Veena Azmanov

Cake Artist and Food Enthusiast

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No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies Recipe (Video Recipe)

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BEST No Spread Sugar Cookies Recipe

If you are looking for the best sugar cookie that bakes perfectly every single time, this is it!! They do not spread no matter what is the shape of your cookie. A simple and easy recipe with just 5 ingredients. And it’s soft and chewy with a shortbread texture that melts in your mouth. Also, it takes only 5 minutes to mix and 10 minutes to bake. 

This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

When I started cake decorating many years ago, one of my biggest frustrations used to be that cookies never held their shape. Before then I made sugar cookies, and yet, never to decorate as a cake decorator. And my cookies would spread like big sugar blobs and look embarrassing. Also, back then not everybody shared their recipes. And those that did usually had them on their online shops. I tried so many recipes all claiming that the cookies do not spread, but it was always a disappointment. 

Finally, I decided to go back to my recipe and experiment with it. As a result, I refined my very first sugar cookie, which is also a favorite recipe on this blog. And I’m very happy that you guys love it very much. 

About this recipe

This recipe is also a sugar cookie and both my sugar cookies do not spread. So why two different recipes?  I’m glad you asked.

Well, one has regular white granulated sugar and requires a little more creaming, while this one has powdered sugar. In addition, one has only all-purpose flour, while this has a little bit of cornstarch. As a result, these cookies are a little more indulgent and have that crumbly texture we all love in cookies. Compared to my sugar cookies recipes these no spread sugar cookies are bit more soft and chewy. While the other sugar cookies are a little more firm. 

Please don’t ask me to choose between the two. Because I do believe that both of them are the world’s best sugar cookies ever!! And if you happen to try both my recipes, please do tell me which of them you prefer and why. 

Also, if you haven’t realized it yet, all my sugar cookies do not have any leavening agent. And yet, they are light and airy with a soft, chewy mouthfeel. This is because of the way I mix the cookies. So read the recipe thoroughly, and watch my videos before you make these cookies. 

This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

You can also find all my cookie recipes here. Following are some of them.

Vanilla Sugar Cookies that do not need to be chilled - NO Chill Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Buttery Crunchy Cranberry Pistachio Cookies perfect treat during the festive season.
An image optimized for social sharing for these chocolate shortbread cookies made with just six simple ingredients and five minutes to mix. The best shortbread cookies.
Almond Linzer Cookies are not just beautiful but delicious too and make perfect Christmas gifts to family and friends.
These are the best Christmas Cookies Macadamia Date Roll Cookies.
Make the filling  Remove the pits from the dates and roughly chop them,.  Place them in a sauce pan with orange juice, lemon juice and lemon zest.  Cook on low until the dates are soft enough to be mashed with a fork (3 minutes)  Once all the dates are mashed completely  Add the chopped nuts - stir well to combine  Let cool completely before you fill the cookies 

How do you fix cookies that spread too much? How to prevent cookies from spreading?

  • Too much butter or sugar in the recipe can lead to cookies spreading.
  • Too much baking powder or baking soda can also make cookies spread too much.
  • Also, chill the cookie dough before rolling the cookies.
  • And chill the rolled cookies before baking in the hot oven.
  • Place cookies on a cold, not hot baking pan. 
  • And make sure the oven is at the right temperature. 

How long should you chill the dough before baking? 

I usually chill my cookies for about 15 to 30 minutes. It is always a good practice to refrigerate cookies while the oven is preheating. Chilling cookie dough helps solidify the butter in the cookies. This helps when baking by preventing them from spreading since chilled dough takes longer to melt compared to room temperature fat. 

Are sugar cookies supposed to be hard? Are sugar cookies supposed to be soft? 

Most regular cookies are crisp on the outside and soft or chewy on the inside. Sugar cookies are softer but not soft. While they are not necessarily delicate, they can be broken easily. 

If overbaked they can be brittle but still delicious to eat. Cookies become hard as they cool, so it’s always a good idea to keep an eye when baking.  Ideally, they should not have any brown edges. Perhaps a light color around the edges. Also, leave them on the hot tray for a good 5 to 7 minutes, so they continue to cook and hold their shape

Is it ok to chill cookie dough overnight? Do I have to make the cookies immediately? 

Sugar cookies have a good shelf life as a dough as well as cookies. The dough, if wrapped well, can usually stay in the fridge for 5 to 6 days before rolling and baking. And you can even cover the cookies and place them on a parchment lined tray, wrapped well with cling wrap, for about 3 to 4 days. In addition, sugar cookies dough can be frozen for a month or more if covered well. Hence, it’s a great dough to have on hand in the freezer during the busy festive season.

This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Let’s talk ingredients and substitutes (Save/Pin)

  • Unsalted butter – I like to use unsalted butter in all my baking so I can control the amount of salt. And yet, if you must use salted butter omit the salt in the recipe.
  • All-purpose flour – I always use all-purpose flour with great success. You do not need any other flour.
  • Cornstarch – Also known as cornflour – I never miss an opportunity to add starch, cornflour, rice flour, semolina. These add a nice crumbly melt in the mouthfeel. It also lightens the cookie. 
  • Powdered sugar – Also known as confectioners sugar or icing sugar. When looking for powdered sugar always buy one made from cane sugar, not beet sugar. You will find that the buttercream made from cane sugar does not have a grainy consistency.
  • Vanilla extract – I like using vanilla extract. And yet, it also tends to color the dough. So, if you need a white or plain white dough, add clear vanilla extract or rose essence. Having said that, always use a good quality vanilla extract. I know it’s expensive which is why I make my vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.
This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Useful Tips and Tools for Baking Cookies

  • I’m not a slave to mixers but when a bake needs some good creaming method required I can’t but help insist you bring that K-Mix or Kitchen Aid from the back of the cabinet.
  • A good baking tray is always ideal for baking. Try using a light colored baking trayBaking tray. Or line the baking tray with Parchment Paper
  • If you aren’t going to fill or decorate these cookies, a regular rolling pin will work just fine. But a Cookie rolling pin in one where you have the side spacers which will help with even rolling so all your cookies are leveled. Leveled cookies bake evenly too 
  • It is essential to cool cookies completely on all sides as soon as they come out of the oven. So take them off the baking tray to prevent them cooking further but place them on a Cooking rack so they air circulates on all sides which prevents steam from going back into the cookie thus…… keeping them crisp not soggy. 
  • Always bake cookies on the center rack of your Oven, if you have more than one tray either bake them one at a time. You can bake two trays, but sometimes this can lead to the bottom one spreading too much in some cookies. You can also rotate the shelves in between baking which is often helpful in some cookies. 
  • Most cookies usually bake between 10 to 12 minutes in general. These took me about 10 minutes. Because cookies bake quickly it is also an item that gets overbaked because we end up getting distracted at the last minute. My solution is a kitchen timer that is always set to 10 minutes default, and I turn it on as soon as I place the cookies in. This has saved me many cookies in the oven because my kids always keep me busy. 
This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Recipe – No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies (Save/Pin)

Ingredients

  • 375 grams (3 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 30 grams (1/4 cup) cornstarch/cornflour 
  • 228 grams ( 1 cup) unsalted butter (room temperature)
  • 250 grams (2 cups) Powdered sugar/confectioners sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

Method

Make the Dough

  • Cream butter and powdered sugar in your mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
    Do not skimp on this step or the cookies will be very dense.
  • Add in the salt and vanilla.
  • Followed by the eggs one at a time – incorporating each well. 
  • Next goes in the cornstarch and flour. Do not over mix once the flour is incorporated.
  • Bring the dough together and divide into two discs.
  • Wrap in cling/plastic wrap for at least 1 to 2 hours.

Roll the Cookies

  • Once the dough is chilled, roll it on a lightly floured surface evenly.
  • I roll my cookies 1/8 inch or 3 mm thick using a rolling pin with spacers.
    (Often I roll them thicker 1/4 inch thick / 6mm – these baked a minute longer)
  • Cut out desired shaped cookies and place them on a cookie sheet one inch apart.

Chill and Bake Cookies 

  • For best results, I prefer to chill the cookies while the oven is preheating.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 C / 360 F.
  • Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies.
  • When baked let cool on the tray for 7 to 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further.
  • You can eat these cookies as is or decorate them with royal icing or fondant.

Storage 

  • This cookie recipe can be halved or double without any issues.
  • The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days, or
  • Frozen for up to three months. If frozen thaw in the fridge over-night before you roll out.
  • The baked cookies will stay at room temperature for up t0 2 weeks but best eaten within a few days.

Save this recipe on Pinterest for later.
You can also find a collection of my tutorials and recipes here on Pinterest.

This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe, Vanilla Sugar Cookies, No Spread Sugar cookies, No Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies

This is the best sugar cookie recipe, a no-spread sugar cookie recipe that takes soft, chewy with a shortbread like texture.

No Spread Sugar Cookies - Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Author: Veena Azmanov
If you are looking for the perfect sugar cookies, then this no spread sugar cookies is the best. It takes 5 mins to mix and 10 mins to bake. The cookies do not spread no matter what shape you use. Soft and chewy, with a shortbread texture, they can be eaten on their own or decorated with royal icing or fondant.
4.56 from 9 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Breakfast, brunch, High Tea
Cuisine: American
Keyword: 20 minutes, cookies, no spread, sugar cookies, vanilla, Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Adjust Servings Here: 24 cookies
Calories: 178kcal
Prep Time: 5 mins
Cook Time: 10 mins
Total Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

  • 375 grams All-purpose flour
  • 30 grams Cornstarch corn flour
  • 228 grams Unsalted butter room temperature
  • 250 grams Powdered sugar confectioners sugar/ icing sugar
  • 2 large Eggs
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Metric - US customary

Instructions

Make the Dough

  • Cream butter and powdered sugar in your mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
  • Do not skimp on this step or the cookies will be very dense.
  • Add in the salt and vanilla.
  • Followed by the eggs one at a time - incorporating each well.
  • Next goes in the cornstarch and flour. Do not over mix once the flour is incorporated.
  • Bring the dough together and divide into two discs.
  • Wrap in cling/plastic wrap for at least 1 to 2 hours.

Roll the Cookies

  • Once the dough is chilled, roll it on a lightly floured surface evenly.
  • I roll my cookies 1/8 inch or 3 mm thick using a rolling pin with spacers.
  • (Often I roll them thicker 1/4 inch thick / 6mm - these baked a minute longer)
  • Cut out desired shaped cookies and place them on a cookie sheet one inch apart.

Chill and Bake Cookies

  • For best results, I prefer to chill the cookies while the oven is preheating.
  • Preheat the oven to 180 C / 360 F.
  • Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies.
  • When baked let cool on the tray for 7 to 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further.
  • You can eat these cookies as is or decorate them with royal icing or fondant.

Recipe Notes

Storage

  • This cookie recipe can be halved or double without any issues.
  • The dough can be kept in the fridge for up to 4 days, or Frozen for up to three months.
  • If frozen thaw in the fridge over-night before you roll out.
  • The baked cookies will stay at room temperature for up t0 2 weeks but best eaten within a few days.

Recipe Video

About Videos - most recipes has two videos - a quick version in the post & longer detailed version on this recipe card above (YouTube embed) Subscribe to my YouTube Channel Veena Azmanov

Nutrition Information

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 56mg | Potassium: 25mg | Fiber: 0g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 5.3% | Calcium: 0.7% | Iron: 4.5%
The nutrition information and metric conversion are calculated automatically. I cannot guarantee its accuracy. If this data is important to you please verify with your trusted nutrition calculator. Thank you
Tried any of my recipes?Mention @veenaazmanov or tag #veenaazmanov!

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About Veena Azmanov

Veena Azmanov is a professional Cake Artist and Food Enthusiast. The Founder, Editor, Creator and Recipe Developer on this blog. Follow her cake and food journey on this blog as she explores new and classic recipes with a twist.

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Comments

  1. Jacqueline Meldrum

    January 23, 2019 at 10:21 pm

    I’ve never been very good at sugar cookies, but these look like the perfect cookies to decorate. Bookmarking this one.

    Reply

  6. Mary Bostow

    January 23, 2019 at 9:21 pm

    Thank you Thank you Thank you for sharing this recipe! These were wonderful and the ONLY recipe I have ever tried! This is now the only recipe I use, period! Its just perfect!

    Reply

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