Introduction

Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are a delightful treat perfect for decorating and sharing. These tender, buttery cookies hold their shape well and pair beautifully with a smooth royal icing for a festive finish.

The image shows sugar cookies on a round, metal cooling rack placed on a white marbled textured surface. There are two heart-shaped cookies in the center, each covered with smooth, glossy yellow icing and topped with colorful round sprinkles in red, green, blue, white, and pink, mostly concentrated on one side. Around the hearts are star-shaped cookies with smooth white icing and a similar pattern of vibrant sprinkles. At the top left corner, a white piping bag is partially visible, and a woman's hand appears to be holding or guiding it just outside the frame. Some loose sprinkles are scattered on the surface and rack. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

2 ½ cups flour (*see note)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon kosher salt
½ cup melted butter
1 cup sugar
1 whole egg
2 teaspoons vanilla
1 box powdered sugar (1 lb / 454g)
6 ½ tablespoons lemon juice (juice from approximately 2 medium lemons, 85 g)
¼ cup dried egg whites (or meringue powder 22g)
Milk (as needed, approximately 20 g)
¾ cup powdered sugar (for simple icing)
¼ teaspoon vanilla extract (for simple icing)
3-5 teaspoons milk (for simple icing)

Instructions

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
Step 2: In another large bowl, melt the butter just until melted but not hot. Whisk in the sugar, followed by the egg and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is emulsified with no visible streaks.
Step 3: Slowly stir the flour mixture into the wet ingredients.
Step 4: Finish mixing the dough by hand, squeezing it together to incorporate the flour without overworking it.
Step 5: Roll the dough at room temperature between two pieces of parchment paper to about ¼ inch thickness. Alternatively, roll on a lightly floured surface.
Step 6: Refrigerate the rolled dough until chilled, at least 30 minutes but ideally 2 hours or overnight to relax the gluten.
Step 7: Preheat the oven to 325°F (convection) or 350°F (conventional) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 8: Remove parchment from both sides of the dough. Use a lightly floured cookie cutter to cut shapes, then chill the cut cookies for about 20 minutes before baking.
Step 9: Bake cookies for 7-9 minutes until the centers look matte with a few small cracks and some edges begin to brown. Bake similar shapes on one sheet for even baking.
Step 10: Let cookies cool completely before decorating with icing.
Step 11: To make royal icing, combine dried egg whites and lemon juice in a large bowl or stand mixer. Whisk until soft peaks form.
Step 12: Add all the powdered sugar and whisk until fully combined.
Step 13: Divide icing into bowls and add food coloring if desired. Adjust consistency following the ribbon test: for outlining, icing should slowly cascade and remain visible on the surface for 5-6 seconds before fading; for flooding, it should disappear almost instantly.
Step 14: To make simple icing, whisk together ¾ cup powdered sugar, ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract, and 3-5 teaspoons milk. Add milk gradually until the icing flows from the whisk but holds a brief line on the surface.

Tips & Variations

Rolling the dough between parchment paper prevents sticking and makes clean cutouts easier.
Chill dough and cut cookies before baking to maintain shape and prevent spreading.
Use meringue powder as a substitute for dried egg whites in royal icing if preferred.
For lemon-flavored icing, increase lemon juice slightly but adjust powdered sugar to keep consistency.
Decorate with food-safe markers or colored sugars for creative variations.

Storage

Store baked and completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Decorated cookies with royal icing can be stored similarly but avoid stacking to preserve decorations. For longer storage, freeze undecorated cookies for up to three months; thaw completely before icing. Reheat is not recommended as it may soften the cookies.

How to Serve

A close-up image of a star-shaped sugar cookie with two visible layers: the thick, light beige cookie layer at the bottom with a slightly grainy texture, and the smooth, glossy yellow icing layer on top that covers the cookie completely, decorated with small colorful round sprinkles in red, blue, green, pink, white, and yellow scattered unevenly across the icing; the cookie rests on a rustic metal cooling rack which sits on a white marbled surface, with parts of other similarly iced cookies visible in the blurred background. Photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use regular egg whites instead of dried egg whites for royal icing?

Yes, you can substitute fresh egg whites, but use pasteurized eggs for food safety. Adjust the amount to about two egg whites for the quantity listed, and whisk until stiff peaks form just like with dried egg whites.

Why are my sugar cookies spreading too much while baking?

Cookies may spread if the dough is too warm when baking or if too much butter is used. Be sure to chill the dough and cut cookies well before baking. Also, avoid rolling the dough too thin to maintain structure.