This easy recipe makes cinnamon sugar cookies that hold their edges and have a nice soft bite. Pair with a spiced American buttercream and you have the perfect fall and winter cookie!
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If you've been following me for a while you know I have a serious attachment to sugar cookies; buttercream sugar cookies and chocolate chip sugar cookies get made on the regular! Cinnamon cut-out sugar cookies are quickly becoming a new obsession.
The cookies are easy to make and have a nice soft texture while holding a sharp edge. The perfect sugar cookie, if you ask me! For this recipe we add cinnamon and a little nutmeg to the cookie dough and pair it with a spiced American Buttercream. The smell alone on these cookies is intoxicating.
Cinnamon cut-out sugar cookies are perfect for adding to your fall and winter baking lists. I know you are going to love them!
HOW TO MAKE CINNAMON CUT-OUT SUGAR COOKIES
First you will whisk together the dry ingredients. All-purpose flour, aluminum-free baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. I switched to using aluminum-free baking powder several years ago and highly recommend it for the best tasting baked goods. Rumford is a popular brand and both Trader Joes and Target carry versions as well. David Lebovitz wrote a fun article on why you should use aluminum-free baking powder.
Next you will beat together the butter and salt until combined, about 1 minute. Then add the granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 1.5-2 minutes. Then beat in the egg and vanilla. Finally, with the mixer on low, add the sifted dry ingredients. The dough will start to ball around the mixer paddle when the dough is finished. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch disk. Chill the dough for a minimum of 30 minutes before rolling it out.
HOW TO GET SOFT SUGAR COOKIES
Make sure to roll your sugar cookie dough on the thicker side. I prefer about a ¼ inch thick. Keeping the cookie dough on the thick side allows for a softer baked cookie. I love using these fluted biscuit cutters.
Finally, you do not want to over bake these cookies. 7-8 minutes is all they need in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven. The cookies will have just a hint of brown to the edges. They appear slightly puffy when they are done and then you'll let the cookies rest on the pan for 2 minutes before removing to a wire cooling rack.
HOW TO MAKE SPICED AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
Once the cookies are completely cool, you can decorate them with a spiced American buttercream.
You can use a hand-held mixer or a stand mixer to make the easy buttercream. Beat the room temperature butter on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
Then add powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and ground cinnamon. Mix on low until incorporated. Then add vanilla and heavy whipping cream and beat on medium-high until light and fluffy about 2-3 minutes. Add a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet and add gel coloring, if desired.
The cookies in the photos were piped using a Wilton 104, Wilton 4 and Wilton 2D.
I am working to get some video tutorials to help you decorate your cookies. This is a whole new avenue for my tech challenged mind! Hopefully I can add a video or two soon. Is this something you would find helpful? Please drop me a note in the comments below to let me know.
CRAVING OTHER SUGAR COOKIE RECIPES?
- Perfect Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Easy and Fast Soft Drop Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookie Bars
Recipe shared with Full Plate Thursday, Meal Plan Monday and Weekend Potluck
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Perfect Cinnamon Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
recipe created and tested by:
I highly recommend using weight (metric) measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Please note
When using 2x or 3x ingredients, the grams DO NOT adjust, you will have to manually do that.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- SPICED AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
- 1 cup unsalted butter 2 sticks, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 Tablespoons heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg with a whisk. Set aside.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and salt on medium speed until combined, about 1 minute. Add in sugar and beat until smooth, about 1-½ minutes. Beat in egg and vanilla and mix until well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape up and down the sides of the bowl.
- With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture a little at a time, occasionally stopping to scrape your bowl. The dough should form a ball around the paddle when the mixing is finished. The dough should be soft, but not sticky.
- Wrap the dough ball in plastic wrap and press into a 1 inch thick disc. Chill for a minimum of 30 minutes before rolling and up to seven days.
- Preheat the oven to 375°. Prepare baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- On lightly floured surface, roll the dough to about a ¼ inch thickness, use additional flour as needed to prevent sticking. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Re-roll the remaining dough and continue cutting until all is used.
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven, about 7-8 minutes, until puffy. Allow the cookies to rest for 2 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Decorate as desired.
SPICED AMERICAN BUTTERCREAM
- 1. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or a hand held mixer) beat the butter on medium-high until smooth and creamy.
- 2. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and add the powdered sugar, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Mix on low until the dry ingredients are incorporated. Add the vanilla and heavy cream.
- 3. Increase the mixer speed to medium-high and whip until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes, scaping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- 4. Add a pinch of salt if the frosting is too sweet.
- 5. Color as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
Katherine | Love In My Oven says
You did an amazing job with these Tasia!!! Your decorating skills are marvelous. My kids would be THRILLED if I made a batch of these. Cinnamon is also one of our favourite flavours!! XO
Tasia says
Thank you so much Katherine! If your kids are anything like mine, they will love making and eating these cookies.
Kat says
Came out terrible flat and spread out
Tasia says
I'm sorry to hear you had trouble with the recipe. It sounds like the dough may have been too warm going in the oven.
Leanne says
These are appropriately named Tasia because they really do look perfect! You have some serious decorating skills, my friend! And these would be a lovely centrepiece for any dessert table!
Tasia says
You are far too kind! Thank you Leanne and yes, these cookies would be perfect for a dessert table!
Katerina says
Ooh, these look amazing, Tasia! I love the piping too - just gorgeous.
Tasia says
Thank you so much Katerina ~ we are loving them!
Miz Helen says
Your Cinnamon Cut Out Sugar Cookies are just beautiful! Thanks so much for sharing your talent with us at Full Plate Thursday. Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Tasia says
Thank you Miz Helen and thank you for having me!
Sally says
My kitchen smelled heavenly while these cookies baked! Followed the directions and they came out just perfect. Thank you.
Emily says
I made these to go in my cookie boxes this year. The taste is incredible!! Thank you.
Tasia says
Hi Emily, thank you so much for coming back to leave a comment. I'm happy to hear you enjoyed them!
sam says
I made a few adjustments by subbing 1/4 cup of the butter with a 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree and made a maple syrup powdered sugar icing and my family absolutely loved them! thank you so much.
Tasia says
Hi Sam, I'm so glad to hear you and your family loved them!
Jasmine says
They taste absolutely amazing and that would be great… if they weren’t super dry
C Lees says
I've tried this recipe 6x using 2 different ovens. I tried cooking batches with and without convection. I've varied the temperature. I've cooked them as long as 20 minutes to get them to not be just compressed dough. They do not rise. I have to flip them over and cook the other side to get them to not be dough. I tried adding more baking powder and more salt. What else can I try to make this recipe work? The only thing I have not varied is the baking tray. I'll try switching to a metal pan and see but I'm not holding out hope.
Tasia says
Hi C, I'm sorry to hear you are having trouble. These are sugar cookies, so they should not "rise", but will have the slightest bit of puffiness once done. This classic sugar cookie recipe has side by side photos of the dough before it's baked and when they are done. I would also check the temperature of your oven; I bake these cookies many, many times each year and at 375°F they should not take longer than 10 minutes. You also mention that you haven't use a metal baking pan, what are you using? These metal baking pans are what I use. Parchment paper or a silicone baking mat is recommended as well.
C Lees says
Thank you so much for your response Tasia. I've been using stoneware with parchment paper. I will try one of those metal pans. The cookies taste really good but they take a long time with my set up. I am wondering, do you bake cookies with or without convection? I get mixed advice on that when I google it. Thanks for your help.
Tasia says
Hi C, all my ovens have a convection option, but I do not use it. It's not something everyone has in their kitchen, so I prefer to develop recipes without. I would love to hear if a metal baking pan changes the bake time for you.
Pam says
Made these tonight and they turned out perfect! I put them in the freezer for about 5 minutes after we cut them out and they held their shape perfectly and taste good. Thank you for the recipe.
Sarah Thimas says
Hi. When reading the general info on the cookie, it says the dry ingredients should be sifted. However, it says to whisk them in the instructions.
If I sift them, is it 3 cups of flour sifted or unsifted before sifting with the other dry ingredients?
Tasia says
Hi Sarah, thank you for catching that! The dry ingredients just need to be whisked together, not sifted; so 3 cups of unsifted flour.
Becky Vasques (MiMi) says
I just made two batches of these cookies with my granddaughters (6 & 7). They turned out so good. We are making different icing though, royal icing. Thank you for the recipe, cinnamon is our favorite!!!
Tasia says
Hi Becky, I'm so happy to hear you and your granddaughters had fun making and eating these cookies! Cinnamon is one of my favorites too!
Marie says
Yes!! Would love a tutorial on decorating these!!!
Tasia says
I love that Marie! Currently knee deep in coaching the girls' sports, but I plan to have some decorating tutorials coming later this year.