All the cookies have been baked, packed up and delivered. Next up will be my annual cookie box. But first let’s discuss this easy sugar cookie recipe. It’s so simple, foolproof and the buttery sugar cookie dough is perfect for cut-out cookie decorating for any holiday. Best of all is that the dough doesn’t need to be chilled. Once baked they are decorated with a simple sugar icing.  

I’ve kept the decorations very simple. No piping required. Either spread the icing with an offset spatula or dip the cookies in the icing, giving them a gentle shake to get the icing to spread to the edges. It doesn’t matter if the icing spills over the edges. Decorate with your choice of sprinkles and place on a parchment lined baking sheet until the icing hardens and sets.

Recipe Ingredients

This is a simple recipe with minimal ingredients. It’s important that the butter, half & half and eggs are all cold.

• Butter
• Granulated Sugar
• Half & Half
• Almond Extract
• Eggs
• Baking Powder
• Kosher Salt

What Makes this Recipe so Good?

• The flavour is buttery and delicious
• The cookies are crisp on the edges, but soft and chewy in the centre. 
• The dough doesn’t need to be chilled before rolling and cutting out shapes.

Print Pin

No-Chill Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

Course Dessert

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted cold butter, cut in cubes
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp half and half, cold
• 1 tsp almond extract or pure vanilla extract
• 3 large eggs, cold
• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp kosher salt

For the Icing:

• 3 cups powdered sugar
• ¼ cup half and half

Instructions

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 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, almond extract and 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 ¼ cup of flour at a time until it comes together smoothly.
• On a floured surface, roll half of the dough to ¼-inch thickness.
• Cut into desired shapes. Repeat with remaining dough.
• 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.

For the Icing

• Whisk 3 cups powdered sugar and ¼ 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

NOTE: this recipe makes about 36 – 40 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutters.
Recipe from TheBakerMama