These easy sugar cookies are fast and simple to throw together – and SO amazing! Get the tips and tricks to make rolled sugar cookies with the best frosting options every time, without the effort

Have you always wanted to make bakery quality rolled sugar cookies but not sure how or feel they’re too much effort? You’ll love these simple sugar cookies.

How to ice sugar cookies with buttercream icing

These rolled sugar cookies are bakery quality in both looks and taste! They’re so easy to make, too. They hold their shape every time and are topped with the best cookie frosting that makes them irresistible.

In just a few minutes hands on time you’ll have dozens of beautiful and delicious sugar cookies that are great for gifting and perfect for parties.

I’ve long loved sugar cookies and have shared an incredible variety with you over the years. Check out these Amish Melt in Your Mouth Sugar Cookies, Pumpkin Sugar Cookies, Cinnamon Sugar Cookies, and Salted Caramel Sugar Cookies just to name a few.

You want one, don’t you? Even the dough is irresistible! I enjoy making sugar cookies for parties and holidays. They also make great little takeaway favors.

What’s the secret to these amazing easy sugar cookies? A slightly elevated oven temperature helps keep them from spreading too much, along with refrigerating the dough. You’ll also find great tips for rolling and cutting your dough into shapes, and the BEST frosting options for these incredible sugar cookies!

A white plate full of white frosted easy sugar cookies for Easter in the shape of eggs.

Why You’ll Love Them

These incredibly easy sugar cookies are delightfully thick, pillowy soft and sweet, but not too sweet. You’ll love this cutout sugar cookie recipe and make them again and again!

These cookies are so perfect for the holidays, enjoy as-is or top them with a delicious Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies, or this easy Buttercream Icing that spreads thinner for more of a royal icing look but incredible flavor.

  • Easy to make
  • FAST! After refrigerating the dough, these cookies bake in just seven minutes.
  • So easy to cut out, these tricks will leave you amazed!
  • Buttery, rich and delicious.
  • Perfect for parties and holidays
A white frosted sugar cookie in the shape of an egg, on a brown paper treat bag.

Ingredients in Easy Sugar Cookies

You just need a few simple pantry staples to make these tasty cookies.

  • Butter, softened – Salted or unsalted, your preference. Learn how to soften butter quickly.
  • Sugar – white granulated
  • Baking powder – to ensure a rise.
  • Flour – bleached or unbleached, all purpose flour.
  • Salt – to balance out the sweet. If you’re using salted butter, you can cut your added salt back a touch.
  • Eggs – to add moisture and structure and stability.
  • Vanilla Extract – It’s easy to make your own vanilla, but if you use store bought, pure vanilla extract is preferable over imitation.
An easy sugar cookie in the shape of a heart with pink frosting, on a wooden surface. Easy & Amazing sugar cookies in a white text overlay.

For printable recipe card, head to the bottom of this post.

How to Make Easy Sugar Cookies

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. In a large bowl or a stand mixer, cream butter and sugar. Then add eggs and vanilla extract.
  3. Next, you’ll add flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well. how to make rolled sugar cookies
  4. Refrigerate dough for one hour. Quick tip: refrigerate remaining dough until you’re ready to roll it out.

Tips for Rolling and Cutting Easy Sugar Cookies

Now this is what makes these simple sugar cookies so much easier!

  1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. A parchment paper lined pan.
  2. Roll your sugar cookie dough out directly on the cookie sheet (you can transfer parchment paper on and off cookie sheets if they’re not wide enough. Roll out dough to 1/4-1/3″ thick.
    Sugar cookie dough on wax paper.
  3. Cut into shapes leaving just a touch of space in between. Sugar cookies being cut into the shape of a heart.
  4. Finally, peel away excess dough. Chill the dough in between until you’re ready to roll out for best results.Sugar cookies being cut into the shape of a heart.

Serving Suggestions

As you can see, these cookies are no fuss, no mess! Just easy sugar cookies that you’ll find yourself making again and again.

But that’s not all! You can have delicious cookie frosting that looks pretty, too! As I mentioned above, you can frost with my thick, delectable buttercream frosting or this thinner buttercream icing that creates a shiny, stackable surface.

But there are so many other frosting and icing options!

how to ice simple sugar cookies with cookie frosting
A white plate full of white frosted easy sugar cookies for Easter in the shape of eggs.
  • Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out.
  • Refrigerate remaining dough while you’re rolling out dough to keep it solid and as simple as possible.
  • Bake the cookies in a pre-heated oven for the best results.
  • Let the cookies cool to room temperature before frosting them.

Scaling up, down or substituting? You’ll love this printable Measurement Conversion Chart!

How to Store

  • At Room Temperature – Cover with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container up to a week at room temperature, frosted or unfrosted.
  • Refrigerate – Refrigerate in an airtight container up to seven days.
  • Freeze – Freeze in an airtight container and covered in plastic wrap to prevent odors from seeping in, up to three months.

Dietary Considerations

  • Nut Free
  • Vegetarian
Pink heart shaped sugar cookies on a marble surface on heart shaped paper doilies.

More Cookie Recipes

5 from 36 votes

Simple Sugar Cookies (Rolled Sugar Cookies with Cookie Frosting)

These Simple Sugar Cookies are so easy – and SO amazing! Get the tips and tricks to make Rolled Sugar Cookies with the best Cookie Frosting perfect every time, without the effort! 
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 7 minutes
Refrigerate: 1 hour
Total: 1 hour 22 minutes
Servings: 36
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Ingredients  

  • cups butter softened to room temperature
  • 2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla
  • 5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoons salt

Instructions 

  • In a large bowl/your mixer, cream butter and sugar. Add eggs and vanilla. Gradually add flour, baking powder and salt, mixing well. Refrigerate dough for 1 hour. Quick tip: refrigerate remaining dough until you’re ready to roll it out.
  • Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
  • This is what makes them SO simple! Line your cookie sheets with parchment paper. Roll out dough to 1/4-1/3″ thick.
  • Press your cookie cutter onto the cookie sheets, leaving a half inch or so between each. Peel away your excess dough. {No flouring needed! Yay!}
  • Bake 6-7 minutes and allow to cool. Decorate with your favorite sugar cookie frosting, linked in post.

Tips

  • Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before rolling it out.
  • Refrigerate remaining dough while you’re rolling out dough to keep it solid & as simple as possible.
  • Bake the cookies in a pre-heated oven for the best results.
  • Let the cookies cool to room temperature before frosting them.

Video

Calories: 182kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 141mg | Potassium: 51mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 266IU | Calcium: 18mg | Iron: 1mg

Estimated nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is not guaranteed.

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53 Comments

  1. I have made these cookies twice, most recently for my daughter’s first birthday party, and they are every bit as delicious as they look. Super simple and tasty these will definitely be my go to sugar cookie recipe from now on. Thanks Julie!

  2. Very pretty, I am a cookie lover. I just made shortbread heart cookies over the weekend, will be posting them later. Nice post and photos andi thewednesdaybaker