Soft Holiday Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
Of all the holiday cookies out there, these cut out sugar cookies rank at the top, and they belong on your baking list every year…
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 8 mins
- Chill Time
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 28 mins
- Makes
- 48 cookies
Of all the holiday cookies out there, these are the top pick for cut out sugar cookies, and they deserve a spot on your baking list every year! Each bite is buttery and soft inside, with a slightly crisp edge. They keep their shape without spreading, and they’re a blast to decorate with family!
6 Reasons to Fall for This Recipe
The Flavor. Every bite of these cutout sugar cookies delivers a lovely buttery taste that’s neither overly sweet nor bland. They’re so good that I often eat them plain, with no decorations at all!
Texture. The powdered sugar in this recipe makes these cut-out sugar cookies unbelievably soft. I mean it!
Easy to Decorate. Try sanding sugars, royal icing, or even buttercream frosting to dress these cookies up. Whatever you pick, enjoy the process! Better yet, bring the family in on it too!
For decorating cut out cookies with buttercream frosting, take a look at my Super Soft Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies!
Simple to Make. Clear step-by-step instructions make this sugar cookie recipe very approachable. It also calls for just 8 ingredients!
Prep Ahead. You can get most of this recipe done early, and the royal icing can be made ahead too!
Dala Horses! Okay, this might not be the strongest reason to bake these cut out sugar cookies, but I adore them anyway. The dala horse is a Swedish symbol of strength and courage, and it’s also a traditional holiday cookie shape in Sweden. Adam and I have gathered quite a few dala horse figurines from our trips to the country.
This recipe is adapted from my late Grammy’s cut out sugar cookie recipe. I remember her making them constantly, rolling the dough thin and sprinkling sanding sugar on top for a simple finish. They were wonderful then, and they still are! Without question, this is a fantastic cookie recipe that I love dearly, and I hope you will too. Enjoy!
Tips for Getting the Perfect Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Use room temperature ingredients. Items like the unsalted butter and eggs mix in far more smoothly when they’re at room temperature.
The butter should be soft enough that your thumb sinks in gently. If it gives way with no pressure at all, it’s likely too soft.
Pick the right size baking sheet. Make sure the baking sheet or jelly roll pan you chill the dough on fits comfortably in your refrigerator.
Use parchment paper. Plastic wrap can work for rolling out the dough, but I like parchment best. You can reuse it when baking your cookies! If you plan to make the dough in advance (more on this below), use wax paper.
Divide, then roll. After the dough comes together, shape it into one large ball and split it in half, the same way you would with pie dough.
Roll each half out on lightly floured parchment paper. I slide a silicone baking mat underneath as well, so the parchment doesn’t slip around.
Lay the second sheet of rolled dough on top of the first one.
Cold dough works best. Chill for at least 1 hour. Overnight is even better, or you can use the freezer for about half that time. Just don’t forget it’s in there!
However you chill it, the goal is for the dough to be firm enough that the cookie shapes cut out cleanly.
Dust the cookie cutters with flour. Dip the cutter in flour every 2-3 cookies to help the cookie release more easily.
Avoid overbaking. This super soft cut out sugar cookies recipe calls for 7-8 minutes in the oven. You’re aiming for a light golden brown on the edges and bottoms. I usually go with 7 minutes.
Too much time in the oven can turn sugar cookies a darker brown and leave them brittle and hard.
Rely on an oven thermometer. Recently I found out my oven wasn’t reaching the right temperature when preheated. It was roughly 100 degrees too cool! So, take my advice and buy an oven thermometer to confirm your oven heats to the proper temperature!
Let the cut out sugar cookies cool completely. Make sure they’re cool before you spread on the royal icing.
Cookie Decorating
Easy Options
Added before baking. This method is less messy and may suit little kids just starting out with cookie decorating. It’s the way I first learned to decorate cut-out sugar cookies!
- Sanding sugars
- Sprinkles
Moderately Easy Options
These are applied after the cookies are baked and cooled. They need a few extra tools and take more time to finish. They work well for everyone from beginners to advanced decorators.
Royal icing (used in this recipe). You can try several fun royal icing techniques, from simple to more advanced.
For most of the cookies pictured here, I used the wet-on-wet technique. That means once I outline and flood a cookie with royal icing, I right away pipe the detail work. The details settle into the still-wet base, forming an even, smooth layer of icing.
I did go back over most of them afterward and piped a bit of extra detailing on top.
I can’t recommend my friend Amber’s site, SweetAmbs.com, highly enough. In my view, she’s the very best at cookie decorating. Amber also offers a lot of online tutorials and classes!
Buttercream frosting. You’ll find this in my Super Soft Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies recipe.
Sprinkles. These can go on after baking too. Place them on top of the royal icing or the frosting.
Cookie Decorating Tools
If you go with the “Moderately Easy” options, you’ll need these decorating tools:
- Mixing Bowls. Ideal for tinting your royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. Metal, glass, or plastic all work well.
- Piping Bags. You need these for royal icing and buttercream. I’m fond of my reusable Wilton piping bags, but plenty of other disposable plastic ones are available. Choose whatever feels comfortable to you.
- Decorating Tips. For the fine details on these royal iced cut out cookies, I used tips no. 2, no. 3, and no. 67 from my Wilton Master Decorating Tip Set. I really love that set!
- Scribe. This cookie tool is typically used to pop air bubbles or smooth bumps in cut out sugar cookies that are outlined and filled with royal icing at flooding consistency. Clear out any bubbles right after you apply the icing. Waiting until it’s near or after it has set won’t work.
- Edible Black Markers. Ideal for outlining cookies before you add royal icing. After the iced cookies dry completely, you can carefully draw over the surface to add any other details using medium or stiff royal icing. I used Wilton Black Markers to outline some of the larger dala horses.
- Offset spatula. Ideal for spreading buttercream frosting onto cookies.
- Decorating Coupler. This piece connects the decorating tip to the piping bag. You can find them in the tip set I mentioned earlier or buy them separately.
- Food Coloring Gel. I rely on the Wilton Color Right System, though Chefmaster and McCormick are also options. Powdered food coloring works too.
- Spatula. Handy for stirring food coloring gel into frosting. A spoon will do in a pinch, but a spatula reaches the bowl’s sides much better.
- Large pint glass. I use this to fill my piping bags. Set the bag inside the glass and let the bag’s edges hang over the rim.
Royal Icing Consistencies
Royal icing comes in 3 consistencies: stiff, medium, and flooding.
Stiff Consistency. This is where your royal icing starts when you first mix it. It’s thick like frosting but dense rather than fluffy.
I used this one for piping small leaves, dots, and borders onto the cookies.
Medium Consistency (stiff consistency plus a few drops of water). Icing at this level flows smoothly out of the tip yet still keeps its shape.
I used this consistency for the borders on several of the large dala horses and candy canes.
Flooding Consistency (stiff consistency plus a few tablespoons of water). This makes the initial smooth, flat layer on the cookie. I used it to outline and then fill in each cookie. Use a scribe tool (or a toothpick) to pop any air bubbles.
To check the consistency, scoop a spoonful of royal icing and drop it back into the bowl. It should smooth out and blend back into the icing within 15-20 seconds.
When piping flooding consistency onto each cookie, you do not need a decorating tip. Simply snip a small opening in the bag’s tip. Decorating tips are only useful for the fine details.
How to Make Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Ahead of Time
Preparing this sugar cookie dough in advance is simple and can save you a huge amount of time! There are three ways to do it:
1. Dough Discs. Rather than rolling the dough out, split it into 2 portions and press each into a 1-inch thick disc (just like pie dough). Wrap each disc tightly in plastic wrap twice, then put it in a freezer bag or a well-sealed container.
Lay the discs on a flat surface in the freezer. The day before you want to bake, move them to the refrigerator. That makes them easier to roll out when the time comes.
2. Rolled Out Dough. Mix the dough, split it into 2 portions, and roll each out between layers of wax paper, then set it on a baking sheet. Wrap in two layers of plastic wrap and one layer of aluminum foil, and freeze. Use a permanent marker to write what it is and the date it went in the freezer.
You can also freeze the layers until they’re fully chilled, then wrap them in plastic wrap and store them in a large freezer bag or a well-sealed container. Make sure your bag or container is big enough for this.
3. Cut Out Cookies. Mix the dough, split it into 2 portions, roll each out between layers of wax paper, set them on a baking sheet, and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled. Cut out the shapes, and re-roll any scraps until they’re used up.
Arrange the cookies on a baking sheet lined with wax paper and freeze again until fully chilled. Then move them to a freezer storage bag or a well-sealed container, with wax paper between each layer of cookies.
No matter which of the 3 methods you pick, the cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Recipe FAQs
My cookie dough is sticky and difficult to roll out.If the dough is too sticky, mix in a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time, until it stops sticking.
Do I have to chill my cut out sugar cookie dough?Definitely. Chilling keeps the cookies from spreading in the oven and makes cutting them out easier.
Why do my cut-out cookies have air bubbles in them?Overworking the dough can trap air, which may cause bubbles to form in the cookies while they bake. If that happens, take them out of the oven and gently tap the tops with a spatula or turner.
How thick should I roll out my cookie dough?I like to roll my sugar cookies to a 1/4-inch thickness. If you prefer them thinner, keep a close eye on the clock, since they’ll bake more quickly than thicker cookies.
Can I make royal icing in advance?Yes! Once it’s made, transfer it to a well-sealed container. Press plastic wrap directly onto the icing’s surface and refrigerate it for up to a week. Stir by hand before using.
What cookie cutters did you use?I bought my dala horse cookie cutters from a shop called A Touch of Finland. The candy cane and snowflake cutters are from Wilton.
More Holiday Cookies!
If you make this Super Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies Recipe or any other recipe from my site, please leave a star rating and tell me what you thought in the comments below. Thanks for stopping by!
Soft Holiday Cut Out Sugar Cookies with Royal Icing
These are the top cut out sugar cookies! Every bite is soft and buttery inside with a light golden brown, crisp outside. They taste wonderful, hold their shape in the oven, and fit perfectly into your holiday cookie box! Finish with simple sanding sugar, royal icing, or buttercream frosting.
- Prep
- 20 mins
- Cook
- 8 mins
- Chill Time
- 1 hr
- Total
- 1 hr 28 mins
- Makes
- 48 cookies
Ingredients
cut out sugar cookies
- 2 ⅔ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Cream of Tartar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, room temperature
- 1 cup Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 1 Large Egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1/2 tsp Almond Extract
royal icing
- 1/2 cup Meringue Powder
- 7 cups Sifted Powdered Sugar
- 3/4 cup Water, room temperature + more for flooding consistency (keep separate)
- 2 ½ tsp Vanilla Extract
- Food Coloring or Icing Gel, colors of your choice
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle, beat the unsalted butter on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
- Shut off the mixer, then add the powdered sugar. Mix it with the butter on low speed until nearly combined.
- Scrape the bowl’s sides, then on medium-high, add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat until well combined.
- Drop the mixer to low and slowly add the whisked dry ingredients until fully mixed in. The dough should begin to form a ball and pull away from the bowl’s sides.
- Move the dough to a clean work surface, shape it into a ball, and split it into 2 sections. Roll the first section into a slab 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured sheet of parchment (or wax paper if you plan to freeze the dough for later). Put it on a baking sheet or jelly roll pan. Repeat with the second portion, laying it over the first layer. Chill the dough slabs for at least 1 hour, or (my preference) overnight.
- Once chilled, move an oven rack to the 2nd level (just above center) and heat the oven to 375ºF. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment and set them aside.
- Flour your cookie cutters and cut out the shapes. Space each shape 1 to 1 1/2 inches apart on the cookie sheet. If you’re using only sanding sugar or sprinkles, add them now. Put any cutouts not yet baked into the fridge or freezer to stay cold while the first batch bakes.
- Bake for 7-8 minutes at 375ºF, or until the edges turn a light golden brown. Let them rest on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then move them with a spatula (or server) to a wire rack. Let them cool fully before adding royal icing. To bake ahead, store the cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to 3 days. Baked cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Cool them completely before sealing them in an airtight container or freezer bag.
- With a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with the paddle, mix the meringue powder and powdered sugar on low until combined. Keep the speed low and add the water and vanilla extract, mixing until it begins to come together.
- Scrape the bowl’s sides, then keep mixing on low until the royal icing is very thick (about 3-5 minutes) and holds a stiff peak when you turn the paddle upside down.
- Set aside some stiff consistency royal icing for detailing later. Transfer it to a sealed food container, press plastic wrap onto its surface, and refrigerate. It’s smart to keep a small portion in reserve too, in case the flooding icing ends up too thin.
- Add a few drops of room temperature water to the stiff consistency icing. It should be a little thinner than stiff but still hold its shape, and it will be a bit easier to pipe.
- Add room temperature water to the stiff icing 1 tablespoon at a time, until a spoonful takes 15-20 seconds to blend back into the bowl when tested. If you add too much water, stir in some of the stiff icing you reserved.
- Prepare your colors and fill piping bags with them. For outlining and filling cookies, use flooding consistency royal icing in a piping bag with no decorating tip. To keep things organized, set all the bags on a jelly roll pan.
- Set the outlined and flooded cookies on a wire cooling rack to dry. They need at least 2 hours. To speed things up, aim a fan at them to dry the tops. You can also leave them out overnight. Don’t store them in a container while they dry. Keep any leftover royal icing in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap and sealed with the container lid.
- Once the cookies feel dry to the touch, pipe any extra details on top with stiff or medium consistency royal icing. Use a piping bag and the decorating tip of your choice.
- Let the cookies dry completely overnight on the cooling rack.
- After they’re fully dry, store them in a well-sealed food container with a slice of bread to keep them soft for up to 10 days. Decorated cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months as well, when they’re placed in individual sealed bags.
Baker’s notes
- This cut out sugar cookie recipe makes roughly 4 dozen cookies. The count depends on the size of your cutters and how thick you roll the dough. If you make fewer than the amount listed here, consider cutting back on the royal icing.
- For decorating these cookies with buttercream frosting, check out my Chocolate Cut Out Sugar Cookies recipe.
- Bake times in recipes are estimates and depend on your oven. Start checking your cookies at the earliest suggested bake time.
- The recipe doesn’t list a time for royal icing prep, but it takes about 15 minutes. That doesn’t include tinting the icing, filling the piping bags, or decorating the cookies.
- Total decorating time for these super soft cut-out sugar cookies depends on how many you make (which depends on your cutter size) and your experience level.
- This cut out sugar cookie recipe is a family favorite that my late Grammy passed down to me. The royal icing recipe was adapted from Wilton.
