No Spread Sugar Cookies

There is nothing worse than spending hours making sugar cookies only for the shapes not to hold when you bake them - boooo!

When I think about Christmas, my mind jumps straight to Christmas cookies! You can definitely make these no spread sugar cookies year round for all your celebrations but I had to try out some fun Christmas cookie cutters.

This sugar cookie recipe is foolproof, giving you extra sharp corners but a deliciously soft cookie. I did try testing this recipe with raising agents (a fancy way to say baking soda or baking powder), but it made the cookies puff up a bit and spread, so no raising agents here!

If you're looking for a classic Lofthouse style of sugar cookie with icing, check out my buttercream frosted cookies!

If you want even more Christmas cookies, check out these gingerbread cookies without molasses, Christmas sprinkle sugar cookies, cutout shortbread cookies, and cocoa blossom cookies! And if you're making all of these for a Christmas cookie exchange, please invite me!

Ingredients Needed

• Flour: I've only tested this recipe with all purpose flour. This is regular plain flour if you are in Europe!
• Almond Extract: This is totally optional but I think makes these cookies extra special! It doesn't make the cookies taste overly almond-y.
• Vanilla Bean Paste: You can use vanilla extract if you prefer. Because there aren't a ton of ingredients in this recipe, I think the vanilla bean paste gives a stronger flavor to the cookies.
• Light Corn Syrup: Not pictured but is used for the icing! This is going to make the icing shiny.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes. The mixture should become a bit paler, light and fluffy.

Step 2: Add the egg, vanilla bean paste and almond extract. Mix briefly to combine.

Step 3: Add the flour and salt and mix on your lowest speed. As soon as there are no more streaks of flour stop mixing!

Step 4: Place 2 pieces of parchment paper on your counter. Divide the dough in two, placing one on each piece of paper. Lightly dust each with flour, and use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll out until the piece is ¼ inch thick. If it starts to stick to the rolling pin then sprinkle over some more flour! Place one rolled out piece of dough on a baking sheet, then place the other one on top. Chill for 1 hour.

Step 5: Take the cookie sheet out with both pieces of dough. Remove the top sheet of dough and place on your counter. Lightly flour your cookie cutters and cut out your shapes. Reroll any scraps of dough to cut out more shapes! Place these cookies back on the parchment paper, making sure they are evenly spaced. Repeat with the other sheet of cookie dough, then place in the fridge for another 30-60 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350°Fahrenheit/175°Celsius.

Step 6: Bake the cookies one sheet at a time for 8-12 minutes. Depending on the size of your cookie, like the large mittens pictured, they might need 12 minutes. Smaller cookies like the snowflakes and toadstools would only need 8 minutes. They should be pale in color with light golden brown edges.

To make the icing, whisk together all of the icing ingredients in a large bowl. It will be very thick and paste like. You'll know it's ready when you hold the whisk above the bowl and the ribbons dripping down hold their shape for 5 seconds before melting back with the rest of the icing.

How to Decorate Sugar Cookies

Here are my top tips to decorate no spread sugar cookies!

• First tip is to make sure your icing is the right consistency. It should be very thick and keep its shape.
• If you want to dye the icing, then separate it into a few small bowls. Use a few drops of food gel, then whisk until the icing is all one color.
• Wilton Tip 4 is the best piping tip to use to decorate these cookies.
• Outline the cookie first, then fill it in with random squiggles. Use a toothpick to gentle nudge the icing into place.
• Use nonpareils, sprinkles and sanding sugar to decorate! If you want to completely cover a cookie or a section of a cookie with sanding sugar, fill a shallow bowl with the sanding sugar and gently dip the cookie in.
• If you want to only use sanding sugar in certain sections of a cookie (like the mitten cuff above!), ice that section first. So for the mitten, I used the regular white icing to outline and fill the cuff, then dipped that in sanding sugar. Then I iced the rest of the mitten with the red icing.

My Top Cookie Tips

• Measuring - I highly recommend using a weighing scale and measuring out your ingredients the metric way. It makes a huge difference to your baking and is the most accurate way to bake! It's important to have the right amount of flour in this recipe as we don't want dry cookies.
• Chilling - the chill time is super important to get these cookies to keep their shape, so don't skip it!
• Food Coloring - if you want to tint the dough my favorite food gel is Americolor! You only need to use a little bit to get vibrant colors. I used the shades laurel, maroon and tulip red.
• Let the Icing Set - Keep the cookies spaced out on a baking tray for at least a few hours. I found that within 6 hours they were set, but you might want to wait up to 24 hours just in case!
• Make Ahead of Time - You can make the cookies ahead of time, either make them a few days before and store them in an airtight container until you're ready to decorate, or freeze them and then thaw completely when you're ready to decorate and enjoy!