Cut-Out Cookies in a Flower Pot

The BEST sugar cookie recipe I have ever tried. I have a suggestion however...mix your baking powder and salt with only 3 cups of the flour and add that first, then gradually add more flour until you have a proper dough consistency. I only needed 5 cups flour in total - not 7. The flavour of these cookies is outstanding! The dough rolls out nicely and it is so easy to cut out shapes and transfer to the cookie sheet. They have a wonderful texture once baked and cooled, and hold up beautifully while decorating. My intention was to cut out "ghost" shapes for Halloween, and then stick the sticks in some sort of foam graveyard I made, but I couldn't find proper cookie sticks in the time crunch I was in. I just cut out ghost and bat shapes and decorated with frosting and coloured sugars. Can't wait for Christmas now! LOVE this recipe! Thanks so much for sharing it!

I was a bit worried about these cookies on a stick. They felt so heavy and hard. After I had them frosted I counted how many I needed and I had a few extra so, I tasted one...they were very good ( I ate the whole thing). The cookie itself is not sweet at all but, it is very tender. The frosting or icing makes them sweet. We will make these again. thanks for the idea!

This recipe really stood the kid test. When I decided to make cookies on a stick for children to decorate at a Spring party, I was afraid that the cookies might fall apart as the children decorated them. This recipe was sturdy enough to resist breakage from the toughest little hands. The cookies were not too hard either. They had a great taste.

This is the only cookie dough I use for all my holiday cookies. The only change I made was switching the butter flavored extract with vanilla, or sometimes almond. Kudos!

I have just used this recipe to make '6' shaped cookies for my sons birthday party. I didn't follow the method given, I just threw all the ingredients into my food processor and then put it in a bag in the fridge for a couple of hours. When I got it out I sprinked flour on before I rolled it and it has made wonderful biscuits. They puff up a bit so they shouldn't be put too close together on the baking tray. I have iced then with glace icing and they are lovely. Thanks for the great recipe. Just one thing, I am British and have never heard of butter flavoured extract so I just left it out! I used caster sugar for white sugar and plain flour for all-purpose flour.

Not only did this recipe taste wonderful, the cookies stood up to the kids' decorating fun. And, this recipe also divides fabulously. EDITED: This is our go-to decorating cookie. This is the dough I make for Bumpa to come over and bake cookies with the kids. They hold up well while rolling out/cutting, bake up beautifully and they hold icing well, if that makes sense. Plus, they taste FANTASTIC.

I didn't do the craft, just made the cookies with my 2 1/2 year old daugheter. The only complaint I have is that they were very hard and we tend to like them a touch softer (not too soft though!). Maybe I baked the too long? Anyway, I agree with another review that they passed the kid test! My little daughter had a great time cutting animal shapes out of this dough - which was so easy to make. I halfed the recipe, due to a lack of enough butter in the fridge, but it made MORE than enough cookies! lol Also, I didn't have butter extract, so I just did additional vanilla. I bet it's good with the butter flavor though.... :-)

Thanks for all of your compliments cooks! Andrea - I think maybe you cooked them too long. This cookie definitely should not get hard - they are firm, yet soft. All ovens are different. Maybe try a little less flour. It's also easy to overwork your dough if you are rolling it in too much flour. Good luck on your next try! ADDITIONAL COMMENT: I have gone to using the clear Mexican vanilla in my Royal Icing - unbelievable taste and smell -- No one can eat just one!!!

This is my standard sugar cookie recipe. I half it often and it turns out perfectly every time. They are delicious and if you roll them out to 1/4 of an inch, they are soft inside and crisp on the edges. I don't do the lollypop sticks, too much trouble for me! Thanks!

This was my first attempt at cut-out cookies. They were super easy and SO GOOD! Very sturdy, my 2 yr old helped me frost them and didn't break one! After I put them in a tupperware they moistened up nicely and were soft and delicious! I didn't have any butter extract so added almond in it's place and got many compliments on the flavor it added. Looking forward to all holidays to make this cookie again.

Very good. I also sandwiched the stick between two 1/4" cookies before baking and baked about 12 minutes.

As many have said already. This is the BEST sugar cookie dough recipe EVER. I have made these cookies multiple times and each time I make them the cookie plate is empty. I have also tried cookies on a stick and found that shish kabob sticks work well for that. Also this recipe makes a LOT of dough, I use what I need and then freeze the rest.

Great tasting cookie! The one hint that I read somewhere is NOT to use flour if your dough is sticky- use powdered sugar. It doesn't add to the sweetness and it doesn't make the dough tough. I also make my cookies thicker, about 3/4" to allow for the lollipop stick. Thanks!

Excellent cut out cookie. Very sturdy and extremely minimal spreading. I followed the recipe with the exception of only needing 6 cups of flour. Half of the cookies I put sticks in, the other half I just baked. I used bamboo skewers. I cut them in half with a new, clean pair of rose pruners and sanded the cut edges with a new, clean sanding sponge to eliminate any rough edges. I rolled my dough to 1/4" thick and got exactly fifty 3" cookies. I iced them with Sugar Cookie Icing from this site. It's the perfect taste combination and the icing dries shiny and "hard" to the touch, while remaining "soft" when you bite into it. This flavor of this recipe could easily be altered by adding 1-2 tsp. of different flavorings such as almond, lemon, etc. To make rolling easier, I put a tea towel (flour sack towel) on my counter and sprinkle with flour. Then I roll my dough out on this. It completely eliminates the dough sticking.

Have made this atleast 4x now and every time they come out fabulous!! Just the right amount of sweetness and thickness! You will get asked for the recipe so make sure to bring a copy! Have made them in stars and flowers....they taste just like the cookies by design cookies! Enjoy!!

Fabulous! I made exactly as written and they were great. It was hard to pick a cookie recipe but I'm glad I chose this one. I divided the dough into 3 smaller parts to roll out, and when one section got too soft, I put it in the freezer and worked another section. These cookies were AMAZING! Now I just have to find an icing I like. Thanks for a great recipe!! I'll never try another!

This is a delicious recipe. Although, my cookies did lose their shape a little. I'm not sure how to rectify this. I tried freezing before baking and still to no avail. So if you aren't worried or fussy about your cookie losing it's shape, this cookie is for you.

Best recipe for sugar cookies. You will need to follow recipe exactly for best results!!

This will be my go-to sugar cookie recipe. The dough was easy to work with, roll out and cut. The cut-outs kept their shape when baking and did not spread out or puff up! And they tasted better than any other sugar cookie recipe I have ever tried. I used the Sugar Cookie Icing recipe from this website to frost, which was also a 5-star recipe.

I normally don't gush over recipes, but this idea is one that is deserving. When I saw this recipe, I knew that this is what I was going to make for my kids' end of the year gifts. I made the dough the night before to chill and removed it from the fridge about 30 minutes before using. I did cut the recipe in half and it yielded the perfect amount of cookies. Even when I am not making cookies to put into pots, I will use this dough as my sugar cookie recipe. The dough was delicious and rolled perfectly. I am not a professional decorator, and my cookies didn't look as great as some of the photos posted, but they still looked cute enough - my kids felt proud to present it to their teachers and the teachers loved them. I will make this again for gifts and hopefully my cookie decorating will only improve with time. Thank you for such a wonderful idea as well as a great tasting cookie!

Thank you Laura for giving me the sugar cookie cut out recipe I have been searching for! After leaving the dough in the fridge overnight, it was hard. Left it out a while and worked with it and it was just fine. These are not to sweet and don't have that flour taste so many cookies do. Used another reviewer's suggestion and used JBS BOX's recipe on here for sugar cookie icing. I have Halloween cookies that are bakery quality and everyone who tasted them said the same thing. If you want a crisper cookie, cut them thinner. Once they start browning around the edges, they are done. BUT, even my overbaked ones tasted good. I used parchment paper to bake them on. Didn't change the recipe at all. I can't wait to make Christmas cookies in all different shapes this year with this recipe!

This is my favorite sugar cookie recipe. They roll out perfectly and hold up to even my kids decorating them. I tried another popular recipe but I prefer this one better. I usually use vanilla and almond extract. Really delicious with the sugar cookie icing.

This is a soft dough but firms up when chilled. I made a half batch and got about 5 dozen medium-sized cut-outs. I used 1-1/2 tsp. each of vanilla and almond extract and my cookies are really tasty but next time I will increase that to 2 tsps. each for extra flavor. Overall, a great dough!

This is the recipe I have been looking for!!! Thank you!

My GO TO recipe for sugar cookies!!! I tried others from this site and they always spread out and are really flat! Not this recipe!!! AWESOME!!!!

Excellent tasting cookie. I too made them with only vanilla, because I didn't have butter flavoring. I probably will continue to do this for future batches. I used thick bamboo skewers I purchased at the grocery store and made 4" cookies. The sticks held up fine, and it is far easier than asking my husband to cut dowels. :) (I did not soak the bamboo, just took them straight out of the package). I had a problem with the dough sticking to my marble surface. I rolled out small batches in between deli wrap sheets, and it was perfect! I had to bake them longer, and found that the cookies were a little too brittle after decorating, if I did not cook longer. Also, I preferred those baked on my Pamp Chef stone vs those cooked on metal. They were more evenly cooked and not as doughy in the middle, which affects the cookie's integrity. I'm still looking for a good frosting recipe though.

Delicious!!

Thank you, thank you! After trying another butter cookie recipe from this site that turned out not so good, I was hesitant to try again. I am glad I did. These rolled out so nicely, and taste good too. I omitted the butter extract because I couldn't find it anywhere.

This recipe is amazing!!! I did, however, replace the butter extract with almond extract.

Cookies are hard and hold their shape very well, I'm sure it would have been nice as a cookie flower pot. For those who want a cut out recipe to bake for the kids, this is THE recipe. My kids have fallen asleep after helping out, I'm quite sure they will like it when the get up. I cut back some sugar and flour.

I followed this recipe to a T and it is perfect. The dough is easy to work with and cookies taste great.

I made these for a baby shower, using teeny-tiny terracotta pots and wooden dowels. Boy were they a hit! And they tasted sooooo good! Clever idea, great recipe. Thank you. (Note: I did omit the butter flavored extract, and the resulting flavor didn't lack a thing.)

I made these in star shapes for the 4th of July and they were a hit! Will definately make again.

This is the BEST recipe!! Makes excellent cookies- hold very well even with large cutouts on sticks! HIGHLY recommend!!! Didn't use all 7 cups of flour, so took advice from prev poster and mixed salt and BP with 5 cups flour first. firm cookie but soft on the inside- I made big daisy cookies and had to cook them for 15 mins 8-10 was not enough.. enjoy!

I love this recipe. Easy and the cookies stay fresh in an air tight container for a long time. I have made these twice with my kids and they can't get enough. We leave out the sticks and only decorate the cookies with sugar cookie icing from this site.

These cookies are great!! They are a perfect combination of soft and hard!! My family loves them!!

Was looking for a "Lollipop Cookie" recipe for my 3 year old's birthday party and couldn't be happier to stumble upon this one. I'm in the UK and we don't have (or I've never heard of) butter extract so I put in a bit of almond extract in its place and they are so good I am glad that I only made 1/4 of the recipe or I'd be eating them all!!

This is a very good cookie to work with for both kids and adults! I have and will continue to make this recipe for yrs to come! The only thin I do different is I do NOT add vanilla extract, I always use emolsions. You can find them at hobby lobby. What they are is a thicker richer addative much like an extract but it doesn't bake out while cooking. I use one in this recipe called "sweet buttery dough" and it makes these cookies taste divine. They always look wonderful but the emolsion makes them taste equally good. There are several flavors of the emolsions such as sweet buttery dough, princess, and bouquet. They can be added to cookies, cakes, icings, ect.. Hope you will try them for yourself and agree that they make your bake goods great!!

This is by far the best cut-out cookie recipe I have tried. I have made many gift bouquets with it and it turns out perfect each time. I use the sugar cookie icing recipe from this site with a paint brush to apply and they turn out beautifully. One trick I have found so they don't turn out hard is bake them on parchment paper (watch them closely) and they are done when they just start to turn brown around the bottom edge.

This cookie dough is awesome. I was able to take the ball of dough out of the fridge and bake a few cookies at a time. I hate baking a batch of cookies and having it go stale after a couple days. I wrapped my dough in wax paper and then with plastic wrap. It stayed good for two weeks! My two year old son really enjoyed decorating these durable cookies.

I made these for an Easter party for my son's class. I made them in the shapes of Easter eggs and we decorated them and put some on dowels and some on popsicle sticks. The popsicle sticks seemed to work the best. They were easier to get in the middle of the cookies and supported them better as well. The dough was easy to use and the cookies turned out great. They had the perfect amount of sweetness for icing and even though they are durable to have on sticks, they still have a good soft consistency. Great recipe; thank you!

This recipe is really good. The dough is so easy to work with. Sometimes I add a little almond extract for a different taste. I love these cookies plain with a cup of coffee! The best part about them is after they are baked they stay soft when you bite into them. Don't be afraid to roll out a nice thick cookie! I have made these atleast a dozen times and they have been perfect!

This is the 3rd time I made these. First was for Halloween cookies, the first batch was fine, easy to work with....That's my one problem, finding a cookie dough that's easy to work with. Alot of the time the dough turns out sticky and I get frustrated. But this one's good. But for my 2nd Halloween batch I used Imperial Margarine, not butter, and the dough was sticky and hard to work with, I had to keep putting it in the freezer.....Lesson learned always use butter when called for, I can't bee frugal and use margarine, doesn't work. Made this recipe again recently and freezed the dough till ready to use today for birthday cookies.....Easy to work with and taste great!!!!....I haven't even iced them yet!....My new keeper cookie cutout recipe!!!.... But will always use butter....thanks

This is the best recipe I have used for cut-out cookies. Very sturdy cookies, great for decorating.

These are GREAT - I didn't end up using sticks, but these are great cut out cookies! I tinted them with red food coloring to make them pink for Valentine's Day. I used 1 1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract and 1/2 tablespoon almond extract. I cut them into heart shapes and used "Really good frosting" to write saying on the hearts like the conversation heart candys. The kids classes loved them on Valentine's Day. The dough is really easy to work to with, to roll and cut out.

Easy and delicious. Made half the recipe and still had tons of cookies. The dough was very easy to work and the cookies held their shape. To make rolling out easier, I found it best to let the dough rest overnight in the fridge and then roll out a bit at a time.

Great recipe! I have come to leave out the baking powder because I find the details of the cut-out shapes get lost a little bit as the cookies puff in the oven. And they still have a great texture without the powder -although the dough really benefits from an overnight stay in the fridge. Last adjustment: no butter flavored extract to be found here in Belgium, so I sometimes sub in maple flavored extract (which is not available here either, but I bought that one in Canada a while ago) or just leave it out and double the vanilla. Thank you Laura!

I read reviews and only used 5 cups of flour which was more than enough but these really had no flavor - we sprinkled white sugar on top then they were ok. Once we frosted them they were also good. Not that easy to work with either

These are great cookies! Does anyone know how long they can be stored for after baking. I would like to bake these and maybe ice them for a party a week in advance..any storage tips?

Excellent recipe!! As other have said the flavor is great even without the butter flavoring (although I imagine that would only add to the yumminess). I made these in 2 batches of 24, only because I miscalculated the number of guests I was expecting. Only after making the first batch did I realize I needed 24 more. For the second batch I literally eyeballed the measurements, threw all the ingredients into the bowl, mixed with a spoon, and only kept in the fridge for 30 min before rolling (while for the first batch I measured everything exactly, used an electric hand mixer, and kept the dough chilled for 4 hours). There is no difference between the two batches—both came out perfect. This recipe is very forgiving so if you’re short on time these are for you. The only thing I did differently was add a little extra salt as I think salt brings out the flavor in sugar and butter cookies. I decorated with lemon flavored royal icing.

These cookies are great. I made a batch for my children's valentines day parties and they were a hit. With half of the dough we made hearts with lollipop sticks inserted in the bottom and the kids painted them with icing. We inserted the sticks immediately after they came out of the oven. I received many requests from neighbors and preschool teachers for the recipe!

I made these into Elmo shaped cookies for my daughters 2nd birthday and they came out great. I love the flavor! Thanks for posting this!

My only gripe with this recipe is that I thought it was WAY too sweet. We used buttercream icing to decorate these cookies cut into heart and butterfly shapes and baked onto popsicle sticks for my girls' bday party. I used the tip someone else gave and cut two cookies per stick, sandwiching the stick between the two cookies. These baked about 15 minutes and were around 1/2" thick and made about 24 cookies. If you are using the sweet frosting, I suggest cutting way back on the sugar. Otherwise, it tasted good despite the hardness of the cookie which made us nervous (we thought they'd be dry). Will do again with less sugar.

This is definitely the best cut-out sugar cookie recipe I've found. The dough was extremely easy to work with after chilling for just 3 hours. I usually end up fighting the dough for cut-outs, but no problems at all with this recipe. The cookies are delicious and have great texture. The flower pot idea is super cute! I made this for my MIL for Mother's Day and she was thrilled. I will definitely make again! Thanks :)

We travel a lot with our holiday cookies and these are perfect, they taste great and never break. I use this recipe for my everyday cutouts!

Made a flower pot for my Mom and Mom in law for Mother's Day and they loved them. I made the cookies 4 days before Mothers day to be sure they were right, and they were still soft!! Awesome recipe. Thank you!!

These cookies were super easy to make and they held their shape. In the past when I have made cut-out cookies they never held their shape. However, this recipe was different. They tasted really good and the kids had a blast decorating them. Thanks!!!!

Great cookies for decorating! I've made them a few times, and they always turn out great!

These cookies turned out to be so good!!! And I am not a very good baker, honestly.

I have never liked making cut-out cookies. I felt the effort never equaled the return ... until now. I wanted to make onesie cut-out cookies for my daughter's baby shower. I thought I would try this recipe. If it didn't work I would order them from the bakery. They turned out beautifully! I made them about 1/2 inch thick to look more professional. I never had butter extract on hand so I just added more vanilla. Thank you. You've helped me perfect one of the skills to be a perfect grandma - cut-out cookies!

I'm making these cookies right now, the dough is still really soft and when I try to cut out the shape and lift it off the counter it loses its shape, any suggestions?! I hate to add more flour (I've already used the 7 cups) and dont want my cookies to be tough.....

These turned out perfectly, and were a big hit with my kids and their classmates! I also used almond extract instead of butter flavour. Excellent cookies, they are my family's new favorite!

Worked PERFECT they stayed on the stick perfectly .... prutty nice tasting too , and the icing on it to decorate is not only fun but it also is the perfect sweetness to add to the cookie

Love this recipe, always turns out. My new favorite! Used a little more flour and used almond extract instead of butter. Rolled between wax paper and cut out hedgehog shaped cookies. The flavor (with the almond) was outstanding. These were extremely sturdy cookies, just what I was looking for to put on sticks.

fool proof! and i mean it. i made it with my 4 year old and it was great. and the texture was great. it was firm to hold and it was nice and soft inside. i loved every bite.

Great!!

Phenominal recipe!!! I will never use any other recipe when making sugar cookies. Thank you!

Great cookie. (I took the advise to add part of flour with BP and salt first. I needed 5 1/2 cups) I have been making Sugar Cookies for my Cookie Monster hubby for years. I wanted to try something new and these are great. I am making 130 cookies for Church event with a tropical theme. I stenciled a palm tree on each cookie. BIG HIT!

Loved this recipe! The cookies were wonderful and they stayed soft and were not brittle! I will be using this as my go to sugar cookie from now on. Keep in mind that this makes a ton of cookies! I made about 50 cookies ranging from 2-4 inches and only used about half the dough! Thanks for the great recipe!

These were very yummy cookies, although I like mine a little softer. For taste though, definately a 5 and the dough was so easy to work with. I used one cup less flour then the recipe calls for and it was perfect. I also bought cream cheese frosting and melted it a bit in the microwave and then dipped the cookies into it and they turned out perfectly smooth and shiny and they had the great cream cheese taste. Yummy!

These taste fantastic!

****!! I have said that other sugar cookies were the best in the past but, hands down this one out of this world! I halved the recipe and it was perfect with the measurements given. I followed the recipe exactly despite all the reviewers saying that they didn't used the butter extract. It was such a nice delicate flavor and I think this was due to the extracts in the recipe. A sturdy, soft and flavorful cut-out. Perfect!! Loved it.

I love this recipe but the only reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 is because the recipe listed above is huge and on the first batch I tried to make it stripped the gears from the beaters on my mixer. I'm an experienced baker and have made big batches of cookies every christams but this killed my mixer. My advice is to half this recipe. I also doubled the vanill and skipped the butter flavoring. My original intent was to find a good sugar cookie that would hold up to kids decorating them. I'm making about 500 cookies, some big, some normal size for a holiday party. So far these have been excellent and my family loves them! we'll see how they stand up to 300 kids (mostly boys) come this Saturday!!

It was my first time making cut-out cookies and it was much easier than I expected even with using an old salsa jar as my "rolling pin". Most importantly, they passed the 3.5 year old icing (and eating) test. It's the first time my daughter got to eat one of her crafts and she's thrilled. I generally like sweeter cookies so if I ever make them with the intent NOT to ice them, then I'll add more sugar. Next time I'll try using less flour to see if it's easier to roll out.

i wanted to try a cookie cut-out recipe that used butter rather than shortening. This one was perfect! I followed the exact instructions, chilled over night and then baked each cookie (let out the sticks) for 7-8 mins, personally one of the BeSt cut-out cookie recipes i've tried!!

Easy to roll out. Kept it's shape while baking. Nice recipe. We decorate out cookies with royal icing. Thanks, Laura, for sharing your recipe.

Iwas looking for a five star recipe, and this is IT! I made wedding cake cookies, and they turned out fantastic! The cookie cutter I used was quite large, and after a couple of tries, realized thinner is better. They rise enough and keep the shape. Definitely a winner! The only thing I did differently, was I used parchment paper and they came out evenly browned on the bottom. Wonderful recipe!

These cookies are very good. The almond extract makes them taste more special. I bought a pan that is specifically made to have a stick in it. I used some pam spray, and the key to get them out in one piece is to go around the edges when it is warm, and not wait until they are too cool to take them out. They also looked good without a stick. I bought the white icing in a tube, and all the supplies I needed at Michaels craft store. My husband and son's thought they were awsome. You can use Royal icing, if you want to make the icing youself. I made these at spring time, right around Easter. They make any Easter basket look super special.

I had the same problem and a few others.... my dough was sticky so i ended up NOT using cutouts and making plain cookies. But the taste it good.

I just got done making these very tasteful sugar cookies. I didnt but icing on mined, i just sprinkled colored sugar on them, and they were so easy to cut out. I have tried many sugar cookie recipes and this is my favorite, will make these again. Patti

The cookies held their shape well, though I must admit I found them rather bland. Easy to ice, and eaten quickly though!

Positively the best homemade sugar cookies I've ever had!! The only adjustment I made was the baking temp...I raised it to 400 and baked them only about 6 min. I rolled them out pretty thick, about 1/4 inch, and I found they "rose" nicer with the higher temp...at 350 they kind of got "blobby" and "rolled over" their edges. They still came out wonderful and soft at 400, too. I have a recipe that was my great grandmothers that I have used since I started baking (been a while, but not admitting how long!! lol), and I am now replacing it with this one!! Oh, and definitely almond extract instead of the butter flavoring!! TY so much for this recipe!!!!

These cookies were a big hit! I used buttercream fondant and royal icing to decorate the cookies.

I LOVE these cookies! The recipe is perfect as-is and my husband requested I immediately make more when we were out =) I couldn't keep a spoon out of the batter while it was chilling. YUM!

This is an excellent cut out recipe. I was able to find butter flavored extract at my local grocery store and I could definitely taste the extra flavor; it was a great add-in. The only problem I had was with the flour. I used all 7 cups because the dough seemed to loose while mixing, then when I took it out of the refrigerator the next morning it was rock solid. I had to work with it to soften it back up and my cookies were a little tougher than I had hoped. Next time I will reduce by 2 cups as others have suggested.

These are wonderful! I made them twice. The first time I used almond extract instead of butter extract because I had a hard time finding it at first. The second time I used butter extract and they turned out so much better. These are the only sugar cookies I will make in teh future.

This recipe is fantastic! The cookies are sweet, but not overly so, and have a great consistency. I wanted to make cut-outs and usually end up with broken cookies that don't survive. These survived being mailed across the country, and arrived in one piece! This is definitely a keeper.

I have to say this recipe is a winner!! I just cut down the sugar a bit because I thought with the icing it would be too sweet and it was just perfect :o) It was a great Mother's Day gift. My Mom absolutely loved them!

FANTASTIC! Didn't have the butter extract so used double vanilla. Still delicious. With the big cookie cutters you can't get 72 cookies for sure at 1/4 inch thick. Mine were thinner and I still only got 50. But that was more than enough. I took a picture. They were beautiful.

I am always looking for cooking projects for my 7 yr old son and 3 yr old niece. this is something they both will enjoy. cant wait to try it out with them. thanks for the ideas :)

Excellent cookie- not to sweet, perfect for frosting /icing!

This recipe is AWESOME!!!! Ive used it for 2 bridal showers and a baby shower in the last 3 months. It hasn't failed me once and everybody loves them! Perfect cookie for royal icing, and the thing i love most about them is that when you put them in the oven they don't stretch out and loose there shape! They really held too. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe! It is now my go to for all holidays and events =]

Not impressed at all. This cookie has such high ratings so I expected an amazing cookie. I made the dough last night and its been sitting in the fridge until this morning. The dough was easy to work with and roll out. I didn't think the dough was very flavorful though but was excited to see what the cookies would taste like. Well...they are just coming out of the oven now and are a mess! They do not have a lot of flavor, they are sticking to my cookie stones (which I have never had a problem with before!). I took another reviewers advice and rolled them with powdered sugar--maybe that was the problem? I have never done that before! Right now i have some in the oven that I scooped with a cookie scoop. We will see how these turn out. I needed these cookies for a girl scout event today so i am very dissapointed!!! Update: I just took the scoop cookies out of the oven and pressed them with lots of sugar...they still don't have flavor. This time I did not use powdered suar. So, I am changing this rating to 1 star. These cookies were a waste of ingredients and now I have to figure out something else for girl scouts!!!

Such a great idea for a present!

I lost my cut out cookie recipe so I decided to look for a 5 star on allrecipes. I chose this one and was glad I did. It is even better than the one I lost. I was a little worried when I read the cookie wasn't real sweet I don't frost my cookies. I used vanilla only I didn't have the butter extract. I put sugar on them and they were delicious. Definitely will make again, thanks Laura

This is the best cookie recipe I have found. The cookies remain firm to hold up to icing but soft and chewy for all to enjoy.

I have found the ultimate sugar cookie recipe! I tried two other recipes in the past - the first one was bland and the second one was good, but spread too much. This one is perfect! It doesn't spread, so it's great for decorating with fondant. I also used almond extract instead of butter extract b/c I didn't have any and it turned out really yummy!

I used this as a great base for a Spiced Sugar Cookie. I didn't use the butter extract either - I've never even heard of it, though it sounds yummy! I used 2 more tsp of Vanilla and 1 of Rum extract instead. Then I added 1 tsp of cinnamon, 1 tsp of nutmeg and 3/4 tsp of Allspice for my "spice". Contrary to other reviews I found that it needed all 7 cups of flour and rolled out quite nicely for cut outs. A very tasty dough before and after baking! I baked mine for 10 min at 335 since I was using a dark metal non-stick pan. Perfect!

These cookies were delicious. They had lots of flavor and a really nice texture. I made these for the 4th of July. I cut out flags and stars and set them in a metal holder and used flag material to cover the oasis. What a beautiful center pice it made and everyone loved eating them off the sticks....even the kids. I was afraid that they would break during transportation to the party but they were very sturdy. I soaked the bamboo skewers in water before sticking them into the cookies and baking them. Thanks for the recipe. They were a lot of fun!!!!