Whiskers, Paws & Sugar: Cat Cookies for International Cat Day

Happy International Cat Day to one of the BEST animals ever 😺! When I found out the day was coming up, I had the purr-fect idea to celebrate with something sweet — these adorable Sugar Cat Cutout Cookies! Cats have been my favorite animals since I was a kid, so I couldn’t miss the chance to bake up some feline-inspired fun.

These adorable cat-shaped sugar cookies are delightfully soft, with a tender crumb that practically melts on your tongue. Each bite delivers a perfect balance of buttery richness and gentle sweetness—never overwhelming, just enough to satisfy your sweet tooth. The subtle vanilla aroma wraps around you like a warm hug, while the crisp edges give a satisfying little crunch. Plus, their whimsical feline shapes add a playful charm that makes every moment with these treats feel special—whether you’re nibbling solo or sharing with friends (or your cat, if they’re curious enough!).

Ingredients

To make these cookies, you only need a handful of simple ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, butter, vanilla extract, baking soda and baking powder, and eggs. The all-purpose flour is the foundation that gives these cutouts their perfect shape, while the sugar adds that sweet temptation you just can’t resist (plus, it pairs perfectly with the cute cat shapes!). Vanilla extract brings its signature warm, comforting flavor, and the butter and eggs keep the texture soft and far from sandy. Meanwhile, baking soda and baking powder work behind the scenes, making sure your cookies hold their adorable shape without spreading too much.

Step By Step

In a large bowl, cream together your softened butter and sugar until nice and fluffy! Beat in your eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well blended. In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients and gradually add to we ingredients until you get a nice cookie dough! Now, split your dough into threes, making sure that you leave more of the original cookie down. In one of the bowls, add your black dye, and the other bowl will have orange coloring. Chill all three bowls into the fridge for 1 hour. Now, preheat your oven to 350 degree, and prepare your baking tray for the fun part!

Once your three doughs (plain, black, and orange) are chilled, take small chunks from each. Lightly press them together into a ball without kneading — you want the colors to stay separate, not mix. On a lightly floured surface, gently roll the multi-colored dough ball out to about 1/4 inch thick. You should see random patches of each color. Use your cat-shaped cookie cutter to cut out cookies, aiming for a mix of colors in each shape. Place cookies on your prepared baking sheet, re-rolling scraps as needed (just be careful not to over-mix scraps or the colors will muddy). Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are just barely golden. Cool completely before serving or storing.

Print Pin

Calico Cat Cookies

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Chill Time 1 hour hour

Total Time 1 hour hour 28 minutes minutes

Servings 40 cookies

Calories 100

Celebrate International Cat Day (or any day you’re feline festive) with these adorable calico cat sugar cookies! With their playful patches of orange, black, and white dough, they’re as fun to make as they are to eat. No two cookies are alike — just like real cats! 🐾

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for rolling)
• 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (or 1 1/2 tsp vanilla + 1 tsp almond extract)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Orange gel food coloring
• Black gel food coloring

Instructions 

Cream Butter + Sugar

• In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Add Eggs + Vanilla

• Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.

Mix Dry Ingredients

• In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add to the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms.

Divide + Color Dough

• Split the dough into three bowls, leaving slightly more of the plain dough.
• Leave one portion uncolored (plain).
• Color one portion orange using gel food coloring.
• Color one portion black using gel food coloring.
• Mix color in gently until even.

Chill Dough

• Wrap each color in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.

Preheat + Prepare

• Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.

Create the Calico Pattern

• Take small chunks from each color and gently press them together into a ball. Lightly roll out to about 1/4 inch thick, keeping the colors distinct.

Cut Cookies

• Use a cat-shaped cookie cutter to cut out shapes, aiming for a mix of colors in each cookie. Place onto prepared baking sheet.

Bake

• Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until edges are just barely golden.

Cool + Serve

• Let cookies cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container.

Notes

Tips for the Best Calico Look

• Avoid kneading the colors together — it will turn the dough muddy.
• Chill cut-out shapes for 10 minutes before baking for cleaner edges.
• Use gel food coloring for vibrant colors without altering dough texture.

Calories: 100kcal

Course: Cookies, Dessert

Keyword: Baking, Cat Cookies, Cutout Cookies, International Cat Day, Ms Apronista, Sugar Cookies

Whether you’re a cat lover or just love a good cookie, these sugar cat cutouts are purr-fect for celebrating International Cat Day! 🐾 Treat yourself (and maybe your feline friends) to some sweetness today.”