLD half and half
• Almond extract (vanilla extract or peppermint extract also work)
• COLD large eggs
• All-purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Kosher salt
• Powdered sugar
• Half and half* (heavy cream or whole milk can be substituted)

Supplies:

• Electric mixer with paddle attachment
• Rolling pin
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Holiday cookie cutters
• Holiday themed sprinkles

*For my audience outside of the United States, half-and-half is a mixture of half cream, half milk.

• On a floured surface, roll half of the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness with a rolling pin. Cut into desired shapes. Repeat with remaining dough until you’ve used it all.
• Place cookies about an inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for about 7-9 minutes, rotating cookie sheets after 5 minutes, or until cookies are just set and starting to turn light brown around the edges. Let cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
• To make the icing: whisk 3 cups powdered sugar and 1/4 cup half-and-half in a medium bowl until smooth and spreadable. If the icing is too thin, add more powdered sugar and if the icing is too thick, add more half-and-half, until of desired consistency.

How to Store Sugar Cookies

• Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
• Cookie dough can be made up to 5 days in advance and stored, covered, in the refrigerator. Once ready to bake, allow cold sugar cookie dough to sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes so it’s easier to roll out.
• Baked cookies (not iced or decorated) can be frozen for up to 3 months. Let cookies cool completely, stack with parchment paper in between each layer of cookies and store in a freezer safe container or resealable plastic bag. Let thaw completely at room temperature before icing.
• Cookie dough can also be frozen up to 3 months. Wrap the cookie dough tightly in plastic wrap and then place in a freezer safe resealable plastic bag to freeze. Let defrost in the refrigerator overnight before rolling out and cutting into shapes to bake.