These soft vanilla almond sugar cookie cutouts are buttery cookies with a warm vanilla flavor and a hint of almond, ready for royal icing, glaze, or buttercream. The dough makes approximately 6-8 dozen cookies, depending on cutter size, so it's a good choice for a decorating afternoon or a cookie exchange.
Plan on 45 minutes of prep, at least 2 hours of chilling, and 6-10 minutes in the oven for each batch. Roll the chilled dough ¼ inch thick and take the cookies out when the tops look set and the edges are just beginning to turn pale golden. For the decorated cookies shown here, use my Royal Icing for Cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- A generous batch: Approximately 6-8 dozen cutouts, with plenty to share.
- Vanilla and almond flavor: A buttery cookie that works with several decorating options.
- Make the dough ahead: Refrigerate for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
A Family Cookie Tradition
These cookies grew out of my Aunt Sallie's Christmas cookie tradition. I remember her arriving at my grandparents' house in Austin with a platter of decorated holiday treats. That little hint of almond alongside the vanilla is still the flavor I look forward to.
Ingredients You'll Need
The measurements are in the recipe card. Have the butter softened and the eggs at room temperature before you begin.
- Salted butter: Softened for creaming.
- Granulated, light brown, and powdered sugars: All three are part of this tested dough.
- Light corn syrup: Measure before mixing the wet ingredients.
- Large eggs: At room temperature, added one at a time.
- Vanilla and almond extracts: The flavor combination that distinguishes these cutouts.
- Kosher salt and baking powder: Whisk into the flour before mixing.
- All-purpose flour: Spoon into measuring cups and level; keep additional flour for rolling.
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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
For an all-vanilla cookie, replace the almond extract with an equal amount of vanilla extract. Dark brown sugar can replace the light brown sugar; expect a stronger molasses flavor and a darker cookie.
Tools That Make It Easier
I use these tools when I make sugar cookie cutouts: mixing bowls, a wire whisk, measuring cups and spoons, a stand mixer with its paddle, a flexible spatula, plastic wrap, a rolling pin, cookie cutters, baking sheets, parchment paper, and a wire cooling rack.
Check your mixer's capacity before starting. With 8 cups of flour, this is a large dough; halve the recipe if the full batch exceeds your mixer's capacity.
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Rolling Pin with Thickness Rings
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Buy Now → How to Make Vanilla Almond Sugar Cookie Cutouts
Step 1 - Whisk the dry ingredients. Combine the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt in a bowl, whisking to distribute the leavening evenly.
Step 2 - Cream the butter and mix in the wet ingredients. Beat the softened butter with the granulated, light brown, and powdered sugars on medium speed for about 3 minutes, scraping as needed, until smooth and creamy. Mix in the corn syrup, vanilla, and almond extract, then add the eggs individually, incorporating each before adding the next.
Step 3 - Finish the dough and chill four disks. With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in several additions and stop as soon as the dough comes together; scrape the bottom of the bowl to check for unmixed flour. Divide into four portions, flatten into disks, wrap tightly, and refrigerate at least 2 hours, until firm.
Step 4 - Roll and cut one disk at a time. Heat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment. Keep the other disks chilled; if the disk you are using cracks when rolled, let it stand 10-15 minutes, then lightly flour the surface and rolling pin and roll to an even ¼ inch.
Gather the scraps, press them together, and roll again with only enough flour to prevent sticking. Return any dough that becomes soft or difficult to handle to the refrigerator.
Step 5 - Bake until the edges are pale golden. Cut shapes and arrange about 1½ inches apart, grouping similar sizes together. Bake 6-10 minutes, checking smaller shapes first; remove when the tops look set and the edges begin turning pale golden.
Step 6 - Cool before decorating. Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool completely before icing or decorating. Repeat with the remaining dough, allowing baking sheets to cool between batches.
Tips for Soft Sugar Cookie Cutouts
- Chill before adding flour: If the dough gets soft, refrigerate it. Extra flour can make the cookies dry.
- Keep the thickness even: Roll to ¼ inch and group similarly sized shapes on the same sheet.
- Give firm dough a short rest: Let a disk stand 10-15 minutes only if it cracks when rolled.
- Watch for pale golden edges: Check smaller shapes first within the 6-10-minute baking window.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Keep plain cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Separate decorated cookies with parchment once the icing has set. Refrigerate cookies topped with frosting that requires refrigeration.
Make-Ahead and Freezing
Refrigerate tightly wrapped dough for up to 3 days. Let it soften just enough to roll before using.
Place wrapped dough disks in a freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before rolling and cutting.
Freeze completely cooled, undecorated cookies in an airtight container with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Thaw in the closed container at room temperature before decorating.
What to Serve with Sugar Cookie Cutouts
Serve the cookies with coffee, hot chocolate, or cold milk. For a dessert tray, add Salted Fudge Brownies and Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies, or include Cranberry Pumpkin Bread in a holiday spread.
Royal icing, powdered sugar glaze, and buttercream are all serving options. Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can I make the full batch in a smaller mixer?
Make half the recipe if the dough exceeds your mixer's capacity. The full recipe uses 8 cups of flour and should not be forced into a mixer bowl that cannot accommodate it.
Does the yield include icing?
The approximately 6-8 dozen yield is for the cookies, depending on cutter size. Royal icing, glaze, or buttercream is added after the cookies cool; icing ingredients are not part of this cookie dough.
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More Recipes You Might Like
Royal Icing for Cookies
Classic Spritz Butter Cookies
Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
Grinch Cookies
Soft and Chewy Ginger Molasses Cookies
Chocolate Hershey Kiss Cookies
For another decorating project, try Sugar Cookies for Valentine's Day. For a different sugar cookie format, see Sugar Cookie Bars or Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies.
Recipe
PrintSoft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
These buttery sugar cookie cutouts combine vanilla, almond, and brown sugar for rich flavor and tender centers. Prep the dough ahead, then roll, bake, and decorate.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours 38 minutes
- Yield: 60 to 80 cookies depending on size 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 cups salted butter (softened (4 sticks))
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ cup light corn syrup
- 4 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 Tablespoons vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
Preheat the Oven
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Mix Dry Ingredients
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
Cream Butter and Flavorings
- In a separate large bowl, use a mixer to beat the softened butter, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
Add Sugars and Corn Syrup
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the sugars and corn syrup. Mix until well incorporated.
Add Eggs
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl again. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully combined.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Beat until just combined. If the dough feels too sticky, add a little more flour. If it's too dry, add a splash of milk to adjust the texture.
Chill the Dough
- Divide the dough into two portions. Wrap each portion in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to firm up before rolling and cutting.
Roll Out the Dough
- Once the dough has chilled, take out a small portion and let it sit at room temperature for about 15 minutes to soften slightly, making it easier to roll.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to cut the dough into your desired shapes.
Bake
- Place the shaped dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Cool and Decorate
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Decorate as desired.
Nutrition
- Calories: 168
- Sugar: 12
- Sodium: 110
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 25
- Fiber: 0.5
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 29
Gypsy says
Can you please clarify. The recipe & ingredients states to cream softened butter. But the "Chef Secrets & Tips" & "Commonly Asked Questions" mentions using cold butter from the fridge or freezer.
Jennifer says
Thanks for catching that — the dough itself is made with softened butter, as written in the recipe instructions.
For these sugar cookies, softened butter is important because it creams properly with the sugars and gives the cookies their soft texture and smooth dough consistency. Chilling happens after the dough is mixed to help the cookies hold their shape during baking.
I’ve updated the notes for clarity. I appreciate you pointing it out!