Not a woman, but I think what it comes down to is: the other person needs to immediately know what you mean when you say it without you having to explain it, or else it will be a mix of confusing/unsettling/creepy.
If they use the word “cute” a lot to describe things they like or looks they are going for, then it could be taken well. If they never use it and you don’t either, then it will probably be percieved as unsettling. If they get hung up for any reason on what it means for you to call them “cute” (or any other adjective), then it’s not coming across how you want.