The Best No-Chill Roll Out Sugar Cookies

These are the best no-chill roll out sugar cookies! With hints of vanilla and almond, this no spread dough makes perfect cut-out cookies. Topped with an easy vanilla buttercream, these can be customized for any event. Cookies can be cut into any shape, dye frosting as desired and top with colored sugar and sprinkles! These are a must for holiday baking and cookies boxes!

These make great holiday cookies, the dough will not spread and rolls out nicely. Cut into any shape you desire, I like to keep my cookies thick so they stay chewy and somewhat cakey. If desired, you can roll the cookies out thinner. Find all of my Cookie Recipes here!

You might also like these Sugar Cookies with Mix for a homemade taste without the hassle! These cookies are perfect for holidays like Christmas and Thanksgiving, for birthdays, or really any occasion!

Highlights of the easy sugar cookies

• No chill time: this sugar cookie dough surprisingly needs no chill time, simply prepare dough and transfer directly into the oven! This is great when you need cookies in a hurry, plus who likes to wait anyway! If you need, chill dough and bake later.
• Great for any occasion: not only are the great for the winter months but they are fun for birthdays, Easter, or valentines day! These can be cut into any shape and decorated in a number of different way, they even make great sandwich cookies.
• Failproof: need a recipe you can count on? This is it, I have made this recipe dozens of times for events and parties and they turn out perfectly each time. I have yet to have my cookies spread or lose their shape.
• Great for cookie exchanges: these frosted tree cookies make the perfect addition to any holiday cookie box or cookie exchange! They look fancy, but are secretly so simple – everyone raves about these. This recipe is one you can count on.

Looking to build your holiday cookie box or planning for a cookie exchange? Try some of these other holidays favorites like Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies, Homemade Peppermint Marshmallows, Peppermint Brownie Cookies, Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge, or Easy Chocolate Covered Pretzel Rods!

If you need some more inspiration for your holiday baking, my 2023 Holiday Cookie Box or my 2022 Holiday Cookie Box can help!

Ingredient List & Ingredient Substitutions

• Unsalted Butter: if using salted butter, omit adding more salt later in the recipe. Do not substitute margarine and make sure the butter is at room temperature. You will need butter for the cookies and the frosting.
• Powdered sugar: I do not recommend swapping any other type of sugar for this recipe. Other sugars like granulated sugar or brown sugar can impact the dough differently and change how the cookie bakes and rises. Powdered sugar creates a light and airy cookie.
• Whole eggs: I like fresh pasture raised farm eggs if available, but any kind will work for this cookie. Let your eggs come to room temperature for this recipe, it helps the egg to incorporate better into the dough.
• Pure vanilla extract: use homemade or store-bought vanilla extract. Vanilla bean paste can also work.
• Almond extract: use homemade or store-bought almond extract.
• All-purpose flour: no substitution here, other types of flour will change the texture and affect baking differently.
• Baking powder: do not substitute baking soda and make sure your baking powder is fresh and not expired, after a couple months it will start to lose it’s potency.
• Heavy cream: this is used to thin out the buttercream and create a light airy frosting. Whole milk or half and half will work.
• Food coloring & Sprinkles: food coloring is used to dye the frosting to the desired color. Sprinkles or edible glitter can be used to decorate frosted cookies.

How to make the The Sugar Cookies

Let’s talk a little about how to make these soft sugar cookies (The printable instructions are in the recipe card below.)

Quick overview:

• Cream butter and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract.
• Add in dry ingredients, mix to combine.
• Transfer dough to floured surface, roll out.
• Cut into shapes and place on a lined baking sheet.
• Bake and cool completely.
• Whip up buttercream and frost cooled cookies, decorate with sprinkles.

1. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter for 3-4 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
2. Once combined, mix in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix on low. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
3. Once the dough has formed, transfer onto a lightly floured surface. Use a rolling pin to roll dough to about 1/4″ thickness (this can be done in two batches if needed). Cut out cookies using desired cookie cutters. Reroll dough and repeat until all the dough has been used.
4. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Place cookies 2″ apart on the baking sheets, this will need to be done in batches. Bake at 350 for 9-11 minutes until the cookies are golden brown. Cookies will still be soft, allow to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Whip buttercream up in a stand mixer or large mixing bowl with a hand mixer. Dye frosting to the desired shade. Pipe or spread frosting onto cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles or edible glitter.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

• Easy Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies – a fun, classic holiday cookie!
• Buttery Shortbread Cookie Recipe – a great base recipe for sandwich or dipped cookies.
• Fudgy One-Bowl Peppermint Brownie Cookies – an easy peppermint dessert for the holidays.
• Shortbread Sandwich Cookies with Chocolate Ganache – a bite sized sandwich cookie.

Tools I used for these classic cookies

• USA Pan Half Sheet Pan – my go-to sheet pans, these are truly non-stick and clean up nicely.
• Rubber Spatula – a must have! I like these because they don’t come apart so I don’t have to worry about water getting inside the spatula and causing mold.
• Plastic Bench Scraper – I use my plastic dough scrapper all the time, it is perfect for scrapping cookie dough out of a round mixing bowl or off of the counter.
• Holiday Cookie Cutters: you always need fun cookie cutters on hand! This holiday set has some of my favorite shapes!

Storage

These cookies are easy to store. Simply allow to cool completely and transfer to an airtight zip top bag or container. Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature for 5-6 days or frosted cookies in the fridge for 4-5 days. Cookies can also be kept in the freezer, see below for how to!

Recipe FAQs

How thick should I roll out my sugar cookie dough?

Depending on the texture you desire, sugar cookies are best rolled out between 1/4″ and 1/2″. This creates a thick, somewhat chewy cookie that stands up well to frosting. If you desire a thinner, more crunchy cookie you can roll out thinner. Keep in mind, the thickness of your cookie will impact how many cookies you get per batch.

Is it better to roll cookies out on flour or powdered sugar?

I prefer to use flour, I find it gets less clumpy and lasts through multiple batches of rerolling out the dough. For obvious reasons, flour also doesn’t add the additional sweetness that powdered sugar adds, which I prefer. Either ingredient will work, make sure to use something or your dough will stick!

Should sugar cookie dough be chilled before rolling?

Sugar cookie dough can be chilled prior to rolling or baking, but this recipe does not need to be chilled. These cookies hold up great and keep their shape without chilling. The reason we chill cookie dough is to allow the fat (typically butter) to set back up so the cookies don’t spread too much during baking. While this recipe doesn’t require chilling, cookies can certainly be chilled prior to rolling or baking if needed.

Should I bake cut out cookies on parchment paper?

I like to bake my cut out cookies on parchment for a few reasons. The parchment helps ensure the cookies don’t stick, sugar cookie can be soft and fragile so it helps when they slide right off the pan. The parchment also absorbs some of the fat so the cookies don’t get greasy on the bottom.

How long will baked sugar cookies stay fresh?

Baked sugar cookies will stay soft and fresh for 5-6 days at room temperature if store in an airtight container.

Can I freeze baked sugar cookies?

Yes! Baked sugar cookies can be stored in the freezer for a later time. You can freeze your cookies two ways, frosted and unfrosted. Unfrosted cookies can be cooled and store in freezer safe bags and placed in the freezer for 2-3 months. Frosted cookies can be placed in the freezer on a sheet pan to set up then transferred to a freezer safe bag and stored for 1-2 months. Simply remove cookies from the freezer and allow to come to room temperature, frosted cookies will be ready to eat.