Soft and sweet, old fashioned sugar cookies are a favorite holiday treat, and easy to customize, too. This classic sugar cookie recipe and helpful tips will help you bake them up perfectly!
I don't think there is anything more perfect than a classic sugar cookie recipe.
They fit well into any event, and are the best recipe when you want a soft sugar cookie, but don't want to pull out the cutters to make cut out sugar cookies.
I can't wait for you to experience pure nostalgia when you make this recipe!
Why This Recipe is a Favorite
- It creates an old fashioned cookie with a soft texture and perfect balance of sweetness. They have a buttery flavor and they aren't overly sweet. The centers are soft and the edges are crispy.
- Holiday time-saver. If you want to get ahead on your holiday baking, you'll be happy to know that the unbaked dough freezes perfectly for up to 3 months. If you prefer, you can bake them off and then freeze the treats for up to 3 months.
- The perfect fuss-free cookie recipe. No cookie cutters, no frosting, and no sprinkles that coat every surface of your kitchen for months.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need to make a batch of old fashioned sugar cookies:
See ingredient substitutions in the next section. ⬇️
- butter: This is a key ingredient to creating soft cookies, so use the best quality you can afford. Less expensive brands have more water in them.
- granulated cane sugar
- vanilla extract: The extract adds flavor to the dough. Without it, your treats will just taste like sweet butter.
- large egg: Eggs add moisture and provide structure. Without the egg (or a suitable substitute), the sugar cookies would be dry and crumbly, not soft and chewy.
- all purpose flour
- baking soda: This is the leavener that helps the cookies to rise, so check the expiration date. Even better, test it to be sure it's still active.
📖 Time-Saving Tip - Testing Baking Soda for Freshness
This simple little test can save you time and money, because if your leavener doesn't work correctly, whatever you're baking wont rise in the oven! This test works for baking soda and baking powder:
- Add ½ teaspoon of baking soda or powder to a small bowl. Stir in an equal amount of an acidic ingredient, like white vinegar or lemon juice.
- If the solution doesn't immediately begin to bubble, it's time to replace the leavener.
Substitutions and Recipe Variations
- all-purpose flour: If you'd like to make gluten-free brownies, substitute the AP flour with a cup-for-cup variety of gluten-free all-purpose flour. Two popular brands are Bob's Red Mill and King Arthur Flour.
- white granulated sugar: To reduce the calories, you can substitute the sugar with any cup-for-cup variety of granulated sugar substitute. Monkfruit sugar is a good option.
- eggs: There are a few common egg substitutes for baking, such as flax eggs, but they don't work well in this sugar cookie recipe. If you absolutely need a substitute, read my article on Egg Substitutions for Baking.
- vanilla extract: To add more vanilla flavor, use vanilla bean paste instead of extract. Because the paste is more concentrated and potent than extract, use half of the amount of extract called for in the recipe. If you need an alcohol-free flavoring, use vanilla essence instead of extract.
Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe Variations
To create a different flavor, simply substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract, or use lemon extract and lemon zest, or orange extract and bit of orange zest!
Frosting: I don't like to frost sugar cookies, but you definitely can if you like! A light layer of buttercream frosting or some royal icing specifically for sugar cookies would be delicious. For a festive holiday touch, add some sprinkles on the top too.
How to Make Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
- Make the dough.
- Chill the cookie dough. You can either chill the entire bowl of dough, or portion it into balls first.
- Roll the sugar cookie dough balls in sugar, then bake them.
- Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes.
Liz's Tips for Perfect Sugar Cookies
- Cream the sugar and butter mixture until it's light and fluffy. You want some air in the dough to help it rise in the oven.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent it from spreading too much in the oven. Also, cold dough promotes cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers.
- Short on time? Scoop the sugar cookie dough and freeze in balls for 10 minutes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet rather than chilling the whole bowl for 30 minutes! You can use a cookie scoop to save even more time!
- Don't forget to preheat your oven. If the oven is too cool, the dough will spread and you will end up with thin and crispy sugar cookies.
- Always use parchment paper. Baking on parchment paper is much better than Silpat mats or baking directly on the baking sheet. Your cookies will never stick!
Be sure to also check out my tips for making soft cookies!
Storing and Freezing Instructions
Storing: Homemade sugar cookies will stay fresh for up to 4 days, if kept in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: You can freeze baked sugar cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw completely before enjoying.
Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze unbaked sugar cookie dough. Scoop into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or use these cookie dough freezing trays. Freeze without rolling in sugar.
When ready to bake, thaw for 20 minutes, roll in sugar and then bake.
Classic Sugar Cookie Recipe FAQs
There a couple of issues that can cause cookies to be too flat. The 2 most common issues are butter that is too soft, and dough that is not cold enough.
Rolling the unbaked dough in sugar helps create the crackly tops on sugar cookies.
To prevent breakage and keep them from drying out, wrap your cookies tightly in plastic wrap, and then place them in an airtight container. If anything is frosted, it's best to layer those baked goods between squares of parchment or waxed paper. Line the shipping box with bubble wrap before placing the package of cookies inside.
Other Cookie and Cookie Bar Recipes
- Funfetti Cookies With Cake Mix
- Peppermint Sugar Cookies
- Monster Cookies
- M&M Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Best Spritz Cookie Recipe
- Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Old Fashioned Soft Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated white sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
For Rolling the Dough:
- ½ cup granulated white sugar do not add to the batter! This is just for rolling the dough in.
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl, and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together using an electric mixer set on high speed. Beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- When dough is cold, preheat the oven to 350º F, and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and scoop dough into one tablespoon portions
- Shape cookie dough into balls, and roll balls in granulated sugar until coated.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet with about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until edges are set, but center is still soft.
- Remove from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Helpful Notes and Tips From Liz
- Cream the sugar and butter mixture until it's light and fluffy. You want some air in the dough to help it rise in the oven.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent it from spreading too much in the oven. Also, cold dough promotes cookies with crispy edges and soft, chewy centers.
- Short on time? Scoop the sugar cookie dough and freeze in balls for 10 minutes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet rather than chilling the whole bowl for 30 minutes! You can use a cookie scoop to save even more time!
- Don't forget to preheat your oven. If the oven is too cool, the dough will spread and you will end up with thin and crispy sugar cookies.
- Always use parchment paper. Baking on parchment paper is much better than Silpat mats or baking directly on the baking sheet. Your cookies will never stick!
Nicole
The flavor is really good and I'd like to use this as one of the cookies I give away at Christmas. My question is, what did I do wrong? I rolled them in balls and then I sugar and I refrigerated them but they never spread. They stayed almost as a ball, maybe some shaped, after cooking. I'd like a flat sugar cookie. even the second batch I flattened with my hands and it weird. Do I need to roll and cut the dough? thank you for the great recipe!
Liz Marino
Hi! I'm wondering if you refrigerated them for too long? Sounds like you did things differently than the instructions. These cookies are not meant to roll and cut the dough. Pasting the instructions below for rolling/refrigerating.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
When dough is cold, preheat the oven to 350º F, and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and scoop dough into one tablespoon portions
Shape cookie dough into balls, and roll balls in granulated sugar until coated.
Place on a parchment lined baking sheet with about 2 inches between each cookie.
Kristy
I had the same problem. I followed the instructions completely and they didn't flatten. total waste of time and ingredients. these were for a children's Christmas party and now I have to figure out something else.
Liz Marino
I just made these for Christmas and did not have this issue. I find it so hard to believe that they did not flatten in your oven. Did you over chill them?
Trina
I made these cookies and they came out great! They were soft and tasty. I will be using this recipe again.
Liz Marino
So happy you liked the cookies!
Sharon
I was looking for a quick and easy sugar cookie recipe that gave me a soft cookie, and I found the perfect recipe right here on Tasty Treats & Eats. This came together super easy and fast and yield a soft, flavorful, buttery cookie. I could have eaten them all they were so good. I didn't roll them in sugar at the end; for me I just didn't need the extra sugar. This is a keeper.