Active Time
25 minutes
Total Time
2 hours 40 minutes (includes chilling dough)
Our favorite sugar cookie recipe yields a workable dough you can transform into cutouts that hold their shape in the heat of the oven and emerge crisp-yet-tender canvases, ready for decorating. We love this Easy Sugar Cookie Icing (a riff on royal icing, made with powdered sugar and egg whites) tinted with vibrant food coloring powder for gilding the tops of the buttery cookies. If you’d like to pull out all the stops for a decorating party, load up on sanding sugars, sprinkles, and dragées. Or forget all that and turn them into sandwiches filled with chocolate buttercream or cream cheese frosting instead.
To start, you’ll cream butter and granulated sugar just to combine, and not until it’s “light and fluffy.” Unlike many cookie recipes, you don’t want to whip too much air into the butter, which could make the cookies spread—not the goal here. And yes, you’re using chilled butter, not room temperature, making the whole process go much faster. Add a little peppermint or almond extract to the cookie batter if you’d like to play with the flavors, but no more than ¼ tsp. of either; they’re much more potent than vanilla.
Rolling out your dough between two sheets of parchment (or silicone baking mats) guarantees this easy sugar cookie recipe is as supreme (and easily made) as its name suggests, as thinly rolled cookie dough can stick to even the coldest countertops. To make your work and cleanup easier, line your cookie sheets with more parchment, but don’t be tempted to swap in silicone for the baking. While we’re all for no waste, super-slippery silicone mats encourage spreading, which, again, is not the goal here.
If decorating with sanding sugar, sprinkle it on the unbaked cookies before they go into the oven. If decorating with icing or glaze, make sure the cookies are completely cool before decorating. You can bake the cookies up to 12 hours ahead and leave them on cooling racks, loosely covered with a kitchen towel. Finally, be sure to add any sprinkles or other adornments before the icing has set.
If you’re thinking of assembling a cookie tin, we recommend pairing these with another classic like chocolate chip cookies and a couple of bolder options like chewy molasses cookies or ancho-mole cookies. Store decorated cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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What you’ll need
Electric Mixer
$40 At Amazon
Set of 6 Pastry Rulers
$20 At Kitchen Jukebox
French Rolling Pin
$21 At Amazon
Round Cookie Cutter Set, 12-Pack
$13 $10 At Amazon
Measuring Cups and Spoons Set
$13 $12 At Amazon
Ingredients
Makes 2–3 dozen, depending on size
¾
½
3
1¼
1
1
1
1
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk ¾ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt, ½ tsp. baking powder, and 3 cups (375 g) all-purpose flour in a small bowl to combine. Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer on high speed, beat 1¼ cups (2½ sticks) chilled unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and 1 cup (200 g) sugar in a large bowl until well combined (butter does not need to be fluffy), about 3 minutes. Add 1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk, and 1 tsp. vanilla extract; beat just to combine. Reduce speed to low and gradually add dry ingredients; mix just to combine. Form sugar cookie dough into two ¾"-thick disks; cover each in plastic wrap. Chill at least 2 hours.
Step 2
Place racks in lower and upper thirds of oven; preheat to 325°. Let 1 disk of dough sit at room temperature until softened slightly, about 5 minutes. Roll out on a lightly floured sheet of parchment paper until about ¼" thick, dusting with flour as needed (if dough gets soft or sticky, chill on parchment until firm). Cut out shapes with floured cookie cutters; transfer cut-out sugar cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets.
Step 3
Bake cookies, rotating baking sheets halfway through, until edges are golden, 12–16 minutes, depending on size. Transfer baked cookies to wire racks and let cool. Repeat with scraps and remaining dough.
Step 4
Decorate cooled cookies as desired.
Do ahead: Cookie dough can be made 1 month ahead; freeze instead of refrigerating. Cookies can be baked (left undecorated) 2 weeks ahead; wrap tightly and freeze.
Editor’s note: This sugar cookie recipe was first printed in our December 2013 issue. This way to more of our best Christmas cookie recipes →
Nutrition Per Serving
Leave a Review
Reviews (373)
Back to TopThese are delicious. I prepared them and baked them as specified in the recipe. I used a heart-shaped cookie cutter for a Valentine treat. After they were baked and cooled. I dipped them in melted milk chocolate.My six year old grandson will enjoy these (as does his 71 year old grandfather).
Richard Bonokoski
Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada
2/12/2024
This is a really good recipe. It was easy to make and understand. The dough was easy to work with. I would like measurements in grams because I think measuring grams makes better baked goods. I added a bit of almond extract as well as the vanilla because it adds a nice layer of flavor to sugar cookies. I cutout pumpkins and acorns for halloween and will used the royal icing to decorate them.
Sandie Robinson
Attleboro, MA
10/26/2023
The dough was super sticky and extremely hard to work with.
Anonymous
6/25/2023
I destroyed my 60 year old hand mixer with this.
Jeanie
Chicago
1/2/2023
Perfect sugar cookie dough! Holds it shape exactly for cutting shapes and stamping designs.
Anonymous
Central Coast, NSW, Australia
9/12/2022
These are delicious cookies! I added a bit of almond flavoring in addition to the vanilla….mmmmm…. so good! This is my new go-to sugar cookie recipe! I also used the royal icing recipe that was suggested…I’ll continue to use this icing recipe. Thanks!
Anonymous
California
12/24/2021
To those who say too salty, be sure if you are using salted butter you omit the added salt. For those who like soft cookies (yuck) make the dough thicker . Brilliant recipe overall! I happen to love crisp cookies and everyone brings the soft store bought dough-consistency cookies to work. Personal feeling is cake should be soft and cookies crisp, but I'm old.. lol
Anonymous
California
12/22/2021
I followed this recipe last Christmas and Valentine’s Day, way before I realized that weighing ingredients makes for a better bake (and simplifies the baking process). I used these to make hearts, and various Christmas shapes. Here I am, a more experienced baker, coming back to this recipe because it’s delicious. For those who want a softer cookie, as it does make a crisp cookie, I say test out the times with a test cookie to be sure you get the softness you like. Remember that they continue to cook when you take them out of the oven. For those looking for a good cut out recipe or a simple round sugar cookie, look no farther.
Ally V
San Antonio, Texas
12/5/2020
I’m not sure why there are bad reviews to this cookie recipe! this is truly the best sugar cookie i have made! they are buttery, with a hint of saltiness and they firm up perfectly! the timing obviously depends on your oven and knowing hot spots and what not which i do, so i am very pleased!
Syracuse, NY
10/25/2020
Bon Appetit needs to put their recipes in grams! Staffers are constantly pushing purchasing a scale but do not put write recipes with weights to actually use the scale! Bon Appetit put out an article saying 1 cup of flour = 125 grams but Alison Roman who developed this recipe says 1 cup = 145 grams. So which do we use? I am thinking 145g per cup because I did the 125 grams for each cup in the recipe and my cookies spread quite a bit! V bummed.
Chicago
5/27/2020
I was expecting classic chewy sugar cookies. But instead they were pretty dense and not at all chewy. More like a Walkers Cookie. Very disappointing. The flavor of the dough was amazing so when it turned out to be a harder cookie than I was expecting it was pretty sad.
lisaledermann
Switzerland
4/17/2020
I work in a WeWorks type of space here in the District, and I ran a test batch of these cookies to see how they would go over before making them for "real". I followed the recipe to a T and made them using my Kitchen Aid. The icing/decoration got a bit messed up on the subway (metro here - but that's what it is) but I put them out in a common area to gauge reactions. So far I've been asked/overhead, "Someone made these? (after taking a bite)", and "You can tell me, you put something 'special' in these right?" More importantly, I'm seeing same folks go back for another cookie after finishing one or two already. I'll definitely make these again and figure out a better way to protect my decorations on public transport so they look as good as they taste.
lobsterindc
DC
12/19/2019
The cookies turned out great! They held their shape and tasted like a sugar cookie should. This was the second recipe I tried. I wish I tried this one first; I could have saved a pound of butter.
Georgia
12/18/2019
Millenials killing the recipe industry? OK Boomer. Great solid recipe, thanks BA!
klemmentine
Cambridge Springs, PA
12/15/2019
too salty and not enough sugar. also didnt really make a solid cookie. id just say over all not great.
Anonymous
12/2/2019