Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies that are perfect to bake and decorate for any holiday!
I’m finally, finally, finally getting around to sharing my favorite cut-out sugar cookie recipe 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.
Watch Me Make No-Chill Sugar Cookies
Join me in the kitchen to make these scrumptious sugar cookies!
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
It’s the perfect sugar cookie dough recipe. Most importantly, the cookies taste delicious! We’re talking chewy and perfectly sweetened with a simple sugar icing that compliments it so tastefully.
No-Chill, No-Wait
They’re so easy to make, super kid-friendly when it comes to rolling out the dough and cutting into shapes with our favorite cookie cutters, and no chilling required which means you can mix the dough and have your first batch in the oven in no time. Because seriously, who really has the patience when it comes to waiting for cookies?? Especially the kiddos!
The dough is balanced perfectly to hold its shape through baking, icing, sprinkling, serving and enjoying.
I like to flavor the dough with almond extract, but vanilla extract and peppermint extract turn out super tasty too. Feel free to use your favorite or switch it up each time. I also 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.
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.
How to Make Easy No-Chill Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cold butter and sugar just until creamy. Try not to over beat the dough so the butter stays cold. Beat in the half-and-half* and almond extract and then the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is well combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until a thick dough forms. *If the dough seems too wet, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it comes together smoothly.
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. Spread a thin layer of icing on one cookie at a time and immediately garnish with sprinkles before the icing sets. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to five days.
*For my audience outside of the United States, half-and-half is a mixture of half cream, half milk.
I hope baking, decorating and eating these sugar cookies brings sweet memories and delicious enjoyment to you and your family and friends for years to come. If you make these Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies, be sure to snap a picture and share it with me or tag me on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. 
I love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the recipes I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 9 mins
- Total Time: 29 mins
- Yield: 4 dozen 1x
- Category: Dessert
Description
Easy, chewy, no-chill, cut-out sugar cookies that are perfect to bake and decorate for any holiday!
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted COLD butter, sliced into tablespoon portions before mixing
- 2 cups white granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons COLD half and half
- 1 teaspoon almond extract, vanilla extract or peppermint extract
- 3 COLD large eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
Icing:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 cup half and half
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the cold butter and sugar just until creamy. Try not to over beat the dough so the butter stays cold. Beat in the half and half and almond extract and then the eggs, one at a time, until mixture is well combined. Add the flour, baking powder and salt. Mix on low speed until a thick dough forms. *If the dough seems too wet, add an additional 1/4 cup of flour at a time until it comes together smoothly.
- On a floured surface, roll half of the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. 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 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. Spread a thin layer of icing on one cookie at a time and immediately garnish with sprinkles before the icing sets. Repeat with remaining cookies.
Notes
Baked cookies can be frozen for up to 6 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. Lay out to thaw completely before icing.
Cookie dough can also be frozen up to 6 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.
Loved your recipe! I’ve been trying many different sugar cookie recipes and this is my favorite! I added orange zest and about a tablespoon of orange juice in place of a little or the half and half and the flavor was delicious!
What is half and half??? Welp
Hi Talia! It’s half whole milk and half heavy cream.
These are hands down the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made. Easy to roll out, keep their shape, easy enough for my 6 and 7 year old to put together with very little help.
I overbaked the first batch because I wasn’t sure they were done, but overbaking made them too hard. Your timing is perfect, even if they aren’t browned and makes them perfectly chewy yet firm. Thanks so much for sharing!!
Do you use bleached or unbleached flour? Does it make a difference?
Thanks
Hi Laney! It doesn’t make a difference, but I like to use bleached all-purpose flour so the cookies are lighter in color.
Can you use both vanilla and almond extract? If so, how much vanilla would you use? How much almond extract would you use?
Thank you
Hi Laney! Yes, you could use 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1/2 teaspoon almond extract. Enjoy!
My 2 year old is dairy free but I would love to make these with her. I have a dairy free substitution for the butte. Any suggestions of what I could substitute for the half and half? Thanks!
Hi Kyrie! I would recommend a store-bought substitute or coconut milk or blend one part coconut cream with one part unsweetened or plain soy, rice, or oat milk to create the desired amount of half and half. Hope this helps!
This has become my go to cookie recipe. It’s so versatile and emulsions can be added as well and it doesnt change the consistency. I have made at least 15 dozen cookies using this recipe and I love it so much!
Hello,
Thanks for the recipe!
I followed it to a T, I also had thick but rather wet dough, I had to use a generous amount of flower for rolling. Then after baking my cutouts lost shape, wondering if you can tell me where I may have gone wrong?
Hi Madison! I’m wondering if you rolled the dough too thick and the cookies puffed as the baked and lost their shape? Or did they spread as they were baking?
This is absolutely the best sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever used!!!! It’s quick to put together and not having to chill it makes it that much better. The cookies are always moist and have the perfect chew to them. Thank you Meagan for sharing your recipe. I’ve used this recipe dozens of times since finding it online and always get great compliments from friends, family and coworkers!!!!
LOVE the recipe- the cookies were so soft and chewy and thick! The best tasting sugar cookies I have personally made yet. However, I have found in general, the dough does need to chill in the fridge even if it’s for 20 minutes. I started rolling the dough out and it was just too warm. My butter was barely soft, like you note but I feel for the perfect ‘cut out’, a good hour in the fridge is the trick! Just my take on it, but this was the best recipe I have come across by far!
Hello! My family and I bake for Christmas every year, and I found your recipe on my first try for a no-chill version. We were all excited by how easy and delicious they were, and they’ll be on our list every year! We all said our baking was less stressful this year! Kudos to you and thank you for sharing! Happy holidays!
I’m notorious for just “winging” it when it comes to baking things. I decided at the last second I didnt want THAT many cookies and cut my ingredients in half…everything came out perfect : )