Classic Comfort Sugar Cookies

Indulge in the timeless charm of these **Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies**, a recipe celebrated for its simplicity and exquisite taste. Each bite delivers a soft, buttery texture with just the right amount of sweetness, making them a beloved classic that evokes warmth and nostalgia. Crafted from simple pantry staples, these cookies are more than just a dessert; they’re a comforting reminder of home, perfect for sharing with loved ones or enjoying a quiet moment.

There’s an undeniable magic in a freshly baked batch of old-fashioned sugar cookies. As they emerge from the oven, their golden edges and tender centers beckon, filling your kitchen with an inviting aroma that promises pure delight. These aren’t just any cookies; they are a culinary connection to cherished traditions, reminiscent of the sweet treats lovingly prepared by grandmothers and mothers. Simple yet profoundly satisfying, they hold a special place in the hearts of many, symbolizing comfort, celebration, and togetherness.

Whether it’s a casual weeknight treat, a festive holiday gathering, or a special occasion, these reliable and universally adored cookies always hit the spot. Their versatile nature makes them suitable for any time of year, easily adapted to various themes and tastes with simple decorative touches.

If you prefer the joy of rolling out dough and cutting playful shapes, our Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe offers a beautiful alternative, especially perfect for festive holiday baking projects.

Why This Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe Works

Our Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie recipe stands out for several compelling reasons, making it a go-to choice for bakers of all skill levels:

• Effortless with Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: You won’t need a special trip to the store for exotic ingredients. This recipe relies on basic staples likely already in your kitchen, making it incredibly convenient for a spontaneous baking session.
• Achieves the Perfect Soft and Chewy Texture: The precise balance of butter, sugar, and flour ensures cookies that are wonderfully soft and tender in the center, complemented by lightly crisp edges. This delightful contrast is a hallmark of a truly great sugar cookie.
• Infinitely Customizable for Any Occasion: These cookies serve as an ideal blank canvas for your creativity. Whether you choose to simply roll them in granulated sugar for a subtle sparkle, adorn them with vibrant sprinkles for a party, or lavish them with frosting, they adapt beautifully to any holiday or celebration.
• A Tried-and-True Taste of Nostalgia: Rooted in traditional baking methods, this recipe consistently delivers that authentic, comforting flavor that defines classic old-fashioned sugar cookies. It’s the taste everyone knows and loves, guaranteed to bring smiles.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Sugar Cookies

Each ingredient plays a crucial role in creating the perfect texture and flavor for these buttery sugar cookies. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need and why:

• Unsalted Butter: Softened to room temperature, butter is the heart of these sugar cookies, providing rich flavor and contributing significantly to their tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the total salt content in the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: Beyond sweetness, sugar helps tenderize the cookies and promotes that lovely golden-brown crust. Dipping the cookie dough in extra granulated sugar before baking adds a delightful sparkle and a slightly crisp exterior.
• Large Eggs: Bringing your eggs to room temperature before mixing is key. Room temperature eggs emulsify more easily with the butter and sugar, resulting in a smoother, more uniform dough and a better overall cookie texture.
• Pure Vanilla Extract: For the most authentic and classic flavor, always opt for pure vanilla extract. It enhances the sweetness and adds depth, creating that recognizable “old-fashioned” taste. Avoid imitation vanilla for the best results.
• Whole Milk: A touch of whole milk adds essential moisture and richness to the dough, preventing the cookies from becoming dry and helping achieve their soft interior. Its fat content also contributes to the desirable tender crumb.
• All-Purpose Flour: Proper flour measurement is critical. To avoid dense, dry cookies, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge. Never scoop directly from the bag, as this can compact the flour and lead to inaccurate measurements.
• Baking Powder: This leavening agent gives the cookies their gentle lift, ensuring they are soft and slightly puffed, rather than flat and crispy.
• Salt: A small amount of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cookies. It prevents them from tasting bland and brings out the richness of the butter and vanilla.

The complete list of precise measurements can be found in the detailed recipe card below.

Creative Variations for Your Sugar Cookies

One of the best aspects of these Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies is their incredible adaptability. Here are some delightful ways to customize them for any event or craving:

• Sparkling Sprinkles: Before baking, roll the chilled cookie dough balls in your favorite colored sprinkles. This simple addition creates a festive look perfect for birthdays, holidays, or themed parties, adding a fun crunch and visual appeal.
• Elegant Frosted Sugar Cookies: Elevate your sugar cookies with a layer of frosting for extra moisture and flavor. You can use a convenient store-bought variety or opt for a luscious Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe. For a more subtle touch, a light dusting of powdered sugar is always charming.
• The Ultimate Frosting + Sprinkles Combo: This dynamic duo is a guaranteed hit, especially with children! Once the cookies are cooled, frost them generously and immediately top with a vibrant array of colorful sprinkles for a truly celebratory treat.
• Infuse with Food Coloring: Unleash your inner artist by adding a few drops of food coloring to either the cookie dough or the frosting. This allows you to perfectly match your cookies to any theme or holiday – think classic red and green for Christmas, soft pastels for Easter, or spirited school colors for special events.
• Citrus Zest Infusion: For a bright and zesty twist, add 1-2 teaspoons of finely grated lemon, orange, or lime zest to the wet ingredients. The citrus oils will infuse the cookies with a refreshing aroma and flavor.
• Almond or Other Extracts: While vanilla is classic, a ¼ to ½ teaspoon of almond extract can add a delightful, sophisticated flavor. Experiment with other extracts like peppermint (for holidays) or coconut for unique variations.
• Spice It Up: Incorporate warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, or a hint of cardamom into the dry ingredients for a cozy, spiced sugar cookie, especially lovely during the autumn and winter months.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Baking Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Follow these detailed steps to create perfectly soft and sweet Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies:

Step 1: Prepare the Wet and Dry Ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes. Next, beat in the room temperature large eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Stir in the vanilla extract and milk until just combined. In a separate, medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough just begins to form. Be careful not to overmix.

Step 2: Chill, Scoop, and Bake the Dough. Cover the sugar cookie dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This crucial step prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking and deepens their flavor. Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons) to portion out uniform round balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Gently flatten each cookie dough ball slightly using the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar. This adds a beautiful sparkly finish and helps achieve a uniform thickness. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear set but still slightly soft.

Step 3: Cool the Cookies. Once baked, remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool on the hot sheet for about 5 minutes. This allows them to set properly and firm up, preventing them from breaking when transferred. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the warm sugar cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on a wire rack ensures air circulation around the entire cookie, preventing sogginess and maintaining their crisp edges.

Step 4: Serve and Enjoy. Arrange your beautifully baked Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies on a platter and serve them to delighted friends and family. They are wonderful on their own with a glass of milk or a cup of coffee, or you can get creative with frosting and decorations once fully cooled.

Proper Storage for Maximum Freshness

To keep your Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies tasting their best, proper storage is key:

At Room Temperature:
For unfrosted cookies, store them in an airtight container or a tightly sealed plastic bag at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh and soft for up to 1 week. To maintain their ideal texture and prevent them from drying out, keep the container away from direct sunlight or any heat sources. Placing a slice of plain white bread in the container with the cookies can also help absorb excess moisture and keep them soft.

In the Refrigerator:
If you’ve opted to frost your sugar cookies, especially with a dairy-based frosting like cream cheese frosting, it’s best to store them in a sealed container in the refrigerator. This will keep the frosting fresh and prevent spoilage. Before serving, allow the cookies to sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes; this brings the frosting to a more pleasant consistency and the cookies to a softer texture.

Freezing Baked Cookies:
Baked sugar cookies freeze exceptionally well. To freeze, arrange the completely cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about 30 minutes until solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They will maintain their quality for up to 2-3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply thaw the cookies at room temperature, either on the counter or in their container.

Freezing Cookie Dough:
You can also prepare the dough in advance and freeze it. Scoop the cookie dough into individual balls, arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and flash freeze until firm. Once solid, transfer the dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. You can bake these frozen dough balls directly from the freezer; just add an extra 1-2 minutes to the standard baking time, or until they are golden brown around the edges.

Expert Baking Tips and Tricks

Achieving perfect sugar cookies is simple with these helpful tips:

• Avoid Overbaking at All Costs: This is arguably the most crucial tip for soft sugar cookies. Bake them just until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still look slightly soft or puffy. Remember, the cookies will continue to set and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet, so pulling them out when they look slightly underdone is ideal for maximum softness.
• Don’t Overmix the Dough: Mix the ingredients until they are just combined. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense, and chewy cookies instead of the desired soft and tender texture. Stop mixing as soon as no streaks of flour are visible.
• Allow Cookies to Rest Before Moving: Freshly baked cookies are delicate. Let them cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes after removing them from the oven. This allows them to firm up and prevents them from breaking or crumbling when you transfer them to a wire rack for complete cooling.
• Use a Cookie Scoop for Uniformity: A cookie scoop is a baker’s best friend. It makes portioning the dough incredibly easy, ensuring that all your cookies are the same size. This consistency is vital for even baking, as cookies of similar size will bake at the same rate, preventing some from being overdone while others are underbaked.
• Chill the Dough Properly: Do not skip the chilling step! Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours (or even overnight) allows the butter to firm up, preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking. It also allows the flavors to meld, resulting in a richer, more flavorful cookie.
• Room Temperature Ingredients are Key: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to emulsify properly, creating a smoother, more uniform dough that bakes more evenly. Cold ingredients won’t combine as well, leading to a lumpy dough and potentially a different texture.
• Line Your Baking Sheets: Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This prevents sticking, promotes even baking, and makes cleanup a breeze.
• Preheat Your Oven Accurately: Use an oven thermometer to ensure your oven is at the correct temperature. Ovens can often be off by 25-50 degrees, and an accurate temperature is vital for consistent results.

More Delightful Easy Cookie Recipes

If you’re a fan of simple, delicious cookies, be sure to explore these other fantastic recipes:

• Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies
• Lemon Sugar Cookies Recipe
• Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe
• Butter Cookies Recipe

We invite you to give this wonderful Old Fashioned Sugar Cookie recipe a try. Your feedback is invaluable, so please leave a comment and a star rating below after baking. We love hearing about your experience!