Why is my sugar cookie dough sticky or crumbly?

If your dough is crumbly, you may have added too much flour (be sure to spoon and level for accurate measuring). If your dough is sticky, your butter may have been too warm before mixing, or you may have mis-measured your dry ingredients. Chill your dough for additional time until firm before rolling on a floured surface.

Can I add other flavorings to sugar cookies?

Zests, spices, and extracts can all be added to sugar cookie dough for additional flavor. Try pumpkin spice in the fall or peppermint extract around the holidays. Cocoa can also be added in the place of some of the flour for a chocolate sugar cookie .

What's the difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies?

Butter cookies and sugar cookies both make for buttery cookies with a tender crumb and crisp edge. Butter cookies typically contain a higher percentage of butter per recipe.

Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe

Name: Easy Sugar Cookies
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 eggs; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 teaspoon almond extract

Ingredients for Easy Sugar Cookies

To make these sugar cookies, you'll need:

All-purpose flour: All-purpose flour gives these cookies a soft, tender crumb with a crisp edge.
Baking powder: A little baking powder gives the cookies their rise without too much spread.
Kosher salt: Balances the sweetness of the sugar cookies.
Unsalted butter: Can be swapped with salted butter (just eliminate the additional salt called for in the recipe). Softened butter should be pliable, but cool.
Granulated sugar: Gives the cookies their sweetness and texture.
Eggs: Binds the dough. Room temperature is best for incorporating into the butter mixture.
Vanilla extract: Can be substituted with an equal amount of bourbon or rum in a pinch.
Almond extract: The addition of almond gives these cookies a subtle, nutty depth of flavor.

Southern Living Easy Sugar Cookies ingredients — Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

How To Make Easy Sugar Cookies

Full instructions are below, but here's a brief recap before you get started:

Step 1. Combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
Step 2. Beat butter and sugar until smooth. Add eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined. Gradually add flour mixture; beat on low speed until smooth.
Step 3. Divide dough in two and shape into disks. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill.
Step 4. Preheat oven. Roll one disk at a time on lightly-floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into chosen shapes and space 2 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate to help cookies keep their shape.
Step 5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes at 375°F, rotating halfway through baking. Cool on racks. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Tips for the Best Sugar Cookies

Here are some tips to make these easy sugar cookies even easier:

Check the thickness: Make sure the dough thickness is even all around (we recommend rolling to 1/4-inch thickness—don't be afraid to use a ruler). If your dough is uneven, the cookies' bake times will vary and the surfaces will slope, causing difficulty when piping decorations.
Cut close together: To avoid rerolling the dough over and over (and adding more flour in the process, drying out the dough along the way), cut shapes as close together as possible to lessen the amount of scraps.
Chill before baking: For cookies that keep their shape, chill before baking to lessen the spread.
Bake one size at a time: Place cookies of similar sizes on each baking sheet. Small cookies will overbake if placed next to larger cookies that need more time.
Look for color: For crisp cookies, roll thinner (about 1/8-inch), and bake until golden along the edges. For thick, soft cookies, roll at least 1/4-inch thick, then bake only until very lightly golden on the edges, if at all. They'll continue to set as they cool.

Decorating Sugar Cookies

Some may say decorating sugar cookies is the best part; others might disagree! If you're in the latter category, top cookies with sanding or granulated sugar before baking for an easy, and pretty finish.

If you're ready to decorate, check out our top decorating tips and recipes for cooking icing and vanilla buttercream frosting. Some of our favorite seasonal decoration ideas are below.

Why You Need This Recipe Year-Round

Sugar cookies aren't just perfect for the holiday season; they're a great recipe to have in your back pocket throughout the year! Here are a few of our favorite designs:

Storing Sugar Cookies

To prepare dough in advance: Prepare dough, form into disks, and wrap with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze up to two months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling.
Storing baked sugar cookies: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. Freeze for longer storage.

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs, at room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 tsp. almond extract

Directions

Combine dry ingredients:

In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Make dough:

Using an electric stand mixer, beat butter and sugar until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add eggs one a time, beating to combine between each addition, vanilla extract, and almond extract; beat until combined. Reduce mixer speed and gradually spoon flour mixture in with butter mixture, beating on low speed until dough is smooth and well-blended.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Chill dough disks:

Turn dough out on work surface. Cut dough in half and shape each portion into a compact disk. Wrap separately in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 2 hours.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Cut out cookies:

Preheat oven to 375°F. Unwrap 1 dough disk and roll on lightly-floured work surface to 1/4-inch thickness (lightly coat rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking). Cut into chosen shapes and place cookies 2 inches apart on parchment paper-lined baking sheets. Refrigerate cookies on baking sheets for 5 to 10 minutes to help them keep their shape when baked.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox
Bake cookies:

Bake in preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until cookies just start to turn golden around the edges, rotating halfway through baking.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Cool cookies completely on wire racks, about 20 minutes. Repeat process with remaining dough.

Caitlin Bensel; Food Stylist: Torie Cox

Frequently Asked Questions

Why is my sugar cookie dough sticky or crumbly?

If your dough is crumbly, you may have added too much flour (be sure to spoon and level for accurate measuring). If your dough is sticky, your butter may have been too warm before mixing, or you may have mis-measured your dry ingredients. Chill your dough for additional time until firm before rolling on a floured surface.
Can I add other flavorings to sugar cookies?

Zests, spices, and extracts can all be added to sugar cookie dough for additional flavor. Try pumpkin spice in the fall or peppermint extract around the holidays. Cocoa can also be added in the place of some of the flour for a chocolate sugar cookie.
What's the difference between sugar cookies and butter cookies?

Butter cookies and sugar cookies both make for buttery cookies with a tender crumb and crisp edge. Butter cookies typically contain a higher percentage of butter per recipe.