Fresh-Milled Cutout Sugar Cookies
There are few things more comforting than making sugar cookies at home. Rolling out dough, cutting fun shapes, and decorating together is one of those traditions that feels special every time. It slows you down, fills your kitchen with warmth, and creates memories you’ll remember long after the cookies are gone.
If you bake with fresh-milled flour, though, you may have learned that not every classic recipe works the same way. Dough can feel dry, crumbly, or hard to roll if it isn’t made with fresh flour in mind. Cutout cookies can be especially tricky because the dough needs to roll smoothly, hold its shape, and bake up soft — all at the same time.
This recipe was created specifically for fresh-milled flour. It is simple, reliable, and forgiving. These cookies roll easily, keep clean edges, and stay soft after baking. They’re perfect for decorating with kids, gifting to friends, or starting a cozy holiday tradition of your own.
Why Fresh-Milled Flour Is Different
Fresh-milled flour still contains the bran and germ of the wheat berry. That’s what gives it more nutrition and flavor — but it also means it behaves differently than store-bought flour.
Fresh-milled flour:
Absorbs more liquid
Can feel dry if there isn’t enough moisture
Becomes firmer as it rests
Has a richer, fuller flavor
Because of this, recipes need small adjustments to work well. For cutout sugar cookies, the most important thing is getting the right balance of wheat types.
The Best Flour Blend for Cutout Cookies
This recipe uses a 60/40 blend:
Soft white wheat for tenderness
Hard white wheat for structure
Soft white wheat keeps the cookies soft and easy to eat. Hard white wheat helps the cookies hold their shape when you cut them out. Together, they make a dough that’s easy to work with and bakes beautifully.
Fresh-Milled Cutout Sugar Cookies
Makes: About 24–28 medium cookies
Oven: 350°F
Bake Time: 8–11 minutes
Flour Blend
2.4 cups soft white wheat berries, freshly milled
1.6 cups hard white wheat berries, freshly milled
This gives you 4 cups total fresh-milled flour.
Dry Ingredients
4 cups fresh-milled flour (60/40 blend)
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
Fresh-milled flour needs a little more salt to balance the flavor.
Wet Ingredients
1½ cups salted butter, softened
1½ cups granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
The almond extract is optional, but it adds a classic sugar cookie flavor that many people love.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Preheat the oven
Set your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter and sugar
In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. This step helps the cookies stay soft.
3. Add the eggs and extracts
Add the eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix just until combined.
4. Mix in the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Add this to the butter mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
The dough may feel slightly sticky at first. Let it rest for 5 minutes — fresh-milled flour absorbs liquid as it sits and will firm up on its own.
5. Check the dough
Your dough should be:
Soft
Smooth
Easy to press together
Not cracking when you roll it
If the dough feels dry or crumbly, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time until it comes together.
If it feels sticky, add 1 tablespoon of flour and mix again. I simply sprinkled more flour directly on the dough as I was rolling it out to keep it from sticking.
6. Roll out the dough
Place the dough between two sheets of parchment paper and roll it to about ¼-inch thick. Rolling between parchment keeps the dough from sticking and helps the cookies stay soft.
7. Cut out shapes
Dip your cookie cutters in flour and cut out shapes. Carefully transfer them to your baking sheet.
These cookies do not spread, so you can place them fairly close together.
8. Bake
Bake for 8–11 minutes, depending on the size of your cookies.
The cookies are done when:
The bottoms are lightly golden
The tops are still pale
Do not overbake — this keeps them soft.
9. Cool completely
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2–3 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack. Make sure they are completely cool before decorating.
Decorating Your Cookies
These cookies are sturdy enough for decorating but still soft to eat. You can decorate them with:
Royal icing
Simple glaze icing
Buttercream frosting
Cream cheese frosting
If you’re decorating with kids, buttercream or glaze works especially well and doesn’t require special tools.
Tips for Success with Fresh-Milled Flour
Always let the dough rest before adjusting it
Add liquid slowly if the dough feels dry
Roll between parchment for best results
Slightly underbake for soft cookies
Let cookies cool fully before icing
A Cozy Tradition Worth Keeping
Baking with fresh-milled flour is about more than just cookies. It’s about slowing down, using simple ingredients, and creating something meaningful in your home. These fresh-milled cutout sugar cookies are easy enough for beginners and reliable enough to become a tradition you return to year after year.
Whether you’re baking for Christmas, a special celebration, or a quiet afternoon at home, this recipe is one you can count on.
By Leah Ann Grace
