Sugar Cookies (5 Ingredient Easy Recipe)
These sugar cookies with 5 simple ingredients are easy, fun to bake, and perfect for family traditions or holiday baking
These sugar cookies are made with less sugar than most traditional recipes, yet they’re still just as delicious, soft, and full of flavor. A wonderful treat to enjoy this season — and a tradition worth beginning.
Sugar Cookies (5 Ingredient Easy Recipe)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened (226 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar 150 g
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour 330 g
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Instructions
Make the Dough
- In a large bowl, beat butter, egg and sugar together for about 1 minute. Mix until creamy, but do not overbeat — too much air can make cookies puff up.
- Add vanilla or almond extract if using. Mix until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients
- Add flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing — this keeps the cookies crisp and flat.
Chill the Dough
- Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
- Chilling is essential: it prevents spreading and keeps the edges sharp.
Roll Out the Dough
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll chilled dough to ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness for classic crispy cookies.
- Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- If the cookie dough feels too soft and sticky, you can place the shaped cookies together with the baking pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
Bake
- Bake for 9–12 minutes, or until the edges begin turning light golden.
- For extra crisp cookies, bake 1–2 minutes longer, watching closely.
Cool & Serve
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- As they cool, they will become even more crisp.
- Even better when enjoyed with cold milk and Christmas music.
Tools You’ll Need
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (226 g)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 g)
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (330 g)
- ½ tsp salt
- Optional: 1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
Prep & Bake Time
Prep: 15 minutes
Chill: 30–45 minutes
Bake: 9–12 minutes
Total: About 1 hour
Instructions
1. Make the Dough
In a large bowl, beat butter, egg and sugar together for about 1 minute. Mix until creamy, but do not overbeat — too much air can make cookies puff up.
Add vanilla or almond extract if using. Mix until fully combined.
2. Add Dry Ingredients
Add flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing — this keeps the cookies crisp and flat.
3. Chill the Dough
Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
Chilling is essential: it prevents spreading and keeps the edges sharp.
4. Roll Out the Dough
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Roll chilled dough to ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness for classic crispy cookies.
Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
If the cookie dough feels too soft and sticky, you can place the shaped cookies together with the baking pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
5. Bake
Bake for 9–12 minutes, or until the edges begin turning light golden.
For extra crisp cookies, bake 1–2 minutes longer, watching closely.
6. Cool & Serve
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
As they cool, they will become even more crisp.
Even better when enjoyed with cold milk and Christmas music.
Tips for Perfect Cut-Out Cookies
- No baking powder — this keeps them flat with no spreading.
- Chill twice for best results: chill the dough, then chill cut-out shapes for 10 minutes before baking.
- Roll between two sheets of parchment for perfectly smooth cookies.
- For ultra-crisp edges, roll slightly thinner.
These cookies hold decorations beautifully: royal icing, melted chocolate, sprinkles, powdered sugar.
Serving & Storing
Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week — they stay crisp.
Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
Freeze the dough (wrapped well) for up to 3 months.
Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, gifts, or decorating parties.
Ingredients
Method
- In a large bowl, beat butter, egg and sugar together for about 1 minute. Mix until creamy, but do not overbeat — too much air can make cookies puff up.
- Add vanilla or almond extract if using. Mix until fully combined.
- Add Dry Ingredients
- Add flour and salt. Mix on low speed just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing — this keeps the cookies crisp and flat.
- Divide the dough into two discs. Wrap them in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes.
- Chilling is essential: it prevents spreading and keeps the edges sharp.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll chilled dough to ¼ inch (6 mm) thickness for classic crispy cookies.
- Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- If the cookie dough feels too soft and sticky, you can place the shaped cookies together with the baking pan in the refrigerator for a few minutes.
- Bake for 9–12 minutes, or until the edges begin turning light golden.
- For extra crisp cookies, bake 1–2 minutes longer, watching closely.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
- As they cool, they will become even more crisp.
- Even better when enjoyed with cold milk and Christmas music.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!This page may contain Amazon affiliate links
Thanks for reading!
If this recipe inspired you, save it, share it, and tag me — I love seeing your creations!
NATALIA
