This easy sugar cookie dough recipe is the perfect base sugar cookie recipe. It can be used to make a wide range of sugar cookie recipes, and is great to prepare in advance. Use it to make my easy roll-out sugar cookie recipe, which pairs perfectly with my 2 ingredient sugar cookie icing.
Hi hi! Just popping in to share my super easy sugar cookie dough recipe! I wanted to give this dough a special home all to itself, and make an ultimate guide on how to make the best sugar cookie dough (to me, anyway).
This is a super versatile cookie dough recipe, which I use as the base of my sugar cookie recipe. You can flavor it as you like, and it is perfect to make ahead and chill in the fridge so you can have soft, freshly baked sugar cookies whenever you need them.
This simple sugar cookie dough is great for all sorts of purposes - whether you are making holiday cookies, christmas cookies, or cookies for any special occasion, it is hopefully going to be your new best friend!
How to scale sugar cookie dough recipe
This sugar cookie dough recipe is super easy to scale - you can use the scaling button on the recipe card. Because you roll it out between pieces of parchment paper, you can just divide up the dough once it has been mixed, and roll each out to size.
I wouldn't do more than a triple of this recipe at once as your mixer may not be able to cope with it, but I have doubled it and it came out just fine, so a triple mix should be good to go.
The amount of cookies this recipe makes depends on how you cut them - it will obviously make a large number of small cookies or less larger ones. The best part is that it freezes well so they are great to make ahead.
How to roll out sugar cookie dough evenly - a game changing tip!
During recipe testing I used to chill the dough first and then roll it out which was a huge waste of time. Now I roll it fresh from the mixer and then chill it. I roll out my sugar cookie dough between two pieces of parchment paper. I use pre-cut paper the size of a half sheet pan (16.5" x 12.25" / 42x32cm), and the dough, rolled to the correct thickness, should almost fill the space between the two sheets.
I also use rolling pin guides, which are silicone strips that lay down either side of the dough. The rolling pin presses down onto them to help the dough be rolled to an even thickness.
Make sure that you flour the parchment paper before placing the dough down, and add another sprinkle of flour on the top to help prevent sticking.
The perfect make ahead sugar cookie dough
This sugar cookie dough is great to make in advance. The rolled out dough can be stored up to 3 days in the fridge before cutting out and baking, or you can store the cut-out cookies in the freezer before baking - I go into this in my roll-out sugar cookie post
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Basic Sugar Cookie Dough
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 3 hours
- Yield: 20 servings 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This easy sugar cookie dough recipe is the perfect base sugar cookie recipe. It can be used to make a wide range of sugar cookie recipes, and is great to prepare in advance. Use it to make my easy roll-out sugar cookie recipe, which pairs perfectly with my 2 ingredient sugar cookie icing.
Ingredients
- 170g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 180g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50g not including shell), at room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 310g All-Purpose Flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- 3g (1 tsp) kosher salt (see notes above recipe for using other salt)
Instructions
- Place the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream together on medium high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, stopping to scrape down the edges a few times to ensure the mixture is fully combined. This step can also be done in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix well to combine.
- In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add to the wet ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured piece of parchment paper. Flour the top lightly and pat gently into a rectangle shape with your hands.
- Top with a second piece of parchment paper, and roll to a thickness of 0.25" / 6mm.
- Transfer the dough, still between the two pieces of parchment paper, to a baking sheet. Chill in the fridge for at least two hours to allow the dough to firm up, and up to three days ahead.
- Proceed with the recipe as written - such as my easy sugar cookie recipe.
Notes
This sugar cookie dough can be used as a perfect base recipe for sugar cookies, and you can flavour it any way that you like. Feel free to add in some lemon zest, or almond extract. I also played around with adding in sprinkles to make a funfetti situation - to make this, add 100g of rainbow sprinkles just after the dough is mixed. I use these rainbow sprinkles, if you're in NZ, these look like they might work!
You could also double the recipe and remove half the dough, then add mix-ins if you like if you were after two different doughs in one batch.
Comments
Julie says
Hi Erin, what brand sprinkles do you use in Nz please? I find some tend to bleed in the cookies. Thanks
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! I got some that I brought home from NZ but you basically want the ones which are the rainbow version of chocolate hail!
Jenn says
How do you think margarine would work, as a substitute for butter? (Also, Merry Christmas)
Erin Clarkson says
No sorry! Merry Christmas!
Meetu says
Thanks for the recipe in grams.I searched everywhere and they were all cup measurements. But I did not find the oven temperature anywhere or did I miss it? Please let me know the temperature that these need to be baked at and the duration too. Thanks
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! This is the recipe just for the dough! The cookie recipe is in a separate post which is linked in this post 🙂
Kara says
Love it! Perfect everytime and so easy to add candies or frosting!
Also, as an American that isn't lazy and knows grams are far superior... thank you. Ignore the wierdo, self entitled brats. Promise we aren't all like that.
Hannah says
Such a good recipe that turned out amazing cookies! Can’t wait to make again with sprinkles 😊
Kirsten says
Just made these with sprinkles and they are WONDERFUL. They pair so well with buttercream but are also very tasty by themselves. I weigh every time I’m baking so I appreciate you putting quantities in grams 👏🏼 So sorry people are a**holes and left a bad review for such an amazing recipe instead of moving along and finding one that suits them. There are ways to google “grams to cups” etc. Love all your recipes!! ☺️
Patricia says
I was wondering if this recipe would be good to rol into a log to slice and bake as needed?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Yes it should work!
Patricia says
I can't make these cookies unless you write it in measurements that are not grams. I would like to make them so can you help me out here?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! You can make them, you just need to get a scale! Or you're welcome to convert the recipe but please don't ask me to do it for you.
Natalie says
I don't use a scale for baking so l had to convert to cups most people l know don't weigh ingredients so it might be helpful to convert ingredients to cups when printing your recipe. If u choose not to do this fine l personally won't use your recipe. If u refuse to convert l won't use your recipe l don't and won't weigh my ingredients l am a good home baker not a professional so since you refuse to make it reader friendly l will un followed you
Erin Clarkson says
Lol, ok. There's a note above the recipe for this and 411 million other sugar cookie recipes online if my specific one doesn't suit you. My blog does not exist to cater to you specifically - you're complaining about a recipe I posted for FREE and acting as if I owe you something. I can't imagine leaving such a shitty comment on christmas. Just because you don't know people who bake in grams doesn't mean they don't exist, your circle may be very small. Be better. Merry Christmas.
Whitney says
I am about to try this recipe after I convert it to cups. Thank you for challenging me to step outside the box! Merry Christmas!! ♥️
Sylvia says
How funny, I live in the USA, but am very aware we are one of the few countries that don't work on the metric scale. How presumptuous of you expecting others to bend to your world. I find it hard to believe being online you are unable to find a conversion table. On the holiest of days you complain about something that is extremely minuit..
Not Karen says
Aren’t you a joy to be around. Google how to covert it or use another recipe. Real bakers know how to weigh stuff. You’re a jerk!
Roxanne says
This recipe is amazing! Thank you. And a special thanks for posting in grams! I am in South Africa and we use the metric system.
Side note. It's pure insanity how angry and rude people are because you have posted in grams. Sad to know how many small minded individuals are out there.
Leanne says
Patricia, how about you help yourself, it's really not that hard you know. Have you never heard of the word conversion. Try looking it up on Google. For the amount of time it took you to write and request measurements not in grams, you could of already Googled it and made a batch.
Amber says
These are so tasty and easy to rustle up. Also made a batch with Countdown Free From Gluten Flour and they turned out just as good. Thank you!
Gracen H says
These were a big hit at our Christmas party and held their shape so well!
Jess says
Made these with my 4 year old and she loved them!
Turned out perfect!
Lauren D says
This sugar cookie recipe is great! I used it to make Christmas cookies for my neighbors and everyone told me how much they loved them! The recipe was easy to follow and came together rather quickly. I also love how well they hold their shape after baking. I also used the 2 ingredient sugar icing recipe and it just topped this off so well! This a recipe I will use regularly and already plan to use it to make Valentines Day cookies!
Cat says
Erin, thank you for sharing this free recipe! I'm embarrassed by the number of rude and entitled comments directed at you for the listed measurements. Your responses were well stated, too.
If one is savvy enough to Google a recipe they can surely Google conversions, as well. Which would be quicker than scolding you. Be better, indeed.
Have a great year!
Annie says
Hi Erin,
I'm leaving this comment to thank you for this recipe in grams. I live in Europe and I am always searching for measurements in grams because I never get it right when it's in cups.. I'm about to make the cookies for easter and I'm already excited. Thank you
Vanessa says
Love this recipe! Sweet but not super sweet! I made them with my 4 years old and still came out perfect! Thanks 🙂
dan says
Can you just leave dough in a ball till you're ready to use?
Erin Clarkson says
I would flatten it into a disc rather than a ball - rolling out a ball is going to suck a lot
Doris says
Super easy to make and turned out delicious! We went through them pretty quickly 🙂 will be making more batches for Christmas
Gwenyth says
This recipe came together so nicely. I put together the dough and rolled it between the parchment paper and refrigerated overnight. I used snowflake and several sized rounds to get as many cutout before re-rolling. They baked up beautifully and taste incredible. The recipe makes a perfect amount, followed up with a little decorating using Erin's 2 ingredient sugar cookie icing. I love weight measured baking and convert all my recipes. I so appreciate Erin's excellent recipes.
Georgina says
Great cookies! Hold their shape and so easy to make! Highly recommend.
Dori Knight says
Until this recipe, all of my sugar cookies spread and were crackly on top and not at all suited for decorating. These maintained their shape, had a smooth top, and a delicious flavor.
Alisa Crovetti says
I want to make the dough a day ahead. Should I wrap the whole cookie tray in plastic wrap or is the parchment enough to keep it from drying out?
Erin Clarkson says
The parchment is fine! 🙂 I do it all the time!
Cromulent Username says
I made these for Christmas, and they have converted me from being a sugar cookie hater/ambivalent person to adoring these cookies. They have a perfect balance of sweet, buttery and salty, and they baked up really nicely.
Sarah Wright says
best sugar cookie dough recipe I've used, super easy, will make this regularly, delicious!
Juciara says
Hi Erin!
Congratulations on the work. I'm from Brazil and I would like to know if you have any other cookie recipes that aren't buttery.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, yes I have a recipe page on my site with all my recipes linked!
Upset says
Recipe doesn’t specify oven temp and baking time….
Erin Clarkson says
Yes, this is the recipe for the dough only. You need to follow the recipe in my sugar cookie post for the baking time.
Stefanie Martin says
Can you colour this dough? Either with food colouring or cocoa powder? I have cat cookie cutters and want to make calico looking cat cookies
Erin Clarkson says
Cute! Yes, both should work just fine!
Jessica says
Hi! Can I cut out the shapes and freeze before baking? Would that affect the cookies at all? Thanks!
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, no it works perfectly I just freeze until solid then store in an airtight container in the freezer
Leonela says
We all love this cookies in my family! Great recipe as always, love your page, such a great place to bake trusting everything is going to came up perfect!😍
Debbie A Valdez says
Hi I'm looking forward to tryin this recipe out in awhile just not sure at what degree to set the oven to or for how many minutes too also tried to get to the 2 ingredients cookie icing to but screen went to a whole entirely different page can u help with those directions pls
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, this is just the recipe for the dough, there is a link to the cookies themselves in the recipe card 🙂
Tierney says
Hi, since you have posted the salt in grams, does that weight apply to all salt or should I still decrease the amount if using table salt or Himalayan salt? Thank you.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, no weight stays the same!
Kirsty Walsh says
Simple but absolutely showstopper. I’ve made them 3 times now, (one basis, one with added sprinkles and one with added food colouring and sprinkles) and they always go down a treat. Cannot fault them!
Erin Clarkson says
They look so cute! So happy you loved
Jo simmo says
Made this with the kids for Santa.
It was a massive HIT! I love that you can make the dough in advance and leave it in the fridge - we had fresh cookies 3 nights in a row as I just kept cooking little batches of them and leaving some dough in the fridge for the next night. Paired well with the icing recipie! Will save for next year!
Lena Meehan says
Love this recipe, thank you Erin! It is now my go to. Thanks for all your work on the website I'm making my way through commenting on all the ones I've tried! Love from Te Marua. <3
D says
What is considered light and fluffy for mixing the butter and sugar. Overmixing can cause cookies to spread. Also, what temp. is your butter?