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Cut Out Sugar Cookies are the blank canvas of the dessert world, and we turned ours into adorable red, white, and blue popsicle shapes that Maddie and Lizzie fought over all Fourth of July weekend. They are soft in the middle with crisp edges, and they hold their shape beautifully. If you love our Easter sugar cookies, these are the summer ready version with a fun popsicle twist.
A simple buttery dough plus an easy three ingredient icing means you get bakery worthy decorated cookies without any special skills.
Cut Out Sugar Cookies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 12 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 32 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 24 cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 332kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Buttery, sweet, and tender with a crisp icing shell
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, as approachable as our shortbread cookies
Quick Answer
Cream butter and sugar, beat in eggs, vanilla, and salt, then mix in flour until a stiff dough forms. Chill the dough for at least an hour, roll it out about a quarter inch thick, and cut your shapes. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 12 minutes until the edges are just golden, cool completely, then decorate with a simple powdered sugar icing.
Jump to:
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies FAQs
- Other Recommended Cookie Recipes
- Popsicle Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- They hold their shape. The ratio of butter to flour plus a good chill keeps these cookies from spreading, so your popsicles and stars come out of the oven looking exactly like the cutter.
- Sturdy but still soft. These bake up firm enough to decorate and stack, yet they stay tender in the middle so they are a pleasure to bite into.
- A foolproof three ingredient icing. Powdered sugar, water, and a little corn syrup make a glossy icing that sets up firm with a beautiful sheen and zero fancy equipment.
- Chilling does the heavy lifting. Resting the dough in the fridge firms up the butter so the cookies keep their crisp edges and clean shapes while they bake.
- Endlessly customizable. Use any cookie cutter and any color icing, so the same dough works for the Fourth of July, Christmas, birthdays, or a random Tuesday.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They hold their shape perfectly, so every cookie comes out looking bakery worthy.
- The dough and icing are both make ahead friendly, which makes decorating day a breeze.
- They are a fun project to make with kids, just like our Easter sugar cookies.
Key Ingredients
You only need a few basic baking staples for the dough and a simple icing to decorate.
- Butter: Softened butter creams with the sugar to give the cookies a rich flavor and tender texture.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and helps create those lightly crisp edges.
- Flour: The structure of the cookie. Enough flour keeps the dough sturdy so it holds the cutter shape.
- Eggs and vanilla: Bind the dough together and add classic sugar cookie flavor.
- Powdered sugar and corn syrup: The base of the easy icing. The corn syrup gives it a glossy, smooth finish that sets firm.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These are so easy to make your own, here are a few ideas to switch them up.
- Use any cookie cutter you like, from stars and hearts to Christmas trees and pumpkins.
- Add a half teaspoon of almond extract to the dough for a bakery style flavor.
- Swap the simple icing for royal icing if you want crisp piped details.
- Change the icing colors for any holiday, the same way we do with our Easter sugar cookies.
How to Make Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, then mix in the eggs, vanilla, and salt.
- Gradually add the flour and mix until a stiff dough forms. Wrap and chill for at least one hour.
- Roll the chilled dough out about a quarter inch thick on a floured surface, then cut out your shapes.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 12 minutes until the edges are just golden. Cool completely on a wire rack.
- Whisk together the powdered sugar, water, and corn syrup, then divide and tint the icing with gel food coloring.
- Outline the cookies, flood the centers, add sprinkles, and let them set at room temperature for about an hour.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill the dough for at least an hour so the cookies keep their shape and crisp edges.
- Flour your surface and cutters lightly to keep the dough from sticking as you cut.
- Roll evenly to a uniform thickness so all the cookies bake at the same rate.
- Do not overbake. Pull them when the edges are just golden so the centers stay soft.
- Let the icing set fully before stacking or packaging the cookies so the designs do not smudge.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These cut out sugar cookies are made for celebrating. Arrange them on a platter for a Fourth of July cookout, a birthday party, or a holiday cookie swap, and watch them disappear.
Serve them with a cold glass of milk or set them out on a dessert table next to our strawberry earthquake cake and a plate of chocolate dipped shortbread cookies for a spread with something for everyone.
Want to make them ahead? The dough freezes well for up to three months, and baked, undecorated cookies keep in the freezer too. Thaw, decorate, and you are party ready in no time.
Cut Out Sugar Cookies FAQs
Spreading usually means the dough was too warm. Chill the dough for at least an hour before rolling, and pop the cut cookies in the fridge for a few minutes before baking if your kitchen is hot.
Yes, chilling is the key step. It firms up the butter so the cookies hold their shape and keep crisp, clean edges instead of spreading into blobs.
Absolutely. Freeze the dough for up to three months, or freeze baked, undecorated cookies in an airtight container. Thaw, then decorate when you are ready to serve.
You can make the dough a few days ahead and keep it chilled, and decorated cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, so they are great for planning ahead.
A simple icing of powdered sugar, water, and corn syrup is easy and sets firm with a glossy finish. For sharper piped details, royal icing is a great alternative.
About a quarter inch thick is ideal. That gives you a sturdy cookie that holds its shape and stays soft in the middle without baking up too thin and crisp.
Made these cut out sugar cookies? I would love to see your shapes, leave a comment and a star rating below and tell me which holiday you decorated yours for!
Popsicle Cut Out Sugar Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 & 1/4 cups unsalted butter softened
- 1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour divided
For the icing
- 6 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup water
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- gel food coloring
- Sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and butter until light and fluffy using an electric mixer or in the body of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.1 & 1/4 cups granulated sugar, 1 & 1/4 cups unsalted butter
- Add in the eggs, vanilla, and salt and mix until combined.2 large eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Next, gradually add in 3 ½ cups of flour.4 cups all-purpose flour
- Once the dough is combined, wrap it in plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for at least an hour, up to overnight.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line sheet trays with parchment paper.
- Roll out the dough to about a ¼ inch thick, using the leftover flour to keep the dough from sticking.
- Using your popsicle cookie cutters (or whatever shape you prefer), cut out your cookies. Place on the prepared sheet trays, about 1/2 inch apart.
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes or until the edges are just golden.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. In a large bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, corn syrup, and water until combined.6 cups powdered sugar, ¼ cup water, 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- Separate the icing into 4 cups, color one blue, one red, and one tan, and leave one white (or whatever color you are using for your shapes).gel food coloring
- Transfer the icing to little ziploc bags and snip off a tiny corner.
- Pipe around the edges of your cookies and the edges of the designs per your preference.
- Once the edges slightly set (5-10 minutes) you can use the icing to fill in the cookies. I like to use a toothpick to help spread the icing.
- Immediately top with sprinkles if you like. Let the cookies set up for about an hour at room temperature and serve.Sprinkles
Notes
- Roll your dough between two pieces of parchment paper to prevent sticking without adding too much flour.
- Use a cookie sheet lined with silicone mats or parchment paper for easy removal and golden brown bottoms.
- A rolling pin with adjustable rings helps roll your dough to the perfect thickness every time.
- For royal icing, a piping bag or a simple plastic bag with the corner cut off works great for detailed decorating.
- Let your cookies cool on a wire rack after baking to prevent them from becoming soggy.
Nutrition
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