Best Soft Bakery-Style Sugar Cookies You Can Cut and Decorate
These best soft bakery-style sugar cookies are thick, tender, and perfect for cutting and decorating. They hold their shape beautifully, stay soft in the center, and taste just like classic professional bakery cookies.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (for icing)
- Gel food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Mix in vanilla extract and almond extract if using.
- Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until combined.
- Divide dough in half and roll each portion between parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Chill rolled dough for at least 1 hour until firm.
- Preheat oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cut dough into shapes and place cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes until edges are just lightly golden.
- Cool cookies on baking sheet briefly, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Color icing if desired and decorate cooled cookies.
- Allow icing to set completely before storing.
Notes
For best results, keep the dough well chilled to prevent spreading. Almond extract adds a bakery-style flavor but can be omitted for a classic vanilla cookie.