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Thick & Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe That Holds Its Shape Recipe

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★★★★★

4.4 from 54 reviews

These thick and soft sugar cookies maintain their shape perfectly, making them ideal for decorating. Made with a rich blend of butter and cream cheese, flavored with vanilla and almond extracts, this recipe produces tender cookies with a delicate crumb that won’t spread too much during baking. Chilling the dough ensures clean-cut shapes and a delightful texture, perfect for frosting or enjoying plain.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup salted butter, softened (1 and 1/2 sticks)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 teaspoons almond extract

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups flour, spooned and leveled

Instructions

  1. Beat Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed until it’s soft and fluffy, approximately 1-2 minutes.
  2. Incorporate Cream Cheese: Add the softened cream cheese and continue beating for 1 minute until fully combined and smooth.
  3. Add Sugar: Add the granulated sugar and beat the mixture well for another 1-2 minutes until light and fluffy.
  4. Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until thoroughly blended. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom with a spatula to ensure even mixing.
  5. Add Salt and Flour: Add salt and flour, beating just until barely combined. Scrape the bowl again to incorporate all ingredients. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough dough. The dough will be sticky.
  6. Chill Dough: Transfer dough onto plastic wrap or into a zipper bag/container, wrap tightly and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or freeze for 1-2 hours. Splitting the dough into halves helps it chill faster.
  7. Preheat and Prepare: When dough is chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2-3 baking sheets with silpat mats or parchment paper. Lightly flour your workspace.
  8. Roll Dough: Divide dough if not done earlier. Flour hands and flatten dough slightly. Roll out dough to approximately 3/8 inch thick, keeping cookies thick for softness.
  9. Cut Shapes: Lightly flour cookie cutters and press firmly into dough. Clean edges with finger or knife for sharp lines. Transfer shapes to baking sheets, spacing at least 1 inch apart. Bake same shapes together to ensure even baking.
  10. Chill Cut Cookies if Needed: If cookies warm up during shaping, chill baking sheets with cookies in fridge or freezer briefly before baking.
  11. Re-roll Scraps: Gather excess dough, knead minimally, roll out again to same thickness and continue cutting shapes. Chill dough as needed to keep cool.
  12. Bake: Bake cookies at 350°F for about 9 minutes for smaller cookies and 10-11 minutes for larger ones. Do not overbake; avoid browning on edges or tops. Cookies should be just barely browned on the bottom.
  13. Cool: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes post-baking, then transfer to a large airtight container to cool completely before frosting.
  14. Frost: Once fully cooled, frost with your favorite buttercream frosting or royal icing, ideal for decorating sugar cookies.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the dough once flour is added to maintain a tender texture.
  • Chilling the dough is essential to keep cookies from spreading and to help them hold their shape.
  • Roll dough to about 3/8 inch thickness for soft and thick cookies.
  • Use floured cookie cutters and clean edges for crisp shapes.
  • Do not overbake cookies; remove when barely golden on the bottom to keep softness.
  • Cookies can be stored in an airtight container once cooled before frosting.

Keywords: thick sugar cookies, soft sugar cookies, sugar cookie recipe, holiday cookies, shaped cookies, cream cheese cookies, baking sugar cookies

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