These No-Chill Sugar Cookies are the ultimate shortcut to soft, buttery perfection in just 40 minutes. With a melt-in-your-mouth texture and a delicate sweetness, they’re ideal for spontaneous baking sessions or last-minute treats. The dough comes together effortlessly, skipping the chilling step without sacrificing flavor or tenderness.
Each bite offers a golden, slightly crisp edge and a chewy center that’s pure comfort. Perfect for decorating or enjoying plain, these cookies are versatile and crowd-pleasing. Whether you’re baking for a party or a cozy night in, this recipe delivers irresistible results every time.
In just 10 minutes of baking, these cookies transform into golden delights with a rich, buttery aroma that fills your kitchen. The subtle vanilla flavor pairs beautifully with the soft, crumbly texture, making them a hit with kids and adults alike.
At only 127 calories per cookie, they’re a guilt-free indulgence you can savor anytime. Plus, the recipe yields 30 cookies, perfect for sharing or storing for later. These No-Chill Sugar Cookies are proof that delicious doesn’t have to be complicated—just simple, satisfying, and utterly delightful.
Ingredients for No-Chill Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter (softened, see note)
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional, but adds a lovely flavor)
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¾ cups (345 g) all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (helps keep cookies soft, see note)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Additional flour for rolling cookies
- 1 batch sugar cookie icing or sanding sugar for decorating (optional)
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat together butter and sugar until creamy and well-combined (about 1 minute on medium speed).
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat on medium speed until completely combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl to ensure thorough mixing.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 4-5 parts. Mix until fully combined after each addition to avoid a dry, crumbly dough.
- Form the dough into a disk and transfer it to a lightly floured surface. Sprinkle the dough lightly with additional flour.
- Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll the dough to ¼” (6.5mm) thickness. Occasionally scrape beneath the dough with a spatula to prevent sticking. Add more flour if the dough feels sticky.
- Use cookie cutters to cut shapes from the dough. Re-roll any scraps to cut more cookies. Place cookies on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them at least 1″ apart.
- Bake on the center rack for 8-10 minutes (adjust time for smaller or larger cookies). Cookies are done when the edges are just beginning to turn light golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Decorate with sugar cookie icing or sanding sugar, if desired. Enjoy!
Creative Decorating Ideas
Take your No-Chill Sugar Cookies to the next level with fun and easy decorating ideas! Use sanding sugar for a sparkly finish, or try royal icing for intricate designs. For a quick option, drizzle melted chocolate or sprinkle with colorful nonpareils. Let your creativity shine!
Storage Tips for Freshness
Keep your cookies fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze the baked cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Time-Saving Tricks
Short on time? Skip the rolling and cutting by shaping the dough into 1-inch balls, flattening them slightly with a glass, and baking as usual. You can also prepare the dough ahead of time and refrigerate it for up to 2 days—just let it soften slightly before rolling.
Recipe Variations to Try
Switch up the flavors by adding 1 teaspoon of lemon zest or ½ teaspoon of cinnamon to the dough. For a festive twist, mix in 1/2 cup of sprinkles or mini chocolate chips. These small changes can make your cookies feel brand new!
Common Questions Answered
Wondering why the dough feels dry?
It’s meant to be! Adding the flour gradually ensures the dough holds its shape. If it’s too crumbly, knead it gently with your hands. For sticky dough, sprinkle a bit more flour while rolling—it’s all part of the process!
No-Chill Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter see note
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract optional
- 1 large egg
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch see note
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Additional flour for rolling cookies
- 1 batch sugar cookie icing click link for recipe
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer (or stand mixer) to beat together butter and sugar until creamy and well-combined (about 1 minute on medium speed).
- Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and beat on medium-speed until completely combined. Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so ingredients are thoroughly combined.
- In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt.
- With mixer on low-speed, very gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture until completely combined. This is a fairly dry dough, the best way to keep it from being dry and crumbly is to add the flour slowly (in 4-5 parts) and make sure it’s all been incorporated before adding the next bit of flour.
- Form the dough into a disk and transfer it to a clean, lightly floured surface and sprinkle the surface of the dough lightly with additional flour.
- Use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll dough to be about ¼” (6.5mm) thick. As you roll, occasionally use a spatula to scrape beneath the dough to loosen it from the counter to ensure it isn’t sticking to the surface. If your dough is sticky at all, simply sprinkle it with additional flour.
- Use cookie cutters to cut shapes out of the dough (keep your cookie cuts close and re-group and re-roll out any dough scraps!) and transfer to prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 1″ apart.
- Transfer to center rack of 350F (175C) oven and bake for 8-10 minutes (this is the suggested time for 2.5-3″/7.5cm cookies; smaller cookies will need less time and larger cookies may need longer). When cookies are finished baking, edges will be beginning to turn very light golden brown.
- Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before using a cookie spatula to carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.