Super Easy No-Spread/No-Chill Sugar Cookies!
Sometimes you just want a sugar cookie recipe that doesn’t make you work for it. No chilling. No spreading. No overthinking. These are those cookies.
This is my go-to when I want baking to feel easy and relaxed. The dough comes together quickly, rolls out smoothly, and cuts clean without sticking or shrinking. It honestly feels more like playing than baking. I can roll it thin or keep it a little thicker, and the cookies still bake evenly and hold their shape every time.
What I love most is how forgiving this dough is. If it feels a little dry, a splash of water fixes it. When I re-roll scraps, it stays soft and workable—no fighting it. That alone makes this recipe worth keeping around.
The cookies bake up soft, pale, and just slightly puffy, with no browning and no crisp edges. They’re perfect for decorating, but also really good plain if you sneak one off the tray while they’re still warm.
This is the kind of recipe I reach for when I want baking to be calm and enjoyable instead of precise and fussy. Simple ingredients, no extra steps, and cookies that just do what they’re supposed to do.
Yield: about 36 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 7–11 minutes
Total Time: about 25 minutes
Oven Temp: 350°F (180°C)
Ingredients
1 cup (222 g) butter, room temperature
1 cup (230 g) granulated sugar
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp salt
3 cups (456 g) all-purpose flour (plus more if needed)
2 tsp baking powder
Cream together the butter and sugar for about 3 to 4 minutes in your mixer with the paddle attachment. Add in vanilla and egg and beat again until well Incorporated and it turns into a very light color.
Add in baking powder and flour and mix until it forms the consistency of Play-Doh. It should not be sticking to your bowl. If it is, add flour a tablespoon more at a time until you reach your desired consistency. If it is too dry, try a tablespoon of water at a time.
You can take this mixture straight onto your work surface, no chilling needed! Roll it out on a floured surface until about a quarter to a half inch thick and cut out your desired shapes. Place them on a parchment lined cookie sheet and bake at 350° f for roughly 8:00 to 11 minutes. Do not let them Brown on the bottoms or they will be very crispy instead of soft. Store in a container for up to 5 days or freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 to 5 months.
These are excellent for any occasion or holiday, and work up well with royal icing or buttercream frosting!
How It Bakes
No chilling needed — mix, roll, bake
Dough should feel soft and smooth, like Play-Doh
Roll anywhere from ¼"–½" thick depending on how you like them
Bake until the cookies look set and slightly puffy, before they brown
Re-roll scraps as many times as you want — this dough stays soft and forgiving
