My Favorite Cut-Out Cookie Recipe - The Make Your Own Zone (2024)

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Most of the time when I make homemade cookies I stick with the basic stuff. I whip up some chocolate chip cookies, or I stir together my trusty Chocolate No Bake cookies, or these tasty Oatmeal Chip cookies.

But every so often I get a little more ambitious (usually around a holiday when all those festive feelings come bubbling up) and that’s when I make this recipe for cut-out sugar cookies that’s been a favorite at our house for years.

I’ve always really liked the flavor of these cookies because there’s cream cheese in the dough. It gives the cookies a nice rich flavor and sets them apart a little bit from most ordinary sugar cookies. This recipe makes a good sized batch of dough and most of the time I have plenty of cookies made after using about two thirds of the dough. I wrap the remaining third of the dough in some wax paper and then put it in a Ziploc freezer bag, and freeze until I want to make some more cookies.

Most of the time I use this recipe at Christmas for some cut-out decorated Christmas cookies. Over the years I’ve kind of fallen into the routine of using up that last little batch of dough in the freezer for some Valentine’s Day cut-out cookies. It sort of breaks up the winter blahs and gives me a reason to use up the dough that’s been just chillin’ in the freezer for the last couple months.

And that’s how it was this year too. I got out my ball of dough from the freezer this week and hauled out my crazy assortment of cookie cutters that I’ve collected over the years. I found my heart shaped cookie cutter there among the turkey cutter and the Christmas tree cutter, and the disembodied hand cutter (?!?) as well as few of my basic all purpose cookie cutters, and got to work making some treats for Valentine’s Day.

Ingredients for Cream Cheese Cut-Out Cookies

Here are the ingredients for my tried and true recipe for cut out cookies that I’ve been using for many years now. These ingredients create a dough that’s perfect for any holiday {or any old time for that matter} when you might want some pretty decorated cookies. This dough keeps very well in the freezer too which is always a great bonus.

  • 3-1/2 cups Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 cup Butter (2 sticks)
  • 8 oz pkg of Cream Cheese
  • 2 cups White Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/4 tsp Almond Extract

In a medium bowl, I mix together the flour and the baking powder and set aside. In a large mixing bowl I beat together the butter and the cream cheese, and then add in the sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat well until everything is mixed together. Then I gradually add in the flour mixture. Towards the end of adding in the flour mixture I usually stop using my electric mixer and finish up mixing it by hand as the dough starts to get thicker.

The dough can then be divided into thirds and chilled for several hours or overnight. I usually wrap the portions of dough in wax paper while they’re chilling in the refrigerator.

Cutting and Baking the Cookies

When it’s time to bake the cookies, begin by preheating the oven to 325 degrees.

Roll out the dough on a floured surface using a rolling pin. I just toss a little bit of dough around on my clean kitchen counter and then roll out the dough. I usually roll out the dough to a little less than 1/4″ thickness and just eyeball it, but if you’re feeling fussbudgety you can try something like these Rolling Pin Spacer Bands that help you roll out dough to an even thickness.

Cut the rolled out dough into shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cut-out shapes onto ungreased cookie sheets. They don’t spread out at all in the oven so you can put them pretty close together on the cookie sheet if you want.

Bake for about 10 minutes.

Remove from the oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or so to cool a bit. Then transfer them to a cookie rack or lay them on on some paper toweling to cool the rest of the way.

Adding A Glaze to Your Cut-Out Cookies

Once the cut-out cookies have been baked and cooled I use a quick and easy glaze that dries up hard so the cookies don’t stick together once they’re decorated if you want to stack them or lay them on top of each other in a storage container. I don’t ever measure, but the ingredients for this glaze are:

  • Powdered (confectioner) sugar
  • Milk

I put a couple of good sized spoonfuls of the powdered sugar in a bowl. I then add milk, one spoonful at a time as needed, stirring it in until I have a nice consistency that’s not too runny. If your mixture does end up being too thin, just add in some more powdered sugar. A drop or two of food coloring can also be added.

I then use a spoon to put a little of the glaze on each cookie and spread it around with the back of the spoon. I’ve found this works better than using a knife. Add your sprinkles or decorations while the glaze is still wet and lay on wax paper to harden.

Once the frosting glaze has hardened (after about an hour or so), your delicious cookies will be ready to enjoy!

If all this rolling, and cutting, and decorating of cookies sounds like too much work, here’s a another treat idea that’s quick and easy and can also be customized for any holiday. I make these at different times of the year, using whatever the holiday colors of the moment are. The red and pink M&M’s work perfectly for Valentine’s Day.

More Homemade Treat Recipes:

  • Coconut Oatmeal Cookies
  • Homemade No Sugar Chocolates
  • Pumpkin Spice Energy Bites

My Favorite Cut-Out Cookie Recipe - The Make Your Own Zone (8)

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This recipe has been a favorite of mine for years and creates a tasty cut-out cookie with the added flavors of cream cheese and almond.

Prep Time10 minutes mins

Cook Time10 minutes mins

Chilling the dough2 hours hrs

Course: cookie

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Cut Out Cookie

Yield: 5 dozen

Author: Beverly

Ingredients:

  • cups White Flour
  • 1 tsp Baking Powder
  • 1 cup Butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 8 oz pkg Cream Cheese
  • 2 cups White Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
  • ¼ tsp Almond Extract

Cookie Glaze

  • Powdered (Confectioner) Sugar
  • Milk

Instructions:

Making The Cookie Dough

  • In a medium bowl, mix together the flour and the baking powder and set aside

  • In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter and the cream cheese.

  • Add in the sugar, egg, vanilla, and almond extract and beat until everything is well mixed together.

  • Gradually add in the flour mixture.Towards the end of adding in the flour mixture I usually stop using my electric mixer and finish up mixing it by hand as the dough starts to get thicker.

  • The dough can then be divided into thirds and chilled for several hours or overnight. I usually wrap the portions of dough in wax paper while they're chilling in the refrigerator.

Cutting and Baking the Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

  • Roll out the dough to about a 1/4" thickness on a floured surface using a rolling pin.

  • Cut the rolled out dough into shapes using cookie cutters. Place the cut-out shapes onto ungreased cookie sheets. They don't spread out at all in the oven so you can put them pretty close together on the cookie sheet.

  • Bake for 10 minutes.

  • Remove from the oven and let them sit on the cookie sheet for a minute or so to cool a bit. Then transfer them to a cookie rack or lay them on on some paper toweling to cool the rest of the way.

Cookie "frosting" glaze

  • Put a couple of good sized spoonfuls of the powdered sugar in a bowl.

  • Add the milk, one spoonful at a time as needed, stirring it in until you have a nice consistency that's not too runny. If your mixture does end up being too thin, just add in some more powdered sugar. A drop or two of food coloring can also be added.

  • Use a spoon to put a little of the glaze on each cookie and spread it around with the back of the spoon.I've found this works better than using a knife.

  • Add your sprinkles or decorations while the glaze is still wet and lay on wax paper to harden.

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My Favorite Cut-Out Cookie Recipe - The Make Your Own Zone (9)

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My Favorite Cut-Out Cookie Recipe - The Make Your Own Zone (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to cut-out cookies? ›

Pull off the top sheet of parchment, then slide the sheet of dough onto a baking sheet, then pop it in the freezer. (You can stack as many sheets of dough onto one baking sheet as you'd like.) Sandwich your dough between two sheets of parchment, roll, then freeze; it makes cut-out cookies a breeze!

Why won't my cut-out cookies hold their shape? ›

Many cookie recipes will not work when cut out because they're designed to spread. Are you sure you're using enough flour, when making the dough? Try adding a little more flour. And when you roll out the dough, to cut the shapes, use floured cookie cutters.

Is butter or margarine better for cut-out cookies? ›

But when you're baking, butter triumphs over margarine every time. For cakes, cookies, and pastries, butter (unsalted, that is) provides richer flavor. (It begins as cream, after all, and margarine is made from vegetable oil.) Butter's high fat content is also what gives baked goods their texture.

Why did my cut-out cookies spread? ›

Cookies spread because the fat in the cookie dough melts in the oven. If there isn't enough flour to hold that melted fat, the cookies will over-spread. Spoon and level that flour or, better yet, weigh your flour. If your cookies are still spreading, add an extra 2 Tablespoons of flour to the cookie dough.

How do you make cut-out cookies keep their shape? ›

I can't wait to read through all of the great ideas posted there! What is this? To help cookies keep their shape, freeze them! I freeze each batch of cut-out cookies for 5 to 10 minutes before baking.

How do you keep cut-out cookies from spreading while baking? ›

1) Don't grease your baking pan — line it instead

“For the best results, choose a silicone baking mat or parchment paper to line your pan,” Dawn recommends. “Simply greasing your pan — basically adding fat to it — will encourage your cookies to spread.” (Check out our side-by-side test baking to see for yourself.)

Should you refrigerate cut-out cookies before baking? ›

Refrigerating the dough allows the flour to fully hydrate and helps to make the cookie dough firmer. Firm dough prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which is why chilling the dough is a crucial step for cut-out and rolled cookies.

Do you leave cookie cutters in the oven? ›

Can You Put Cookie Cutters In The Oven? You should not put cookie cutters in the oven, no matter which material the cutter is. Metal can get too hot and plastic can melt.

How do you use store bought sugar cookie dough for cutouts? ›

Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness on work surface. Cut out desired shapes using floured 2- to 2 1/2-inch cookie cutter. Place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 8 to 11 minutes or until edges are light golden brown.

Can I use Country Crock instead of butter for cookies? ›

Yes! Country Crock® is great for cooking and baking. Certain Country Crock® products can be swapped 1:1 for butter in cooking and baking recipes: Country Crock® Baking Sticks and Country Crock® Plant Butter sticks and tubs.

Should I use baking soda or baking powder in cookies? ›

Baking soda is typically used for chewy cookies, while baking powder is generally used for light and airy cookies. Since baking powder is comprised of a number of ingredients (baking soda, cream of tartar, cornstarch, etc.), using it instead of pure baking soda will affect the taste of your cookies.

Why are my cut-out cookies dry? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

Why do my cut out sugar cookies spread? ›

Mixing Butter & Sugar

If your butter is under mixed, it won't have the air pockets to hold it's shape. If it's over-mixed, the air pockets decrease in size and are unable to hold their shape in the oven—causing your cookies to spread. It's best to cream butter and sugar on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes.

Why are my cut out cookies flat? ›

If you use too much butter, the cookies will end up flat and greasy. And if you use too little flour, the amount of butter and sugar will be proportionally too high, meaning the cookies will spread for the aforementioned reasons.

How thick should cut out cookies be? ›

To ensure the wonderfully soft sugar cookies of your dreams, you want to roll the dough about ¼-inch thick. This may seem too thick when you are rolling and cutting, but it's absolutely vital.

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