Mini Sugar Cookies (4 Ingredients, Refined-Sugar Free)
on Dec 09, 2025
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These mini sugar cookies are so simple to make with just 4 simple ingredients you likely already have on hand! They are egg-free, nut-free, and lightly sweetened with maple syrup for a simple, delicious treat.
These mini sugar cookies are one of the easiest treats you’ll ever bake. They’re made with only 4 ingredients, and adorable when cut into little shapes. The dough comes together with softened butter, pure maple syrup, vanilla, and self-rising flour, then you just roll, cut, and bake. The kids will love helping you make them, and they’re perfect for the holidays.
Table of Contents
What You’ll Need
Here is what you’ll need to make these mini sugar cookies:
- Butter: I used unsalted butter for these cookies. The butter must be softened to room temperature so it creams properly.
- Maple Syrup: This is the primary source of sweetness.
- Vanilla: To enhance the flavor of the cookies.
- Self-Rising Flour: This is key! Using self-rising flour means we skip adding baking powder and salt, keeping the ingredient count low and the recipe simple.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Recipe Substitutions & Additions
- Butter: For a dairy-free option, swap the butter with dairy-free butter like these olive oil plant-based butter sticks.
- Maple Syrup: You may replace the maple syrup with equal parts honey. Note – Honey should not be offered to babies under the age of 1 as per CDC guidelines.
- Self-Rising Flour: You can make your own self-rising flour by mixing together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
Step-by-Step Instructions
STEP 1: Add the softened butter to a bowl and use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter on high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes (Images 1 & 2).
STEP 2: Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and mix on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute (Images 3 & 4).
STEP 3: Add in the self-rising flour (Image 5) and stir it in until it forms a dough. It may seem dry and crumbly at first (Image 6), but continue to mix until it comes together into a soft dough (Image 7). I usually stir it in with a silicone spatula, but you can also use your mixer on low speed.
STEP 4: Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap (Image 8). Place the dough in the fridge to allow the dough to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. This step is important, and it will allow the flour time to hydrate and make it easier to roll out.
STEP 5: After at least an hour, place the chilled dough on the counter to allow it to slightly soften. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
STEP 6: Lightly sprinkle flour on a surface or sheet of parchment paper and place the dough on top. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough (Image 9).
STEP 7: Transfer the shape cutouts to a parchment paper-lined pan (Image 10). Gather the scraps and reroll them out to cut out more shapes from the dough until all of the dough is used. Add additional flour on the surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
STEP 8: Bake the crackers for 7 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a very close eye on the crackers as they can burn easily. Allow the crackers to cool completely before removing them from the pan.
Storage Instructions
Once cooled, store the mini sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. They may also be frozen for up to 2 months in an air-tight, freezer-safe container. Thaw the cookies at room temperature.
Tips For Success
- You can use either self-rising or all-purpose flour for these cookies. Self-rising flour allows the cookies to rise slightly and be a little softer to the bite. If you prefer a crunchier-textured mini cookie, you can swap it for normal all-purpose flour.
- Make sure that your butter is softened to room temperature beforehand. Cutting the butter into cubes will help it come to room temperature quickly. If the butter is cold, it won’t cream properly.
- The dough may seem dry and crumbly right after adding the flour. Keep mixing! The maple syrup needs time to fully incorporate the flour, and it will come together into a perfect dough.
- I like to use these spring button cookie cutters because they make it so easy to cut out the cracker shapes! The spring button helps the dough shapes pop right out without distorting their shape.
Recipe FAQs
This recipe makes approximately 30-40 mini cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutters. Make sure to gather the scraps and reroll the dough to get the most out of the dough.
If, after mixing, the dough is absolutely refusing to come together, add 1 teaspoon of milk (or non-dairy milk) and mix again until it forms a cohesive ball. It should be moist and form into a dough ball easily before wrapping and placing it in the fridge to chill.
Yes! They’re lightly sweet on their own, but you can feel free to top them with a simple glaze for added sweetness.
Other Holiday Cookies You’ll Love
Maple Sugar Cookies (Refined Sugar Free)
Gingerbread Cookies Without Molasses
Maple Pecan Cookies (2 Ingredients)
Almond Flour Thumbprint Cookies
If you tried these Mini Sugar Cookies, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below! I love hearing from you!
Mini Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup self-rising flour, or all purpose; see note below
Instructions
- Add the softened butter to a bowl and use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the butter on high speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add the maple syrup and vanilla extract to the creamed butter and mix on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
- Add in the self-rising flour and stir it in until it forms a dough. It may seem dry and crumbly at first, but continue to mix until it comes together into a soft dough. I usually stir it in with a silicone spatula, but you can also use your mixer on low speed.
- Shape the dough into a disk and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the fridge to allow the dough to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight. This step is important, and it will allow the flour time to hydrate and make it easier to roll out.
- After at least an hour, place the chilled dough on the counter to allow it to slightly soften. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Lightly sprinkle flour on a surface or sheet of parchment paper and place the dough on top. Flour a rolling pin and roll the dough out until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Use mini cookie cutters to cut out shapes from the dough.
- Transfer the shape cutouts to a parchment paper-lined pan. Gather the scraps and reroll them out to cut out more shapes from the dough until all of the dough is used. Add additional flour on the surface as needed to prevent the dough from sticking.
- Bake the crackers for 7 to 10 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a very close eye on the crackers as they can burn easily. Allow the crackers to cool completely before removing them from the pan.
Notes
- You can use either self-rising or all-purpose flour for these cookies. Self-rising flour allows the cookies to rise slightly and be a little softer to the bite. If you prefer a crunchier-textured mini cookie, you can swap it for normal all-purpose flour.
- Make sure that your butter is softened to room temperature beforehand. Cutting the butter into cubes will help it come to room temperature quickly. If the butter is cold, it won’t cream properly.
- The dough may seem dry and crumbly right after adding the flour. Keep mixing! The maple syrup needs time to fully incorporate the flour, and it will come together into a perfect dough.
- I like to use these spring button cookie cutters because they make it so easy to cut out the cracker shapes! The spring button helps the dough shapes pop right out without distorting their shape.
