Decorated sugar cookies have now become a tradition on almost every holiday. If you only have one valentine however, a full batch of sugar cookies may make too many. This small batch sugar cookie recipe makes approximately 1 dozen 3″ cutout sugar cookies. The perfect amount for you and your Valentine!

Small batch basic sugar cookie ingredients

This is a classic sugar cookie recipe that is perfect for cutout cookies. My recipe was adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction’s Soft Cut-Out Sugar Cookies. It requires only a few basic ingredients with the optional addition of almond extract (which I highly recommend!).

• Butter
• Sugar
• Egg
• Vanilla extract
• All purpose flour
• Baking powder
• Almond extract (optional, but highly recommended)

Making the cookie dough

Start by creaming the sugar and butter in a stand mixer or with a hand beater until light and creamy. Next add the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat on the lowest speed until well combined. In a sperate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and stir until combined.

Turn the dough out onto lightly floured surface and shape into a flat disk. Wrap the dough disk with plastic wrap and chill for 1 hour or up to 24 hours. Chilling the dough stops the cookies from spreading and losing their shape when they bake.

Rolling and cutting the dough

Once the dough has chilled turn it onto a lightly floured surface and roll into a 1/4″ thick sheet. Do not roll your dough too thin or the cookies will not be soft and chewy.

Cut your cookies into the desired shape and place on a parchment lined cookie tray 3″ apart. Place the cut cookies on the tray into the freezer for 2-5 minutes before baking. This will give added insurance the cookies keep their shape. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. If your cookies are smaller than 2-3″ you will need to shorten the baking time accordingly. I baked the three smallest cookies from my batch for 9 minutes.

Frosting the sugar cookies

If you are planning on decorating the sugar cookies royal icing is the way to go. These sugar cookies were topped with a raspberry royal icing. I made 1/4 of a batch of Mike from Semi Sweet Designs Royal Icing and replaced the vanilla extract with raspberry extract.

While your cookie dough is chilling make and color your royal icing. The colors in the royal icing will develop overtime so it is best to mix them an hour or more before you plan to use them. This is particularly true for harder to develop colors such as red and black.

Once the cookies have completely cooled frost them with your royal icing. If using sugar or sprinkles to decorate apply them to the wet frosting to ensure they stay in place. Mike also has a great guide on royal icing consistencies and their different applications and uses that I highly recommend you check out. If you are using piping bags to apply the icing (which is strongly recommended) check out my tips on filling a piping bag cleanly in my Simple Cream Cheese Frosting recipe.

Once the cookies are decorated leave them to dry uncovered for at least a few hours, but preferably overnight. You do not want to cover to cookies as the royal icing needs the air flow to dry. You can speed up the drying process with a fan or dehydrator.

These cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to a week. That is if they make it that long! If you make these be sure to comment below, or tag us on Instagram so we can see your awesome designs.

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5 from 3 votes

Small Batch Cutout Sugar Cookies

Author: Mandy

Difficulty: Intermediate Prep Time 20 min Cook Time 12 min Rest Time 2 hour Total Time 2 hrs 32 mins Servings: 12

Description

This small batch recipe yields around a dozen soft and chewy sugar cookies. They are perfect for cutouts and topped with a raspberry royal icing.

Ingredients

Servings

Sugar Cookies

• 113 grams salted butter (1/2 cup, room temperature)
• 100 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
• 2 tablespoons egg (approx. 1/2 large egg, lightly beaten)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
• 180 grams all purpose flour
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon baking powder

Raspberry Royal Icing

• 3 ³⁄₄ teaspoons meringue powder
• ³⁄₄ teaspoons light corn syrup
• ¹⁄₄ teaspoon raspberry extract
• ¹⁄₄ cup water
• 8 ounces powdered sugar

Instructions

1. 1. Cream together butter and sugar until light and creamy
   2. Add in the egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat on low until well combined
   3. In a separate bowl whisk together the flour and baking powder
   4. Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix until combined
   5. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a flat disk
   6. Wrap the disk in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 24 hours
   7. Once dough has chilled preheat oven to 350F
   8. On a lightly floured surface roll the dough to 1/4" thick
   9. Cut dough into desired shapes and place on a parchment lined cookie tray
   10. Place cookies on tray into the freezer for 2-5 minutes 
   11. Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden
   12. Let cookies cool on cookie tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling
   13. Decorate completely cooled cookies with royal icing

Notes

If using unsalted butter add 1/8 teaspoon to flour and baking soda

Check out this article on royal icing for instructions

Keywords: Small Batch, Sugar Cookies, Royal Icing, Decorated Cookies, Cutout Cookies