If you haven’t noticed, I rarely stick with a single cut-out sugar cookie recipe. There’s always another version to try—sometimes better, sometimes worse. This version belongs in the “better” category. Beyond great flavor, the dough is remarkably easy: melt the butter in a bowl and stir everything together. That’s how this version earned its nickname, Lazy Mom’s Sugar Cookies.
About the Name and the Recipe
The name “Lazy Mom’s” felt a bit cheeky when I first posted it—sometimes a name just sticks because it describes how you felt while making the recipe. If you’d rather call them “Efficient Person’s Sugar Cookies” or “That Cut-Out Cookie Recipe with Cream of Tartar,” go ahead. Regardless of the name, these cookies are straightforward and dependable. The method keeps steps minimal: melt the butter, stir in the dry ingredients, chill the dough, and cut out shapes.
Why This Cut-Out Cookie Works
These cookies are popular because the dough behaves more like a thick batter initially, which simplifies mixing. Instead of rolling a stiff dough, you press and chill portions between sheets of waxed paper and then cut directly from the chilled slabs. The result: neat shapes, tender texture, and a short hands-on time. They also make an excellent activity for kids—prepare the dough and a simple frosting, and let them decorate when they get home.
Recipe
Lazy Mom’s Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
An easy cut-out sugar cookie dough you melt-and-stir—no heavy rolling required. Includes a quick frosting for decorating.
Prep Time: 10 mins · Cook Time: 12 mins · Total Time: 22 mins · Servings: 24
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks or 230 grams)
- 1 ½ cups sifted powdered sugar (about 150 grams)
- ½ scant teaspoon salt (omit if using salted butter)
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar (see note)
Easy Frosting
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- ¾ teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a microwave-safe mixing bowl, melt the butter and let it cool for about 5 minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar and stir until smooth.
- Stir in the salt, egg, and extracts. Add the baking soda and cream of tartar and mix thoroughly so there are no clumps. Scrape the sides of the bowl and stir again.
- Add the flour and stir until just blended. Do not beat. The dough will be more like a thick batter than a traditional firm dough.
- Lay a large sheet of waxed paper on a cookie sheet and turn the dough out onto it. Divide the dough into four portions and place each portion on its own sheet of waxed paper.
- Press each portion into a roughly 1/3-inch-thick rectangle and cover with another sheet of waxed paper. Chill all four sections in the refrigerator for about an hour, until firm enough to cut.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Remove one chilled portion at a time. There’s no rolling required—the dough is already flattened. Quickly cut shapes with cookie cutters; the dough softens as it warms, so work briskly.
- Lift the cut shapes and arrange them on a parchment-lined or nonstick foil-lined baking sheet. Gather scraps, press them together, and cut additional shapes.
- Bake the cut-outs for 10–15 minutes, depending on cutter size, until they look set and the edges begin to brown. Let cookies cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
- For the frosting: mix the melted butter and powdered sugar into a paste. Add milk a tablespoon at a time and stir until you reach the desired consistency. Stir in vanilla. Spoon the icing into zipper bags, chill briefly, then snip a corner to pipe, or simply spread with a plastic knife.
- These cookies are especially fun for kids—leave plain cookies, frosting, and sprinkles for decorating.
Notes
If you don’t have cream of tartar, omit both the baking soda and cream of tartar and use 1 teaspoon of baking powder instead. The cookies will be slightly puffier and less browned but still very good. Serving yield is approximate and will vary with cookie shape and size.
Tried this recipe? Leave a note about how the cookies turned out—any small tweak can help others decide which variation to try next.