Ultimate Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
These ultimate brown sugar cut-out cookies are perfect for any occasion, offering a delightful blend of warm spices and a tender texture. Easy to make and fun to decorate, they stay soft for days, making them ideal for sharing or storing.
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl
- Handheld or Stand Mixer
- Paddle Attachment
- Parchment paper
- Silicone baking mat
- Rolling Pin
- Plastic wrap
- Aluminum foil
- Cookie cutter
- Baking sheets
- wire rack
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (281g), spooned & leveled, plus more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- pinch ground ginger
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170g), softened to room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar (150g), packed
- 1 large large egg at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Toppings
- Icing Royal Icing, Easy Glaze Icing, or Cookie Buttercream
- Assorted sprinkles (like these or these)
Instructions
Preparation
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt; set aside.
- Using a mixer, beat butter and brown sugar in a large bowl until smooth and creamy (about 3 minutes). Add the egg and vanilla, beating until combined (about 1 minute), scraping the bowl as needed.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until just combined. If the dough is too soft, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
Chilling & Cutting
- Divide the dough in half and roll each portion on floured parchment paper to 1/4-inch thickness using a floured rolling pin. Add more flour if necessary.
- Dust one rolled dough with flour, cover with parchment, then place the second rolled dough on top. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets. Remove chilled dough, cut into shapes with a cookie cutter, and re-roll scraps until all dough is used.
Baking & Decorating
- Arrange cookies 3 inches apart on baking sheets and bake for 11-12 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate completely cooled cookies with your choice of icing and sprinkles. Gel food coloring can be used to tint icings.
- Serve cookies immediately or after icing sets. Store plain or decorated cookies tightly covered at room temperature for up to 5 days, or refrigerate for up to 10 days.
Notes
Dough will be a bit soft, add more flour (1 Tablespoon at a time) if needed for rolling. Re-rolling dough scraps yields many cookies. Cookies stay soft for about 5 days at room temperature or up to 10 days refrigerated. If decorated with cookie buttercream, store at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 5 days.