Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies that are delicious and topped with a simple icing. Perfect roll and cut cookies for any occasion! Vegan friendly a with gluten free option.
My kids and I like to use holidays as an excuse to make cute cookie cut-outs to match the season. Hearts for Valentine’s Day. Stars and flags for July 4th. Leaves and pumpkins for Thanksgiving. And of course, there’s Christmas…my favorite holiday, and definitely A LOT of cookie cutter options!
I have another recipe here on the blog for cut-out cookies which are free of refined sugar. These sugar cookies are more like traditional sugar cookies since they’re subtly sweetened with powdered sugar. Both are delicious and both have vegan and gluten-free options, so it’s a matter of preference.
I like to roll my cookie dough a little thicker than 1/4″, so the cookies stay soft and tender. The icing is a very easy powdered sugar icing that dries firm as long as it’s thick. It only takes about 3–4 teaspoons of milk/water per cup of powdered sugar to get the right consistency. It will appear very thick and pours slow like honey.
I place the icing in a piping bag and pipe a border around the cookie before filling it in more icing. A toothpick comes in handy for spreading the icing around. It begins to set quickly, so if you’re using sprinkles, you’ll want to add them as soon as you even out the icing. Once the icing dries completely, you can easily stack them in a container without having to worry about them getting smudged.
These soft cut-out sugar cookies are very easy to make and delicious! The cookies themselves are subtly sweetened, but the layer of icing does make them pretty sweet. If you don’t care for them to be overly sweet, you can just pipe outlines on the cookies or little decorations on each cookie instead of filling with frosting.
I also included my vanilla buttercream recipe which has a delicious buttery flavor. You can easily just slather buttercream on each cookie without having to worry with piping bags and fancy decorations! Either way, they’re delicious and definitely worth a try! Enjoy!!
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Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 20–24 cookies 1x
Description
Soft and delicious sugar cookies with a simple icing. Perfect roll and cut cookies for any occasion! Vegan friendly a with gluten free option. For a naturally sweetened version, check out these simple cut-out cookies!
Ingredients
Sugar Cut-Out Cookies:
2 cups all-purpose flour or gluten-free flour blend (I use King Arthur Measure for Measure GF Flour)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
2/3 cup butter, softened (for dairy-free, I like Miyoko’s European Style Butter)
2/3 cup powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk of choice
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Easy Cookie Icing: (can also use this vanilla buttercream)
1 and 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
1 1/2 –2 tablespoons milk of choice or water
Instructions
To Make the Cookies:
Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
In a mixing bowl, beat butter until creamy. Beat in powdered sugar, then the milk and vanilla, mixing well.
Gradually beat flour mixture into the creamed butter, blending until well combined. Dough will be crumbly.
Dump dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Use your hands or the edges of the paper to press the dough together. If dough is still too crumbly, knead in a little more milk (1 teaspoon at a time, just until it holds together.)
Place another piece of parchment on top and roll to 1/4″ – 1/3″ thick. Fold the sides together of the parchment together then place the dough into the fridge for 1–2 hours to chill.
Once chilled, preheat the oven to 375ºF. Take the dough out and use cookie cutters dipped in a little flour to cut out shapes. Try to cut cookies out as close together as possible to minimize re-rolling. Repeat rolling and cutting with remaining dough. If dough has softened, pop in the fridge for 5–10 minutes before baking.
Place cookie cut-outs a couple of inches apart on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8–10 minutes, depending on the thickness of the cut-outs.
Cookies will be light in color. Let cool on the pan a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool completely.
Frosting the Cookies:
This cookie icing is a thin icing that dries firm. I also have a vanilla buttercream recipe that you can use if you prefer.
To make the icing, whisk together powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Use the lesser amount, only adding more if needed.
Icing will be thick, but pourable. If too thick, add milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it reaches your desired consistency. If too thin, add powdered sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until thickened.
Divide icing, if needed, and color with gel or liquid food coloring. Transfer icing to piping bags or squeeze bottles and decorate cookies as desired.
I like to outline the cookies first, then fill in with more icing. If needed, use a toothpick to spread the icing evenly. If using sprinkles, you’ll want to add them right away before the icing sets. Let dry completely, for several hours, before stacking and storing in an airtight container.
- Cook Time: 10 min
You May Also Enjoy These Similar Recipes:
Simple Cut-Out Cookies
Linzer Cookies with Berry Chia Jam
Gingerbread Cut-Out Cookies
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