Tara Teaspoon

menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Newsletter
  • Shop
  • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Recipes
    • Cookbooks
    • Newsletter
    • Shop
    • About
    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • ×
    TaraTeaspoon » Recipes » Cookies

    Soft Sugar Cookies for Cutouts

    Published: Apr 30, 2019 · Updated: Aug 14, 2022 by Tara Teaspoon · This page contains affiliate and sponsored links. See my full disclosure

    Jump to Recipe Pin Recipe
    soft sugar cookies and sprinkles pin
    soft sugar cookies with sour cream pin
    soft sugar cookies pin

    Classic, soft sugar cookies, perfect for cutting into shapes and sprinkling with sugar, or covering with frosting. These cookies are so delicious, they'll disappear quickly!


    When I need a go-to, soft sugar cookie to roll and cut, this is my recipe. Soft like a Lofthouse cookie you find at the grocery store, loaded with flavorful butter and a touch of sour cream for fluffiness, they are truly the best.

    Soft Sugar cookies stacked with rainbow sprinkles
    Jump to:
    • What makes soft sugar cookies?
    • How to make soft sugar cookies:
    • My tips for making roll-and-cut cookies:
    • 📖 Recipe
    • 💬 Comments

    This was the classic sugar cookie we made as children at Christmas. They'd make their way into the cookie jar on Valentine's as well, in the shape of hearts, with perfect pink frosting on top. I use my Fluffy Vanilla Frosting for these cookies, and it is hands down the best combo.

    My other sugar cookie recipe yields a crisp and buttery cookie that holds a perfect cookie cutter shape. It is a great option for decorating with Royal Icing and I use it for my Santa Face cookies at the holidays.

    This recipe is for softer, fluffy sugar cookies that are at their best with a buttercream frosting.

    What makes soft sugar cookies?

    These soft sugar cookies are versatile and delicious, and pretty perfect for any occasion. I've made a few changes to the original, and I'll note it in the recipe. Sour cream was added a few years ago to make them more like Lofthouse-style sugar cookies. A little more puffy, cake-like and soft than the original.

    You can still make them without sour cream and get a soft, buttery result. Adding the sour cream allows you to roll the dough a little thicker and get a more cake-like cookie.

    Either way you are destined to have a soft sugar cookie that looks good, tastes good and even gets better after a day or two!

    stacked soft sugar cookies with rainbow sprinkles

    How to make soft sugar cookies:

    • A classic sugar cookie starts with butter and sugar. I like to use unsalted butter (because I can control the amount of salt in the recipe). Your cookies will be fine if you use salted butter.
    • The sugar and butter are beaten together, either in an electric mixer or with a hand mixer. This beating is imperative because it's part of the leavening. Mixing the butter and sugar together creates air pockets (that's why the mixture turns light and fluffy), and these air pockets help the eggs and baking powder puff the cookies up for a soft texture.
    • Adding sour cream makes the dough cakey and keeps the cookies soft and moist. My recipe only needs a few tablespoons to make a difference.
    • Don't forget the salt. It brings out the butter flavor and balances the sugary goodness.

    Rolling dough for soft sugar cookies can be done immediately or after chilling.

    If you like a crisp and chewy cookie, try my other sugar cookie recipe HERE.

    My tips for making roll-and-cut cookies:

    Typically roll-and-cut cookie dough needs to be chilled first, then quickly rolled out on a floured work surface, cut into shapes and baked. To make this easier, I divide my dough into 2 to 4 pieces, wrap each in plastic wrap and chill until firm. I roll it out quickly and cut my shapes so they are still cold and firm when I transfer them to a baking sheet.

    If your arms are getting tired from working that cold dough into an evenly flat canvas, try this method:

    Divide newly mixed dough into about 4 pieces. Roll each piece between two sheets of parchment paper to desired thickness. Slide onto a baking sheet and freeze for 30 minutes. Peel top sheet from cold dough, replace and flip over. Peel bottom piece from cold dough and quickly cut shapes and transfer to a baking sheet.

    Cookie Classics To Try:

    • Stovetop Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Award Winning Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Coconut Macaroons with Condensed Milk
    • Graham Crackers and Frosting
    • Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
    • Iced Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

    📖 Recipe

    rainbow sprinkles on stack of soft sugar cookies

    Soft Sugar Cookies

    Tara Teaspoon
    Classic, soft sugar cookies, perfect for cutting into shapes and sprinkling with sugar, or covering with frosting. These cookies are so delicious, they'll disappear quickly!
    5 from 1 vote
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Work Time 25 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
    Course cookies
    Servings 24 to 30 cutout cookies

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
    • 1 cup granulated sugar
    • 3 large eggs
    • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3 tablespoons sour cream (optional)
    • 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • Fluffy Vanilla Frosting

    Instructions
     

    • In a mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar well. Add the eggs, vanilla and sour cream. Mix well.
    • Stir in the flour, salt and baking powder until just combined. Wrap dough in plastic wrap, flatten and chill until cold (about 2 hours). 
    • Heat oven to 400ºF. Roll dough to about ⅜-inch-thick on floured parchment. Chill rolled sheet of dough before cutting if necessary (dough gets soft quickly). Cut cookies into shapes and bake until just done, 8 to 10 minutes. Cool and frost. 

    Notes

    • Adding sour cream to the cookies makes them more cakey and soft. You can leave it out for a thinner, buttery soft sugar cookie.
    • Leave cookies in oven a few extra minutes if you like a little golden color on them. This will change the texture slightly (they will be a bit dry but have a caramelized flavor), and they will still be soft. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 180kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 2gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 47mgSodium: 85mgPotassium: 67mgSugar: 8gVitamin A: 285IUCalcium: 25mgIron: 1mg
    Get exclusive recipes sent to your inbox!Sign up for Tara's newsletter for more.

    Cookie Recipes from Tara Teaspoon

    • Three stacked Easter blondies on a small white plate.
      Mini Egg Cookie Bars
    • Three cut lemon bars stacked one on top of the other.
      Easy Lemon Bars
    • small batch chocolate chip cookies on pink plate
      Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • close feature of peanut butter blossoms
      Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies
    • Plate of strawberry macadamia nut cookies feature.
      Strawberries and Cream Cookies with Macadamia Nuts
    • close up feature of macadamia nut cookies.
      Macadamia and White Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • stack of cookies without chocolate chips
      Chocolate Chipless Cookies
    • Close up of Dulce de leche bars with a missing corner on parchment
      Dulce de Leche Cookie Bars
    Tara in kitchen making salad

    Tara Teaspoon

    I’ve been in food publishing for over 25 years, creating recipes & food-styling for magazines, books, television, food brands, & advertising. With two cookbooks under my belt and thousands of my recipes at your fingertips, I hope you'll be inspired to spend more time in the kitchen!

    More about Tara

    Recipe and food styling: Tara Teaspoon. Photography Ty Mecham.

    Comments

      5 from 1 vote

      Review Or Ask A Question! Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating





      This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    1. Mary Bench says

      May 17, 2019 at 6:52 pm

      First-hand knowledge: This cookie recipe is THE BEST!

      Reply

    Hi, I'm Tara Teaspoon!

    I’ve been sharing my original ideas for years. What began as a passion, turned into a publishing career as Food Editor at Martha Stewart Living and Ladies’ Home Journal magazines.

    Now I write cookbooks, and share delicious recipes and expert cooking tips with you here! Thanks for stopping by Tara Teaspoon!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • square feature image of turkey pot pie with biscuits on top in a cast iron skillet.
      Turkey Pot Pie with Biscuits
    • featured image of the perfect slice of lemon lush icebox dessert.
      Lemon Lush
    • feature square of swiss meringue buttercream from Live Life Deliciously cookbook.
      Swiss Meringue Buttercream Recipe
    • Polenta zucchini salad in a serving bowl.
      Chicken and Zucchini Salad with Polenta Croutons

    Cookbooks

    Tara Teaspoon Cookbooks

    Footer

    Subscribe for emails and exclusive updates!

    Sign me up!
    Tara Teaspoon horizontal logo

    ↑back to top

    Explore

    • Recipe Index
    • Cookbooks
    • New Posts
    • Newsletter Subscribe

    About

    • About
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Refund Policy
    • Disclaimer & Terms

    Copyright © 2025 Tara Teaspoon, Inc • Powered by Feast+

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.