Like a cross between classic sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies, these brown sugar cut-out cookies are made with butter, dark brown sugar, and a touch of cozy spices. Perfect for the holidays or anytime you crave sugar cookies with a little extra flavor! Make them any shape you like and have fun decorating with your choice of icing.
Call them a compromise cookie. Maybe you want to decorate Christmas cookies, but you can’t decide between making sugar cookies and gingerbread cookies, and only have the time/energy/ingredients to make just one…
…or maybe you love the festive spiced flavor of gingerbread cookies but can’t find molasses where you live…
…or maybe you love sugar cookies, but crave something with a little more flavor…
Meet the solution that’s sure to please everyone: brown sugar cut-out cookies.
(Now, deciding whether to top them with royal icing, easy glaze icing, or cookie decorating buttercream… you’re on your own for that one!)
Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies Recipe Snapshot
- Texture: These cookies have soft, thick centers with slightly crisp edges, just like classic sugar cookies and Christmas sugar cookies.
- Flavor: Buttery and sweet with comforting brown sugar and cozy spice flavors. If you prefer a plain brown sugar cookie, you can omit the spices.
- Ease: If you have an electric mixer and a rolling pin, you can definitely make these cookies.
- Time: This dough needs to chill for at least 1–2 hours, but the time it takes to make the dough and bake the cookies is pretty short. How you decide to decorate the cookies will account for adding more or less time.
Key Ingredients You Need
- Brown Sugar: Like these pecan sugar cookies, using all brown sugar in place of white sugar gives these cookies a deeper, more complex flavor. I recommend dark brown sugar here for the most flavor, but light brown sugar is fine if that’s all you have.
- Spice: Cinnamon, allspice, ginger, and nutmeg are the flavor power players here. If you want to keep these cookies as plain brown sugar cookies, you can simply leave out the spices.
- Everything Nice: You also need flour, baking powder, butter, an egg, salt, and vanilla extract. Cookie baking basics!
Here’s the lineup:
This brown sugar cookie dough comes together quickly with an electric mixer. Once all your ingredients are combined, it’s time to roll out and chill the dough.
My #1 Tip for Making Cut-Out Cookies
Roll the dough out before chilling. I’ll explain why this is so successful. Divide the dough in half, roll out each portion, and then chill:
Most sugar cookie doughs require chilling so the cookies hold their cookie cutter shape in the oven. But if you’ve ever tried rolling out chilled sugar cookie dough, you may remember how difficult it is to flatten cold, stiff dough. So, roll out the dough while it’s still soft (right after making it), and then chill the rolled-out dough. Here’s my exact method, and it works for chocolate sugar cookies, too:
After the rolled-out dough chills for at least 1–2 hours, use cookie cutters to cut out shapes. Be sure to re-roll the dough scraps as needed.
The cookies are done when the edges are set and the middles still look slightly soft. These cookies hold their shape nicely in the oven, and bake up with a nice flat surface that’s perfect for decorating.
Now, for everyone’s favorite part!
Decorating Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies
. And we used cookie decorating buttercream to decorate the snowflake cookies.
. I’ll walk you through 4 simple and approachable techniques that are a great place to start if you’re new to cookie decorating.. This is a wonderful basic piping tip to have in your collection.
I also have an easy cookie icing glaze you could try instead. It takes longer to dry than royal icing, but it’s quick and easy to make, it doesn’t require piping bags/tips. I use squeeze bottles for it! It’s wonderful if you have young bakers eager to help decorate.
And, of course, don’t forget the sprinkles. If you plan to dedicate a whole day to cookie-baking, here’s how How to Host a Cookie Decorating Day guide. 😉
Brown Sugar Cut-Out Cookies Recipe
Ingredients You’ll Need
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, ginger, nutmeg, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar together on high speed until completely smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat again as needed to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until combined. Dough will be a bit soft. If the dough seems too soft and sticky for rolling, add more flour, 1 Tablespoon at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Divide the dough in half. Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.
- Lightly dust one of the rolled-out doughs with flour. Place a piece of parchment on top. (This prevents sticking.) Place the 2nd rolled-out dough on top. Cover with plastic wrap or aluminum foil, then refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours, or up to 2 days.
- Once chilled, preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Carefully remove the top dough piece from the refrigerator. If it’s sticking to the bottom, run your hand under it to help remove it. Using a cookie cutter, cut the dough into shapes. Re-roll the dough scraps and continue cutting until all is used. Repeat with 2nd piece of dough. (Note: It doesn’t seem like a lot of dough, but you get a lot of cookies from the dough scraps you re-roll.)
- Arrange cookies on baking sheets 3 inches apart. Bake for 11–12 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before decorating.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with royal icing, cookie buttercream, or easy cookie icing; top with sprinkles, if using. Feel free to tint any of these icings with gel food coloring. For decorating inspiration, my How to Decorate Sugar Cookies tutorial is helpful.
- Enjoy cookies right away or wait until the icing sets to serve them. Plain or decorated cookies stay soft for about 5 days when covered tightly at room temperature. For longer storage, cover and refrigerate for up to 10 days. If decorated with cookie buttercream, cover and store decorated cookies at room temperature for 1 day, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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