No-spread, cut-out cookies are the sugar cookies you’ve been waiting for. Unlike recipes that puff up or spread into blobs, these bake into crisp shapes that stay sharp—snowflakes look like snowflakes, not melting puddles.
And there’s no chilling required. That means you can have a batch made, cut into shapes and baked in under 30 minutes if you hustle.
Jump to:
- Why This Recipe is Perfect
- Ingredients for Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Watch Video How to Make Rolled Cookies
- How to Make No-Spread Cut Out Cookies
- Tips on Mixing the Dough
- Tips on Rolling Out the Dough
- Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
- Alternative Cookie Decorating Ideas
- Need more holiday treat ideas?
- Cookie Baking Advice
- Pin to Save for Later
- Recipe
- Comments
Why This Recipe is Perfect
No chill time: roll, cut, and bake right away.
Buttery, soft texture: but still sturdy enough for decorating.
No spreading: even the most intricate cookie cutter shapes stay crisp.
Ingredients for Rolled Sugar Cookies
- Butter--use regular, unsalted butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg, large, room temperature
- All purpose flour See Is All Purpose Flour Plain Flour?
- Baking powder, Make your own baking powder if out
- Vanilla extract
- Almond extract (optional but gives bakery cookie flavor)
See recipe card for quantities
Are your cut-out cookies misbehaving? See common problems and fixes for roll-out cookies.
Watch Video How to Make Rolled Cookies
How to Make No-Spread Cut Out Cookies
- Cream butter, sugar, egg and extracts in large mixing bowl.
- Add flour and baking powder.
- Form into a ball.
- Roll out dough between two sheet of parchment paper.
- Cut out shapes starting with the outermost edge of the dough.
- Bake.
- Let cool then decorate.
NEW BAKER TIP–Skip moving your cut-outs onto a baking sheet one by one. Instead, if you’re rolling out your sugar cookie dough on parchment paper, pull away any scrap dough connecting the shapes then carefully move the parchment onto a baking sheet to go in the oven.
Tips on Mixing the Dough
The cookie dough will look super lumpy initially. See photo below.
Tips on Rolling Out the Dough
You can roll out the dough to your desired thickness, whether that's a quarter inch or ⅜ of an inch or ½ an inch.
Thicker dough = fewer cookies. Roll thinner if you want a big batch, thicker if you like a softer cookie.
Cut into shapes.
Bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet.
Let cool, then decorate if desired.
Easy Sugar Cookie Icing
Combine three cups of sifted powdered sugar, four Tablespoons of cream or milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and optional--two Tablespoons of corn syrup and beat until combined, about two to three minutes. Use within three days. Can leave out well-wrapped on counter.
Alternative Cookie Decorating Ideas
Prefer a more detailed look? Try using royal icing for crisp outlines and fine details—it dries smooth and shiny, perfect for snowflakes or Christmas trees.
Royal icing gives your cookies that smooth, professional finish that hardens as it dries. To make it, whisk together 2 cups powdered sugar, 1 egg white and 1–2 teaspoons lemon juice or water until smooth and glossy.
Adjust consistency with a few drops of water as needed. Use immediately to outline or flood cookies.For more details and color tips, see my full Royal Icing Recipe.
Want something faster? Skip the piping bags and dip the cooled cookies halfway in melted chocolate or drizzle with a simple glaze, then finish with sprinkles or sanding sugar for instant sparkle
Need more holiday treat ideas?
If you're looking for more Christmas candy recipes, check out these adorable Snow Globe Cookies, easy chocolate slow cooker candy, frozen gummy bears, white chocolate holiday bark, or peppermint bark or this funny, easy Elf on the Shelf idea using candy.
More festive Christmas treats include Muddy Buddies and white chocolate M&M Chex mix recipe.
Tips for Cut-Out Cookie Success
This is an exceptional recipe but only if you measure or weigh your ingredients accurately.
And you ensure you're working with fresh ingredients.
Test your baking powder.
Sniff your flour and check the expiration date.
Check also the expiration dates on your vanilla and almond extracts--especially if you're a holiday baker who doesn't pull anything out of her sweets pantry the rest of the year.
Be sure to have parchment paper on hand.
Rolling out dough between two sheets of parchment paper will ensure no dough sticks to your countertops.
Keep Cookie Dough From Getting Too Warm
This recipe was designed to roll out, cut into shapes and bake immediately.
However, if you find the dough getting warm and/or difficult to manage, transfer the dough, still on the parchment paper, to a baking sheet and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool down.
This can be a problem if you're making these cookies in winter when the temperature of your house might be warmer.
Be sure to break eggs one at a time in a separate cup or bowl before adding to the mixture to be sure eggs are fresh. (You don't want to add a bad egg to a bowl of ingredients).
Cookie Baking Advice
You may find these baking posts helpful: from How to Avoid Flat Cookies, How to Freeze Cookie Dough, Room Temperature Butter for Baking to Salted or Unsalted Butter for Cookies? to Do I Need A Cookie Scoop?, Cookie Size Chart to What Should a Beginner Bake? to Where Can I Buy Sprinkles?, Why is my sugar cookie dough too sticky? and Cookie Holidays. What is Sanding Sugar and Do I need Parchment Paper? might also be helpful. This Cuisinart 5-speed is my favorite hand mixer. Why do my hand mixer beaters fall out? Cookie dough freezes great as do already baked cookies but find out what other desserts you can freeze.
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Recipe
No Spread Cut-Out Cookies
No-spread, no-chill sugar cookies that roll out smooth, bake up sturdy, and hold every shape—ready to decorate as soon as they cool.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (two sticks room temperature butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Instructions
Beat butter and sugar with paddle attachment of stand mixer or with electric beaters for approximately three to five minutes or until the mixture if fluffy and has lightened in color.
Add egg, beat until incorporated with the butter/sugar.
Add extracts and mix for another minute.
Pour in flour, baking powder and salt.
Mix until just combined and no white streaks remain in the dough. (See notes, cookie dough will form into small clumps ito start and as you beat it , the crumbs will get larger until it eventually forms a large bowl of dough or close to it. You may have to help it form a ball with your hands.
Separate dough into two or three chunks.
Roll out dough using a rolling pin immediately between two pieces of parchment paper (not wax paper)
Cut your desired shapes.
Bake at 350°F on a parchment lined baking sheet for 10-12 minutes.
Let cool for five minutes on baking sheet before moving to a wire rack.
Once completely cool, decorate if you like with frosting, glaze or sanding sugar.
Notes
Rolling out dough between two sheets of parchment paper will ensure no dough sticks to your countertops.
This recipe was designed to roll out, cut into shapes and bake immediately.
However, if you find the dough getting warm and/or difficult to manage, transfer the dough, still on the parchment paper, to a baking sheet and put it in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool down.
Perfect, Quick Sugar Cookie Icing Recipe
If you're looking for more holiday cookie recipes, consider Gingersnap Cookies or Sand Tarts or Mexican Snowballs or Pecan Tarts.
Recommended Products
This post and/or recipe may contain affiliate links, which means if you click through and make a purchase, I'll earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure policy.
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Joseph Joseph PrecisionPin Baking Adjustable Rolling Pin - Consistent and Even Dough Thickness for Perfect Baking Results, Multicolor -
Nordic Ware Naturals Half Sheet, 2-Pack, Natural
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Cuisinart HM-90S Power Advantage Plus 9-Speed Handheld Mixer with Storage Case, White
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katbite 200Pcs 9x13 inch Heavy Duty Parchment Paper Sheets, Precut Parchment Paper for Quarter Sheet Pans Liners, Baking Cookies, Bread, Meat, Pizza, Toaster Oven (9"x13")
Nutrition Information
Yield 20 Serving Size 1Amount Per Serving Calories 221Total Fat 10gSaturated Fat 6gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 3gCholesterol 34mgSodium 155mgCarbohydrates 29gFiber 1gSugar 10gProtein 3g
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Jody says
How many grams flour do you use for each cup? I weigh each cup at 120g but if you scoop out of the bag it will be A LOT more than 120g. How do you measure your flour?
Jennifer Osborn says
Hi Jody,
Apologies for the lack of grams. I use the dip and sweep method. The majority of my readers still use measuring cups instead of scales.
But a cup of flour should weigh between 120 and 125 grams depending on how much moisture is in your air.
Happy baking!
Jennifer
Jody says
Thank you kindly for clarifying for me! And for your quick response!
Jody
Jennifer Osborn says
Of course, I’m always happy to clarify and chat with readers. You are why I’m here!
Have a great day!
Jennifer
Jody says
❤️😊
Pam says
Would like to tell you how much I appreciate that you included both of the icing recipes in the write-up I was able to add them to the recipe card. It makes it so easy to grab a recipe card and not have to look for the icing or the frosting recipe card also.
I am going to be making these cookies with my sister.