Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies that are perfect to bake and decorate for any holiday! Made with cold ingredients, there’s no need to chill the dough. So fast, so easy!
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.
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!
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.
Which Extract Is Best?
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.
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.
About Those COLD Ingredients
This recipe is for a “no-chill” cookie dough. But if your butter, eggs, or half-and-half is warm–even a little bit warm–you’re going to want to chill your dough before rolling it out. This recipe relies on your ingredients being very cold to work as expected.
Try not to over-beat the dough so the ingredients stay cold.
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. 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.
- 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.
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.
More Christmas Cookies
Bring your A game to this year’s Christmas cookie exchange! I’ve got the Best Christmas Cookies to share at holiday cookie exchange or to gift to your neighbors this holiday season. They’re sure to spread tons of cheer! Plus, get tips on hosting your own Christmas cookie exchange party.
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 on Instagram @thebakermama so I can see. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to join my Friends of The BakerMama group to connect and share all the fun and yummy recipes of mine that you make! 
I just love seeing how inspired and creative y’all get with the ideas I share. Enjoy!
xoxo,
More Easy, Festive & Delicious Holiday Recipes
A collection of holiday recipes that are all so easy to make, festive to serve and sure to be enjoyed by all! These Easy, Festive and Delicious Holiday Recipes are sure to be a holiday hit!
Easy No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 20 mins
- Cook Time: 9 mins
- Total Time: 29 mins
- Yield: 4 dozen
- 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
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
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.
Yum, they came out great! I didn’t have half and half so I used one tablespoon of whole milk and one tablespoon of Bailey’s Irish Cream, and I also added a dash of ginger, Nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon.
Also, I made sure to roll them out with lots of flour on the counter and on the rolling pin. They would have been too sticky otherwise, but this solved it.
These cookies turned out perfectly! I am so impressed. It has a shortbread-like taste but with a softer texture. I made sure the butter was cold, just like for a pie-crust recipe, which added to the flaky texture. I even halved the sugar and they still tasted great! Thanks for the recipe 🙂
The best sugar cookie recipe!! Make this every year. We love to add almond extract vs regular vanilla, game changer 🙂
Any tips on making this recipe gluten free?
Hi Meredith! You could try using an gluten free all-purpose flour. I haven’t tested the recipe with gluten free flour, but I’ve heard others that have substituted with success. Hope this helps and that they turn out great. Enjoy!
This was the easiest recipe to follow and the easiest to make! I didn’t have cold butter, but it still worked well! I used our fresh eggs from our chickens, 2 of them were pretty large, but it seemed okay. The cookies taste amazing. I’m going to make another batch today 🙂
I’m with others — two wet to roll out so ended up putting them in the fridge to chill! Used 4 cups of flour, plus added an additional 3/4 cups — still too sticky. And used butter right out of the fridge!
Tasted good though!
Hi Christina! Did you use half & half? Do you live in a high altitude location? Would love to help figure out what went wrong. Glad to hear they still tasted good, but they definitely shouldn’t be too sticky to roll out.
Probably a dumb question: how much food coloring should be used to achieve colorful icing? Are there any good ratios of food dye (blue/yellow/red/whatever) to add for pretty, non-primary colors?
Hi Bea! Not a dumb question at all. Here’s a great guide for coloring frosting: https://www.bettycrocker.com/how-to/tipslibrary/baking-tips/how-to-color-frosting-like-a-pro I always just eyeball it and mix a few drops at a time. Hope this helps. Enjoy!
Hi! When you say cold butter do you mean straight from the fridge cold?
Hi Kt! Yes, straight from the fridge is best. Enjoy!
These are the best Christmas sugar cookies!! My girls will love these sugar cookies. A great way to keep the weekend cravings ready. Thanks for such an amazing recipe plus the fewer the ingredients married is the making.
Larry Sclafani
http://nextbestreview.com/
A fantastic recipe, this is my new go-to for cut outs!
I found chilling the bowl in the fridge while getting things together helped the butter from warming up too much during the process, pre-measuring ingredients too, so you can just add them in and not have it mixing for too long. 1/2 -1c of flour extra (full recipe) didn’t take away from the flavor or sweetness when I’ve needed it.
I love lemon zest in these. Thanks for sharing this!