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These Thanksgiving Cut-Out Sugar Cookies are are a soft, tender butter cookie topped with royal icing that are easy to make for your Thanksgiving dessert table. Decorated sugar cookies are always popular during the holidays, however, this versatile recipe can be your “go-to” sugar cookie all year. My vintage inspiration for this recipe is from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book (1963), however, I was also inspired to change the recipe a bit using my great-grandmothers recipe with the addition of a bit of bourbon and nutmeg to evoke the flavors or fall.
Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book (1963) is your ultimate guide to easy-to-follow, nostalgic cookie recipes that never go out of style. This is an original copy my grandmother passed down to me. With over 150 cookie recipes, this vintage cookbook has a cookie for every occasion like classic drop cookies, to festive holiday ones for Valentine’s Day, Easter, Halloween, and Christmas, and treasured Heritage Cookies. In addition, the “Best Cookies” section will walk you through beloved flavors of mid-century America.
What sets this cookbook apart are the charming, whimsical illustrations, and practical baking tips that made it a staple in kitchens across the country. In fact it was actually just re-published this year in 2025 with the original retro look and feel.
Bite into nostalgia with these original vintage recipes for both Mary’s Sugar Cookies, made with sugar and Ethel’s Sugar Cookies, made with confectioners’ sugar. These nostalgic cookies are by far the most widely shared sugar cookie recipe shared across the globe.
Ingredients to make Sugar Cookies
Wet Ingredients
- Butter is made from churned cream that contains 80% butterfat. European butter is churned longer and has a higher fat content (82%-85%), which is why it yields more flavor.
- Sugar is a made by processing the juice of the sugarcane plant. Cane sugar is a natural option that is less processed with a slightly courser texture.
- Eggs are produced by female chickens and are important in baking because their proteins provide structure, they act as a natural leaving agent by trapping air that expands during baking.
- Vanilla provides hints of caramel and spice, enhancing the depth of flavor to baked goods. The best quality is an all-natural and made from real vanilla beans containing at least 35% alcohol.
Dry Ingredients
- All-purpose unbleached flour is made from ground wheat kernels with the bran and germ removed. It has a moderate protein content of 10-12%, making it a versatile option for most baked goods.
- Cornstarch is made from the starchy center of dried corn kernels and often used as a thickener in pie fillings and lightens the texture of baked goods.
- Baking powder is a leavening agent that contains both an acid, like cream of tarter, and a base, like baking soda to help baked goods rise. Use a double-acting aluminum-free baking powder to avoid a bitter aftertaste.
- Nutmeg is a warm spice that comes from the nutmeg tree in the Spice Islands. It is available as whole nutmeg, grated or pre-ground.
- Pink salt is a type of rock salt found near the Himalayas, that is minimally processsed and contains trace minerals.
Homemade Ingredients
Vanilla: Purchase Grade B vanilla beans (also called extract-grade), which have less moisture and a more concentrated flavor. Place 8 oz. of bourbon (or vodka) in glass bottle or jar. Split 5-7 vanilla beans down the middle and add to bottle. Let it sit for 3-6 months in a cool, dark place. As you use it, continue to replace the bourbon and add more beans as it keeps for many years.
Baker’s Tips
- For sugar cookies to keep their original cookie cutter shape and ensure less spread, it is really important to chill them 2 times during the process. First chill: After mixing the cookie dough, roll out immediately between 2 sheets of parchment paper into desired thickness 1/4″ or 3/8″ and place the stacks of rolled dough on a baking sheet to chill in the fridge for a few hours or overnight. Second chill: Cut out the dough into shapes and then chill again for 5-10 minutes. To obtain an even cookie thickness, I roll out my cookies with a Joseph Joseph rolling pin.
- Although my signature sugar cookie has vanilla, bourbon, and a hint of nutmeg, you can use other flavors such as fresh lemon zest with a bit of lemon extract. Another popular flavor combination is vanilla with a bit of pure almond extract. When adding flavors to your dough use the best all-natural quality to make a difference in the taste of the cookie. For other extracts such as almond or lemon, I use Frontier Organic pure extracts.
How to decorate sugar cookies
Always color your plain white frosting first with white food color while it is still in the mixer. This will help set the royal icing so the color won’t bleed. My favorite food color brand of natural gel food color is Chefmaster. I only use all-natural decorations like sanding sugar, jimmies or non-perils, read the ingredient labels on pre-made decorations (you’ll see most have artificial flavor) and stay away from those brands.
Dietary Substitutions
For the past 12+ years, I have owned an all-natural specialty bakery converting conventional recipes to gluten free, vegan, wholesome, etc. You can read more about my pro-baking here.
Here are a few basic tips when converting conventional recipes into specialty baked goods.
- Shelf Life: Specialty baked goods tend to dry out faster and have a shorter shelf life than conventional baked goods. Store in an airtight container on counter for 1 – 2 days. For longer storage, freeze up to 6 months. Avoid refrigerating, as it can dry out baked goods.
- Let Batter Rest: Alternate flours can be dense or slightly gritty compared to white flour, so be sure to let the batter rest at least 15 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator before baking. This allows the flour to fully hydrate and produce a lighter, tender crumb.
- Oven Temperature: Alternative flours are delicate and tend to brown faster before the center is cooked through. Reduce oven to 325° and bake “low and slow,” adding a few extra minutes of bake time if needed.
- Alternative Flours: Try using alternative flours in your baking..here is a reference I put together of Ultimate Guide to Flours.
Gluten-Free (no gluten)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour like our Vintage Baked Modern gluten free flour blend or use a homemade gluten-free flour blend. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Hydration: Gluten free flours can make baked goods dense. Add 1 tablespoon of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Vegan/Dairy Free (no animal products)
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Fat: Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
Keto (low carb, high fat)
- Flour: Swap the white flour for almond flour or coconut flour.
- Sweetener: Replace sugar with Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener which calls for a 1:1swap that mimics granulated sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as coconut or almond milk.
- Hydration: Almond flour can make baked goods dense. Add 1 -2 tablespoons of additional extra liquid (the same liquid called for in the recipe) to help lighten the texture. Add 1 additional egg to help bind the batter.
- Fat: Add up to 2 Tbsp of additional fat, such as butter or oil to the recipe.
Wholesome (minimally processed)
- Flour: Swap out 1/3 to 1/2 of the white flour with King Arthur white whole wheat flour or King Arthur 100% whole wheat flour or Bob’s oat flour.
- Sweetener: Replace white sugar with maple syrup or honey. Use 3/4 c. honey for every 1 c. sugar. You can also swap out the white sugar with 1:1 swap using natural cane sugar, coconut sugar or date sugar.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat, coconut or almond milk.
- Lower Fat: For every 1 c. of butter, use 3/4 c. heart-healthy oil (like canola or extra-light olive) OR 1/2 c. unsweetened applesauce + 1/2 c. oil.
Allergen Free (none of the 9 allergens)
- Flour: Swap out the flour with a premium gluten-free flour like our Vintage Baked Modern gluten free flour blend or a homemade gluten-free flour blend that does not contain tree nuts or soy. Be sure the flour blend contains xanthan gum or add 1/4 tsp. to 1/2 tsp. per every 1 cup of flour to the recipe.
- Butter: Use unsalted vegan butter sticks such as Violife for best flavor and texture. Add up to 1 to 2 Tbsp of additional fat like oil or vegan butter to the recipe.
- Dairy: Replace dairy with unsweetened plant based milk such as oat or coconut milk. Check the labels to make sure they are soy-free and nut-free.
- Eggs: Replace each egg by adding 1 tsp. baking soda to the batter, then pour 1 Tbsp. white vinegar over it. Add the vinegar last though, to keep the leavening reaction.
- Nuts: Omit all peanuts and tree nuts (almonds, brazil nuts, cashews, hazelnuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, pine nuts, pistachios, or walnuts.
FAQ’s
Use light-colored, aluminum cookie sheets to reflect even heat during the baking process. Dark cookie sheets conduct more heat off the surface, which may burn or darken on the edges before they are fully cooked through.
For even browning, place only 2 cookie sheets in the oven at the same time. Place the cookie sheet horizontally and rotate them halfway through the baking process. To rotate, spin the cookie sheets around 180° and swap the cookie sheets from top to bottom and vice versa.
Thanksgiving Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Silpat or parchment paper
- piping bags
Ingredients
DRY INGREDIENTS
- 2 ¾ c. unbleached flour
- 2 T. cornstarch
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. nutmeg
WET INGREDIENTS
- 1 c. unsalted butter room temp
- ¾ c. sugar
- ⅓ c. powdered sugar
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 Tbsp. bourbon
- 1 ½ tsp. vanilla
ROYAL ICING
- 3 c. powdered sugar
- 2 egg whites
- ⅓ c. water
- 1 T. lemon juice
- 1 T. vanilla
- ½ tsp. cream of tartar
Instructions
PREP
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
MAKE BATTER
- Mix together butter, sugar, and powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, egg yolk, sour cream, vanilla and mix until combined.
- Add in dry ingredients and mix well.
- Split dough into 2 sections. Roll out dough to 1/4" or 3/8" between 2 pieces of parchment paper cut to the size of your baking sheets.
- Chill dough for 1 hour to overnight.
BAKE
- Preheat oven to 375°. Remove the top sheet of parchment and use it to line your baking sheets. Cut the chilled dough into shapes, chill again for 5-10 minutes and bake for 10-12 minutes.
- If your going to re-roll any scraps, you will need to follow the same process: re-roll scraps between parchment paper, chill for at least 1 hour, cut shapes and chill once cut for 5-10 minutes before baking.
ROYAL ICING
- Place powdered sugar and meringue powder in mixer with paddle.
- Add water, lemon juice, and vanilla and beat for 5-7 minutes until light and fluffy and stiff peaks form.
- Portion out into 3 bowls and add 1/2 tsp. water and gel food color until desired consistency is reached. Cover right away since it will dry out quickly.
- Place your tipless piping bag into a tall glass with piping bag folded open around the rim of the glass. Pour colored frosting down into the piping bag. Cut a very small hole in the bottom of bag and pipe.
- Let cookies dry on the table with a fan blowing on them for a few hours. Then lay in single layer in a large container, layer with parchment paper. Store in air-tight container or heat seal in individual bags.
Related Recipes
More Thanksgiving recipes
More 60’s Cookbooks
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Any commentary, notes, or recipe adaptations are my own and reflect my professional baking experience in an FDA-inspected, commercial kitchen. I am not a licensed medical professional and do not provide medical advice.
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