There are an obscene amount of posts and articles out there on the Internet claiming to be the best cut-out sugar cookie recipe (gluten free even!). Do not believe ANY of them! Do you know why? Because THIS is THE best cut-out sugar cookie recipe! In the whole wide world! Universe even! And it's a tried and true family favorite, which means it's been tested and passed down from generation to generation. You can't mess with that.

Tips for making the best cut out sugar cookie recipe (gluten free)

Make sure to chill your dough. This allows it to settle and helps prevent any cracking
Do not forget the super secret ingredient of sour cream! This helps them maintain their chewy and moist texture
These can be made gluten-free! Simply sub it with an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. I personally love and use this King Arthur Flour blend.

My earliest memories in the kitchen involve me standing on a stool next to my mom as she rolled out this delightfully soft, sugary dough. My job would be to plunk down the cutters and peel out the shapes ever so gently. Now I am the one doing the teaching as my little boys learn to use the cookie cutters and sneak scraps of dough. (Please cue "The Circle of Life"... Elton, where you at?!)

These can be made into any shape and for any occasion or holiday, but we pull out the fancy fixings during Christmas. (And I often have to tell my gingerbread spatula to cut it out, but he never listens.)

This should be your go-to holiday sugar cookie recipe from now on. TRUST ME. Be sure to make this frosting to slather on top of them, just leave out the flavoring if you want. A couple of drops of food dye in each bowl of frosting, and you are on your way to a fantastic line-up of Christmas cookies!

I hope you love these as much as we do! The recipe is below. Enjoy!

📖 Recipe

The Best Cut-Out Sugar Cookie Recipe

By: Abbey Rodriguez

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This is the very best cut out sugar cookie recipe in the world. Been making this for over 20 years, as it is a family recipe that has been passed down. Perfect for any holiday.

Prep Time 25

Cook Time 7

Total Time 32

Servings: cookies

Calories: 133kcal

Ingredients

½ cup shortening
1 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup sour cream

Instructions

Heat oven to 425°F.
In a stand mixer, thoroughly mix together the shortening, sugar, egg, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, blend dry ingredients together. Sift the dry ingredients into the wet sugar mixture alternately with the sour cream. Dough should pull from the sides of the bowl. If it is too sticky, add ¼ cup of flour at a time until it can be handled without sticking to your hands.
Form dough into a large ball and flatten into a disc between two sheets of parchment or wax paper. Roll out to ¼" thickness. Place the sheet of rolled dough onto a baking sheet, still keeping it between the pieces of parchment. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. (This helps the dough keep it's shape when cutting out shapes and baking.) Remove when ready to make cut-outs.
Cut out shapes with desired holiday cookie cutters. Place shapes on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 425°F for 6-7 minutes.
Remove from oven, and allow them to cool for about 10-15 minutes before frosting. Enjoy!