Melt-in-Your-Mouth Recipe
If you love buttery, soft sugar cookies with crisp edges and beautiful royal icing designs, you’re in for a treat! We’re thrilled to congratulate Melissa Falk from Avon, Ohio, one of the standout winners of our 2024 Cookie Exchange, for her show-stopping Decorated Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs.
These cookies are the perfect combination of texture and flavor — lightly crisp on the outside, soft and tender on the inside, and finished with a silky-smooth almond royal icing. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a birthday party, or just because, this recipe will become your new go-to.
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🍪 Why These Cut-Out Sugar Cookies Stand Out
Melissa’s recipe is all about balance:
A buttery vanilla-almond cookie base that holds its shape when baked
A no-fuss dough that’s easy to roll and cut
A royal icing that dries beautifully for decorating but remains soft to bite
These sugar cookies aren’t just pretty — they’re delicious, reliable, and perfect for decorating with kids or for professional-level cookie art.
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🧁 Ingredients for Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs
For the Cookies:
2 sticks (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1¼ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
3¼ cups all-purpose flour
> Tip: Almond extract adds a unique, bakery-style flavor. You can swap it for vanilla if preferred.
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For the Royal Icing:
2 lbs. (1 standard bag) confectioners’ sugar
4 egg whites, room temperature
2 teaspoons almond extract
1 teaspoon water
> This icing is ideal for piping detailed designs or flooding cookies for a smooth finish. You can adjust the consistency by adding small amounts of water.
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👩🍳 How to Make the Perfect Decorated Sugar Cookies
While the full step-by-step instructions are available in the complete recipe, here’s a quick overview of the process:
Step 1: Prepare the Dough
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and almond extract. Combine dry ingredients, then gradually mix into the butter mixture. Chill the dough for easier rolling.
Step 2: Roll and Cut
Roll out the dough on a floured surface to about ¼-inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
Step 3: Bake
Place cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake at 350°F for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden.
Step 4: Decorate
Once completely cooled, decorate with royal icing. Use piping bags with different tips for outlining, flooding, and detailed accents.
> Storage Tip: Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week — perfect for make-ahead holiday baking!
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🎉 Celebrate Cookie Season with a Winning Recipe
Melissa Falk’s Decorated Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs are proof that sometimes the simplest recipes are the most memorable. Whether you’re entering your own cookie swap or just baking for loved ones, this recipe delivers both beauty and taste — every time.