Bakery Style Sugar Cookie Recipe: Soft, buttery, and hold their shape! (2024)

Bakery Style Sugar Cookie Recipe that rivals those of any bakery. Soft, cooked through, melt in your mouth buttery. No refrigeration is necessary for dough.The reviews don’t lie—this is the best sugar cookie recipe!

Looking for our Christmas cookie decorating post? Check it out! You’ll find all the details on the tips and techniques to use for making the CUTEST decorated cookies with buttercream frosting. It’s easier than you might think!

Watch our step by step video!

Every family has a favorite sugar cookie recipe. This one is ours! Soft, nicely shaped, cooked through, and not brown or crispy on the edges. If you like these sugar cookies you’ll love our sugar cookie bars! Try our smashed sugar cookies too! Same taste—different technique. They are made by scooping out the cookie dough instead of rolling out the dough.

This recipe is a combination of our favorite sugar cookie recipes all rolled into one. We’ve been making this version for over a decade! The shortening helps the cookies keep their nicely shaped edges. Scroll to the end for some frequently asked questions about this sugar cookie recipe and for my favorite vanilla buttercream frosting recipe to use with these cookies!

Check out our Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day versions for easy decorating tips and tutorials for kids! Lots of cut-out sugar cookie shapes and designs that are easy to decorate.

What people are saying about these sugar cookies

“I’ve made these a few times now and they are fantastic. I love that I don’t have to chill the dough! Thank you!”

“I was testing recipes for the perfect sugar cookie. Found this and it is GREAT. Taste good and hold its shape.”

“This is the BEST cut-out cookie recipe I’ve ever tried! My son is a Chef and he said it’s hands down, the best cut-out cookie he’s ever tasted. They melt in your mouth… seriously!”

Bakery Style Sugar Cookies Recipe

Scroll down for a printable version

Ingredients:

1 c. butter softened

1/2 c. shortening

1 1/2 c. granulated sugar

1 egg

1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

2 tsp. almond extract

4 c. all-purpose flour

1/2 c. cornstarch

2 tsp. baking powder

Instructions:

In a large mixing bowl(or bowl of a stand mixer) combine butter, shortening, and sugar. Beat until fluffy. Turn the electric mixer down and add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Add baking powder. Stir in flour* and cornstarch and mix until soft dough forms.

*Start with 3 1/2 cups of flour, and if the dough seems too soft add the last 1/2 cup of flour. If the dough seems a bit dry, add a tablespoon or two of water.

Lightly flour your working surface and shape dough into a large ball.

Roll dough out to desired thickness using a rolling pin (I usually do 1/4- 3/8″) and cut into shapes. Add flour to the dough if it feels too sticky but a nice soft dough is what you want. Carefully transfer cut out cookie shapes with a spatula to a baking sheet. Bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes. Cookies will be soft. Let sit on baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully moving to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.

Tip: It’s best to put uncooked cookies on cold baking sheets before baking to keep the dough firm. I like to roll out and cut all of my cookies and place them on baking sheets in the refrigerator while the other batches cook. This keeps the pans and dough chilled instead of waiting on the counter (at room temperature) to be cooked.

Scroll to the bottom of the post for our icing recipe. It’s soft and smooth, holds sprinkles great, and sets up enough to not smudge, but I would not recommend stacking these cookies more than two cookies tall. If you want icing that dries and creates a hard shell try royal icing.

Decorating Sugar Cookies With Kids!

Cookie Decorating VIDEO and Guide CLICK HERE

Looking for directions on decorating sugar cookies for Christmas? Check out our EASY step-by-step video and guide for making fancy cookies—with buttercream! We’ll share how to make a gnome, llama, tree, Christmas light, sweater and stocking!

Does sugar cookie dough need to be refrigerated?

Some recipes call for refrigeration, but this one doesn’t. If you’d like to make it ahead of time you can wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and then use it later, but this is a great last-minute recipe because refrigeration is not necessary.

Why do you use a combination of CORNSTARCH and flour for sugar cookies?

Corn starch softens the dough making it feel like a cloud. It also makes for a softer sugar cookie.

Why do you use both butter and shortening for sugar cookies?

I like using both for flavor (butter) and texture (shortening).

How long will sugar cookies last?

These will stay fresh for about 3 days, but you can freeze them for months.

Note: I make these using my kitchen-aid mixer and keep it on the entire time (on the 2nd to lowest setting). If you don’t have a stand mixer, just make sure to beat everything until fluffy before adding the flour.

Bakery Style Sugar Cookie Recipe

I originally shared this recipe in 2013, but updated it to include new photos and a step by step video.