Soft Sugar Cookies

These are the best soft sugar cookies to cut out and decorate for any holiday or party! They're sweet, buttery, and so easy to make with pantry ingredients.

Course Dessert

Diet Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 8

Chilling time 30

Total Time 48

Servings cookies

Calories 255kcal

Author Louisa

Equipment

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
1/2 cup powdered sugar
4 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp almond extract
1 tbsp lemon zest, from about 1 lemon
5 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling the dough
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Vegan royal icing

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Cream the vegan butter and sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and lemon zest. Mix.
Add 2 cups of flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix.
Add the remaining flour and mix just until the flour is incorporated and the dough is smooth and soft.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
Dust the counter with flour and roll the dough to desired thickness. Cut fun shapes out of the dough.
Arrange the sugar cookies on the lined baking sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes.
Let the baked cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before you decorate them with icing.

Notes

You don't need to wait for these soft sugar cookies to turn brown or you'll overbake them and you'll end up with dry cookies. These cookies are done once they no longer look shiny.
Besides royal icing, you can also decorate these soft cut out sugar cookies with vegan buttercream frosting in different colors. Pipe it on and create fun designs on the cookies or simply spread it, then top the frosted cookies with sprinkles.
You can store the leftover soft sugar cutout cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 5 days.

Nutrition