Make perfectly shaped cut-out cookies using this deliciously easy 6-ingredient cream cheese sugar cookie dough. These cookies taste great plain or topped with icing.
If you are looking for an easy cut-out cookie recipe, that holds its shape when baked, has crispy edges but is soft overall, and is amazingly flavorful, this recipe is for you.
The 6-ingredient egg-free sugar cookie dough is made using cream cheese which keeps the cookies soft and adds a slightly tangy flavor.
The flavor of these cookies is enhanced by the addition of vanilla. You can use all vanilla extract or you can add another layer of flavor. I like to boost the flavor by adding a splash of almond extract but lemon extract would taste great too.
The cookies taste great plain and they look great when decorated with royal icing or buttercream frosting.
Let's make some cookie dough.
step 1: Cream the butter, sugar, and cream cheese until smooth and creamy.
step 2: Add your flavorings. (I used vanilla and almond extract but you can use any flavoring you like including lemon.)
step 3: Mix in the flour just until incorporated.
step 4: Flatten the cookie dough into 1-3 discs and wrap well in plastic wrap or place in zip-top bags. Chill the cookie dough for at least one hour or up to three days. You can even make this dough and freeze it for up to 3 months. Thaw your frozen dough overnight in the refrigerator before using it.
That's it! This cookie dough couldn't be easier to make.
Cut out cookies.
- Dust your countertop or a silicone mat with flour.
- Roll out about ⅓ of the cream cheese cookie dough to ⅛-inch thickness.
- Cut using cookie cutters spacing them as close together as possible.
- Place the cut-out cookies on parchment paper-lined baking sheets.
- Chill the cookies for 15 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Bake.
You can make Easter cut-out cookies using bunny, duck, lamb, egg, and carrot cookie cutters.
TIPS
- If you roll your cookie dough out on a silicone mat, you won't have to use as much flour. The dough won't stick to the silicone mat as it will to your countertop.
- When you roll out ⅓ of the dough, keep the remaining dough in the refrigerator.
- Try to place your cookie cutters as close together as possible when cutting out the dough.
- Chilling the cut-out cookie dough will ensure your cookies will not spread.
This dough is perfect for making Christmas sugar cookies. There are so many cookie cutters to choose from like gingerbread men and women, snowmen, Christmas trees, mittens, snowflakes, candy canes, ornaments, and more.
MORE TIPS
- Place cookies that are similar in size on each baking sheet.
- Don't add 1 and 2-inch cookies to the same pan as 4-inch cookies. The smaller cookies will be done much sooner than the large cookies.
- The cookies are done when they just begin to brown around the edges.
- Pointed tips of your cookies will brown more quickly than large curved edges. (See the snowflake cookie pictured below.)
- You can bake them until the cookies turn golden brown if you want crispy cookies.
Cut-out cookies are great for any special occasion. Make hearts for Valentine's Day, shamrocks for St. Patrick's Day, suns and animals for Earth Day, stars for the 4th of July, bats, cats, and cauldrons for Halloween, and leaves for Thanksgiving.
Printable Recipe
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Make perfectly shaped cut-out cookies using this deliciously easy cream cheese sugar cookie dough. These cookies taste great plain or topped with icing.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces (or 227 grams or 1 block) cream cheese, softened
- 227 grams (or 1 cup or 2 sticks) salted butter, softened
- 201 grams (or 1 cup or 7.1 ounces) granulated sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (or lemon or peppermint extract)
- 352 grams (or 12.4 ounces or 2 ¾ cups) all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream the softened cream cheese, butter, and sugar until light and
fluffy, for 2-3 minutes. - Add the vanilla and almond (or lemon or peppermint) extract and beat until smooth.
- Stir in the flour just until combined.
- The dough will look a bit sticky at this point.
- Flatten the dough into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap or place in a gallon zip-top bag.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour and up to 3 days. If your kitchen is warm, chill for at least 2 hours.
- When the dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Dust your countertop or a silicone mat with flour.
- Roll out about ⅓ of the dough to ⅛-inch thickness.
- Wrap and chill the remaining dough while you are cutting out your cookies.
- Cut the cookie dough using cookie cutters.
- Remove the excess dough, gently roll it into a ball, wrap, and chill.
- Arrange your cut-outs at least 1-inch apart on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Chill the pan of cookies in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This will ensure they hold their shape perfectly.
- Bake for 8-16 minutes depending on the cookies' size until the edges begin to turn lightly golden. For crispier cookies, bake until the edges turn deep golden brown. 2-inch cookies should take about 10 minutes and 3-inch cookies will bake in 12-14 minutes.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
- For crispier cookies, let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.
- Remove another ⅓ of the dough from the refrigerator and repeat.
- Then, repeat again with the final ⅓ of the dough.
- Finally, combine all the balls of excess dough, flatten, roll, and cut out the dough.
- Reroll as needed. Just note that the cookie dough that is rolled and rerolled may produce tougher cookies.
Notes
It is always best to weigh your ingredients (particularly flour) for the most accurate measurements.
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 7 days.
To freeze the cookies, layer them in a zip-top bag or airtight container with sheets of parchment or wax paper in between the layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Serve plain or top with royal icing or buttercream frosting.
More Cut-Out Cookie Recipes
- brownie mix cookies - June 9, 2023
- Sugar Cookie Cups - May 17, 2023
- Peanut Butter Cookie Cups - May 9, 2023
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