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.
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
How to make no chill sugar cookies
Step 1: Begin by creaming the butter and sugar together until well-combined.
Step 2: Mix in the egg and vanilla until well-combined.
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.
Step 5: Cut the dough into desired shapes.
Step 6: Place the cut dough onto the prepared baking sheets and bake!
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.
Recipe FAQs
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.
Not with this recipe! This sugar cookie recipe doesn’t require any chilling before the cookies can be baked.
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!
If you’ve tried this no chill sugar cookie recipe, don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below. I love to hear from people who’ve made my recipes!
You can subscribe to receive my latest recipe newsletters or follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest for even more delicious food.
No Chill Sugar Cookies
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
- Cool room temperature means the butter should be about 65F. The butter should dent when pressed but shouldn’t be warm or smooshy.
- 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.
- The number of cookies you get from this recipe will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter used.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
Share it with me on Instagram @i_heart_eating and follow on Youtube @katedean and Pinterest @katedean for more!
Reader Interactions
Love this recipe?
Share your thoughts below and let’s chat! Make sure to connect with me on your favorite social platform below and show me what you made!
Comments & Reviews
azailia says
Do you think it would work adding a bit of hot cocoa mix as well?
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!
Chelsea says
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.
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the cookies! The cinnamon and nutmeg sound like great additions.
Shelby says
This is a great sugar cookie recipe! No issues for us.
Kate says
I’m glad to hear that!!
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.
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.
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
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.
Kate says
Hi would it work to half the recipe? Thanks!
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.
Nicola says
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!
Kate says
I’m glad it worked out! The flour really does make all the difference!
Renak says
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.
Kate says
Thank you for sharing that tip!
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!!
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.
S says
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
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!
Mackenzie Bellows says
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!
Kate says
Thank you!
Lady says
I love using this recipe to make sugar cookies!
Thank you for sharing it with us!
Kate says
Thank you!
Mary says
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 ❣️
Kate says
Thank you so much! I bet the lemon extract was a great addition!