Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

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Cut out sugar cookies are one of the best Christmas sugar cookies recipe to make.Requiring just simple ingredients, these soft and chewy cookies are so much fun to make with the whole family!

Christmas sugar cookies are part of our family holiday season traditions. This Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie recipe is often the first thing I pull out of my recipe box to make. In fact, my kids think it’s the best sugar cookie recipe of all. The first time I made it with my boys’ help was when they were 2 and 4 years old!

Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (1)

Why you’ll love these Christmas sugar cookies

This cut out out sugar cookie recipe is a great recipe that makes a soft sugar cookies that can be easily frozen if desired.

The tender dough mixes up quickly and doesn’t need to be chilled before rolling.

I usually bake the whole batch, let them cool, and then freeze them between layers of waxed paper in airtight containers.

Once it’s time to serve them, I thaw out the baked rolled sugar cookies and mix up a small batch of icing for the amount I want to serve. It’s easy and so delicious.

Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (2)

How to Make Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookies

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Supplies Needed for Soft & Tasty Cut Out Sugar Cookies:

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Rolled Sugar Cookies Ingredients:

  • 4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup Butter
  • 2 large Eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups white sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
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How to Make this Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe

(A printable recipe card is located at the end of this post for your convenience.)

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You’ll mix up this simple recipe in 2 seperate bowls.

1. In the first large bowl, mix together:

  • 4 cups flour,
  • 1 tsp. baking powder, and
  • 1/2 tsp. salt,
  • Cut in 1 cup butter with a pastry blender or 2 knives.
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2. In another bowl, mix together:

  • 2 beaten eggs
  • 1/3 cup milk,
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract,
  • 1 1/2 cup sugar, and
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
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4. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently.

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5. Flip the dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat, and knead it gently ~ just so it sticks together.

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6. Divide dough into 2 portions. Start with the first portion and roll dough out to about 1/2 inch thickness.

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I use my Grandmother’s antique dough rolling pastry set (pictured above), but I’ve rounded up a whole list of top tools for dough rolling here.

Here is a video on tips for rolling out this sugar cookie dough:

7. Using your favorite cookie cutters, cut out whatever shapes you’d like. We have stars and trees at our house…

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8. Place on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart. (Placing parchement paper on the baking sheets makes for easy clean up.)

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9. Bake cookies at 375 degrees for 5 minutes – or until very lightly golden brown.

Top Tip: The secret to soft and chewy old fashioned sugar cookies is to take them out before they start to brown. If they are too browned, they will turn crunchy!

10. Cool completely on a wire rack before icing.

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Once completely cooled, ice with your favorite homemade frosting.

Here is my quick and easy homemade frosting for sugar cookies. Or, you could try a fun idea using marbled icing.

Yield: About 4 dozen

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How should I store these cut out sugar cookies?

Store these sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. However, I feel better always refrigerating or freezing mine until I’m ready to use them.

To freeze sugar cookies, place them in an airtight container or heavy duty freezer bag, being careful to seperate each layer with wax paper or parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. Store in the freezer for up to six months.

For Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies:

You can use this same sugar cookie recipe for all seasons! Just use whatever shaped cookie cutter matches the holiday. Heart shaped cookie cutters with pink icing make darling Valentine’s Day cookies. Another option is to make marbled heart sugar cookies. They’re so pretty!

Need more help with Christmas cookie making?

I’ve put together a recipe collection of Christmas cookie recipes to help you save time & stress. Click the button below for all the details!

SAVE TIME & STRESS!

CHRISTMAS COOKIES RECIPES COLLECTION

With a mix of traditional & trendy Christmas cookies, this recipe collection with pictures can help bring back the fun (& simple) traditions of Christmas baking.

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For more Merry Christmas Season Recipes, you may want to check out these posts:

  • Christmas cookie recipes with pictures
  • Christmas Dipped Chocolates,
  • Swedish Tea Ring,
  • Overnight Buns,
  • Christmas Breakfast Recipes

More Christmas Cookies Recipes:

Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (15)
Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (16)

Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe

Yield: 4 dozen

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 5 minutes

Additional Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

This old fashioned rolled sugar cookie recipe is the best cut out cookie recipe! The dough is easy to work & the cookies are soft & YUMMY!

Ingredients

  • 4 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp. Baking Powder
  • 1/2 tsp. Salt
  • 1 cup Butter
  • 2 Eggs, beaten
  • 1/3 cup Milk
  • 1 tsp. Vanilla
  • 1 1/2 cups Sugar
  • 1 teaspoon Baking Soda

Instructions

  1. Mix together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender
  2. In another bowl, mix together the eggs, milk, vanilla, sugar, and baking so
  3. Pour the liquid mixture into the dry mixture and stir gently
  4. Flip the dough onto a lightly floured pastry mat, and knead it gently ~ just so it sticks together
  5. Divide into 2 portions and roll each portion out to about 1/2 inch thick.
  6. Using cookie cutters, cut out whatever shapes you’d like. We have stars and trees at our house…
  7. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  8. Bake for 5 minutes in an oven that has been preheated to 375 degrees.The secret to soft and chewy old fashioned sugar cookies is to take them out before they start to brown. If they are lightly browned, they will turn crunchy!
  9. Cool completely on wire racks before icing.Step 10: Once completely cool, ice with buttercream icing with food coloring.
Nutrition Information:

Yield: 48Serving Size: 1 grams
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 100Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 95mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

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Old Fashioned Rolled Sugar Cookie Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the trick to rolling out sugar cookie dough? ›

Rather than roll dough on a floured surface, roll it between sheets of non-stick parchment or waxed paper. Adding extra flour to the dough while rolling can make cookies tough. And cutout cookies release easily from paper when you move them to the baking sheet, preserving their shape.

How thick should sugar cookies be rolled out? ›

Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.

Why are my rolled sugar cookies spreading? ›

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

What does cream of tartar do in sugar cookies? ›

Cream of tartar makes cookies chewy, as it precludes the sugar in the dough from crystalizing, which would lead to crispiness (ie: the opposite of chewiness).

How long should sugar cookie dough sit out before rolling? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Why does my sugar cookie dough crack when I roll it out? ›

Not enough liquid

There are a few things you can do if your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly. First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This could be milk, water, or even just additional eggs. If that doesn't work, you could also try melting some butter and adding it to the dough.

Why is my sugar cookie dough falling apart when rolling? ›

To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough. Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why poke holes in sugar cookies? ›

The holes trick

There's also a new technique going around when preventing craters in a second layer of icing: poke holes in the base flood (under the area you'll cover with a second layer of icing). You can even do this when the first layer flood has completely dried!

What makes cookies fluffy and not flat? ›

Room temperature butter is just the right consistency to incorporate air when it's creamed with sugar. These trapped air pockets result in risen, fluffy cookies. If the butter is any warmer, it won't incorporate enough air and your cookies will have less rise.

How to improve sugar cookies? ›

From the dough to the baking to the icing, our guide will leave you with the perfect sugar cookie this holiday season.
  1. Opt for Room Temperature Eggs. ...
  2. Splurge on "Pure" Vanilla Extract. ...
  3. Whisk the Flour. ...
  4. Chill the Dough. ...
  5. Refrain from Overmixing. ...
  6. Go Easy on the Flour. ...
  7. Bake on Parchment Paper.
Dec 16, 2014

Is it better to use powdered sugar or granulated sugar in sugar cookies? ›

Powdered sugar has a much finer texture and a higher cornstarch content, which can absorb moisture and lead to a drier, crumbly cookie texture. If you use powdered sugar in place of granulated sugar, you'll likely end up with cookies that are more cake-like and less chewy.

How important is baking soda in sugar cookies? ›

Baking soda also serves another important purpose when it comes to cookies: It encourages spreading by raising the mixture's pH, which slows protein coagulation. This gives the dough more time to set before the eggs set, which results in a more evenly baked cookie.

What happens if you use powdered sugar in cookies? ›

Powdered sugar (also known as confectioners' sugar) contains cornstarch. The cornstarch absorbs moisture from the rest of the ingredients, making an extra tender and chewy cookie.

How do you roll sugar cookie dough without sticking it? ›

Rolling cookie dough between parchment eliminates the need to dust the dough with flour to prevent it from sticking to the work surface. The more flour introduced, the higher the chances of tough, dry cookies.

Why is my sugar cookie dough cracking when I roll it out? ›

Not enough liquid

There are a few things you can do if your cookie dough is too dry and crumbly. First, try adding more liquid to the dough. This could be milk, water, or even just additional eggs. If that doesn't work, you could also try melting some butter and adding it to the dough.

Why is my cookie dough too hard to roll out? ›

Tough – For rolled cookies, your dough can become “tough” by adding too much flour to your pin or counter before rolling it out. To avoid this, try using as little flour as possible while preparing to roll your dough.

How do you keep cookie dough from sticking when rolling out? ›

Different Ways To Keep Dough From Sticking To A Rolling Pin
  1. Coat with excess flour: The foremost tip to prevent your dough from sticking to the dough is to coat your rolling pin with extra flour. ...
  2. Freeze the dough: Another tip to prevent sticking is to freeze the dough ahead. ...
  3. Coat dough in oil:
Mar 8, 2022

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