Soft Easter Sugar Cookies (That Hold Their Shape)

These soft Easter sugar cookies are perfect for decorating with pastel icings and sprinkles, and they actually hold their shape in the oven.

The dough comes together quickly in one bowl, with a short chill to keep them thick and tender. They bake up buttery with crisp edges, ideal for Easter baskets and spring parties.

What Makes These Sugar Cookies a Go-To

They stay soft for days and don’t turn into puffy blobs, which is the whole point of a cut-out cookie. I’ve tweaked the butter-to-flour ratio so they spread just enough to get a tiny golden edge without losing their shape.

The icing is simple to stir together and sets firm enough to stack, so you can pack them up for gifting or a bake sale without the decorations smudging.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened: let it sit at room temp for 30 minutes
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg: at room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour, for dusting: just a light sprinkle on your work surface

For the Icing

• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar: sifted if lumpy
• 2 tbsp milk: plus a few extra drops if needed
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Food coloring: (optional)

Variations / Substitutions

• Almond extract: replace half the vanilla with 1/4 tsp almond extract for a subtle nutty flavor.
• Dairy-free: use stick-style vegan butter and a non-dairy milk in the icing.
• Natural food coloring: beet powder for pink, matcha for green, turmeric for yellow, using just a pinch stirred into the icing until you like the shade.
• Lemon zest: rub the zest of one lemon into the sugar before creaming for a bright spring cookie.

If you’re in the mood for something chocolatey, try my Easter egg brownies.

How to Make Easter Sugar Cookies

Step 1: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Beat 1/2 cup (113 g) of softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

The mixture should look light and feel smooth, with no grittiness. Scrape down the bowl once halfway through so everything creams evenly.

Step 2: Mix the Dough

Add 1 large egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating on low until just combined. Then tip in the 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon salt, and mix on low just until a soft dough forms.

Stop as soon as you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing will make the cookies tough, so a few small floury patches are fine.

Step 3: Chill and Roll

Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days. Once chilled, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes so it’s pliable but still cold, then roll it out on a lightly floured surface to just under 1/2-inch thickness.

If the dough sticks, dust the top with a little more flour. Rolling between two sheets of parchment makes it easier to transfer the cutouts to the baking sheet.

Step 4: Cut Out the Cookies

Dip your Easter cookie cutters in flour and press straight down into the dough without twisting. Lift the shapes with a spatula and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Gather the scraps, re-roll once, and cut more cookies. Pressing the scraps together too many times can make the last few cookies a little tougher, so try to cut as many as you can from the first roll.

Step 5: Bake the Cookies

Slide the baking sheet into a 350°F (175°C) oven and bake until the edges are barely golden, 8 to 10 minutes for 1/4-inch thick cookies.

The centers will look soft and slightly puffed. They continue to set as they cool, so resist the urge to overbake.

Step 6: Ice and Decorate

Whisk 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until smooth. Add food coloring as you like and spread or pipe the icing onto the cooled cookies.

The icing firms up in about 20 minutes at room temperature. Decorate with sprinkles while it’s still wet, then let the cookies dry completely before stacking.

Tips for Perfect Cut-Out Sugar Cookies

• Use a rolling pin with thickness rings or two 1/4-inch wooden dowels to get uniform cookies that bake evenly.
• If your kitchen is warm, chill the cut-out shapes on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before baking. This extra cold start helps them hold sharp edges.
• Don’t twist the cutter. Pressing straight down gives clean, crisp outlines.
• Underbake slightly if you like a soft center. Pull them when the tops look just set and the edges are only a whisper of color.

Bake times by cookie thickness:

Storing Leftover Easter Sugar Cookies

Refrigerate the dough disk for up to 2 days before rolling and baking. Baked undecorated cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 days. Decorated cookies can be frozen in a single layer between sheets of parchment for up to a month; thaw them uncovered so the icing doesn’t get sticky.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this dough by hand?

Yes. Use a wooden spoon and plenty of elbow grease to cream the butter and sugar until light, then stir in the egg and vanilla, and finally work in the flour. Expect the process to take a few minutes longer.

Can I use salted butter?

You can. Just leave out the 1/4 teaspoon of salt altogether so the cookies don’t turn out overly salty.

Why do I need to chill the dough if I’m in a hurry?

Chilling solidifies the butter so the cookies don’t spread into shapeless blobs in the oven. Skipping it will give you puffy, misshapen rounds instead of crisp bunnies and eggs. Even 30 minutes in the freezer helps if you can spare it.

Easter Sugar Cookies Recipe

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Servings: 24 servings

Calories: 150

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 1/2 cups (315 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour, for dusting
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Food coloring (optional)

Method

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Mix in the egg and vanilla on low, then add the flour, baking powder, and salt, mixing just until the dough comes together.
3. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill at least 1 hour. Let it sit at room temperature 5 to 10 minutes, then roll to just under 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface.
4. Dip cutters in flour, press straight down, and transfer shapes to a parchment-lined baking sheet 2 inches apart.
5. Bake 8 to 10 minutes for 1/4-inch thick cookies, until edges are barely golden. Cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
6. Whisk the powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, tint with food coloring if you like, and spread or pipe onto cooled cookies. Add sprinkles while wet and allow icing to set, about 20 minutes.

Notes

Chilling time is not included in the prep or total time. You can make the dough up to 2 days ahead and keep it wrapped in the fridge. Let iced cookies dry fully before you pack or stack them.