Last Updated on December 20, 2024 by Michelle

They know how much I love a good story. So they baked dozens of them.

And these stories, as hokey as it sounds, are baked forever in my heart.

Scroll below for my family’s favorite traditional cut out cookie recipe. Or, if you’d prefer to go with all-natural maple syrup cut out cookies, those are amazing too…

These cookies each had a story.

My daughters were all excited to greet me. As I uncurled my tired legs from a cramped, 8-hr drive, I was welcomed by excited exclamations. “Mom! Come see what we made you!” At first the decorated cookies that lined the counters just seemed like a generous dessert.

Then one daughter pointed to the cookie shaped like Hampshire, the puppet mouse who became the main character of family stories I told the girls many moons ago.

Another daughter held up the rectangular cookie painted purple with white balls attached to its base.

“It’s my purple snow fort you and Logan built for me.” A decade ago, she had prayed for a “purple snow fort” every night with her 2-yr-old head bent low and sincerely clasped hands. Her big sister and I decided to be the driving force to her answered prayers, building and spray painting her fort during nap time on a snowy January day. “And this is our new kayak, Mom, for our first ride on the lake last week.”

The details, down to the seat and detached oar, were quite uncanny and had obviously been painstakingly made. There on my kitchen counter were spread beautiful, handmade remembrances of precious memories each girl had made with me over the years. Almost too wonderful to eat. Well, almost. We did indulge, after taking pictures.

They may have been the best Mother’s Day Gift ever.

So thankful for creative daughters and a thoughtful Mother’s Day Gift—cut out stories covered in icing, sprinkles, and memories.

As for some of my favorite cookie cutters (affiliate links):

Look at this adorable mouse.

I love this nautical set of cookie cutters.

You gotta love this classic pickup truck carrying a tree cookie cutter.

While this snow globe cookie cutter is pretty cool, I prefer making snow globes with a mason jar cookie cutter, turned upside down.

And I love how there are so many shapes, in all sizes, in this really wonderfully priced set of cookie cutters.

Sturdy Cut-Out Cookie Recipe

This recipe is a staple in our family, since the girls were toddlers. It holds up so well to lots of handling and rolling and re-rolling. Thus the name.

1 stick butter, softened

1/2 cup granulated sugar (I use the one below)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla or lemon extract (I use the one below)

1 egg

2 cups flour*

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt (I only use the one below. Yes, it matters.)

Cream butter and sugar, vanilla, and egg. Gradually beat in flour, baking powder, and salt until blended. Press dough together with hands. Roll out to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness, adding flour as needed to avoid sticking. Cut into desired shapes (or memories, as the case may be). Bake at 350 on ungreased cookie sheets for 10-12 minutes.

YIELD: 2 dozen average sized cookies

* {NOTE} Our family loves these cookies made with 100% freshly-ground flour. The taste is deeper, kinda nuttier and sweeter, and the substitution is super easy.

Just substitute 1:1 fresh flour (made from these wheat berries) for the 2 cups flour and add 1 additional tsp of baking powder.

Icing Recipe

Add confectioners sugar to one egg white until right consistency. (Roughly 1.5-2 cups sugar.) Add 2 drops of almond flavoring, a pinch of salt, and optional food coloring (of course this is not optional at all if you’re making a purple snow fort. 😉)

EDITED to add: I’ve been working at eliminating food dye, and discovered I love using a sprinkle of Matcha powder in my icing in place of green food dyes! (use code SOULYRESTED and save $ if you want to try some yourself)

Favorite ingredients in these cut out cookies

Find more of the best ingredients, at the best prices, here– my list of favorite ingredients

Sourced from world-renowned orchards, organic beans make this a wonderfully flavorful vanilla.

Coconut sugar is lowest on the glycemic index of all natural sugars. Boiled from nectar, it tastes nothing like coconut.

The only salt mined in the US is never stripped of natural minerals. Use code SOULYRESTED to save $$.

Most baking powder on the market includes highly refined cornstarch—yuck. This non-GMO baking powder has none.

Most baking soda contains aluminum. Not this one & it’s a product of the USA

This is my favorite source for the best ingredients. Click here to see if Azure delivers near you

Join me on my Simple Doesn’t Mean Easy podcast

We talk a lot about the simple joy of real food. Follow along on your favorite podcast player right here.

Print Recipe

Sturdy cut out cookie recipe

Servings: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients

1 stick butter softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar*
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
1 egg
2 cups flour**
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing

1-2 egg whites
1 tsp almond extract
1 1/2-2 cups powdered sugar

Instructions

Cream butter and sugar, vanilla, and egg.
Gradually beat in flour, baking powder, and salt until blended.
Press dough together with hands. Roll out to 1/8- to 1/4-inch thickness, adding flour as needed to avoid sticking.
Cut into desired shapes.
Bake at 350 on ungreased cookie sheets for around 10 minutes. Don't overcook them (they'll be crunchy if overcooked, and perfectly soft if you nail the timing), and take them out of the oven when they look slightly undercooked, and haven't paled on the top yet. They'll be slightly golden on the bottom when they're done.
For the icing, beat powdered sugar into the egg white until a nice spreadable consistency is reached. Add food dye if desired* and ice the cookies only when they're cool.