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Basic Cookie Dough Recipe (Plus Countless Cookies You Can Make From It)

ByKatrina
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This Basic Cookie Dough Recipe is the master dough I use to create countless cookie recipes from one base. A full batch naturally divides into 4 portions, each one making a complete small batch of cookies (about 18 cookies per portion). You can bake a variety of cookie recipes at once (see below) or use just one portion for a single recipe (making this dough perfect for both bulk Christmas cookies and small-batch baking).

Soft cookie dough mixed in a glass bowl, showing the texture before shaping.

This basic cookie dough recipe is your all-purpose base for creating cookies all year long; for example, you can use it for cut-out butter cookies, slice-and-bake rounds, sandwich cookies, thumbprints, jam-filled designs, dipped cookies, and classic buttery cookies (that taste amazing even plain).
What’s more, it’s the perfect cookie dough for cookie cutters because the dough doesn’t spread, giving you nice, defined edges.
One dough, endless possibilities; and in this post, I’ll guide you through making this basic cookie dough recipe, plus countless cookies you can make from it.

Close-up of wrapped cookie dough labeled peppermint, stacked and ready for chilling.

This recipe is designed to be simple, reliable, and incredibly flexible. You only need a few pantry staples to make a dough that rolls smoothly, slices cleanly, and bakes into perfectly tender soft butter cookies every time.

  • One dough, many cookies; no need for multiple doughs. This is your all-in-one cookie dough base that can be turned into any of the recipe ideas below.
  • Made with everyday baking staples that create a rich, buttery cookie flavor.
  • Dough won’t spread: an ideal butter cookie cutout recipe that yields clean, sharp cutouts and defined edges.
  • It tastes delicious on its own. This simple butter cookie recipe is buttery, tender, and flavorful even without decorations or toppings.
  • Makes cookies for a crowd, but can be scaled down for small-batch Christmas cookies. Divide the dough into smaller portions when you only need a few.
  • Great for gifting. These cookies are sturdy, stack beautifully, and pack well for gifting or holiday cookie boxes.
  • Make-ahead friendly. You can freeze the dough or baked cookies for effortless freezer cookies anytime.

Table of Contents

Overhead view of butter, sugar, egg yolks, vanilla, flour, and salt arranged for making a basic cookie dough.

Unsalted Butter: 4 sticks may seem like a lot, but remember, you are dividing this butter cookie recipe into 4 portions to create 4 different buttery cookie recipes.
Kosher Salt: If using table salt, you will need to reduce the amount (refer to the notes section in the recipe card for exact conversion).
Egg Yolks: Add richness and structure.
Refer to the printable recipe card below for ingredient quantities and detailed instructions.

How to Make Butter Cookies

Egg yolks and vanilla being mixed into the creamed butter and sugar.
Flour being mixed into the dough until just combined.

1. Beat the butter, sugar, and salt in a mixer for 3–4 minutes until very light and fluffy, scraping down the bowl as needed. Mix in the vanilla, then add the egg yolks one at a time.
2. Reduce the speed to low and mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.

Ball of cookie dough resting on parchment paper with a metal bench scraper beside it.
Cookie dough shaped into even portions, weighed and wrapped for chilling.

3. Turn the dough out onto parchment and gently bring it together into a smooth mound so it’s ready to portion. Don’t overhandle the dough!
4. Divide the dough into 4 equal portions (about 370g each). For best results, weigh each one on a scale.

Wrapped portions of cookie dough stacked on a counter, ready for chilling or freezing.

One Dough, Many Cookies

This dough recipe is designed to divide neatly into 4 portions (about 370 g each), giving you roughly 18 cookies per portion.
If you want more flavor variety in smaller amounts, you can divide the dough into 6 portions instead (about 252 g each), which yields about 12 cookies (perfect for creating multiple flavors from one dough).
In addition to enjoying this buttery cookie base, you can make the following cookie variations with this Basic Cookie Dough Recipe:

Labeled cookie dough portions wrapped in parchment, organized for different flavor variations.
Slice of creamy coffee cheesecake topped with whipped cream and cocoa dusting on stacked white plates.

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Make Ahead and Storage Info

Refrigerator: Wrap each dough portion tightly in parchment (if not using it within a day, also wrap in plastic wrap). Refrigerate for up to 3 days. Baked cookies don’t need to be refrigerated.
Freezer: Tightly wrap the buttery cookie dough in parchment and then plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw until cool but soft enough to work with. Baked cookies should be cooled completely, then placed in an airtight container and frozen for up to 3 months.
Make Ahead: You can bake these cookies up to 1 week in advance. Once cooled, store them in an airtight container at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

Expert Tips

  • Weigh your flour for best results: Too much flour leads to tough, dry cookies.
  • Beat butter and sugar well. Cream for 3–4 minutes to create lighter, tender buttery cookies.
  • Keep the thickness consistent so all cookies bake evenly.
  • Pre-shape the dough (optional): Create discs for cut-out butter cookies, and a log for slice-and-bake recipes.
  • Don’t overhandle the dough: Overworking the dough activates gluten and makes the cookies tough.
  • Chill between steps: Warm dough spreads; cold dough keeps clean, precise shapes.
  • Use cold trays: Warm baking sheets soften the dough and reduce edge definition.
  • Avoid overbaking: Small or thinner cookies bake faster. Remember: cookies firm up as they cool, so pull them early for soft centers.
  • Bake by flavor: Variations with zest, added sugars, or coatings may brown more quickly.
  • Hold onto the leftover egg whites: They’re perfect for making meringue cookies, or you can keep them chilled and use them for breakfast the next day.
Stack of wrapped cookie dough portions on a light surface, ready for chilling or freezing.

You can create a beautiful holiday cookie box with a mix of shapes, flavors, and decorations, all by using this Basic Cookie Dough Recipe. Add variety, for example, by combining dipped cookies with jam-filled centers, cut-outs, slice-and-bake rounds, and other buttery cookies made from the same base.
Once your cookies are fully cooled, layer them in a tin or gift box with parchment paper and finish with a ribbon for a thoughtful homemade gift.

Recipe FAQs

Do these cookies spread?

No. This dough holds its shape in the oven if the cookies are properly chilled before baking. Warm dough or warm baking sheets are usually the cause of cookies that spread. Oven temperature plays a big role, too; make sure your oven is fully preheated and staying at the proper temperature. Opening the oven door too often can cause heat loss, so try to keep it closed during baking. Using an oven thermometer is the best way to know the actual temperature inside your oven (despite what the dial might read).

How many cookies does this recipe make?

The full batch weighs just over 3 pounds and divides easily into 4 portions. Each portion makes about 18 cookies, depending on thickness and shape. Therefore, if you bake the entire batch, you’ll get about 72 cookies.

Can I reduce the amount and make a smaller batch?

Yes. This dough scales down cleanly. You can make half a batch or divide the recipe by 4 or divide the already-made dough into 4 or 6 portions for true small-batch baking. Whatever dough you don’t use can be frozen for up to 3 months.

Is a butter cookie the same as shortbread?

They’re similar; however, butter cookies and shortbread are not identical. Traditional shortbread uses a 1:2:3 ratio of (sugar:butter:flour) and contains no eggs. Butter cookies like these include egg yolks and a bit more sugar, which makes them richer and more tender.

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Close-up of wrapped cookie dough labeled peppermint, stacked and ready for chilling.

Basic Cookie Dough Recipe

A simple, buttery cookie dough you can turn into endless cookie flavors; perfect for cut-outs, slice-and-bake, and gifting.
*Quick Note Before You Dive In: This recipe card covers the basics, but if you want to know how to freeze, decorate, and build holiday cookie boxes, scroll back up! Everything you need for foolproof results is in the post.
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Chill Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Course baked goods
Cuisine American
Servings 4 dough portions
Calories 1748 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups (1 pound) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 ½ cups (297g) granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt* see note below
  • 4 egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons pure vanilla extract
  • 5 cups (600g) all-purpose flour

Equipment

Instructions
 

  • In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment (or hand mixer), beat the butter with the sugar and salt for 4 minutes, until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
  • Add the vanilla extract and egg yolks one at a time, adding the next yolk only when the previous one is fully mixed in. Scrape down the bowl as needed.
  • Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour. (Watch out that it doesn't fly out everywhere). Mix until just combined.
  • Transfer the dough onto a sheet of parchment and divide it into 4 equal portions. (If using a scale, they should each measure about 354g). Handle the dough as little as possible so your cookies stay tender, not tough.
  • Wrap each portion in a smaller sheet of parchment and then in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until needed.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
  • Slice, or cut out shapes with cookie cutters and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
  • Refrigerate any dough you’re not using immediately; this makes it easier to handle and helps the cookies keep their shape.
  • Bake for about 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
  • Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool enough to handle, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For slice-and-bake cookies: Shape the dough into a 7-inch log for even slicing.
For cut-out cookies: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment for easier handling and clean edges.
Thickness: For the best texture, roll or slice the dough to a ¼-inch thickness so the cookies bake evenly and stay tender.
*A note on Kosher salt: This recipe uses kosher salt. If you’re using table salt, use half the amount. Kosher salt has larger, airier crystals that take up more space, so a teaspoon of kosher salt actually contains less salt by weight than a teaspoon of table salt.
Small Batch Tip: If you only want to make one batch of cookies, divide the recipe ingredients by 4. If you want to make the whole batch, you can divide the already-made dough into 4 portions to make 18 cookies or 6 portions to make 12 cookies; this will give you a great variety of small-batch cookies.
Baking in grams: I provide both gram measurements and cup equivalents, but weighing ingredients is always the most accurate. Depending on whether you scoop, pack, or level flour, the amount can vary dramatically when using a measuring cup (leading to dry or inconsistent results). A small digital scale removes that guesswork and will give you better bakes every time.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and provided as an estimate. It is not intended as a substitute for professional dietary advice

Nutrition

Serving: 370gCalories: 1748kcalCarbohydrates: 195gProtein: 20gFat: 99gSaturated Fat: 60gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 26gTrans Fat: 4gCholesterol: 438mgSodium: 1188mgPotassium: 225mgFiber: 4gSugar: 76gVitamin A: 3096IUCalcium: 76mgIron: 8mg
Keyword basic cookie dough, buttery cookies, christmas baking, cookie dough base, cookies for gifting, easy butter cookie recipe, freezer cookies, holiday cookie dough, simple butter cookie recipe, small batch cookies
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Food blogger Katrina from A Spiced Life smiling in her kitchen, wearing a beige apron, with eggs and a jar of milk on the counter, next to a thank you message for readers.

Ready to start baking? Explore all the cookies you can make from this one dough; from cranberry-glazed cut-outs to chai-spiced sablés, for example. Start building your own Holiday Cookie Box using the recipe links below.

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