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Sugar Cookies might be my favorite cookie to bake and share. I love making different shapes with different cookie cutters. Every time Anthony has a belt graduation for Martial Arts, I make sugar cookies in the shape of belts and decorate them all different colors for the kiddos!

This Sugar Cookie recipe is extremely easy to make. The cookies roll out perfectly every time, and the scraps roll out nicely, too without getting too sticky or melting when baked.

I like using a Buttercream Frosting to decorate. I think it tastes better and is easier for kids to help decorate.

How To Make Sugar Cookies

Heads Up: The cookie dough needs to be refrigerated overnight or at least 4 hours for the best cookies, so plan ahead!

Gather & Prepare Ingredients

Add butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, or in a large, deep bowl.

In a large bowl sift together flour, corn starch, salt and baking powder.

In a second small bowl, whisk together egg and vanilla.

Make Cookie Dough

In bowl of stand mixer cream butter and sugar for 5 minutes – until it’s light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla. Beat for 1 minute.

Reduce heat to low, and add flour mixture in 3 batches. Beat on low until flour is just blended in. The dough might look a little crumbly, but that’s ok. Set bowl that flour mixture aside.

Pro Tip: Use Vanilla Bean Paste instead of vanilla extract for an even more vanilla-y taste, and to see the flakes of vanilla beans throughout your cookies!

Add dough back to flour mixture bowl, and gently knead until the dough just comes together.

Shape into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and place in the fridge overnight – or at least 4 hours.

Cut Out & Bake Cookies

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. These gold pans are my favorite.

Quarter dough.

Working with one quarter at a time, roll out dough to ¼” thick in between two pieces of parchment paper.

Pro Tip: Use special rubber bands on your rolling pin to create a perfect ¼” thickness, or get four paint sticks from Home Depot or Lowes, and glue two together to make ¼”, and roll dough between paint sticks.

Using a cookie cutter, cut out cookies and place on prepared baking sheet.

Add dough scraps to the next unrolled piece of cookie dough.

Chill cut out cookies for 10 minutes in the fridge.

Bake cookies 10 minutes, rotating baking sheet at 5 minutes.

Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to finish cooling.

Make Frosting & Decorate Cookies

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream butter until light and fluffy.

On low speed, add powdered sugar in batches, and then salt.

Once just combined, add vanilla. Beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.

Add 2 tbsp milk, and continue beating another minute to combine. Add an additional 1-2 tbsp milk to reach desired consistency.

Add gel food coloring and beat until desired color. If making multiple colors, divide white frosting among multiple bowls, and stir in gel food coloring until it reaches desired color.

Using an offset spatula, spread frosting evenly over the top of cookies.

Place cookie on a paper plate, and sprinkle evenly with sprinkles over the top.

 Move cookie back to baking sheet to let dry while you finish decorating.

Keep cookies in a sealed tupperware container with parchment between the layers.

Note: To pipe frosting onto cookies, add a size 4 tip or bigger to piping bag, and add desired color to piping bag. Pipe frosting on cookies, squeezing from the top of the piping bag.

How To Freeze Cookie Dough

Make cookie dough according to recipe directions.

To Freeze In A Disc: Wrap cookie dough in a double layer of plastic wrap, and place in labeled ziplock bag. Let disc thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling out and baking cookies. Bake cookies according to recipe directions.

To Freeze Cut Outs: Place cookie cut outs on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Freeze cookies in a single layer until completely frozen. Transfer frozen cookies to a labeled ziplock bag or tupperware container. To bake cookies, place frozen cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment. Let cookies thaw 20 minutes before baking. Bake according to recipe directions.