Thick pale cutout sugar cookies in simple shapes, some plain and some lightly iced, beside a rolling pin and cutters

Soft Sugar Cookies for Cutouts

Soft sugar cookies for cutouts use shortening and sour cream in a 3/8-inch rolled dough, baked pale for seven minutes at 375°F.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 35

Cook Time 7

Chilling and Cooling Time 20

Total Time 1 2

Servings cookies

Calories 225

Equipment

2 Baking Sheets for holding the cut shapes during baking
1 set Cookie Cutters for cutting the rolled dough into shapes
1 Electric Hand Mixer for creaming the eight dough ingredients together
1 Large Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl for mixing and briefly chilling the dough
1 set Measuring Cups and Spoons for measuring the complete dough formula
1 Offset Spatula for spreading optional frosting after the cookies cool
1 Oven for baking each sheet at 375°F
1 Kitchen Refrigerator for the brief dough chill
1 Rolling Pin for rolling each dough ball three-eighth inch thick
1 Silicone Spatula for scraping the mixing bowl
1 Wire Cooling Rack for cooling the shapes before decorating

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

1 ½ cups white granulated sugar
1 cup vegetable shortening
2 large whole eggs
1 cup sour cream
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 cups all-purpose flour

Instructions

Mix and Roll the Dough

Place the white granulated sugar, vegetable shortening, large whole eggs, sour cream, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla extract, and all-purpose flour in a large stainless steel mixing bowl. Cream together until evenly combined and one dough has formed.
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar, 1 cup vegetable shortening, 2 large whole eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 cups all-purpose flour
Refrigerate the dough briefly, then divide it into three equal balls.
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly flour the rolling surface, roll one dough ball at a time to an even 3/8-inch thickness, and press cookie cutters straight through. Place the shapes on baking sheets and repeat with the remaining portions.

Bake and Decorate

Bake each sheet at 375°F for 7 minutes. Keep the cookies pale rather than waiting for browned edges.
Transfer the baked shapes to a wire cooling rack and cool completely. Spread with your chosen frosting and decorate as desired.

Notes

Use the full 4 cups flour in the dough and only a light dusting on the rolling surface. Keep the cookies pale after the 7-minute bake. Optional frosting and decorations are not included in the nutrition estimate.

Nutrition