These Cutout Sugar Cookies with Marbled Icing are basically edible art. Each delicious sugar cookie is dipped into homemade swirled icing to create a unique marbled effect.
The result is tasty and stunning cookies that look so fancy and artistic, but are actually quite simple to make.
Set some time aside to create mini masterpieces that you’ll enjoy making almost as much as you’ll enjoy eating.
Sugar cookies with marbled royal icing are customizable for every holiday and event. They can be Christmas cookies by using a tree cookie cutter and green marbled icing. Turn them into Valentine’s Day cookies using a heart cookie cutter and red marbled icing.
Make birthday cookies using any fun cookie cutter and a favorite color marbled icing. You get the idea – you really can personalize them however you want.
If you love sugar cookies but don’t have the time to chill or roll the dough, try these delicious Christmas Sugar Cookies or these Cinnamon Cookies (with similar dough) that don’t need frosting or icing.
This cut-out sugar cookie dough comes together quickly and easily, but it does need to chill for an hour before rolling and cutting into shapes. This classic cookie has the perfect amount of crispness around the edges and softness in the middle, and, most importantly, is sturdy enough to support this beautiful marbled icing.
We want this cookie to maintain its shape and to be flat on the top. For these reasons, the recipe does not use baking soda or baking powder. Instead, it relies on the eggs and the whipped butter and sugar for a slight rise to happen.
We don’t want them getting too puffy or they’ll lose their cute cutout shape. Nor do we want the center of the cookie to rise because having a flat cookie ensures that the icing spreads evenly on the cookie.
Because the icing is firm after it sets up, the cookies are easy to give away without the frosting making a mess. They look so pretty in a cellophane bag tied with a coordinating bow.
Why You’ll Love this Cutout Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Soft and Moist
- Uses Basic Cookie Ingredients + Food Coloring
- Customizable
- Don’t Spread
Tools You Need
- Mixer – Stand or Hand Held
- Large Mixing Bowl – for the dough
- Medium Mixing Bowl – for the icing
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Rubber Spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper – optional, but makes baking so much easier
- Cookie Cutters
What You Need to Make Cutout Sugar Cookies
To make the dough, you will need to have these staple ingredients:
- Butter – Softened, unsalted butter is preferred. If you are using salted butter, omit ¼ teaspoon salt.
- Granulated Sugar – White granulated sugar keeps them light and mild in flavor.
- Eggs – Room temperature incorporates better.
- Vanilla – Use pure vanilla for the best flavor. You can substitute almond extract if you prefer.
- Flour – For both the dough and extra for rolling the dough, preventing it from sticking to your rolling pin and surface.
- Salt – Even sweet things need a bit of salt to bring out all the other flavors.
Marbled Icing Ingredients
- Powdered Sugar – The icing base, creates a luxuriously smooth, marble finish.
- Milk – Thins the icing to the right consistency.
- Corn Syrup – Makes the icing smooth and glossy.
- Food Coloring – Use the color of your choice for a beautiful result!
Variations
Flavor – Add a couple drops of vanilla, almond, maple, coconut, or lemon extract to the icing for a subtle flavor.
Glitter – Sprinkle an edible glitter on top of the icing before it sets up to make the cookies sparkle.
Frost – If icing isn’t your favorite, top with a thick layer of this delicious sugar cookie buttercream frosting instead.
Overview | How to Make Cutout Sugar Cookies
The full printable recipe is below
- Cream Butter and Sugar – Cream the butter and sugar in large mixing bowl until light and fluffy. This incorporates air into the mixture which helps the texture.
- Add Egg – The binding agent. Mix until combined.
- Add Flour and Salt – Add the flour a little at a time (reserve 3 tablespoons for rolling).
- Chill Dough – Cover dough and chill in refrigerator for an hour.
- Roll and Cut – Sprinkle reserved flour on counter and roll dough to ¼” thickness. Cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Put cut shapes on baking sheet (with parchment, if using). Gather remaining dough into a ball, roll again, and cut more shapes. Repeat until all the dough is used.
- Bake and Cool – Bake at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes. Let cool for 1 minute before placing on a cooling rack. Let cool completely before dipping into icing.
Overview | How to Make Marbled Icing
- Combine – Mix powdered sugar, corn syrup, and milk until smooth.
- Adjust – Adjust corn syrup and milk if needed. The consistency should be similar to glue.
- Add Color – Squeeze a few drops of food coloring into the icing. Use a toothpick or knife to spread the food coloring around so it is in lines.
- Dip – Dip one face of the cookies into icing. Let icing drip off a bit and then place on parchment paper to dry.
Tips
- Add more drops of food coloring to the icing when it looks like the color is gone or has spread out too much.
- Make sure the dough is a consistent ¼” when it is rolled out. Thinner or thicker parts will not bake evenly.
- Roll the dough on a pan or mat before you chill it. That way you don’t have to roll already chilled dough. It is ready to cut into shapes as soon as it comes out of the refrigerator.
How to Store
Store iced cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days. This icing contains milk, so cookies should be moved to the refrigerator or freezer after 2 days.
Freeze baked sugar cookies before you put icing on them. Store in an airtight container with wax paper between the layers for 2-3 months. Thaw when ready to add icing.
Freeze unbaked cookie dough by placing cutout cookies in a single layer on pan in freezer until firm. Then store in an airtight container with wax paper between layers for up to 2 months. Let thaw and bake as directed, or bake from frozen state and add a minute to the baking time.
Most cookies use a leavening agent, such as baking powder or baking soda, but these cookies don’t. Baking powder would make the cookie rise in the center more than the edges, and the icing would run off the center and pool around the edges. Omitting baking powder keeps the sugar cookie flat on the top so the icing stays uniform.
This is one step you should never skip! Chilling the dough lets the fats solidify (in this case, the butter), so they won’t melt too quickly in the oven – we don’t want spread-out, doughy tasting cookies! Chilling the dough also allows the sugar to absorb liquids from the other ingredients, causing the dough to dry out a bit. This makes for the perfect firm on the outside, soft on the inside cookie.
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More Cookie Recipes
Cutout Sugar Cookies with Marbled Icing
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3½ cups all purpose flour, divided
- ½ teaspoon salt
Marbled Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup milk, add another tablespoon, if needed
- ¼ cup corn syrup
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
- Add egg and vanilla until just combined.
- Gradually add flour (reserving about 3 tablespooons) and salt.
- Cover dough and refrigerate 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough and roll on a floured surface to 1/4" thick. Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes.
- Transfer to baking sheet. Bake 10 minutes or until cookies have set. Allow to cool 1 minute before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely before icing.
Marbled Icing
- In a large mixing bowl, combine powdered sugar, milk and corn syrup. Add more milk to thin if needed.
- Squeeze a small amount of food coloring into icing. Use a toothpick or knife to drag the color over the surface.
- Dip cooled cookies in icing and allow excess to drip off. Allow icing to set (about 1 hour).
Notes
Tips
- Add more drops of food coloring to the icing when it looks like the color is gone or has spread out too much.
- Make sure the dough is a consistent ¼” when it is rolled out. Thinner or thicker parts will not bake evenly.
- Roll the dough on a pan or mat before you chill it. That way you don’t have to roll already chilled dough. It is ready to cut into shapes as soon as it comes out of the refrigerator.
- Store iced cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days. This icing contains milk, so cookies should be moved to the refrigerator or freezer after 2 days.
Cathy says
I have seen several recipes and heard a Today interview with Ina that recommend rolling and cutting the cookie before chilling, then chill for an hour. This allows the dough to be soft enough to easily roll then in the fridge to cool so that the cut cookie won’t spread.
Would this technique work? I ask because I did read that you emphasize chilling is important!
julieblanner says
That method does work, unfortunately we just don’t have the capacity in our refrigerator for multiple trays of cut cookies. It doesn’t matter when you chill the dough, but it should be chilled. Enjoy!