Learn the secret to baking the best no spread cutout sugar cookies. These have clean edges that maintain their shape while baking! You’ll surely fall in-love with decorating these.
If you previously ordered sugar cutout cookies from me, well, this is the exact recipe I used!
Why this is the best no spread cutout sugar cookies recipe
Perfectly defined shapes: This recipe allows you to craft intricate and precise shapes. Whether it’s holiday cookies, special occasion treats, or playful designs, these cookies will retain their intended shape while baking, boasting crisp and clean edges.
Balanced flavor: These cookies are just sweet enough, boasting a lovely vanilla scent that’s simply irresistible. They’re intentionally not overly sweet, ensuring they pair perfectly with the sugary kick of royal icing or fondant you’ll use for decorating.
Ideal for cookie decorating: These cookies are like blank canvases, ready for you to add royal icing, fondant, or edible markers. Whether you’re hosting a cookie decorating party or just getting crafty in the kitchen, their smooth surface is perfect for bringing your edible art to life.
About the ingredients and substitutes
Butter: Opt for unsalted butter to have more control over the saltiness of your cookies. Since salt levels can vary between butter brands, this ensures a consistent taste. Unlike most baking recipes that require room temperature butter, this recipe requires cold butter cut into cubes for making the dough. This cuts the time of having to wait for the butter to soften before you start. For a vegan or dairy-free alternative, substitute with plant-based butter, which can be swapped 1:1 for dairy butter.
Sugar: Aside from sweetness, sugar also helps with browning and moisture retention. You can use regular white sugar or substitute with another sweetener of your choice, as long as it swaps 1:1 with granulated sugar.
Eggs: Large eggs are ideal, preferably at room temperature, although it’s not critical. If you’re opting for a vegan cutout sugar cookie recipe, feel free to substitute with your preferred plant-based egg substitute, ensuring it can replace chicken eggs in a 1:1 ratio for optimal results.
Flour: As the main dry ingredient, flour gives the cookies their structure. I typically use all-purpose flour, but feel free to experiment with whole-grain alternatives. If you opt for whole grain, you might need slightly less flour. Additionally, if you prefer gluten-free sugar cookies, a gluten-free flour blend that can substitute 1:1 for regular flour should work well.
Cornstarch: Here’s the secret to keeping your cutout cookies perfectly shaped without any spreading. It gives the dough its ideal texture, making it easy to work with and ensuring crisp, clean edges. Be sure to use cornstarch, which is white and powdery, rather than cornmeal, which is yellow, gritty, and has a distinct corn flavor.
Salt: Don’t skip this essential ingredient—it’s the flavor enhancer that makes everything taste better! While the cookies won’t taste salty, the salt amplifies the other flavors in the recipe. I prefer using kosher salt because it’s additive-free and has a pure flavor profile. Plus, it’s readily available and budget-friendly at most grocery stores.
Food coloring: To add a pop of color to your cookies, incorporate food coloring into the dough. Opt for gel paste color for vibrant hues with just a small amount, although liquid food coloring can also do the trick if that’s what you have on hand.
Vanilla: Elevate the flavor with vanilla extract, which adds a delightful sweetness without overwhelming sweetness. For a bolder taste, experiment with vanilla bean paste or the seeds scraped from a split vanilla bean. Feeling adventurous? Swap out vanilla for other extracts or flavorings:
Pro Tips
- Don’t soften the butter – By working swiftly, the butter remains relatively cold when placed in the oven, ensuring the dough holds its shape without melting and spreading on the baking sheet.
- Mix until just combined – Avoid overmixing the butter to prevent excessive air incorporation, which can lead to spreading during baking.
- Omit the leavening – You might notice that my recipe skips any leavening agents. Typically, baking powder helps baked goods rise and expand, resulting in a light and fluffy texture. While that’s perfect for muffins or pancakes, we’re all about cookies here. We want them to have a bit of chewiness and density. Why? Well, think about it – if you’re mailing or transporting your cookies, you don’t want them too delicate or prone to breaking. So, skipping the leavening agents gives you a sturdier cookie without sacrificing any deliciousness.
- The secret ingredient – CORNSTARCH. It’s like pure magic. Not only does it give these sugar cookies just the right amount of structure without making them tough, but it also transforms the dough into an absolute dream to work with! Seriously, it’s not sticky or crumbly – it just behaves exactly how you want it to. And those edges? They’re so clean and perfect, you’ll think you’ve hit the baking jackpot!
- Parchment paper is your baking BFF – Seriously, rolling out dough between two sheets of parchment paper is a game-changer. It’s mess-free and fuss-free – I barely need to wipe down my countertops afterward! Plus, no need for bench flour, which can sometimes result in tougher cookies. I even line my baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and keep them cleaner. And bonus: I reuse the same sheets for both baking and decorating, so they’re getting double duty!
- Rolling pin rings are a game-changer – They ensure your dough is rolled out to a consistent thickness, which means your cookies will bake evenly. No more guessing or unevenly baked batches!
Storage Tips
Wrap the cookies snugly in plastic wrap or store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
By keeping them tightly sealed to prevent drying out or going stale, they can stay fresh for up to a week or even longer!
Best No Spread Cutout Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Mixer
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 4 Sheets of parchment paper
- 1 Rolling Pin (preferably with rings)
- 1 Cookie cutter
- 1 Baking sheet
Ingredients
- ½ cup (135g) Unsalted butter
- ½ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 pc Eggs, large
- 1 ¾ cups All purpose flour (you might need 1/4 cup extra)
- ¼ cup Cornstarch
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees, and line baking sheets with parchment.
- Using the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar, just until combined. Do not cream this mixture.
- Add the egg and mix again
- Add the flour, cornstarch, vanilla and salt, and mix on medium low speed. The mixture will seem very dry and sandy at first, but after 3 to 5 minutes in the mixer it should gather itself into a ball and pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl. (See Note 1)
- Roll the dough out between 2 sheets of parchment paper, to a thickness of 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch. (See Note 2)
- Cut into shapes, peel away from the bottom sheet of parchment carefully and flip onto the prepared baking sheets. (See Note 3)
- Bake until set around the edges but still a bit soft in the centers. Check on the 7-8 minute mark. A slight browning on the sides mean it's done (See Note 4)
Notes
- If the dough seem too sticky, mix in the extra 1/4 cup flour into the dough.
- Use rolling pin rings to even out the thickness.
- The number of cookies that this recipe yields depends on the size of your cookie cutter.
- Smaller cookies will cook faster. For 2″ cookies, check for doneness at 6-minute mark and remove as soon the sides start to slight brown. Check every minute thereafter for bigger cookies.
Pro Tips
- Don’t soften the butter – By working swiftly, the butter remains relatively cold when placed in the oven, ensuring the dough holds its shape without melting and spreading on the baking sheet.
- Mix until just combined – Avoid overmixing the butter to prevent excessive air incorporation, which can lead to spreading during baking.
- Omit the leavening – You might notice that my recipe skips any leavening agents. Typically, baking powder helps baked goods rise and expand, resulting in a light and fluffy texture. While that’s perfect for muffins or pancakes, we’re all about cookies here. We want them to have a bit of chewiness and density. Why? Well, think about it – if you’re mailing or transporting your cookies, you don’t want them too delicate or prone to breaking. So, skipping the leavening agents gives you a sturdier cookie without sacrificing any deliciousness.
- The secret ingredient – CORNSTARCH. It’s like pure magic. Not only does it give these sugar cookies just the right amount of structure without making them tough, but it also transforms the dough into an absolute dream to work with! Seriously, it’s not sticky or crumbly – it just behaves exactly how you want it to. And those edges? They’re so clean and perfect, you’ll think you’ve hit the baking jackpot!
- Parchment paper is your baking BFF – Seriously, rolling out dough between two sheets of parchment paper is a game-changer. It’s mess-free and fuss-free – I barely need to wipe down my countertops afterward! Plus, no need for bench flour, which can sometimes result in tougher cookies. I even line my baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and keep them cleaner. And bonus: I reuse the same sheets for both baking and decorating, so they’re getting double duty!
- Rolling pin rings are a game-changer – They ensure your dough is rolled out to a consistent thickness, which means your cookies will bake evenly. No more guessing or unevenly baked batches!
CHECK OUT THESE OTHER RECIPES
SHOP FOR BAKING PRODUCTS USED IN THIS RECIPE:
This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure policy for more details.
Leave a Reply