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Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe

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★★★★★

4.5 from 407 reviews

Delightfully soft and thick sugar cookies made with a rich blend of butter and cream cheese, these cookies are tender and perfect for cutting into fun shapes. They bake to a pale golden perfection without browning, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture that’s ideal for frosting with buttercream or royal icing.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough

  • 3/4 cup salted butter (softened, 1 and 1/2 sticks)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese (softened)
  • 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 & 3/4 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)

Instructions

  1. Beat Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until soft and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Add Cream Cheese: Add the softened cream cheese and continue beating for 1 minute until fully incorporated and creamy.
  3. Add Sugar: Mix in the granulated sugar and beat well for 1-2 minutes until the mixture becomes fluffy.
  4. Incorporate Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract thoroughly. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
  5. Add Salt and Flour: Add salt and flour, then beat only until just combined, scraping the bowl as needed. Avoid over-mixing to keep the dough tender; the dough will be sticky.
  6. Chill Dough: Transfer the dough onto plastic wrap or into an airtight container. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight, or freeze for 1-2 hours. Splitting the dough in half can help chill it faster.
  7. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  8. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 2-3 baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper.
  9. Prepare Dough for Rolling: Lightly dust your workspace with flour. If dough is not already divided, split it in half and refrigerate unused portion.
  10. Roll Dough: Using floured hands, flatten dough slightly and roll it out to about 3/8 inch thickness, aiming for thick cookies that stay soft.
  11. Cut Shapes: Lightly dust cookie cutters with flour. Firmly press cutters into dough, clean edges with finger or knife before transferring shapes to baking sheets. Keep cookies about 1 inch apart.
  12. Chill Cut Cookies: If cookies have warmed and softened, chill the shaped dough on the baking sheet in fridge or freezer for a few minutes before baking.
  13. Re-roll Dough Scraps: Gently knead scraps together with minimal handling; roll out again to 3/8 inch thickness and repeat cutting process.
  14. Bake: Bake cookies at 350°F for about 9 minutes for smaller cookies and 10-11 minutes for larger ones. Avoid browning tops or edges; bottoms should be barely golden.
  15. Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a container and cover until completely cool.
  16. Frost: Once cooled, frost with your preferred buttercream or royal icing.

Notes

  • Do not overwork the dough to keep cookies tender and soft.
  • Keep cookies thick for a soft texture; 3/8 inch is ideal thickness.
  • Chilling dough and shaped cookies helps maintain shape and improve texture.
  • Bake just until edges are set—no browning to keep them soft.
  • Use a light dusting of flour on cookie cutters to achieve clean edges.
  • Store frosted cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.

Keywords: soft sugar cookies, almond sugar cookies, thick sugar cookies, cream cheese sugar cookies, cutout sugar cookies, buttercream sugar cookies

Find it online: https://amayaharis.com/soft-sugar-cookies-recipe/