The Best Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe (original) (raw)
This post contains affiliate links.
Our soft Sugar Cookies recipe has that perfect texture and couldn't be easier to make! They're my go-to for holidays, cutting them into fun shapes, decorating with frosting and sprinkles.
My go-to Sugar Cookies for every occasion.
I am super particular about homemade cookies, but especially sugar cookies, which have to be thick and extra soft and chewy, to tempt me (and frosted, obviously!). These are as beautiful as Lofthouse sugar cookies but taste a million times better. They've been my family's go-to sugar cookie recipe for decades.
I incorporate shortening in the dough because ir provides a much softer cookie that stays soft even after cooling and storing, but you can use all butter in the sugar cookies if you want. I like to gift the cookie dough to neighbors for Christmas with this cute printable label, and I also use this printable tag for gifting Valentine's Day sugar cookies.
How to make Sugar Cookies:
Make Cookie Dough: Cream together the shortening/butter and sugar then mix in eggs, milk, and vanilla. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet mixture gradually and slowly until you have a large ball of dough. Add more flour if needed. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Roll Out: Dust counter with flour and use a rolling pin to roll cookies out to 1/2-¾ inch thick. Use your favorite cookie cutters, biscuit cutter, or even the mouth of a round cup to cut the dough. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 8-11 minutes. Cookies should still be very light in color (not golden) and just set on top (not shiny). They will set up more as they cool, so be careful not to over-bake them. Use a spatula to transfer to wire cooling rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make Ahead and Freezing Instructions:
To Make Ahead: Bake classic sugar cookies as instructed and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days unfrosted, or in the fridge if frosted. (I prefer to freeze them, frosted or unfrosted, if waiting longer than 1 day).
To Freeze: Stack baked, unfrosted sugar cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. To freeze frosted sugar cookies flash freeze them first on a parchment lined baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. Freezer sugar cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze sugar cookie dough in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove dough from freezer and let sit at room temp for 2 hours, or until soft enough to roll out.
More Cookie Recipes:
▢ 2/3 cup butter or vegetable shortening*, , or ⅓ cup butter and ⅓ cup shortening (123g)
▢ 1 cup granulated sugar, (200g)
▢ 2 large eggs
▢ 1/3 cup milk, (83g)
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (5 ml)
▢ 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, (optional, but makes a great flavor )
▢ 3 cups all-purpose flour, (375g)
▢ 2 teaspoons baking powder, (8 g)
▢ 1 teaspoon salt, (5 g)
Frosting:
▢ 8 ounces cream cheese, , softened (226 g)
▢ 1/2 cup butter, softened, (113g)
▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, (5 ml)
▢ 3-4 cups powdered sugar, (360-480g)
Mix shortening/butter and sugar In a mixing bowl until well creamed together. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla and mix.
Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix dry ingredients–(flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix dry ingredients into the wet mixture until you form a large dough ball. Add a little more flour, if needed, but not too much.
Chill dough for at least 30 minutes in the fridge, or up to 3 days.
Roll Out: Dust counter top with flour and roll dough ball out until ½ inch to ¾ inch thick. (Add a little flour as needed to counter, rolling pin and top of dough, keep dough from sticking). Cut the dough into shapes with cookie cutters (or use a round drinking cup).
Bake: Place cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees F for about 7-10 minutes. Cookies will be very light colored and just set, when you take them out. They will harden as they cool, so don't over bake them.
Frosting: Add butter and cream cheese to a mixing bowl and beat well until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar and vanilla. Add more powdered sugar, as needed, until the frosting is desired thickness. Beaet for several minutes until very smooth and soft. (Stir in food coloring if desired.)
Frost cooled sugar cookies and top with sprinkles, if desired.
Yield: This recipe makes about 12-15 cookies, depending on how thick you roll the dough and the size of the cookie cutter used.
Serving Size: 1 cookie (1/15th of recipe)
Shortening: I like to incorporate vegetable shortening because it helps the cookies stay really soft and chewy, especially if I'm not serving them that day. But you can use all butter with great results as well.
Make Ahead Instructions: Bake classic sugar cookies as instructed and allow to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for 3-5 days unfrosted, or in the fridge if frosted. (I prefer to freeze them, frosted or unfrosted, if waiting longer than 1 day).
Freezing Instructions: stack baked, unfrosted sugar cookies in an airtight container with parchment paper between the layers. To freeze frosted sugar cookies flash freeze them first on a parchment lined baking sheet for 30 minutes, then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container with parchment paper between each layer. Freezer sugar cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze sugar cookie dough in a freezer safe airtight container for up to 3 months. Remove dough from freezer and let sit at room temp for 2 hours, or until soft enough to roll out.
Calories: 438kcal, Carbohydrates: 58g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 22g, Saturated Fat: 10g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 7g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 57mg, Sodium: 321mg, Potassium: 68mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 38g, Vitamin A: 437IU, Calcium: 63mg, Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Text me new recipe ideas!
Simple, tasty ideas sent once a week. No spam.
I originally shared this recipe March 2013. Updated December 2020 and February 2025.
Related Posts
Published February 12, 2025
Lauren Allen
Welcome! I’m Lauren, a mom of four and lover of good food. Here you’ll find easy recipes and weeknight meal ideas made with real ingredients, with step-by-step photos and videos.