March 10, 2023
Review RecipeNo Spread Sugar Cookies
These no-spread sugar cookies are soft and delicious homemade sugar cookies, great for making cut out cookies!
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Table of Contents
This no-spread sugar cookies recipe makes soft, buttery sugar cookies every time. The homemade dough is the best non-spreading sugar cookie dough around and is perfect for making cut-out cookies for any occasion.
Here are a couple more fun sugar cookie recipes for you. Our lemon sugar cookies and swig sugar cookies are unique and tasty spins on the classic sugar cookie.
No Spread Sugar Cookies Ingredients
You’ll need:
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup butter flavored shortening, softened
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 whole egg + 1 egg white
- ⅓ cup sugar, for dusting the top of the cookies after they bake
SUBSTITUTIONS AND ADDITIONS
SUGAR OR ICING: We have included the instructions for sprinkling sugar over the top of your no-spread cookies as a garnish, but you could use icing instead. I would recommend royal icing or check out our sugar cookie icing recipe. If you do this, you can skip the step where you add sugar after the cookies are done baking.
BUTTER: This perfect sugar cookie recipe calls for salted butter, as you don’t add your own salt separately. If you want to control the amount of salt in your cookies, you can use unsalted butter and add salt separately.
How To Make This No Spread Sugar Cookies Recipe
STEP ONE: In a large mixing bowl, add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Whisk flour mixture together.
STEP TWO: In a large bowl, add the sugar, room temperature butter, and shortening. Use a hand mixer at medium speed to beat together until light and fluffy.
STEP THREE: Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and the whole egg. Beat together until combined.
STEP FOUR: Add the egg white and continue beating until well combined. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl.
STEP FIVE: Turn the hand mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and place it in the refrigerator overnight.
OUR RECIPE DEVELOPER SAYS
Not having enough flour in your sugar cookies is what will cause them to spread. When they are cooked in the oven, the fat in the butter and shortening melt, and without the proper amount of flour to hold them together they will spread. If this happens, add 2 tablespoons of flour to your mix.
STEP SIX: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with sheets of parchment paper. Set them aside.
STEP SEVEN: Remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator and use a cookie scoop to create balls of dough, about 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on how large you want your cookies. Place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet and use the bottom of a cup to flatten them into ½ inch thick round cookies.
PRO TIP:
An alternative way to do this would be to roll the dough out on a flat surface with a rolling pin to about ½-inch thickness, then use a round cookie cutter to cut out the circles from the rolled dough. Place 6 cookies on one baking sheet and 6 on another.
STEP EIGHT: Place one cookie sheet in the oven and bake cookies for 10 to 12 minutes. You want the edges to be firm without turning brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle sugar on the tops of the cookies.
PRO TIP:
If you are using royal icing on top of the cookies, then skip the step where you add sugar to the tops after they are done baking.
STEP NINE: Let the first batch of cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes on the baking tray. Place the other baking sheet in the oven and cook for about 8 minutes.
PRO TIP:
If using royal icing on the top of these cookies, make sure to allow them to cool completely before icing.
STEP TEN: Repeat the sugar and cooling steps for the second batch of baked cookies.
STEP ELEVEN: The best step of all, serve and enjoy your cookies!
How To Serve
These perfect cookies are a delightful treat for an afternoon snack. They are so much fun to decorate, so make sure to have a little bit of fun with the decorations. Customize the colors of the decorations depending on the holiday you are celebrating.
MORE COOKIES RECIPES
Storage
ON THE COUNTER/IN THE FRIDGE: Your no-spread sugar cookies will be fine to be stored at room temperature, in a cool dry place, inside an airtight container. You could also pop them in the fridge if you prefer.
IN THE FREEZER: Baked sugar cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. Just be sure to place them in a freezer Ziploc bag or an airtight container.
While it can be tricky to make the perfect soft sugar cookies, this recipe for no-spread sugar cookies makes it much easier. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll create batches of delicious homemade sugar cookies.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Can I freeze these cookies?
This great recipe can be frozen for up to three months in an airtight container. Just make sure to thaw them on the counter before serving.
Does sugar cookie dough need to be chilled?
The dough for these classic sugar cookies does need to be chilled to ensure it is the right consistency to scoop or roll out and cut.
What are the best cookie cutters to use for sugar cookies?
Stainless steel cookie cutters work well for sugar cookies. Cover them in flour before using them so they don’t stick to the dough.
More Recipes You’ll Love
- Chocolate Chip Cheesecake Bars
- Chocolate Peanut Toffee
- Microwave Peanut Brittle
- No Bake Eclair Cake
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Lemon Raspberry Cookies
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Valentine Sugar Cookies
No Spread Sugar Cookies
These no-spread sugar cookies are soft and delicious homemade sugar cookies, great for making cut out cookies!
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes
Total Time 12 hours 36 minutes
Servings 12 cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups cake flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 cup sugar
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¼ cup butter-flavored shortening, softened
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 whole egg and egg white
- ⅓ cup sugar, for dusting the top of the cookies after they bake
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Whisk together then set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, butter, and shortening. Use a hand mixer to beat together until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and the whole egg. Beat together until combined.
- Add the egg white and continue beating until well combined. Turn off the mixer and use a rubber spatula to scrape the sides of the mixing bowl.
- Turn the hand mixer on low and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix until no flour pockets remain. Cover the mixing bowl with saran wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator and use a cookie scoop to create balls of dough, about 2 to 3 tablespoons depending on how large you want your cookies. Place the balls of dough on the cookie sheet and use the bottom of a cup to flatten into a ½-inch thick round cookie.
- Place one cookie sheet in the oven and cook for 10 to 12 minutes. You want the edges to be firm without turning brown. Remove the baking sheet from the oven and immediately sprinkle sugar on the tops of the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Place the other baking sheet in the oven and cook for 8 minutes.
- Repeat sugar and cooling steps for the second baking sheet.
- Serve and enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Not having enough flour in your sugar cookies is what will cause them to spread. When they are cooked in the oven, the fat in the butter and shortening melt, and without the proper amount of flour to hold them together they will spread. If this happens, add 2 tablespoons of flour to your mixture.
- An alternative way to form the individual cookies would be to roll the dough out on a flat surface with a rolling pin to about ½-inch thickness, then use a round cookie cutter to cut out the circles from the rolled dough. Place 6 cookies on one baking sheet and 6 on another.
- If you are using royal icing on top of the cookies, then skip the step where you add sugar to the tops after they are done baking.
- If using royal icing on the top of these cookies make sure to allow them to cool completely before icing.
Nutrition
Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 74mg | Potassium: 105mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 256IU | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
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Comments
Gloria says
These cookies are perfect for decorating. You can make a lot of different shapes, too!
Beth says
Loved this recipe. Perfect cookies. Two suggestions: this recipe makes way more than one dozen or at least it did for me. That’s a good thing. Second, the recipe calls for almond extract but I never saw the measure. Either I missed it or it isn’t there. I used 1/2 t because that seemed to fit with your other cookie recipes. Anyway, the cookies turned out fabulous. Thanks.
Sandra Brandl says
Making these cookies now they are fantastic going to make a second batch my granddaughter loves sprinkles, would it be possible to add at the end sprinkles in the dough,so happy I found your Blog not into computers hoping I don’t loose your recipes or you,this truly a wonderful cookie if I have enough ingredients like to roll out making shapes.Thank you for sharing this recipe 😊
Sarah says
These are delicious and the possibilities are endless!