How to Bake (Easy! and Delicious!) Cutout Cookies with Neat Edges
As an amazon associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Learn the secrets to baking cutout cookies with neat edges that won't spread as they bake! You'll fall in love with baking and decorating cutout sugar cookies.
*Original published date: 12/15/2012. Updated: 12/4/2016.*
Jump to RecipeWith less than a few weeks left 'til the most cookie-centric holiday on the calendar, I'm sure all my baking peeps are knee-deep in flour, sugar, and butter right about now!
So in the spirit of giving, I'm spilling all the secrets for my best cut-out sugar cookies recipe!
Almost every baking blog I visit has a post or a FAQ devoted to the subject, "How do you bake cutout cookies that don't spread all over the place in the oven, hold their pretty shape, and have nice, neat edges???"
I searched for the answer to this age-old question not too long ago.
And when I want something, I do not rest until I've nailed it!
After much research and experimentation, I've decided to put everything I've learned on this subject into one comprehensive post.
This easy recipe produces cutout cookies that are soft but a little crunchier around the edges, with a mouthfeel somewhere between a sugar cookie and a shortbread.
They're perfect for decorating!
Why you'll love this cutout cookie recipe
Precise shapes: You can create intricate and precise shapes with this no-spread cutout cookie recipe. Whether you're making holiday cookies, special occasion treats, or just fun designs, these cookies will maintain their intended shape during baking with crisp, clean edges.
Beautiful presentation: Cookies that hold their shape offer a visually appealing presentation. This is especially important when decorating with icing, sprinkles, or other embellishments, as the designs stay clear and distinct.
Great for cookie decorating: These cookies are perfect for decorating with royal icing, fondant, or edible markers. Their flat surface is a blank canvas for your creative designs, making them great for cookie decorating parties or edible art projects.
Ideal for gifting: When you're giving cookies as gifts, you want them to look as good as they taste. These cookies retain their shape, making them an excellent choice for packaging and sharing with loved ones.
Balanced flavor: These cookies bake up just sweet enough, with the aromatic fragrance of rich vanilla. They are intentionally a little less sweet, to balance the sugary taste of the royal icing or sparkling sugar they're decorated with.
Ingredients and notes
Butter: I like to use unsalted butter because it lets me control the amount of salt in the dish. Different brands of butter can contain different amounts of salt, so this way you get a more consistent result. Use cubed cold butter to make the dough. This allows you to skip the step of chilling the dough before baking. For a vegan or dairy-free cutout sugar cookie recipe, use a plant-based butter that can substitute for dairy butter 1:1.
Sugar: Sugar adds sweetness (obvs!) but it also aids in browning and keeps things moist, since it's hydrophilic (this means it loves water, in other words, it draws moisture in). Regular white sugar is fine, or sub for another type of sweetener if you like. As long as it swaps 1:1 for granulated sugar it should work.
Eggs: Use large eggs. It's best if they're at room temperature, but I don't find this to be critical. For a vegan cutout sugar cookie recipe, swap in your favorite plant-based egg substitute. As long as it can sub 1:1 for chicken eggs, it should work just fine.
Flour: This is the primary dry ingredient that provides structure to the cookies. All-purpose flour is my go-to, but you can swap it out for any kind of whole-grain option if you like. You may need slightly less if you go that route. A gluten-free flour blend that can sub 1:1 for regular flour should also work just fine, if you'd like to make gluten-free sugar cookies.
Cornstarch: The secret ingredient to achieving cutout cookies that don't spread! It is what creates a really workable cookie dough, and the edges turn out perfectly! Cornstarch is a colorless, odorless, and flavorless starch. Make sure you're using cornstarch, which is white and powdery, and not cornmeal, which is yellow and gritty and tastes like corn chips.
Salt: Salt carries the flavors and intensifies them. The end result won't taste salty, but it will make everything so much more flavorful! I like kosher salt best because it doesn't have any additives (table salt usually contains iodine which can leave a bitter taste), so the flavor is pure. It's also inexpensive and easy to find in a regular grocery store.
Vanilla: Vanilla extract adds a subtly sweet flavor without being at all sugary. For a more pronounced flavor, try using vanilla bean paste. You could also split a vanilla bean down the center lengthwise, scrape out the seeds, and add those.
Or you could try this with an altogether different type of extract or flavoring, such as:
See the recipe card at the bottom of this post for exact measurements.
Variations and substitutions
Different flavoring: You can also use almond extract or citrus zest if desired.
Spices: Add spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or ginger for different flavor variations.
Food coloring: If you want to color your cookies, food coloring can be added to the dough. I recommend using gel paste color, since you only need a tiny bit to get a vibrant color. But liquid can work in a pinch too.
Tools and equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons: For measuring ingredients accurately. Follow this guide: How to Measure Ingredients for Baking.
- Mixing bowl: In which to mix up the dough.
- Electric mixer: This recipe creates a very stiff dough, so you'll need either a stand mixer or a powerful hand mixer.
- Parchment paper sheets: You are going to roll the sugar cookie dough out between two sheets of parchment.
- Rolling pin: For rolling the sugar cookies out flat.
- Baking sheets: On which to bake the sugar cookies.
- Cookie cutters: For cutting out your cute shapes.
How to make cutout cookies that don't spread
Step 1: Mix butter and sugar
Start by blending the butter and sugar together until smooth.
Stop as soon as you have a homogenous mixture. Unlike a lot of other cookie recipes, you don't want to whip in a lot of air here. That will just expand when it gets hot and cause your cookies to spread.
Step 2: Add eggs
Mix in the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated.
Allow each egg to mix in fully, before adding the next. This will prevent lumps!
Step 3: Stir in dry ingredients
Add the flour, cornstarch, and salt, and mix on medium-low speed.
The mixture will initially seem very dry and sandy, but after 3 to 5 minutes in the mixer, it will gather itself into a ball and pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
Step 4: Flavor
Stir in the vanilla. (If you do not have an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, you may have to knead the dough by hand to bring it together fully.)
Step 5: Roll
Working with a manageable amount of dough at a time, roll it out between 2 sheets of parchment paper to a thickness of ¼-inch to ½-inch.
Step 5: Cut
Cut into shapes, then carefully peel each unbaked cookie from the bottom sheet and flip it onto your baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake
You'll know your cookies are done baking when the edges feel set and the centers are still a little soft.
The bake time is going to depend upon how big and thick your cookies are. Larger, thicker cookies will need more oven time than smaller, thinner ones.
Recipe FAQ's
You can make this dough ahead and keep it in the refrigerator for a day or so, but if you do, you may want to add less flour because the dough will become drier as it sits. If your dough has become too dry and crumbly to work with, it can be moistened with a few drops of heavy cream.
The dough for drop cookies has a soft and sticky consistency. It's typically spooned or scooped onto a baking sheet, and the cookies maintain the shape they take when dropped onto the sheet. Cutout cookie dough is firmer and more structured. It's rolled out to a specific thickness, and shapes are cut out using cookie cutters.
The answer depends on how thick you roll the sugar cookie dough, and how big your cookie cutters are. I typically get around 30 cookies from a batch, if I roll the dough to ⅜-inch and use cutters that are around 2 ½-inches in diameter.
This answer will also depend on the size of the cookie. Larger, thicker cookies will need more time in the oven than thinner, smaller cookies. You'll know your sugar cookies are done baking when they are set around the edges but still a little soft towards the center. Remember that they will continue to cook for a few minutes, even after they're removed from the oven. This is called "carry-over cooking," and if you don't account for it then your cookies could end up dry.
Absolutely! Wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and they should keep in the freezer for several months. Pop them out and thaw at room temp, and decorate!
Expert tips for making cutout sugar cookies that don't spread
- Don't bother softening the butter: I like to use cold, cubed butter when I make the dough. It saves the step of chilling the dough before baking, which is another trick many bakers use to help their cookies keep their shape. If you work quickly, the butter is still pretty cold when it goes into the oven, so the dough holds its shape better and doesn't get all melty and slide over the baking sheet.
- Mix until just combined: Try not to whip a lot of air into the butter. This can cause spreading.
- Leave out the leavening: Now, you may notice that my recipe contains no leavening of any kind. If you think about the purpose of baking powder in a recipe, it's to help things puff up and spread out (hello!?) and be light and fluffy. Light and fluffy is great in a muffin or a pancake, but we are talking cookies here, people. They are meant to have a little bite to them. Perhaps they are a little bit more dense, but in this instance, you want that. Most likely, you are either shipping your cookies or delivering them by car, and if they are too light and delicate, they're more likely to break. So, this will give you a more durable cookie, and I promise you, they are still every bit as delicious.
- The magic ingredient: This is the biggest key to the whole business and maybe the only thing you won't find on any other blog (that I've seen, anyway). THE CORNSTARCH. It's pure witchcraft. Not only does it lend added structure to the sugar cookies without making them tough, but it also makes the dough SUCH a pleasure to work with! It is NOT sticky at all, nor is it crumbly. It just stays right where you want it. And those edges! I about died…! SO clean and perfect!
- Make parchment your bestie: Also, definitely try rolling your dough between two layers of parchment paper. It is absolutely no-muss, no-fuss! Between this dough's silky, UNcrumbly texture and the parchment thing, I barely even need to wipe my countertops after making these cookies! **No bench flour!** (Which, by the way, can also make a tougher, less tender cookie.) I also line my baking sheets with it, and besides keeping things from sticking, it keeps the pans cleaner, too! My cookies are baked on parchment, and then I lay them on the same sheets to dry after decorating, so each sheet gets double duty. Here are the baking sheets I use, and here is where I order my parchment.
- Use rolling pin rings: These are a great way to make sure you're rolling your dough out to a consistent thickness. Which is important for even baking!
- Crank up the oven temperature: Finally, you may notice that I recommend baking the cookies at a higher temperature for a shorter time. This allows the cookie to "set up" more quickly and hold its shape during baking, making it less melty-slidey.
How to serve
Plain and simple: Enjoy the cookies just as they are. Their precise shapes and wonderful flavors can stand alone as a delightful treat.
Decorated masterpieces: Decorate the cookies with royal icing, fondant, or colorful icing gels. Let your creativity run wild by adding intricate designs, patterns, and even personalized messages.
Cookie sandwiches: Make cookie sandwiches by spreading a layer of frosting or jam between two cookies of the same shape. Peanut butter, chocolate ganache, or cream cheese frosting can be excellent fillings.
Cookie pops: Insert sticks or colorful paper straws into the cookies before baking to create cookie pops. These are great for kids' parties or as edible party favors.
Dipped in chocolate: Melt chocolate (white, dark, or milk) and dip half of each cookie into it. You can even sprinkle crushed nuts, sprinkles, or edible glitter on the chocolate while it's still wet.
Coffee or tea companions: Serve alongside a cup of coffee, tea, or hot chocolate for a simple pairing.
How to store and keep
Cover the cookies with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container at room temperature.
If you keep them tightly wrapped so they don't dry out or become stale, they should last for at least a week or two (if not longer!) at room temperature.
More cutout cookie recipes
- Chocolate Cutout Cookie Recipe
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Soft Cutout Sugar Cookies
This post contains affiliate sales links.
Vanilla Cutout Cookies that Don't Spread
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, (2 sticks) cubed, cold
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 (88 g) eggs, large
- 3 ½ cups (437.5 g) all-purpose flour, (you may need as much as 4 cups)
- ½ cup (64 g) cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5 g) kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon (4 g) vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon (5 g) vanilla bean paste, (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream the butter and sugar, just until smooth and combined (try not to whip in any air).
- Mix in the eggs until incorporated.
- Add the flour**, cornstarch, and salt, and mix on medium low speed. The mixture will seem very dry and sandy at first, but after 3 to 5 minutes in the mixer it should gather itself into a ball and pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl.
- Stir in the vanilla. (If you do not have an electric stand mixer with a paddle attachment, you may have to knead the dough by hand to fully bring it together.)
- Working with a managable amount at a time, roll the dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper, to a thickness of ¼-inch to ½-inch.*
- Cut into shapes, peel away from the bottom sheet of parchment carefully (see the video below), flip onto the prepared baking sheets, and bake until set around the edges but still a bit soft in the centers (approx. 9 to 12 minutes for 2 ½-inch, ⅜-inch thick cookies).
- Cool completely, then decorate with royal icing.
Notes
Author
Have a question about this recipe? Ask AI:
I'm trying to make cutout letters, preferably chocolate chip.. Do you think this recipe would still work if I added mini chocolate chips to it? Or a recommendation to how to make them snickerdoodle?
Hey Kristen! Sometimes I add stuff in to this dough but one thing I find is that it can sometimes make it a little harder to cut the shapes. If the edge of your cookie cutter lands on a chocolate chip, it might goof things up a bit. To avoid that problem, I'd suggest using finely chopped chocolate instead, a la this recipe: https://bakingamoment.com/coconut-straciatella-shortbread-cookies/. If you're looking for a snickerdoodle inspired variation, try adding cinnamon to taste. Good luck and enjoy!
Thank you Thank you Thank you for sharing this recipe! These were wonderful and the ONLY recipe I have ever tried that actually kept the shape of the cutout! Delicious!
Aw that's wonderful Holly! I'm so glad they worked out well for you. Thank you so much for the great feedback!
My dough was crumbly and all of my cookies were cracked. I dont know what I did wrong.
Hey Leslie! Sorry to hear you had trouble. I think you had one of two issues: either you didn't mix the dough long enough or you added too much flour. If that ever happens again, just moisten up the dough with a few drops of heavy cream. It works like a charm!
I was wanting to make a "healthy", Paleo-ISH stained glass cookie. I just made these using spelt flour instead of regular and arrow root instead of cornstarch. It worked great! Thanks for the recipe.
My pleasure Rose! I’m so glad it worked out well for you. Thanks for the good feedback!
Hi, Allie: I made this recipe a few times and made only minor changes (I used 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract, and 1 1/4 cups sugar; these changes may eliminate the floury taste another reviewer mentioned, but I have made it as written and thought it was fine, but I like my changes also). I made the dough today, and divided it into 3 pieces (I weighed the pieces) and rolled each piece to 1/4-inch thickness between 2 sheets of wax paper. I stacked the slabs of dough onto a jelly roll pan, and covered with foil, and put into the refrigerator until tomorrow. I did this last Christmas and it works fine. Tomorrow's cookies will be with Halloween themed cutters. Instead of icing, I prefer to brush the cutouts with beaten egg white and sprinkle with colored sanding sugars. Anyway I want to thank you so much for this wonderful recipe which does not spread. It's amazing that cookbook authors are still including leaving in sugar cookie cutout recipes. Thanks again, and happy baking!!
That's terrific David! I love your changes and the tip about rolling and stacking is brilliant. What a time saver!
Hey there! I was just wondering if your no spread sugar cookie recipie can be made and refrigerated to use at a later date. If so, what would be the recommended way to store them and how long can they be stored for?
Thanks for your help! 🙂
Hi Elizabeth! Yes, you can make this dough ahead. Just be aware that as it sits, it tends to dry out. So, you might want to add a little less flour to the dough. It can be refrigerated for a few days, or frozen for a couple of weeks. Just wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a zip-top bag. If you find it's become too dry, you can moisten it back up with a few drops of heavy cream. It should hold together well, but not feel too sticky. Hope that's helpful! Good luck and enjoy!
Hi! I loved your recipe! So nice dough to work with! Smells so good! I made the cookies in the shape of balloons. Perfect , no edges. Thank you
Awesome! So happy you liked the recipe Claudia! Thanks so much for the great feedback 🙂
This is now the only cutout recipe I use, period! I love decorating cookies for the holidays or birthdays and my guests rave about these. The shortbread like taste and texture balances nicely with the sweet royal icing. Its just perfect!
We live in a very dry area, and if the dough is super crumbly I add a tiny bit (maybe a TBSP) of oil at the end. It helps it come together without making the cookies spread.
That is such a great tip Samantha! Thank you so much for sharing. And I'm so glad you and your family have been happy with the recipe! It's definitely a favorite around here too.
What size eggs are best for this recipe? 🙂
Hi Steph! Large eggs are pretty much the standard for baking, and that's what I used here and for all the recipes on this site. Have fun and enjoy!
That was my thinking but just wanted to check! Thank you <3
You bet!
I'm so excited to try a recipe that doesn't spread--finally! However, I just moved to Colorado and am not experienced baking at altitude--any recommendations on altitude adjustments? Thank you!
Hi Alana! I'm so sorry for the late reply- I've been traveling! To be perfectly honest, I don't have much experience with high-altitude baking either, but I've done some research for you, and here's what I've found:
1) The cookies may have a drier texture at high altitudes, so you may want to add 1 to 2 tablespoons of heavy cream to the dough.
2) If the cookies spread too much, decrease the amount of sugar slightly.
3) Bake times may need to be adjusted. Keep an eye on the cookies as they bake, and pull them from the oven when they're set around the edges.
There's more info here, if you'd like to read up on it. Good luck and I hope that's helpful!
Thank you so much for this recipe! I've made at least a dozen different sugar cookie recipes in the past couple weeks trying to find one to make cookies for my son's day care class. I needed a cookie recipe that would let me use a large cutter (4") with a design that would stand up to icing and 2 year olds. The others all puff up too much, spread too much, and fell apart too easy. This one was a dream to work with, it came together so easy, and it's a simple recipe. I don't think I've ever been able to make cookies so fast! I haven't iced it tasted one yet (doing that part tomorrow) but honestly, they could taste like dirt and I'd still be happy after being so disappointed with so many other recipes. And I know it won't taste like dirt haha! Thanks again!
Haha! I'm so glad you are happy with it so far Angela! Thank you so much for the awesome feedback and hopefully they don't taste like dirt lol.
I did taste one last night without icing and it was good! I always weigh my ingredients and it came together great. Rerolled the scraps and they worked just as well as the original dough and didn't once have to flour/cornstarch my counter! Seriously, I can't say enough good things about this recipe! It's a lifesaver!
I'm so glad!! They'll taste even better once they're iced 😉
did you make a mistake and put 4 cups all purpose flour? because i followed the recipe EXACTLY it says 4 cups and the dough is sandy. it does not hold at all.
I'm sure I didn't make a mistake because I've followed this exact recipe several times a year for about 6 years now. If it's sandy you just need to mix it some more. It will come together!
Hi! I'm trying to make cut out cookies for my nieces birthday party. I tried your soft and chewy sugar cookie recipe and did the cut outs with that it worked fine but some cookies lost their shape. I like sugar cookies that are soft and chewy rather then the harder sugar cookies. Does this recipe make the cookies chewy as well?
Hey Reyna! I'm so glad to hear that you were happy with the soft & chewy recipe! This recipe here yields more of a tender, shortbread-like texture. It can be crispy if you bake them a little longer, or more tender/soft in the middle if you underbake them slightly. The good news is, they absolutely, positively do not lose their shape at all!
Another quick question. I want to make a test batch. Can I cut all the I gradients in half for this and still have the same effect?
Yes you can! I've done it many times & it works well. Good luck Reyna!
Allie, My family has gone ga-ga for these cookies. Today I added dried cranberries to the mix and they have turned out fantastic. I haven't decided if I will ice them or not. This has been a god send since my family loves cookies so much I make a batch every week.
That's awesome Kellie! I'm so happy you and your family are enjoying!
Thank You Allie for your response!!! I have absolutely fell in love with this recipe! I stuck to the 4 cups up flour and the cookies taste Awesome! Everyone loves them!
I'm so glad to hear it Stacy! Thanks so much for the great feedback!
I was wondering if I can omit the eggs. My child is allergic to it. The poor kid can never buy cute cut out cookies at the store n the inadequate mom could never make these pretty cut out cookies because the dough ALWAYS spread as far as the green pasture in Ireland. Any suggestion ?
Btw...love the read.
Hey Ming! I don't know if it would work as well, but have you ever tried using a flax egg? Basically you just soak some ground flax seed in water until it jells. This can be used as an egg substitute.
Hi Allie,
Will this recipe work using Lemon flavor instead of vanilla? I am looking for a cookie recipe for Lemon Cutout cookies I need to make about 100 heart shaped cookies.
Yes, I'm sure it will Terri! You can either use lemon extract in place of the vanilla, or just add lemon zest and a few teaspoons of fresh lemon juice. Good luck and enjoy!
These turned out great! Don't know why I didn't think of using cold butter...this saves a lot of time and effort!!
So glad you were pleased with the recipe Kristy! Thanks so much for the great feedback 🙂
Hi Allie! Are you using a convection oven to bake these cookies or conventional? I'd like to give your recipe a try. Thanks so much!
Just a conventional oven Fabian! Hope you enjoy 🙂
Hi Allie, just WOW! Your cookies came out really great! The sweetness level is just perfect, and the crisp corners and tender crumb were exactly what I wanted! No spreading whatsoever with this recipe and very sturdy! I cannot wait to give your chocolate other a try! Thank you so much for such a fantastic cookie!!!
My pleasure Fabian! I'm so happy you were pleased with it!