Learn to make easy small batch of sugar cookies recipe with simple ingredients, sour cream or cream cheese. No chilling necessary. No spreading during baking. These cut out cookies hold their shape perfectly and taste great. Great for cookie decorating, especially during Christmas holiday season.
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This was one of the first recipes I shared on my site many years ago. Over time, I have received a lot of wonderful comments and some feedback as well. Based on that and some more experiments in the kitchen, I have updated this recipe to make it even better.
My husband ate the whole batch in two sittings, which means this recipe is a winner. It's totally dummy proof and never fails, just like these Coconut Sugar Cookies (Cut Out). Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, you can make 1 dozen small cookies or about 6-8 large cookies. If you are fond of small batch baking, be sure to also check out my recipe for Small Batch Peanut Butter Cookies With Chocolate Chips.
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Key ingredients
- Butter- Make sure to use unsalted for best results.
- Eggs- Only an egg yolk is required. Please don't use the whole egg or else you will end up with a very sticky dough.
- Sugar- You'll just need simple granulated or table sugar for this recipe.
- Sour cream- Adds a moist, rich texture to the cookies.
- Flour- Brings all ingredients together to form a nice dough.
- Salt- Balances out all that sweetness.
- Baking powder- Used as a rising agent.
- Vanilla extract- Brings in a warm aroma.
Why is this cut out cookie recipe perfect for you?
- These cookies hold their shape. There is no spreading during baking, which makes them perfect for cookie decorating.
- Unlike most classic cut out cookies, which become hard as rock in a few hours after baking, these remain crispy on the outside and slightly soft on the inside.
- There is no chilling required! You just mix all the ingredients, roll out the dough, cut out shapes and bake.
- You can easily change the flavor through the use of various spices and different extracts.
- Great for days when you suddenly have cravings but only want a small number of cookies to munch on.
Variations
- You can decorate- Them with Royal Icing or Glace Icing. Both will dry hard.
- For soft frosted cookies- Try my Best Sugar Cookie Frosting.
- Another option- Is to decorate them with my Homemade Marshmallow Fondant.
- Tint dough- With gel food coloring to make colorful cookies. I did that here with these Rainbow Cookies.
- For orange favor- Replace vanilla extract with ½ tablespoon orange extract and also add ½ tablespoon orange zest. You can add more or less zest depending on your preference.
- For almond flavor- Add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- Spiced option- Add ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder.
How to make easy small batch of sugar cookies from scratch?
1. In a large mixing bowl- Add butter, sugar, egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla.
2. Mix- Until light and fluffy.
3. Add flour- And mix until you have a crumbled dough.
4. Go in with your hands- And knead to form a ball of dough.
5. Roll dough- Between two sheets of parchment paper or wax paper.
6. Remove- The top sheet.
7. Cut out- Cookies with various cutters.
8. Bake- Until golden brown and firm along the edges.
Tips and techniques
- Don't ice or decorate your cookies- Until they have cooled fully to room temperature.
- You are only using an egg yolk- If you use the whole egg, the dough will be very sticky.
- If your dough is too crumbly- Mix in some water. Only add 1 teaspoon at a time because a small amount goes a long way.
- Line your pans with parchment paper- To ensure the cookies don't stick to the pan.
- Don't over bake- Because that will dry out the cookies and make them as hard as a rock.
- The number of cookies you get from this recipe- Depend on the size of your cutter (big or small) and how thick or thin you roll it. You can easily get 1 dozen small cookies that have a diameter of 2 inches. If you use a large cutter with a diameter of 3 inches, you can get 6-8 cookies.
- Make sure to use unsalted butter- To prevent these cookies from becoming too salty.
- Use room temperature ingredients- To ensure the dough comes together evenly and smoothly.
Recipe FAQs
This can happen when ingredients are not measured properly. Often the culprit is too much butter but it can also be not enough flour. It is also important to chill the dough prior to forming and baking.
Full fat plain greek yogurt or full fat cream cheese works well if you don't have sour cream on hand.
No, because the butter gives it a specific flavor and texture that oil will not.
Storage
- Refrigerate- Place in a sealed container for up to 1 week.
- Freeze- Unfrosted and non-decorated cookies can be stored in a sealed container for up to 1 month. Thaw, frost, and enjoy.
- Room temperature- Store in a cookie jar for up to 3 days.
- Make ahead- You can make these 1-2 days in advance and can also place in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week before serving.
More easy cookies
- Easy Funfetti Cookies (Cut Out)
- Easy Cut Out Sugar Cookies (With Cake Mix)
- Vanilla Crackle Cookies (Sugar Crinkle Cookies)
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
- Christmas Pinwheel Cookies (Spiral)
Recipe
Small Batch of Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
Video
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- ⅓ cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg yolk From large egg
- 1 tablespoon Full fat sour cream OR greek yogurt OR cream cheese
- ½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Baking powder
Instructions
- Cream sugar and butter in a deep bowl.
- Add sour cream and mix again. I think sour cream added some moisture to these cookies and prevented them from becoming very hard.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix everything. The dough will look odd and crumbly. That’s perfectly normal. You haven’t done anything wrong.
- Now it’s time to use your hands and knead this mixture into a ball of dough.
- Roll this dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out shapes.
- Bake these cookies on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees F for 6 minutes. Then rotate your tray and bake for another 3 minutes. Your baking times may vary depending on the thickness of your cookies. Cookies are done when they are light golden brown along the edges and slightly soft in the center.
- Allow the cookies to cool down completely in the tray before removing them from the parchment paper. Enjoy!
Notes
- The number of cookies you get from this recipe will depend on the size of your cutter (big or small) and how thick or thin you roll it. You can easily get 1 dozen small cookies that have a diameter of 2 inches. If you use a large cutter with a diameter of 3 inches, you can get 6-8 cookies.
- Line your pans with parchment paper to ensure the cookies don't stick to the pan.
- Don't over bake because that will dry out the cookies and make them as hard as a rock.
- Don't ice or decorate your cookies until they have cooled fully to room temperature.
- You are only using an egg yolk. NOT the whole egg!
- For orange favor, replace vanilla extract with ½ tablespoon orange extract and also add ½ tablespoon orange zest. You can add more or less zest depending on your preference.
- For almond flavor, add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- To make spiced flavor, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Anne Donley
What is on the cookie sheet when baking? Parchment, spray, other?
Abeer Rizvi
I always use parchment paper for all my cookies.
vikki
has a gluten free version been attempted by anyone?
Abeer Rizvi
Someone tried it told me it did not work. Sorry!
Karen
Hi! I really wanted to try this but is it possible to make this without a mixer, just a whisk?
Abeer Rizvi
I have always used a mixer and I think it might be difficult to mix everything properly with a whisk.
Barb
How about a big batch recipe?
Abeer Rizvi
You can double this recipe, if you like.
Virginia Hatmaker
Going to make these tomorrow. One question: can’t these be frozen and iced later? Thanks!
Abeer Rizvi
I haven't tried freezing baked cookies but I have frozen the cookie dough successfully. If you try it, let me know how it goes.
Esther
I always freeze my cookies especially during the holidays I work 40 hours & don't have time and I've never had a complaint about frozen cookies just defrost the cookies at room temperature & their perfect nobody will know.
Clara
Hi Abeer & Virginia,
I start baking cookies for Christmas at the beginning of November. I freeze all of them. From macaroons to sugar cookies & everything in between, they come out great. Since I make 12 different kinds of cookies, it would be impossible if they weren't frozen.
Maryellen
Do you think I can freeze these? I need to make them for a preschool class Christmas party and I don't want to wait until the last minute.
Abeer Rizvi
You can freeze the cookie dough and you can also freeze baked cookies (that are not decorated). They should be tightly sealed in saran wrap and freezer bags.
Hayley
You say we don’t have to chill the dough, but is this a recipe that you can make ahead and freeze, then thaw when you want to make the cookies?
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, I did that successfully a few weeks ago. I prepared the dough, wrapped it saran wrap and a sealed freezer bag and thawed it later to make cookies.
sekayi harris
Can I skip the sourcream?! I have everything else but that and I want to make these cookies now!!!
Abeer Rizvi
You can use greek yogurt or cream cheese instead of sour cream.
DES MISAILIDOU
hi! they look great!!!! can we substitute sour cream with double cream ?(i'm from Greece and i can't find it in the supermarkets) if yes, is the amount the same or less?
Abeer Rizvi
I believe double cream is like heavy cream.... Right? That will not work. You can replace sour cream with Greek yogurt or cream cheese but not double cream.
Pauline
hii Abeer! im so glad to have stumbled upon your recipe and im so gonna try it this weekend! but I have a question. will you be able to roughly provide me with how thick your cookies were? and how can I tell if the inside is cooked without me breaking a cookie to test? Thank you so much!
Abeer Rizvi
I think they were roughly quarter of an inch. You can tell the cookies are done when they are golden brown along the edges. I like the edges a little crispy. I also let my cookies cool down completely before removing them from the cookie tray so they cook a little more while cooling down. I hope this helps. Please let me know if you have any more questions.