This Sugar Cookie recipe makes the softest, old fashioned sugar cookies. Try them with buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles on top!
These are the soft sugar cookies with a light dusting of sugar on top that you can get from a bakery! They are delicious plain and with buttercream and sprinkles on top.
Tonia’s Notes
When I was first married, a woman from my church gave me a sugar cookie recipe that I loved but lost somehow. Since I can’t remember who gave me the recipe, I can't ask for it again.
While working on a recipe with a sugar cookie crust, I had extra dough that I wasn't sure what to do with it. I decided to use it to make cookies, and BINGO, I discovered this recipe for my ultimate, fuss-free sugar cookies!
Here is why this is the BEST sugar cookie recipe:
- No Refrigeration
- No Rolling the Dough
- No Cookie Cutters
- Sugar Sparkles on Top
- Softest Cookies
How to Make Sugar Cookies
Use a mixer to cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract.
Stir the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt in a separate bowl. Then, mix it into the batter until combined. You do not have to refrigerate the dough!
Using a #40 dough scoop (about two tablespoons), scoop nine balls of sugar cookie dough onto a parchment-covered baking sheet. Dip the bottom of a glass in granulated sugar and press down on the balls of dough to flatten them slightly.
Bake the cookies at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes. Allow the baking sheet to cool between batches.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can make these old-fashioned sugar cookies ahead of time and store them in the fridge or freezer. Or you can make the cookie dough and freeze it to use later. Prepare the dough and scoop it onto parchment cover baking sheets (or use whatever pan will fit best in your freezer). Allow the dough balls to harden, and then transfer them to a freeze-safe storage bag. Freeze the dough for 3-4 weeks. When ready to bake, remove the cookie dough balls and let them thaw on a baking sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
Storage: Allow the cookies to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container at room temperature (or in the fridge when frosted) for 3-4 days or in the freezer for 3-4 weeks. You can store them with or without buttercream frosting!
Sugar Cookies With Buttercream Frosting
These cookies are delicious as they are, but I love buttercream frosting, so that makes them even better! You can tint the frosting any color you want and use sprinkles for the occasion. Find our buttercream frosting recipe here.
I used an offset spatula to spread the buttercream on the cookies, but you can also put it into a pastry bag and pipe it into the cookies. These sugar cookies are more buttery and flavorful than Lofthouse cookies which are more cakey.
More Cookie Recipes
- These Coconut Macaroons are like a homemade Mounds bar!
- Meringue Cookies are light, airy, and crunchy.
- Peanut Butter No Bakes only take minutes to prepare!
- Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies are my favorite.
Sugar Cookie Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter softened
- ¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups (210 grams) all-purpose flour spoon into measuring cups and level with the back of a knife
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar for dipping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F
- Use a mixer to beat the butter and 3/4 cup of granulated sugar for 2-3 minutes until lighter in color and fluffier in texture.
- Beat in the egg and vanilla for 1-2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Stir into the batter until combined.
- Scoop with a #40 (about 2 tablespoons) cookie dough scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets, at least 2 inches apart.
- Put 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar into a small bowl.
- Moisten the flat bottom of a glass, dip it in the sugar, and use it to flatten the cookie dough balls slightly. Re-dip the glass in the sugar before flattening each ball of dough.
- Bake at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes. The bottoms of the cookies should be lightly browned, but the tops should not be.
- Cool before storing. Top with buttercream frosting and sprinkles if desired.
Tonia says
I’m sorry but I don’t have any experience using coconut oil instead of shortening. Maybe another reader can weigh in on this one?
Heather says
My very favorite thing about this is I just stumbled upon this site and when I select the links that you post, paid or not, it takes me directly to my amazon app and not the website and I don’t have to sign in on my phone browser!!
Your recipes are also incredible; and the patience you have for comments that are made in uniform of asking the exact same thing, incredible.
Laney says
How in the heck did you get that food coloring color? It is so pretty!
Tonia says
Hi Laney! I used Wilton’s Teal Gel Paste from this multi-pack: http://amzn.to/2fQHdmQ I love how the gel paste food coloring gives brighter colors with less food coloring and more choices in colors! Happy Baking! ~Tonia
Karen Gouvas says
They sound so easy to make, looking forward to tasting them, thank-you for the note on shortening i seen it first in the recipe and i was about to abandon it, thinking what the heck is shortening lol, then i read your note on what it is called in Australia (copha) ,thank-you
Tonia says
Vegetable shortening is a white, solid fat. I use Crisco brand http://www.crisco.com/products/shortening-17 I’m not sure which country you live in, but in the UK it is sold under the brands Trex, Flora White or Cookeen. In Australia, the most popular brand is Copha. Best of luck! ~Tonia
Susan says
You love this recipe
Michelle Houx says
These sound fabulous! Can’t wait to try them!