The SOFTEST Sugar Cookies of Your Life (That Hold Their Shape)
A secret ingredient in this sugar cookies recipe makes these cookies the SOFTEST and most flavorful cookies of your life! And they even hold their shape after baking, so you get exactly what you want instead of sad blob cookies. (Frost them with The BEST Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies.)
Originally posted March 15, 2017
I’m doing dishes in the kitchen when all the sudden I hear the saddest, most piercing cry come out of 4 month old Valentine. Slightly panicked, I ask Eric what happened, and he said, “I kissed her.” Oh the drawbacks of having a beard. This actually happens all the time. Poor baby faced Valentine!
I went running last week for the first time in a very long time (like, pre-pregnancy…) I ran for 20 solid minutes and probably only went a mile and a half. (Picture a slug glorping along on the sidewalk and you pretty much have an idea of me running.)
Anyway, when I got home both of my big toes were killing me, and since then they have developed dark bruises underneath my nails. You know what this means, right. Get new shoes? Learn how to run the right way? No. Listen people, it’s a sign. The sign says DON’T EVER GO RUNNING AGAIN KAREN.
Instead, eat alllll the sugar cookies.
How to make sugar cookies
I’m super excited to share this recipe with you guys today! I’ve been working on this post for a while now. The recipe is adapted from my sister-in-law Sandi. I wrote it down in pencil in a notebook years ago and have been tweaking it ever since. They are good sugar cookies, for sure, but I was on the hunt for a secret ingredient that would make them next-level.
Recently Mel from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe posted these White Velvet Sugar Cookies, which has cream cheese in the dough. I was super excited to try cream cheese in my recipe, and it worked out beautifully. The cookies are tender and soft and have a delicious flavor with a tiny bit of a tang from the cream cheese. I tested this recipe a few times and didn’t make frosting every time, and I enjoyed the cookies all by themselves. They are sweet but not overwhelming. (The frosting takes care of that.) They have tons of flavor from the butter, and almond and vanilla extracts.
Sugar cookies for me MUST be super soft. No crunchy edges please. I want a THICK cookie with a THICK layer of frosting. And please, none of this royal icing business. Give me the goods. Go buttercream or go home. (Although I have many friends who create delicious works of art using royal icing, like my friend Glory at Glorious Treats. Just look at these! Or these!! So amazing.)
Sticky dough.
The Best Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
I researched a bunch of my favorite blog’s sugar cookie recipes for sugar cookie tips, because I’m actually kind of a newbie at this sugar cookie business. Kristyn from Lil’ Luna suggested on Instagram stories the other day (I’m a little obsessed with Instagram stories, anyone else??) that sugar cookies ought to be rolled out to about 3/8 inch so that they are nice and thick when they go in the oven. I’ve never rolled them that thick before and it made a huge difference!!
This is 3/8 inch. Thiiiiick.
Don’t forget to put some flour on your cookie cutter. On the right: I use my finger to get the excess flour/dough off the outside of the cookie cutter. I used a knife to get it out of the corners of the shamrock.
I like to use a pastry brush to get the flour off the tops of the shaped cookies. The one on the right is already baked. It still looks like a shamrock!
Here’s another example. Snowflakes, not snow blobs.
On the left: this is half the dough rolled out. On the right: all the cookies from an entire batch. How many you get depends on what shape cookie cutters you use.
Here’s the bottom of a baked cookie. It’s not browned at all and okay, okay, you may want to let it go a minute or two longer than this, especially if you plan to gift them to someone (as opposed to eating them over the kitchen sink, which was my plan for this cookie.) Also, do you see that dark spot in the center of the cookie? Perfectly under baked. Yum.
Tips for making the best sugar cookie
I read over on my friend Kayley’s blog (The Kitchen McCabe) that if you put the sugar cookies into a tupperware right after they have cooled a few minutes on the pan, they will stay softer longer. Genius! (I also learned this frosting technique from Kayley, (below) I’ll show you how to do it on Friday when I publish the buttercream recipe that goes with these cookies. (<<UPDATED, here’s the recipe!) Kayley did an ombre Easter egg, it’s so gorgeous! I’m not a great froster, Kayley’s the one with the skillz.)
I’ve figured out my absolute favorite buttercream frosting to top these cookies with and will be sharing the recipe on Friday, so stay tuned! UPDATED, here’s the buttercream recipe!)
Are you an expert with sugar cookies? Do you have any other tips for amazing sugar cookies? SPILL!
Sugar Cookies for every holiday
Did I mention I decided to tackle all the holidays at once? Scroll past the recipe to see Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Halloween, 4th of July…
If you make any of my recipes, share it on Instagram using the hashtag #TheFoodCharlatan so I can see it! I love that.
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The SOFTEST Sugar Cookies of Your Life (That Hold Their Shape)
Makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on the shape adjust servingsIngredients
- 3/4 cup (1 and 1/2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 1 and 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 and 3/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups flour, spooned and leveled
Instructions
- In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter on medium speed until it is soft and fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Add the softened cream cheese and continue to beat for 1 minute, until well incorporated.
- Add the sugar and beat well, 1-2 minutes, until fluffy.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract. Beat well. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula. This is my spatula that I love and use for every baking project.
- Add salt and flour and beat until just barely combined, scraping the sides and bottom again. Do not stir too much or you will make your dough tough. The dough is pretty sticky!
- Scrape the dough out onto a sheet of plastic wrap (or into a ziplock or tupperware). Cover or wrap tightly and put it in the fridge for 2 hours (or overnight) or in the freezer for 1-2 hours. (If I am in a hurry I will split the dough in half and wrap separately so that it will chill faster.)
- When the dough is completely chilled, preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line 2-3 baking sheets with silpat baking mats or parchment paper.
- Prepare a work surface with a light dusting of flour.*
- If you have not already split the dough in half, do so now. Put any dough that you are not working with in the fridge.
- Use floured hands to flatten out the dough a bit, then use a rolling pin to roll it and smooth it out a little bit. Don't go too crazy here, remember we want the cookies to be THICK, about 3/8 inch. I actually busted out the measuring tape for this step. No crisp cookies, please.
- Lightly dust your chosen cookie cutters with flour. Press firmly into the dough, utilizing your space wisely. Use your finger or a knife (depending on the shape) to wipe away the excess flour/dough on the outer edge of the cookie cutter before pushing them out onto the pan. This helps you get clean lines.
- Place the shaped dough on the prepared baking sheet. If you are using multiple cookie cutter shapes, bake all of the same shape on the same pan. Otherwise your smaller cookies will get over baked. Leave at least 1 inch in between each cookie.
- If you've taken long enough that your shaped cookies are no longer chilled, place the baking sheet in the fridge or freezer for a couple minutes.
- Scrape together the excess dough and knead it together once or twice (as little as possible), then roll it out again to 3/8. Don't overwork the dough! (It will get tough.) Continue until the dough is gone. Refrigerate the dough as necessary. They should go into the oven cool.
- Bake the shaped cookies at 350 for about 9 minutes for smaller cookies, and about 10-11 minutes for larger cookies. Do NOT over bake. You do not want the edges or tops to brown at all. The cookies should be barely browned on the bottom. See photos.
- Leave the cookies on the pan for 5 minutes, then immediately transfer to a large tupperware and cover until they are completely cooled and you are ready to frost.
- Frost cookies with The BEST Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies!
by The Food Charlatan
More frosted cookies you will love!
The Softest Chocolate Sugar Cookies << a chocolate version of this recipe
Coconut Frosted Sugar Cookies with Strawberry Hearts << if you are desperate to make today’s recipe before I post the buttercream frosting on Friday, use this frosting. It’s amazing.
Mint Chocolate Chip Cookies << these are one of the top recipes on my site!
More sugar cookie recipes for you to check out!
White Velvet Sugar Cookies from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Super Soft Sugar Cookies from The Kitchen McCabe (frosting technique)
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies from Shugary Sweets
Sugar Cookies from The Girl Who Ate Everything
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I was so excited to come across your sugar cookie recipe! It sounded exactly like what I had been looking for. I gathered all ingredients and followed the recipe exactly as written. My question is: why didn’t my dough come out sticky? It was more along the lines like pie crust dough. I didn’t want to lose hope so, I kept moving forward. Then when I tried to roll out the dough, it kept cracking. I did manage to get about a baker’s dozen out of what dough I had. I lined a cookie sheet with parchment paper and followed tour instructions to watch them so they wouldn’t brown. They ended up browning on the bottom (I suspect maybe my oven runs hotter than what it says… better get an oven thermometer!). With all of this said, they are still good but, do you happen to know why the dough wasn’t sticky? What could you recommend for when I make them again (I’m not giving up)?
Hi Lauri, that sounds frustrating! Sounds like a case of too much flour in the dough. Did you spoon and level the flour? That means Using a spoon to fill the measuring cup, then leveling off the top. As for the oven, maybe try lowering the temp 25 degrees and baking longer? you could also try rotating the pan halfway. Good luck! Keep me updated!
I have been looking for a wonderful cut out cookie for years!!! I finally found it with this one. The cookie is even better the second day!!! The flavor and softness was perfect!!!
These are hands down the BEST sugar cookies I’ve ever had. I’d make these any holiday 😍😍😍
Love love love this recipe! I finally found my GOTO recipe for sugar cookies. I did everything exactly as stated. I even used the parchment paper to roll out my dough. I made three pans, one pan of cookies actually came out all brown on the bottom and I was worried that batch was going to be like a rock. But to my pleasant surprise, they were still so soft in the center, yes a little more firm than the other two batches but still soft none the less. This recipe is my NEW, now and forever, Christmas, valentines, Easter, and rainy day cookies.
Oh and just to add. I didn’t use any almond extract due to an allergy in the family.
I made these today for the first time. Soft and delicious BUT …. the Almond extract overpowers the cookie. I even added Less than the recipe called for. Ugh. I will be giving these cookies away. Warning! Unless you really love the taste of almond, you’re better off leaving that ingredient out!
Bummer Edith! Next time replace with vanilla!
Hello! Just brought these out of the refrigerator and they seem so hard :( how will I roll them! LOL
Hi Tina! Just leave it on the counter for a few minutes, it will soften up and roll out just fine. Enjoy!
I feel the same way about frosting! We must be sisters in a former life!!!
What type of flour did you use? I noticed no baking powder in recipe.
Hi Dana! Regular all purpose flour. and no powder! We don’t want these cookies spreading so no leaveners in sight :) enjoy!
I make these cookies every year at Christmas time and sometimes even in between!!! They are my family’s favorite!!!!!
Do these freeze well?
Hi Danielle! Yes I freeze the frosted cookies every year when I make massive amounts of these for Christmas! Freeze frosted in a sealed container, they will stay fresh at least two weeks. (Or freeze unfrosted!) Let thaw in the sealed container at room temp. Enjoy!
These are terrible. There is no baking powder to give them rise and make them fluffy so they are super dense, and also underbaked if you follow the suggested baking times. There is a way to make soft cookies, but not baking them long enough is not that way. Do yourself a favor and don’t waste your time or ingredients on this recipe.
Oh so sad Jenn! I’m sorry they didn’t work out for you! I stand by my no-leavening-agent in this recipe. it’s what makes them chewy! I’m literally on the computer right now to grab the recipe to make a quadruple batch of these for my kids classrooms tomorrow, haha. Bummer you didn’t like them. Merry Christmas!
These are wonderful. There is no baking powder in them and that is what gives them their great chewy texture. And not over-baking makes for a softer cookie. Do yourself a favor and make these cookies now! Thank you, Danielle for sharing this amazing recipe. Everyone loves them! :)
What is the textural difference between your cookies and the ones you mentioned from Mel? I just wanted to know how they compare or differ. Thank you!
Hi Bambi! I’ve actually never tried Mel’s recipe! I just saw that she had added cream cheese to sugar cookies and adapted the idea to my own recipe.
I’m currently in a country where I can only get basic baking ingredients. So far, the only extract I can find is vanilla. I’m not a baker but I’d really like to make these for an upcoming event. Any recommendations for substituting the almond extract with vanilla extract when vanilla extract is already in the recipe?
Hi Dhalia! Just replace all the other extracts called for with vanilla extract! This goes for the buttercream frosting recipe too, if you’re using it.
Hi! My mom makes these and they are delicious! Wondering if you can freeze these, but already cut into their shapes? Would you have to let them thaw or could you just bake them? Thanks!
Hi Britania! You can bake these straight from frozen! You will probably need to add a couple minutes to the bake time, so keep an eye on it. Great question! Enjoy!
Hi!! I tried a recipe fairly close to this one. My dough was so incredibly sticky that it wouldn’t roll out, it wouldn’t come off my fingers and it stuck using the cookie cutters. I did the basic stuff to help like placing flour on my baking mat, on the cutters, my fingers, rolling pin, etc. Your picture and your directions state this recipe will be sticky. Any suggestions?, as I am afraid to try this recipe though it looks fabulous!!
Hi Cindy. It’s definitely not THAT sticky! Try it out, I think you will have a better experience. Tell me how it goes!
After attempting sugar cookies for years and getting that hard crispy too brown bland cookie I had almost given up hope. But THESE… these are unbelievable – this is now my go to sugar cookie recipe forever. Thank you so much for sharing. And I loved your icing recipe as well – thick and soft and super flavorful. I do have a question on if you have a recommendation for a royal icing recipe that would be a bit thinner and more importantly allow you to flood the icing onto the cookie to make more of a thin “shell”? I’m thinking about making these and shipping them and I think that would work a bit better? I could google a royal icing recipe, but honestly after trying your recipes I’d prefer your recipe for royal icing if you are willing to share? :)
Hard crispy too brown bland cookies are really the worst right?? And sadly the norm for most sugar cookies!! I’m so glad these worked out for you. I don’t have a royal icing recipe on the blog yet, but thank you for your trust :) Here is a recipe from my friend Amy, who has great recipes. Enjoy!
There isn’t baking powder or soda in this? Please tell me now 🙄 I’m baking these now
Hi Heather! Nope none at all! It’s what makes them so chewy!
Thank you so much, these are great! :) thank you.
I tried a different blogger’s recipe last week and it was thin and crunchy and brown. I hated them. I had a glorious cookie from a local bakery and have been trying to recreate them. This recipe is to die for! I will be trying royal icing with them tomorrow but I made a test batch and I am in love! My 1 year old and I ate more than we should have and now we are going to bed full and happy! This is definitely my new go to recipe for cookies and it was so easy!
I’m so glad you loved the recipe Ashley! And oh, I think we’ve all had the sad crunchy brown cookie experience before. Such a tragedy ;) So happy you have a new go-to recipe! Thanks for reviewing!
First off, I have been using this recipe for almost a year and it is PERFECT!! Perfect every single time.
Today I used it in a 12” pizza pan to make a cookie cake. It was amazing again. No tweaks! Perfection. Just needed extra time in the oven. I recipe filled the pan. Thanks so much!
Oh hooray, I’m so glad the recipe is a staple for you Annie! And I LOVE the pizza pan twist! How awesome is that? What a great idea. Thank you so much for sharing!!
Hi Annie,
Any tips on cooking larger sugar cookies? I always find that my dark center is quick large and if I bake any longer, the edges get brown/crispy. Thanks in advance!!
-Cindy
So I NEVER comment on recipes I’ve tried before because I’m never particularly blown away or feel so compelled. BUT, in this case, I absolutely have to! These are, without a doubt, the best cookies I’ve made in my life…compared to any other drop cookie as well as shaped sugar cookie. The dough is a dream to work with, and the end result is flavorful (just the right amount) and so soft. I ended up decorating them with royal icing and they still tasted amazing. I’ve found *the one* when it comes to sugar cookie recipes…I will ONLY be using this one from now on for shaped sugar cookies, and am already looking forward to the next time I can make them again…probably for Christmas (I just made some candy corn shaped ones for Halloween the other day). My family members raved about them, too. All I can say is THANK YOU!!!
Hooray! I’m so glad you liked them Emma! These are one of my favorite cookies too. How can you deny a cookie that’s so soft?? Glad they worked well with royal icing. Thank you for sharing your experience and taking the time to comment!
Hey! I made some dough but the event I was making it for got postponed, can I freeze the dough? If so for how long?
Absolutely Emma! You can freeze it well sealed for up to 3 months!
Remarkable!! These are sooooo good AND easy to make! I bake a lot, but typically steer clear of cutout cookies. The rolling, sticking, uneven cutouts, etc. But, this dough is a dream to work with. Rolled beautifully right from the fridge after a chill for a few hours.
I actually used a scalloped biscuit cutter I had to cut these out, and the scalloped edge is so defined! Baked perfectly for 10 minutes in my oven. That almond flavor, omg I love it!
Used your delicious, BEST buttercream frosting too. I was going to pipe rosettes but got a little lazy ( I was making these while working from home…ssshhhh) so I just spread the frosting on with an offset spatula and put some sprinkles on top.
I’m actually excited to make these again, soon. So many options with design! Thank you for a wonderful recipe!!
I’m so happy the recipe was a success for you Julie! I used to not love making sugar cookies either, before I found this recipe! All that work for not great results. But now it’s fun because they work every time! Thanks for the detailed review Julie!
Hi there!
I’m struggling with knowing whether my cookies are fully cooked after the baking time. It seems even if I cook them for longer than recommended, there’s like a dark shadow across the top, and if I break into them, they seem underdone. I’m worried for those cookies that I give away that the egg isn’t fully cooked. What should they look like on the inside?? The tops and bottoms always look nice a dry and pale, but the inside is a bit darker and more moist looking, which leads me to believe they’re not done.
I appreciate any advice you could give!
Hi Jennifer! I think this might just be a personal preference thing. You will notice that dark shadow on all the cookies in my post, I bake them that way on purpose so they turn out super soft. If you don’t like your cookies to be under baked, then leave them in a couple minutes longer, although they will be crispier. I don’t think you need to worry at all about the egg being undercooked. After 8-9 minutes at 350 degrees, any potential salmonella from the eggs will have been cooked out, even if they are a bit dark in the center. As long as the cookie hold it’s shape and isn’t wet in the middle, you are good to go. Hope this helps!
These are THE BEST sugar cookies out there! Thank you so so so so much for this recipe. I now make these in different shapes for EVERY holiday for my family. They love them every day of the year. Thank you! Genius, truly.
I love this recipe and have used it countless times. I have had trouble on and off with the consistency of the middle being fully cooked though and wanted to know if you had any advice. I have oven thermometers on both sides of my oven to make sure the internal temp is 350 degrees, and I cook it on the middle rack, 1 inch apart, but it seems like no matter what my range is for cooking time, they seem to end up more on the raw side in the middle. I am also making sure they are 3/8 thick. Any tips to get more consistent cooking through the cookie would be greatly appreciated!
Hi Erin! Every oven is different unfortunately, so bake times are always going to have a bit of a range. It sounds like you need to bake them a little bit longer! Are you saying that even when you bake a long time, they are raw in the middle? and getting brown on the edges? That is very odd! It should bake eventually if you leave it in there long enough!
Hi food charlatan! Just wondering, can I warm my butter up in the microwave? Thanks! :)
Hi Willow! Yes, you can, put it in the microwave in 30 second increments at power level ONE. I do it all the time!
I am so happy I came across this recipe! The cookies turned out, and even after a few days, they remained soft and luscious. I know you are all about buttercream versus royal icing, but I needed to ship these and opted for a royal icing/glaze hybrid. Still tasted great to me! I did note a little bit of spread, but nothing drastic or blobby.
So happy you loved the recipe Angie! And royal icing is a great idea for shipping, buttercream would not go over well :) Thank you so much for reviewing!
My teenage son asked me to make him sugar cookies last night. Haven’t tried your recipe yet but I will be surprising him with some Halloween cookies. Glad I stumbled across your page! I have been on the hunt for that perfect sugar cookie recipe like the pros make and I hope I have found it. Will update after I bake them
I’m so glad you found my recipe Katie! I hope you and your son enjoy the cookies! I have a chocolate version of this recipe, and there are some fun frosting ideas (spiderweb designs) that you might have fun trying out, if you’re going with a Halloween theme. Enjoy!
With this recipe I not only made the best cookies I’ve ever made in my entire life, but they are hands down the best sugar cookie I’ve ever tasted, whether homemade or store bought. And they really do stay perfecty soft for days (I should know, I hid 1/2 the batch from my husband so I could enjoy one every morning with my coffee. ) I have thought of them every day since I made them last week and am a little afraid to make them again because I’m sitting around a lot in quarrantine, and they will get eaten way too quickly.
thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe!!
I’m so happy you love the recipe so much Aishi! That’s how I feel about this recipe; no other sugar cookie will ever be good enough! I have also been known to hide these cookies. Thank you so much for reviewing!
I made these cookies a few years ago and they were absolutely amazing!!! Our family lived them. They had great flavor and they held their shape and we did really intricate shaes and edges. I was amazed. Thank you so much for sharing the recipe.
Hooray! So glad they turned out well Jessie! Thank you for reviewing!
Alli have is all purpose flour…is that ok?
Hi Mandy, yes that is the best flour to use!
We made these this weekend for Easter. They are supposed to last until Sunday but I don’t think that’s going to happen! I love this recipe!
Ha I’ve so been there Christi! I guess you will have to make them again ;) So glad you liked them, thanks for reviewing!
I’m not even done baking, but I have to share. These are the best cookies I have ever made. I doubled the recipe and I’m not joking when I say my husband and I are eating these as they come out of the oven. I was hoping to share with my quilting group but I make no promises.
No promises, haha! What the quilting group doesn’t know won’t hurt them :) So glad you are enjoying the cookies Pam, thanks so much for reviewing!
LOVE LOVE LOVE this recipe!!
Truly the BEST sugar cookies EVER!!!! After finding this recipe, I have ditched all my other sugar cookie recipes. Think I have made about 5 batches in the last 6 months. Everyone loves them. 😋😋😋
I was wondering why you use cornstarch in some of your cookie recipes and not in all of them? I think adding cornstarch would make any cookie tender, can it be added to any cookie recipe?
Hi Patsy! Yes, cornstarch will make your cookies a bit softer. This recipe doesn’t need it because the cream cheese takes care of that! I use cornstarch when I want an extra soft cookie texture. And yes, generally speaking you can usually add about a tablespoon or so of cornstarch to any cookie recipe (in place of flour), although obviously there are exceptions!
I love your recipes and especially your comments about friends and family. I will be trying these cookie recipes soon
Thank you for reading and being here Patsy! Enjoy the cookies!
This is my go to recipe for quick and easy sweets
Ugh anyone know what I did wrong? I made the dough yesterday, wrapped it in plastic wrap to keep in the fridge overnight, and this morning it’s rock hard. Like way too hard to roll out.
Hi Hannah! Just give it a few minutes sitting out on the counter, it will soften up!
I’ve made these a few months back, they were delicious and didn’t last long in my house!
I plan on making again for my daughters birthday on Saturday, I want to make them today as I have lots of baking and cooking to do for the party, I plan on waiting a day to frost them with royal icing instead. Will they last till this Saturday? How long do they stay good for?
Hi Olivia! I would bake the cookies and then freeze them. I do it all the time! Take them out the day you want to eat them and frost then. Or, if your royal icing needs time to set up, frost them one day ahead. Enjoy!
I’ve been searching for the best thick sugar cookie recipe ever since I ate a professional baker’s sugar cookies. This is it! These taste like what the pros make, and the texture is heavenly! This will now be my go-to recipe for sugar cookies!
Hooray! I’m so glad you’ve found a recipe you love! I agree, the texture is where it’s at. Thanks so much for reviewing Kim!
Ok what did I do wrong? Do you really use all 3 cups of flour? After I was done combining everything my dough was not sticky whatsoever, it was very loose and dry! I don’t know what I did! Please help.
Hi Stephanie! That is very strange, I’m not sure what went wrong! The dough is pretty sticky. Is it possible you packed your flour too much?
Omg delicious cookies the best ever
No need for baking soda or baking powder?
Hi Debbie, nope, no leavening at all!
Can you double the recipe is d divide into 4 portions?
Yes Angue, I just did that yesterday when I doubled this! Enjoy!
Do you think I could skip the cream cheese? I don’t have any on hand. If so, should I use more butter in its place?
Hi nikki! Sure you can replace it with butter. They won’t be the best sugar cookies though, in my opinion. They will be good, but the cream cheese is what makes them so soft.
AND, I forgot to mention the egg replacement was from Red Mill! Thank you! Everyone loves your recipe!
Someone mentioned using ricotta cheese, all they have to do is look for a good Italian Sugar Cookie Recipe.
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter, softened15 ounces ricotta cheese
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 eggs
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
3 tablespoons milk
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bow, with the mixer a low speed, beat the sugar and butter until combined. Increase speed to high and beat until light and fluffy (about 5 minutes). Reduce speed to medium and beat in the ricotta, vanilla and eggs.
Reduce speed to low. Add flour, baking powder and salt; beat until dough forms.
Drop dough by level tablespoons, about 2 inches apart; onto the prepared baking sheets. Bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for about 15 minutes or until cookies are very lightly golden (cookies will be soft). With spatula, remove cookies to wire rack to cool.
When cookies are cool, prepare icing. In small bowl, stir confectioners’ sugar and milk until smooth. With small spreader, spread icing on cookies; place a candied cherry piece on top of each cookie or sprinkle with colored sugar or candy sprinkles.
Happy Holidays🎄🎁
how fun, thank you for sharing Annette!! I’ve never made these I will have to try it out!
It’s about time I give YOU the credit for cookies I’ve been making for every holiday! And, they are vegan! For the animals❤️ I use Daiya cream cheese, Earth Balance butter, and bone char-free sugar. I make your butter cream frosting vegan, as well!
No way Angie you get the credit on this one! That is awesome, thank you for sharing your vegan tips! I think this will be really helpful to so many readers!!
I was wondering how a dairy free version would turn out. Thanks for sharing!
Love this recipe! The only issue I ran into though was when I put the fresh cookies in the Tupperware to cool they stuck together and when I took them apart it tore the middle off each cookie just slightly. It’ll be fine because the frosting will cover, but just a warning to others!
Oh sad Brittany! I’m glad they didn’t get completely broken! And hopefully covering with frosting solves the problem. Thanks for sharing so others can avoid this! Next time make sure the cookies have had a chance to cool completely (or most of the way) before storing.
They are soft (mushy in fact inside) and hold their shape, but have little flavor. I’ll go back to my “best” sugar cookies from All Recipes. Those are delicious, and flavor is the reason I go to this trouble to make cookies.
Add more almond flavor to increase taste.
Hi! Excited to try this recipe for the first time today, but I have one question: If I use Royal (or no) icing, would they survive shipping from West to East Coast? Thanks!
Hi Dona! If you use Royal icing and package them with great care, yes, I think you could ship these! You could also try brushing with water or corn syrup and sprinkling with sanding sugar. Enjoy and Merry Christmas!
could I use ricotta cheese instead of cream cheese? This cookie sounds wonderful.
Hi Joan! I’ve never tried it with ricotta and would be nervous about it because ricotta is much wetter than cream cheese. Let me know if you try it out and how it goes!
Hands down the best cookie recipe we have had! I doubled the recipe (12 kids) and used a teaspoon of maple extract and minus the almond extract. And of course use the extra vanilla to make up for the rest Of the almond extract I did not use.I made a cream cheese frosting and this is now my go to sugar cookie recipe. rolled out awesome and the shapes stayed perfect
Ooh I love the idea of using maple instead of almond! What a fun twist! Thanks for the tip Adrianne, so glad you’re loving the recipe.
Best tasting, soft as can be, and they hold their shape…hallelujah! This has been our family’s go to recipe for basically every holiday since we discovered it. Thanks a million, Karen. Go ahead with your bad a** self.
Bahaha!! my kids just all turned to look at me because I barked out laughing when I read this. I’ll just go ahead then!! haha! :) So glad you are loving the recipe Melanie, thanks for the comment!
Could you ice these with Royal Icing?
You sure can Marisa!
I read someplace to use sugar instead of flour to roll the cookies out and dip the cutter. I haven’t tried it yet but I like the idea. Have you tried it?
Hi Jojo! I’ve heard that too but haven’t tried it out! I’m sure it would work great, the goal is just to make them not stick. I usually take the time to brush off excess flour before baking, so drying out my cookies isn’t an issue. Let me know how it goes!
I have made these cookies on more than one occasion and they are a HUGE hit!!!! They bake up nicely, stay soft, hold their shape and taste amazing. This has become my go-to recipe.
I’m do happy to hear that Sherry! Once you find a great sugar cookie recipe, you are set! So glad the search is over. Thanks for the review!! :)
LOVE these!! I made them gluten free using a 1 to 1 gf flour. ( Bobs Red Mill)
They turned out soft and really yummy. I did a combination of vanilla and almond extract. Thank you! Shape held up perfectly.
This recipe is a keeper!! I never made cut out sugar cookies because all the ones I’ve had before never tasted good at all. These are some delicious sugar cookies. LOVE the flavor and they turned out so soft. I followed the exact recipe except only put it 1tsp of almond extract instead of 1 and 3/4 tsp. They hold the shapes perfectly too. Thanks for my first great sugar cookies experience.
I’m so happy to hear how much you love the recipe Linh! Crunchy or dry sugar cookies are such a disappointment. Thanks so much for the helpful review!
I made the cookies exactly as in the recipe. They were delicious! However I want them a little less sweeter. If I cut back on the sugar should I replace the sugar with flour? Or just cut back on the sugar?
Hey Leticia! So sugar actually plays a few different roles in cookies, it’s not just the sweetness they add. So just be aware that messing with it too much is going to change the nature of the cookie. I would say start by decreasing the sugar by 1/4 cup or so and see how it does. Or maybe even 1/3 cup. Let me know how it goes!
I see there is no baking soda or powder. Is this right? They sound like they are turning out great. I hope so. I am going to give them a go.
Hi Kim, no baking soda or powder is correct! It’s what makes them nice and chewy and taste non-cakey. Enjoy!
I love sugar cookies but don’t like almond extract can I use just vanilla extract and would that be 2 3/4 tsp? Thank you
Hey Jen! Yes just replace all of the almond extract with vanilla!
This is truly a great recipe, and the cookies are perfect for cookie cutters. I made these for the first time and turned out awesome. I vac sealed them and froze them after decorating, pulled out today (3 months later) and they tasted like they just came out of oven….DELICIOUS!!
This is awesome Perriann! That is so good to know that they keep so well, if sealed properly. Thanks so much for the info!
I obviously did something horribly wrong. This is the only sugar cookie recipe I have ever made that came out like rocks. Guess if you would dip them in milk they would be edible.
I’m so sad to hear that Donna! Any idea what went wrong? My friend made these the other day and accidentally left out the sugar. Tragic!!
Can these be kept at room temperature, since there is cream cheese in them? I’ve seen a few other sugar cookie recipes with the cream cheese that say only keep out one day, or put in refrigerator for up to 7 days,
Hey Kara! The cream cheese is baked into the cookie, so no need to refrigerate. Great question! If the cream cheese were in the frosting, then I would say refrigerate.
I made these cookies, but I cut the salt in half. They were delicious. I also tried making them with lemon extract because I was out of vanilla and almond. Also very good. Thank you for the great recipe. It’s a keeper.
Love the lemon extract idea! Thanks for the tip Angela!
This was our 2018 Christmas Cookie of year. They were so delicious and soft and the Best Buttercream Frosting made them sooo good. I baked mine 11 – 13 minutes and they were perfect. Thanks again, Karen.
Thanks for this amazingly delicious recipe! It was so easy to follow your instructions and they turned our perfect with your buttercream recipe. I was skeptical that they were going to taste undercooked when I took them out so early but they just tasted amazing! Thanks!
I’m so glad the tips were helpful Debra! I spend a lot of time writing out detailed posts so I’m glad to know it’s appreciated :) Thanks for commenting!
Just made them today with my daughter and 22 month old granddaughter, she handled the sprinkles. Easy to make, held their shape beautifully. Sadly for me the almond extract taste is overwhelming. Will probably cut it out completely for the next batch.
Sorry the almond wasn’t for you Carolyn! Just sub vanilla next time. The kids are always in charge of sprinkles around here too, it makes for some interesting decorations ;)
Just made them for Christmas, Best sugar cookies ever!!! Also made the frosting, adding another 1/4 of salt to get a salty sweet taste. DELICIOUS 😋
Yessss another salt lover :) I’m glad you liked it Michelle!!
You mentioned cream in the buttercream frosting for the soft sugar cookie. What kind of cream or what do u mean? I want to make sure I do this right.
Hey Kathy! I used heavy cream, but any type of cream will work. You can also use milk in a pinch. Enjoy!
Hello! I was wondering if I could freeze the dough for a couple of days before baking it off?
Thank you! I cannot wait to try these!
Hey Natalie, yes absolutely you can freeze it! Let it thaw in the ziplock in the fridge over night.
I see it calls for salted butter and added salt in recipe…is there a certain kind of butter or salt you use so they are not too salty? I have never use salted butter in a sugar cookie recipe before so just wanted to confirm! They look delicious! Hope to try them today.
Hi Stacy! I always use salted butter, but you can totally use unsalted butter if you like! It’s just a personal preference.
Is the almond extract amount an important ingredient ? I want to add less as last time I didn’t like that taste.
Absolutely Lorrie! Replace all extracts with whatever you like best, use the same amount of liquid. Just add vanilla in it’s place.
Can you do a rolled or drop cookie with this recipe?
I happened to be making these last night for my daughter’s Christmas party at school, and I dropped a couple on the pan to see. As expected, they remain as little mounds that do not spread. There is no leavening in this recipe. So you will get very thick cookies.
Best soft cookie recipe! Delicious! Soft, thick and best flavor. I kept the icing on the thin side, my preference. Everyone enjoyed them. Thank you!!
Thank you Alice! I’m so glad you liked them!
After much experimenting, this has become my go to recipe for the BEST sugar cookie ever! Thank you! I am starting to even get orders to bake for other people! I use a royal icing and package individually in resealable cellophane bags. My question is because there is cream cheese, how long are they good for? Best eaten by?
Hi Julie! So happy you are loving the recipe! The cookies will last just as long as any other cookie. The cream cheese is baked. 2 days frosted and they will still be soft, after that they will start to dry out.
I too love a soft sugar cookie! I have used the same recipe for 25 years from a friend and I absolutely love them, they melt in your mouth. This Christmas I will try yours, I like the idea of cream cheese in it. We will have nine grandchildren and all the adults as well to enjoy these!!
Thank you and have a Merry Christmas🎄
Tell me what you think of the recipe Donna! :)
Ok! I made double Bach of this and WOW!!! The dough was perfectly smooth and the instructions were easy to follow. Making a double batch made it so I did not have to split up the butter or my cream cheese. It was simple and quick! My dough is chilling right now andI am excited to bake up cookies this afternoon for my kids to decorate tonight.
Great idea Jenie!! Why don’t I always double this?? more cookies please!
this is a good recipe but make sure an do not over cook …and roll them thick to cook…i made a batch and rolled the first one little to thin and had brown edges so these were not as soft…the next batch i made thicker and pulled out just as they started to get brown…frosted with whipped butter/cream cheese n powder sugar frosting…no vanilla and put in zip bag once cooled and they are really soft and tasty..
I’m assuming all purpose flour? But there is no baking powder, soda or salt?
Hi Karen! Yes all-purpose flour. And no, don’t use baking soda or powder. There is a teaspoon of salt called for in the recipe.
So this is by far the BEST shaped cookie recipe out there and the frosting…YUM! I have a request. I would like to make gingerbread men but the recipes I have always get crunchy on the edges, even when I under bake and they dont hold their shape great. I was wondering if there would be a way to adapt this recipe to include molasses and other spices. I know I can always cut out sugar cookie men, which is what I’m going to do this year (and make those most recent molasses cookies with peppermint icecream, of coarse) but I would love to have a great gingerbread recipe in my cap. If you feel a challenge, it would be appreciated.
I tried this recipe yesterday — followed it exactly as written. Even chilled over night well into the next day. When I went to roll the dough out it was SO sticky it stuck to everything no matter how much I floured my surface, rolling pin, and hands. I even went back and tried to freeze the dough and roll out between parchment paper.. again.. too sticky. Stuck all to my floured cookie cutters and the parchment paper. The dough is tasty so I was really hopeful this recipe would work.
Hey Kelsey! I’m so sorry it didn’t work out for you. This is a very popular recipe and I know hundreds of people have made them, so I’m wondering what went wrong? It sounds like adding more flour would have solved your problem, and if this happens again, I would definitely try rolling them out on a floured surface.
Have you tried freezing these cookies after they have been baked? With or without frosting?
Would they thaw just as soft?
Hey Melanie! I haven’t frozen the baked cookies, I usually freeze the dough. But I think it would work out just fine, as long as you sealed them well and didn’t freeze for more than 5-7 days. Let me know how it goes!
I want to make this dough ahead and freeze it for a couple of weeks. Do you freeze the dough prior to rolling and cutting? Or have you cut the shapes and then frozen them?
Hi Virginia! Great question! Freeze the dough just after you’ve mixed it together. Don’t cut and shape prior to freezing. Enjoy!!
Hello! About to try these (so excited!) and was wondering, if I don’t have parchment paper or a baking mat, should I grease the cookie sheet or not?
Hey Kara! I haven’t tried it. Greasing the cookie sheet can cause the cookies to spread. I recommend parchment paper for the best results.
Hi do you have an adjustment for high altitudes?
Hey Rachel! I haven’t tried it because I live at sea level so couldn’t be much help. But here is King Arthur’s guide for adjusting to high altitude, I trust them! https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I made these last night, and they are awesome! I think rolling the cookies out super thick makes all the difference. I also used your buttercream recipe- it is by far the best frosting I have ever made. I replaced the coconut extract with an extra 1/4 tsp of almond (somehow my dad doesn’t like coconut!) and it was great! Thanks for an awesome recipe:)
I agree Ashley, rolling it out thick makes a huge difference! I’m so glad the recipe was a success! There is nothing better than a soft sugar cookie and the best buttercream frosting…yum, now I want to go make these. Thanks so much for taking the time to comment! It makes me smile!
This recipe sounds so good! I’m wondering if sour cream could be used instead of cream cheese, as I’ve seen other soft sugar cookie recipes call for it? I had planned to make a recipe from Wholefully but after reading the reviews.. I changed my mind! Thank you :)
hey Jenna! I’ve never tried it with sour cream, but you could certainly give it a shot. I can guarantee amazing results with the cream cheese though :) Let me know how they turn out!
Made these today and they were GREAT! They held their shape perfectly! The only thing I’m going to change next time is the amount of salt – I’m going to use 3/4 tsp instead of 1 tsp.
Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Good tip Natalie! I’m so glad you loved the sugar cookies, these are a huge favorite of mine! Thanks for the review :)
Hi, I was wondering if I could skip the egg or replace it with something else? Thank you
Hey Alice! Definitely don’t skip it! If you want to replace it I would just use an egg replacer or look up how to replace one egg with flax. Let me know how it goes!
Thank you for sharing this fabulous recipe. My grandson and I have now made these cookies 4x in the last 3weeks. He loves baking with Nana!!! Now that Easter is upon us we are eager to make them again. Thank you again memories are being made and lots of happy joyful moments with the light of my life.
That is so sweet Christine! I’m so happy you and your grandson get to bake together in the kitchen! You are doing it right :) Happy Easter!
Hi Karen! These look amazing! Do you think I could use gluten free flour? Thank you!
Hey Carly! I’ve never tried it! Let me know if you try it and how it goes!
Hi! I am so glad I found this recipe! I’m making sugar cookies for Christmas and I can’t stand crunchy cookies, so these seem to be exactly what I’m looking for! I was just wondering if after I decorate them with the buttercream if it would be okay to stack them on top of each other (without the decorations getting too messed up). Thank you!!
Hey Elizabeth! So unfortunately since this is buttercream frosting and it won’t really harden much. If you leave it out uncovered it will get a bit crispy on top but not really stackable. If you want to try royal icing, they will stack beautifully! Here’s a good recipe: http://www.glorioustreats.com/2010/04/spring-cupcakes-with-cookie-toppers.html
Beautiful cookies & thanks for the recipe! I’m making these tonight & was just curious why there is no baking soda or baking powder added to this recipe?
Hey Isabelle! Because we don’t want them rising. no rising agent makes for a thick, soft, chewy cookie! The flour makes them rise a little but not too much. Hope this helps!
These look soooo good. Soft cookies all the way! I don’t have room right now in my kitchen to roll out the cookies. Do you think if I roll the dough into a log and chill it, cut the cookies 3/8″ and bake them, they’ll turn out? Thanks!
Hmmm I’ve never tried it Kelly! You will have to let me know how it goes!
I made these cookies this weekend since my husband has been nagging me for Christmas cookies. I, like you, love a soft sugar cookie over the hard kind. I followed your recipe and the cookies came out AWESOME!! I only made round cookies this time, but I was very pleased that the cookies held their shape, no spreading and w!ill be perfect with shaped cutters!
The icing was great too! I will probably use a little less almond/coconut extract as my husband is not a big sweet fan, but loved them.
I will be making these cookies going forward as my “Go To” cookie recipe/icing. :-)
YAY! So happy to hear you and your husband loved them Kelly! Soft sugar cookies for life! Thank you so much for coming back to review. You have no idea how much it means to food bloggers! It’s like a Christmas present :) Happy cookies and merry Christmas!
Love the sound of these! = ) I may have to add them to my Christmas cookie repertoire. I was wondering what decorating tip (if any) you used to get the effect on the cookies.
Hey Jay!! I used tip #12. That’s what it says on it, I just checked. Hopefully that helps! I’m tip illiterate so I hope that’s what you need. I think there are lots of tips that would work for this effect. Check out how I did the frosting on this post: https://thefoodcharlatan.com/the-best-buttercream-frosting-for-sugar-cookies/
I used this recipe at Thanksgiving, and they turned out great. I made another batch yesterday and baked them this morning. This time, they spread and flattened out … I’m devastated! I don’t know what I did wrong. I refrigerated the dough over night and refrigerated the cut-out cookies before putting them in the oven. I did done the batch this time, could that be a problem? Or, is it possible to over-beat the butter/sugar mixture??
Thanks
That was supposed to say that I made a double batch?
Tricia, I’m so sorry I missed this comment! That is so strange that they baked flat! I’m wondering if you accidentally forgot a cup of flour or something?? Overbeating the butter/sugar wouldn’t be a problem…
I’m guessing I can keep the dough chilled for a few days or so before making the cookies? Thanks in advance!
Hey Jen! Yes totally! I wouldn’t go more than 2-3 days or I imagine it would get dried out. Throw it in the freezer if you need to do it more than 3 days!
Hello,
I am wondering what the different between almond flavoring and almond extract? Which would be ideal for these cookies?
Thank you
Diana
Hey Diana! I always use almond extract!
I’m going to make the recipe and I was wondering how long these cookies stay soft? Some recipes I use go stale the next day :/
Hey Isabelle! If you follow the directions exactly they should stay soft for at least a day or 2. Keep them tightly covered, even after frosting them!
I made these cookies for my daughter’s confirmation. They were absolutely the best!
Yay! I’m so happy they turned out Kim! Congrats on your daughter’s confirmation!
I tried this recipe today and the cookies turned out PERFECTLY! They seriously taste just like bakery cookies-very impresssive. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so happy they worked out for you Katrina! They really do taste like they’re from a bakery, I agree. Thank you so much for taking the time to comment! I’m sure you know how valuable that is to bloggers :)
I am making these cookies for my daughter’s wedding. I want to just put decorating sugar on them. (Not enough time to ice them) Did you brush them with water and sprinkle with sugar after baking?
Hey Greta, yes that’s exactly what I did! use only a very small amount of water. Use a pastry brush with actual hairs (not the kind with rubber or silicone brushes, you know the ones?) I would brush with water and then dip in sanding sugar, that will get better coverage. Let me know how it goes! Happy wedding, congrats to your daughter!
Have you ever made this with 1/4″ cookies instead of 3/8″? Love this recipe but looking to get thinner and more cookies out of it. Would I reduce baking time at all?
No I never have Lauren! It will work just fine, and yes I would reduce the bake time by a few minutes. You will just have to check it. Let me know how it goes!
Hi, Im going to try this recipe tomorrow and was wondering if i can freeze the dough or how should i store the extra dough i dont use, im not sure ill be needing 2 dozen cookies
Hey Kristen! Yes you can freeze the dough. I just put it in a ziplock. I’ve got some in my freezer right now!
These look amazing! But I have a hatred for almond extract. If I leave that out, do you suggest I replace it with anything, or increase the vanilla?
Yo Vanessa! Who doesn’t like almond extract?? Weirdoooooo :) Yes, just up the vanilla to replace the almond. They will still be delicious! Enjoy!
I stumbled upon this recipe while attempting to make sugar cookies for the first time. Wow! These are absolutely delicious, and the almond extract shines through brilliantly!! I was a little nervous since my dough wasn’t too sticky, but they turned out perfectly. Your directions are so clear and easy to follow. This will be my go-to recipe for making sugar cookies in the years ahead for my family. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Lindsay, that’s such a huge compliment! I hate vague recipes :) I’m so glad you all loved them. I am totally craving these now! Thanks so much for the review!
I just realized you asked me about sugar cookies a while ago and I never responded! Sorry, looks like you found a good one. These look very similar to mine, I like them thick and soft as well.
Poor Valentine, Henry feels her pain.😊
These look so unbelievably amazing it’s killing me! I want one right now! :)
Ooh Karen, I so need these! I’m totally with you in the fact that I prefer my sugar cookies soft. :) Definitely going to make these soon, and I also can’t wait to see your frosting recipe!
Karen, your cookies are gorgeous!!!! You have mad frosting skillz. I hate that I said “skillz” but I think it kinda goes with “mad.”
what a simple recipe — and easily veganized. YUM>
I am a sugar cookie SNOB! And these look amazing!! I also love a soft cookie with sweet frosting. Those fancy cookies with royal frosting decorations are beautiful, but usually are a disappointment to munch. Give me one of these any day! I may have to try this recipe for Easter!
Thanks Debbie! Long time no talk, how are you? i was just checking out your friend’s soup that she guest posted, looks good!
And I agree, there’s nothing more disappointing than a beautiful cookie that tastes like cardboard! Let me know if you try them out! Have a great rest of the week!