If you are looking for the best no-spread sugar cookie that bakes perfectly every single time, this is it!! These cookies do not spread no matter what the shape. They are soft and chewy with a shortbread texture that melts in your mouth. A simple and easy recipe with just 5 ingredients, 5 minutes to mix, and 10 minutes to bake.
Table of Content
When I started cake decorating professionally many years ago, one of my biggest frustrations used to be that cookies never held their shape. Decorating them of course would be a nightmare.
I used my butter cookies to experiment and after much trial and error, I perfected this recipe. The secret to these of course is that I stopped using leavening in my recipe.
Why make these cookies.
- Unlike my classic sugar cookies recipe this one uses powdered sugar. This also has a little bit of cornstarch for the shortbread texture. These soft, chewy, and more delicate but absolutely delicious.
- They are light and airy with a soft, chewy mouthfeel. This is because of the way I mix my cookies.
- The recipe needs only 5 main ingredinets butter, sugar, flour, cornstarch, and eggs, plus salt and vanilla extract. These are simple pantry staples that are always on hand. right?
- The dough as well as the cookies have a great shelflife. You can prepare the dough and keep it in the fridge for up to a month. Perfect for the busy holiday season.
Ingredients and substitutes
- 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.
- Cornflour - I never miss an opportunity to add cornflour, rice flour, semolina to my cookies. 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.
- Vanilla extract - You can use vanilla extract, vanilla bean paste as well as vanilla sugar.
Step by step instructions
Combine dry ingredients
- In a bowl swift or combine - flour, cornflour, (and cocoa powder for chocolate cookies).
Pro tip - Sifting will give light and airy cookies
Cookie dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter and powdered sugar in your mixing bowl until light and fluffy.
Pro tip -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, add the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch -cocoa powder for chocolate cookies)
Pro tip - Do not over mix once the flour is incorporated to prevent the formation of gluten - Bring the dough together and divide into two discs. Wrap in plastic for at least 1 to 2 hours.
Pro tip - It is very important that you chill the dough well so you can roll and ger perfect cookies
Roll the Cookies
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch or 3 mm or ¼-inch (6 mm)
Pro tip - I like using this rolling pin with spacers to ensure my cookies are perfect evenly. - Cut out desired shaped cookies and place them on a cookie sheet one inch apart.
Pro tip - If the dough becomes soft, place the rolled dough back in the fridge. This will give perfect crisp edges.
Chill and Bake Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 356°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4
Pro tip - For best results, I prefer to chill the cookies while the oven is preheating. - Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies.
Pro tip- these are fairly white so watch closely after 8 minutes. You don't want the edges getting too dark. - Once baked let cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further.
Pro tip - the cookies continue to bake with the residue heat on the baking tray. So, take them out at the right time. - You can decorate these cookies with fondant or royal icing.
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 to 10 days but best eaten within a few days.
More sugar cookie recipes
- No chill no spread sugar cookies,
- vanilla sugar cookies & chocolate sugar cookies.
- Eggless vanilla sugar cookies & eggless chocolate sugar cookies
- Classic Gingerbread cookies & no spread gingerbread sugar cookies
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookies & Eggless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- See all cookie recipes
Frequently asked questions
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.
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 over-baked 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
Sugar cookies have a good shelf life as 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.
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Printable Recipe
No-Spread Sugar Cookies
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Conversions Used
1 lb = 453 grams, 1 cup = 240 ml, 1 stick = 113g, 1 tbsp= 15 ml, 1 tsp= 5 ml,
Ingredients
No-Spread Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- 3½ cup (438 g) All-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon Cornflour
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted butter ( room temperature)
- 2 cups (240 g) Powdered sugar (confectioners sugar/ icing sugar)
- 2 Eggs (large)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
No-Spread Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- 3 ¼ cups (400 g) All-purpose flour
- ¾ cup (65 g) Cocoa Powder
- 2 tablespoon Cornflour
- 8 oz (226 g) Unsalted Butter
- 2 cup (240 g) Powdered Sugar (Confectioners sugar/icing sugar)
- 2 Eggs (large)
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
Instructions
Combine dry ingredients
- In a bowl swift or combine - flour, cornflour, (and cocoa powder for chocolate cookies).Pro tip - SIfting will give light and airy cookies
Make the Dough
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment cream butter and powdered sugar in your mixing bowl until light and fluffy.Pro tip -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, add the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch -cocoa powder for chocolate cookies)Pro tip - Do not over mix once the flour is incorporated to prevent the formation of gluten
- Bring the dough together and divide it into two discs. Wrap in plastic for at least 1 to 2 hours.Pro tip - It is very important that you chill the dough well so you can roll and get perfect cookies
Roll the Cookies
- Once the dough is chilled, roll it on a lightly floured surface to about ⅛ inch or 3 mm or ¼-inch (6 mm) Pro tip - I like using this rolling pin with spacers to ensure my cookies are perfect evenly.
- Cut out desired-shaped cookies and place them on a cookie sheet one inch apart.Pro tip - If the dough becomes soft, place the rolled dough back in the fridge. This will give perfect crisp edges.
Chill and Bake Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 356°F/ 177°C/ Gas Mark 4.Pro tip - For best results, I prefer to chill the cookies while the oven is preheating.
- Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes depending on the thickness of the cookies.Pro tp- these are fairly white so watch closely after 8 minutes. You don't want the edges getting too dark.
- Once baked let cool on the tray for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further.Pro tip - the cookies continue to bake with the residue heat on the baking tray. So, take them out at the right time.
- You can decorate these cookies with fondant or royal icing.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Always use room-temperature ingredients for the cookies.
- Cream butter and sugar until the batter is light and fluffy this will give light and airy cookies.
- Roll the cookies between ¼ and ⅛ inch thickness. Too thin will cause the cookies to become hard and too thick will keep the center soft.
- Cool the baking tray between cookies, never bake cookies on a hot baking tray.
- Never crowd the cookie sheet, making to leave enough room for air circulation.
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 overnight before you roll out.
- The baked cookies will stay at room temperature for up t0 2 weeks but are best eaten within a few days.
Nutrition Information
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
judie
The white cookie calls for 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar, but the chocolate version calls for 2 cups (300 g) powdered sugar which isn 't two cups. So which is it 2 cups or 21/2 cups?
Veena Azmanov
They are both 240 grams of powdered sugar. Thanks Judie
Sarah
These were delicious, not too sweet and light in texture. BUT they still spread too much and I'm not sure what I did wrong! I creamed the butter and sugar for 3 minutes and then after adding the egg, it was maybe 2 minutes until it was fully incorporated. I rolled them 3/8" thick and baked them for 13-14 min. The cookies itself is great but did not solve my spreading problem.
Veena Azmanov
I'm sorry to hear that Sarah. It is surprising because these actually do not spread unless you have less flour. The creaming makes the cookies light and airy, and there is no leavening in the dough so they usually do not spread.
Barb
Hi There
Corn Starch or Corn Flour. The local store carries Cornstarch which is fine and silky and also carries Corn Flour which is more like a 'fine' Flour.
I put Cornstarch in my whipped Shortbread cookies and I also use to thicken gravies and sauces.
Are your recipes referring to the white real silky Cornstarch or the more floury Corn Flour?
Thanks very much
Veena Azmanov
Barb. Cornstarch and cornflour here are the same - flour consistency. Yes, we use it to thicken graves and sauces as well as in shortbread cookies.
I'm not sure about any other white real silky cornstarch you are referring to.
Tammy
Thank You!!! They didn’t spread at! We made the dough at night and let it chill till the morning. Pulled out and it rolled out like dream and I baked for 8 mins. I love these cookies and it made icing so easy, since they keep their shape. My kids wanted them to be sweeter but I think they are perfect. Thanks again!
Veena Azmanov
Thank you, Tammy. I am so happy you liked this recipe. I have taken the icing into account which is why I make them a little less sweet. Also, the reason it was very popular with my customers.
Heather
can you stamp these cookies or will they rise too much to show the design when finished?
Veena Azmanov
No, Heather. These do not rise much