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No Spread Sugar Cookies
No-spread sugar cookies are soft, buttery, homemade sugar cookies that are great for making cut-out cookies. This is the best non-spreading sugar cookie dough around.
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No-spread sugar cookies are perfectly sweet, easy to roll out, and keep their shape while baking. Soft, buttery, homemade sugar cookies are great for making cut-out cookies for any occasion. With simple ingredients and easy-to-follow instructions, you’ll be creating batches of delicious homemade sugar cookies in no time.
Looking for more fun sugar cookie recipes? Brown sugar cookies, lemon sugar cookies, and swig sugar cookies are three more unique and tasty spins on the classic sugar cookie.
No Spread Sugar Cookies Ingredients
You will 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 and 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 No-Spread Sugar Cookies
STEP ONE: In a large mixing bowl, add the cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and cream of tartar. Whisk together then set aside.
STEP TWO: In a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, butter, and shortening. Use a hand mixer 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 mixing bowl.
STEP FIVE: 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.
PRO TIP: 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.
STEP SIX: Preheat the oven to 375°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
STEP SEVEN: 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.
PRO TIP: 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.
STEP EIGHT: 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.
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 cookies cool for 2 to 3 minutes on the baking sheet. Place the other baking sheet in the oven and cook for 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 baking sheet.
STEP ELEVEN: Serve and enjoy!
How to Serve No-Spread Sugar Cookies
No-spread sugar cookies are a delightful treat for dessert, parties, or an afternoon snack. Serve your sweet sugar cookies with a warm cup of coffee or some spiked hot chocolate. No spread sugar cookies are so much fun to decorate, so make sure to have fun customizing the colors of the decorations depending on the holiday you are celebrating.
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.
No-spread sugar cookies are soft, buttery, homemade sugar cookies that are great for making cut-out cookies. These no-spread sugar cookies not only keep their shape, but they taste delicious, too. While it can be tricky to make the perfect soft sugar cookies, this recipe for no-spread sugar cookies is the best non-spreading sugar cookie dough around.
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.
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No Spread Sugar Cookies
No-spread sugar cookies are soft, buttery, homemade sugar cookies that are great for making cut-out cookies. This is the best non-spreading sugar cookie dough around.
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 the sugar and cooling steps for the second baking sheet.
- Serve and enjoy!
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.
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