No Chill Sugar Cookies (2024)

Updated on |By Kate|75 Comments

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No chill sugar cookies are the easiest sugar cookies to make! This quick, one bowl sugar cookie recipe can be made from scratch in just 20 minutes.

No Chill Sugar Cookies (1)

I’m a huge fan of simple, easy cookie recipes. And these quick no-chill sugar cookies don’t disappoint!

The cookies are made in one-bowl (fewer dishes!) and take just a few minutes to stir up. The cookies hold their shape beautifully and are the perfect base for fun and festive decorations.

Since they are so quick and easy, these sugar cookies are perfect for those times when you want to make homemade sugar cookies and don’t want to wait for hours for the dough to chill.

“I love these! They were the perfect chewy, and also crunchy texture that I love in sugar cookies! They held their shape perfectly! I had absolutely no problems with this wonderful recipe, and I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone else even a beginner! If a 14 year old can make these then so can everyone!” – Mackenzie

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How to make no chill sugar cookies

No Chill Sugar Cookies (2)

Step 1: Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together until well-combined.

Step 2: Mix in the egg and vanilla until well-combined.

No Chill Sugar Cookies (3)

Step 3: Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt until just combined.

Step 4: Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thick on a powdered sugared surface.

No Chill Sugar Cookies (4)

Step 5: Cut the dough into desired shapes.

Step 6: Place the cut dough onto the prepared baking sheets and bake!

No Chill Sugar Cookies (5)

Recipe Tips!

  • Butter:The butter needs to be at the correct temperature to avoid the cookies baking out. Check out the section on the butter temperature above for more information.
  • Powdered sugar: The powdered sugar helps to make the cookies tender. I also use powdered sugar in place of flour for rolling the sugar cookies.
  • Vanilla: If you like a stronger vanilla flavor, feel free to increase the amount of vanilla to 1 tablespoon. You can also substitute in other flavors of extracts. Almond can be particularly good in sugar cookies.
  • Flour: The key to making great sugar cookies is measuring the flour correctly. Packing in the flour will give you dry, crumbly cookies. I highly recommend weighing the ingredients to avoid this.
  • Decorating: You can decorate the cookies with royal icing or with buttercream icing.
No Chill Sugar Cookies (6)

Recipe FAQs

What is cool room temperature butter?

Cool room temperature butter is butter that’s about 65 F. The butter should dent when pressed but otherwise hold its shape.
Making sure that butter is the correct temperature will help the cookies to hold their shape. Warm butter can cause the cookies to spread as they bake.

Do I need to chill sugar cookies?

Not with this recipe! This sugar cookie recipe doesn’t require any chilling before the cookies can be baked.

No Chill Sugar Cookies (7)

Storage

Store any leftover unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. The cookies will keep for 3-4 days when properly stored.

I recommend storing frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

More Christmas cookie recipes!

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No Chill Sugar Cookies (12)

No Chill Sugar Cookies (13)

5 from 105 votes

No Chill Sugar Cookies


Author Kate @ I Heart Eating

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 7 minutes minutes

Total Time 17 minutes minutes

Soft rolled sugar cookies that are made from scratch in 20 minutes (or less!).

Ingredients

  • 1 cup butter at cool room temperature1
  • 1 ⅓ cups powdered sugar plus extra for sprinkling
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour2
  • 2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375F. Line two baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.

  • In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until well-combined, about 2-3 minutes.

  • Add the egg and vanilla. Beat until combined.

  • Stir in the flour, baking powder, and salt.

  • Sprinkle extra powdered sugar onto a surface.

  • Roll out the cookie dough to ¼-inch thick on the powdered sugar surface.

  • Use cookie cutters to cut desired shapes.

  • Place cut dough on prepared baking sheet, spacing about 2 inches apart.

  • Bake for about 7-9 minutes. Don’t overbake the cookies. The cookies should not brown.

  • Let stand for 5 minutes on baking sheet.

  • Remove to a wire rack to finish cooling before decorating.

Video

Notes

  1. Cool room temperature means the butter should be about 65F. The butter should dent when pressed but shouldn’t be warm or smooshy.
  2. Measuring the flour correctly is key for this recipe! The flour is given in grams because it’s so important. If you don’t weigh ingredients, the approximate measurement in cups is given. To measure the flour in cups, sift the flour, lightly spoon into the measuring cup, and then level. If you pack in the flour, the cookies will be dry and crumbly.
  3. The number of cookies you get from this recipe will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter used.
  4. Nutrition values are estimates.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 113kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 40mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 163IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 1mg

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Created by Kate

Kate got her first cookbook when she was five years old, and she hasn't stopped cooking since then! Her delicious recipes have been featured on Food Network, MSN, Better Homes & Gardens, Buzzfeed, The Huffington Post, and more. When she's not cooking or baking, she can be found on her mini farm with her husband and her five kids.

Reader Interactions

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    Comments & Reviews

  1. azailia says

    Do you think it would work adding a bit of hot cocoa mix as well?

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Hi! I’m not sure! Hot cocoa mixes have different ingredients, for example some have powdered milk, so it’s difficult to say how one would work. If you wanted to make a chocolate version, you could try substituting unsweetened cocoa powder for some of the flour. However, I haven’t tried that to say how it will work for certain. I hope that helps!

      Reply

  2. Chelsea says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (14)
    Great cookies when you’re in a hurry. I hate waiting for my cookies in the fridge before I can bake them. I didn’t have a scale to weigh my flour but I sifted it. Her measurement for 3 3/4c of flour is spot on if you sift your flour properly. I added a dash of nutmeg and cinnamon to mine. I’ll gladly make these again.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! The cinnamon and nutmeg sound like great additions.

      Reply

  3. Shelby says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (15)
    This is a great sugar cookie recipe! No issues for us.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      I’m glad to hear that!!

      Reply

  4. Sad Day says

    Far too much flour, our dough was falling apart and we didn’t even add the full amount. The cookies literally taste of flour. If you use this recipe, be aware and use your judgement, add flour slowly to find the right consistency of the dough.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      The recipe works, but how you make a recipe matters.
      The reason that I stress the importance of weighing the flour is because a “1 cup” of flour could weigh anywhere from 115 grams to 150+ grams. For a 1 cup that should weigh 120 grams, if you’re measuring out 150+ grams, that means that every “cup” is really more like 1 and 1/4 or 1 and 1/3 cups worth of flour. When you’re adding 3 cups of flour, it really becomes more like 3 and 3/4 or 4 cups, and that makes a big difference is how the dough turns out! There’s no way for me to standardize how people measure out their flour and write a recipe that will take into account how each person measures, which is why I strongly recommend that people weigh the flour and why I have several notes talking about this issue throughout the post and the recipe.
      If not, then absolutely add the flour until the dough is the correct consistency! Just like you would adjust the baking time on a recipe to your oven, adjust the amount of flour according to how you measure if you’re one who measures with a heavier cup of flour.

      Reply

      • shailini sisodia says

        oh my. have to say, your response to “sad day says” – said too much flour etc

        Your response? So defensive, ugh as in, ” the recipe works, but how you make a recipe matters”????

        And. re weighing your flour, no need at all. I am a very popular cooking teacher in the boston area – have taught hundreds of classes to all ages, including many baking classes. Have never used a scale – I just aerate the flour and teach my students how to measure it correctly

        Reply

        • Kate says

          The reason that you teach them to correctly measure the flour is because how you make the recipe matters. =) So, you teach them to measure the flour correctly because correct measurements matter. Since you’re a cooking teacher, you know that being precise is important when you’re baking and that using proper techniques helps people to be better cooks and bakers. That’s why people go to cooking and baking classes. You also know that weighing ingredients is more precise than using cups. Calling for “300g” in a recipe will always be a more precise way to convey the amount needed rather than saying “3 cups”. My explanation in that comment was simply to show the potential differences that could result from using cups.

  5. Kate says

    Hi would it work to half the recipe? Thanks!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Hi! I haven’t tried halving the recipe, but it’s difficult to properly halve a recipe with just 1 egg. The (unfrosted) cookies do freeze well, so maybe that’s another idea.

      Reply

  6. Nicola says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (16)
    These were great for an impromptu playdate that couldn’t afford me chilling time. I didn’t see the tip to weigh the flour and the dough was dry, I added some water and hoped for the best. They were perfect!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      I’m glad it worked out! The flour really does make all the difference!

      Reply

  7. Renak says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (17)
    Delicious! I made it eggless due to allergies. I use 3 Tbsp of Ripple brand plant based milk. You would never know. They kept their shape when baking and taste is perfect.

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you for sharing that tip!

      Reply

  8. Elaine says

    No Rating yet since I have a question (I bet they will be amazing, though!!), Can I use flour instead of powdered sugar for the rolling? would love to know!!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      The reason that I suggest using powdered sugar is because the flour tends to make the cookies less sweet and gives them more of a flour-y taste. If you prefer to use flour, though, you can.

      Reply

  9. S says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (18)
    Thank you for the amazing recipe! I love this!!
    I have two questions.
    1. How long do I preheat the oven? Maybe 8 minutes?
    2. What temperature should I bake? Is it the same as preheat temperature? (190C)

    Thank you,
    S

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you so much!! 1.) You only need to preheat the oven long enough for your oven to reach 375F. 2.) Yes, you bake at the same temperature. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  10. Mackenzie Bellows says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (19)
    I love these! They were the perfect chewy, and also crunchy texture that I love in sugar cookies! They held their shape perfectly! I had absolutely no problems with this wonderful recipe, and I would highly recommend this recipe to anyone else even a beginner! If a 14 year old can make these then so can everyone!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  11. Lady says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (20)
    I love using this recipe to make sugar cookies!
    Thank you for sharing it with us!

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you!

      Reply

  12. Mary says

    No Chill Sugar Cookies (21)
    This was a perfect recipe. The only thing I changed was we love lemon in our house so I did lemon extract. I made these for a 2 years old with a dinosaur obsession. She was very impressed as well ❣️

    Reply

    • Kate says

      Thank you so much! I bet the lemon extract was a great addition!

      Reply

« Older Comments

No Chill Sugar Cookies (2024)

FAQs

What happens if you don't refrigerate sugar cookies? ›

When left at room temperature, undecorated sugar cookies can last about a week. You can also decide to refrigerate them. In this case, the cookies will last about two weeks. Keep in mind though that they can start going stale after about a week.

Why do sugar cookies need to be chilled? ›

Anywhere from 24 to 72 hours. The longer you chill the dough, the more flavor will develop. The flour will also absorb more of the moisture so the thicker and chewier the final texture will be.

What happens if you don't chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough is a key step in making sugar cookies, especially when you're making cut-outs. Even if you're tight on time, make sure to get the dough in the fridge, or even the freezer, even if it's only for a little while. Skip this step, and the dough will be sticky, and much harder to work with.

What does not chilling cookie dough do? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies. Cookies made from chilled dough are also much more flavorful.

How long do sugar cookies last unrefrigerated? ›

“Homemade sugar cookies should ideally be consumed within two to three days, but can last up to one week at room temperature if stored properly in an air-tight container in a dry, cool place,” Mok says.

How long can sugar cookies last out of the fridge? ›

The best way to store sugar cookies is in an airtight container at room temperature, with a layer of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer of cookies. Sugar cookies can last for up to two weeks at room temperature, up to a month in the refrigerator, and up to three months in the freezer.

Do decorated sugar cookies need to be refrigerated? ›

Avoid storing decorated cookies in the fridge, as it will affect the structure of the icing and taste of the cookie.

Why does chilling cookies matter? ›

The colder your dough is before it heads into the oven, the less it will spread during baking, which makes for loftier cookies. The chilling phase also gives the flour in your dough time to hydrate, just like pie dough, which translates into a cookie that's more chewy than cakey.

Can you skip chilling cookie dough? ›

There's no need to chill cookie dough for most bar cookies, unless you prefer the flavor difference. We do not recommend chilling macarons, spritz cookies, or other creations that involve a cookie press or piping; this will be much more challenging with a chilled mixture. You're crunched for time.

How long to refrigerate sugar cookies before baking? ›

Divide the dough in half, wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.

Should you chill sugar cookie dough overnight? ›

However, you can also make your sugar cookie dough a whole day in advance, wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and cool it in your fridge overnight, advises Sally's Baking Addiction. The longer it's in the fridge, the colder the dough will be, which means it's less likely to melt or spread.

How long should I chill sugar cookie dough? ›

3. Now chill the dough. The dough is still too soft to stamp out, so place it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or the freezer for 15.

Is it better to chill cookie dough or room temperature? ›

Chilling cookie dough before baking solidifies the fat in the cookies. As the cookies bake, the fat in the chilled cookie dough takes longer to melt than room-temperature fat. And the longer the fat remains solid, the less cookies spread. In addition, the sugar in the dough gradually absorbs liquid.

What is the least amount of time to chill cookie dough? ›

As a general rule of thumb, you should refrigerate cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to 24 hours. More than that, and you won't see a noticeable difference in the final product. Once the dough has chilled, let it warm up at room temperature until it's just pliable (about 5 to 10 minutes).

Do sugar cookies need to be refrigerated? ›

Unless a recipe tells you otherwise, you should always store sugar cookies at room temperature to make sure that they taste as good on day three as they did on day one. Keep them in a cool, dry area of your kitchen; any additional humidity may change their texture, particularly with frosted sugar cookies.

Can cookies go bad if not refrigerated? ›

Bakery or homemade cookies can be stored at room temperature two to three weeks or two months in the refrigerator. Cookies retain their quality when stored in the freezer for eight to 12 months.

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