Martha Stewart's Sugar Cookie Cutouts Recipe: Festive Shapes With Buttery Crunch

Martha Stewart's sugar cookie cutouts bring holiday magic to your kitchen with their signature buttery crunch and festive shapes. ✨ This recipe delivers the perfect balance of tender interior and crisp edges, using a foolproof dough that holds its shape beautifully when rolled and cut.

I've baked these for years during the holidays, and they never fail to impress—whether you're decorating for Christmas or just treating yourself to a little holiday cheer.

The secret to these cookies lies in the dough preparation: creaming butter and sugar until light and fluffy creates that signature texture, while vanilla and almond extract add depth of flavor.

Rolling the dough to an even thickness ensures consistent baking, and using a sharp cookie cutter guarantees clean edges that hold their shape perfectly. For a shortcut, you can use pre-made dough, but making it from scratch gives you that authentic Martha Stewart touch.

Once baked to golden perfection, these cookies develop that signature buttery crunch while staying tender inside. The dough's slightly crisp edges make them ideal for decorating with royal icing or sprinkles, though they're delicious plain too.

This recipe yields about 24 cookies, perfect for gifting or enjoying with your morning coffee during the holiday season.

Whether you're a baking novice or a seasoned pro, this recipe delivers professional results with minimal effort. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 48 hours, making it perfect for holiday prep. Let's get started on creating these timeless holiday treats that bring warmth to any celebration.

Ingredients for martha stewart sugar cookie cutout

Buttery, fluffy dough plus festive cutters—holiday baking made magical with Martha's signature touch.

The butter is non-negotiable here—European-style unsalted gives the best flavor. Grab it from Whole Foods or Williams Sonoma if you want premium quality, but any good brand works. Keep it cold when creaming for that signature fluffy texture. The sugar? Superfine if you can find it—it dissolves better and gives a smoother dough. I always double-check the vanilla extract isn't imitation—McCormick or Nielsen-Massey are my go-tos. For the almond extract, a little goes a long way—don't overdo it unless you love that nutty kick.

No almond extract? Extra vanilla or a pinch of ground almonds works in a pinch. Can't find superfine sugar? Pulse regular granulated in a food processor for 30 seconds. The cookie cutters? Wilton or Martha Stewart brand are perfect for clean edges. If you're decorating, store-bought royal icing saves time—just add food coloring. The dough stays workable for 2-3 days in the fridge, so make it ahead. And yes, you can freeze the shaped cookies for up to 3 months—just bake straight from frozen.

This dough is your holiday baking MVP—it keeps for 48 hours in the fridge, so you can prep ahead. For extra crisp edges, chill the shaped cookies for 15 minutes before baking. The powdered sugar? Use it to dust your work surface and rolling pin—prevents sticking. Store baked cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. They stay fresh for 1 week at room temperature, or freeze for 3 months for last-minute gifting.

Step-by-step instructions for Martha Stewart's sugar cookie cutouts

Here's how to create Martha's signature buttery, crisp-edged sugar cookies with perfect holiday shapes!

In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the 1 cup unsalted butter on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until completely smooth and pale. This ensures all the butter is fully incorporated and creates air pockets for that signature light texture.

Gradually add the 1 cup granulated sugar and 0.5 cup light brown sugar, mixing on medium-high speed for 3-4 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and nearly doubles in volume. You'll see ribbons form when you lift the paddle—this is your signal that the sugars are properly creamed. I press down on the butter mixture with a spatula during the first minute to help break down any large butter clumps.

Add the 2 whole large eggs, one at a time, mixing on low speed for 30 seconds after each addition. This gradual addition prevents the eggs from scrambling in the hot butter mixture. Then add the 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract and 0.5 teaspoon almond extract, mixing for another 30 seconds until fully combined.

Here's the thing—almond extract might seem like a tiny amount, but it adds that subtle depth that makes these cookies taste like Martha's. The mixture should be smooth and slightly thick, like a thick batter. If it looks too stiff, you can gently fold in 1 tablespoon of milk (though we're not using milk in this recipe, I've found this helps when using very cold butter).

In a separate bowl, whisk together the 3.5 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 teaspoon baking soda, and 0.5 teaspoon kosher salt. I like to sift the flour first to prevent lumps in the final dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed for 1-2 minutes until just combined.

Don't overmix—you want to see a few flour streaks remaining. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cookies tough instead of tender. Once combined, remove the bowl from the mixer and gently fold in any remaining flour with a silicone spatula. The dough should be smooth and hold together when pressed.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and flatten each into a 1-inch thick disk. Wrap each tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 48 hours). Chilling is crucial—it firms up the butter, which prevents excessive spreading when baking. The colder the dough, the better the shape retention when cutting.

Real talk: If you're in a hurry, you can freeze the dough disks for 30 minutes instead of chilling. But for Martha's signature results, the 2-hour chill makes all the difference. Preheat your oven to 350°F while the dough chills—this gives you time to roll and cut without waiting.

On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use your cookie cutters to cut out shapes, then transfer them to ungreased baking sheets, spacing them 1 inch apart. Gather the scraps, reroll, and cut more shapes until all the dough is used. Don't worry if the edges aren't perfect—they'll crisp up beautifully in the oven.

Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown but the centers still look slightly pale. The centers should be set but not browned. I rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even baking. Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once completely cool, use the 1.5 cups royal icing to pipe borders or fill shapes through a piping bag fitted with a small tip. Let the icing set for 10-15 minutes before adding the 0.5 cup sprinkles. Gently press the sprinkles onto the wet icing while it's still tacky. For best results, decorate on a wire rack over a sheet of parchment paper to catch any drips.

Here's the pro tip: If your royal icing is too thick, add water 1 teaspoon at a time until it reaches a smooth, pipeable consistency. For a glossy finish, brush the decorated cookies with a tiny bit of powdered sugar dissolved in 1 teaspoon water after the icing sets. These cookies taste amazing plain, but the festive decorations make them perfect for gifting!

Troubleshooting this dish

Dough Too Sticky

If your dough feels too sticky to handle, it’s likely because the butter melted too much during mixing. I’ve found that using cold butter cubes (straight from the fridge) and mixing on low speed initially helps prevent this.