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The Best Soft and Chewy Cutout Sugar Cookies for Decorating

A stack of five perfectly baked, round sugar cookies resting on a white plate.
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Follow this easy recipe for the best sugar cookies that are soft, chewy, and hold their shape perfectly for holiday cutouts and decorating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
  2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla extract.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or until firm enough to roll.
  6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
  8. Carefully transfer the cutouts to the prepared baking sheets.
  9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft. For thicker cookies, bake closer to 10 minutes.
  10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.

Notes

  • Chilling the dough is essential for cookies that hold their shape and do not spread while baking.
  • For the softest cookies, slightly underbake them; they will firm up as they cool.
  • These cookies pair well with a simple royal icing or a basic powdered sugar glaze for decorating.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://delishcraze.com/best-soft-chewy-cutout-sugar-cookies/