Heavenly Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe: A Sweet Family Treat

Sweet, buttery, and irresistibly soft sugar cookies that melt classic sugar cookies recipe in your mouth have been a beloved treat for generations.

Bakers of all skill levels can master this delightful dessert with ease.

The secret lies in simple, quality ingredients and a touch of love.

These cookies bring warmth to any kitchen and spark joy with every bite.

Rich, golden edges and a delicate center make them impossible to resist.

Sharing these cookies creates moments of pure happiness and connection.

You’ll fall in love with this foolproof recipe that turns an ordinary day into something special.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

Calories: 174 kcal

Servings: 25

Ingredients In Soft Sugar Cookies

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the foundational structure and creates tender cookie texture, choose unbleached flour for best results.
• Baking Soda: Helps cookies rise and creates soft, light texture, ensure it's fresh and not expired.
• Baking Powder: Adds additional leavening power, check for recent manufacturing date for maximum effectiveness.
• Salt: Enhances overall flavor profile, use fine table salt for even distribution.

• Butter: Creates rich, creamy base and helps cookies spread, use high-quality unsalted butter at room temperature.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides sweetness and helps cookies achieve golden edges, select pure cane sugar.
• Eggs: Bind ingredients and add moisture, choose fresh large eggs at room temperature.
• Sour Cream: Adds tanginess and incredible softness, full-fat version works best.
• Vanilla Extract: Delivers deep, warm flavor, pure extract recommended over artificial.
• Almond Extract: Optional flavor enhancer, adds subtle nutty undertone.

• Powdered Sugar: Creates smooth, spreadable frosting, sift to remove lumps.
• Milk: Adjusts frosting consistency, use whole milk for richer texture.
• Butter: Provides creamy base for frosting, must be softened.
• Food Coloring: Optional decorative element, gel colors offer more vibrant results.
• Sprinkles: Optional festive topping, choose ones that complement cookie flavor.

Tools To Bake Soft Sugar Cookies

• Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: Perfect for creaming butter and sugar, beating eggs, and mixing cookie dough smoothly and quickly.
• Large Mixing Bowls: Essential for combining dry and wet ingredients with plenty of room to mix comfortably.
• Cookie Scoop or Tablespoon: Helps create uniform cookies and ensures even baking.
• Baking Sheets: Provides flat surface for baking cookies evenly and consistently.
• Parchment Paper: Prevents cookies from sticking and makes cleanup super easy.
• Whisk: Great for blending dry ingredients thoroughly without lumps.
• Wire Cooling Rack: Allows cookies to cool evenly and prevents soggy bottoms.
• Spatula: Helpful for scraping bowl sides and transferring frosting.

Steps To Make Soft Sugar Cookies Perfectly

• Warm Up the Oven

Crank the oven to a toasty 350F. Grab your baking sheets and line them with parchment paper for smooth cookie magic.

• Blend Butter and Sugar

Grab your mixer and whip the softened butter with sugar until it looks fluffy and cloud-like. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes of happy mixing.

• Create Cookie Dough

Drop in eggs one at a time, stirring in vanilla and a splash of sour cream. Slowly fold in your dry ingredients until everything combines into a dreamy, soft dough.

• Shape Cookie Delights

Roll small dough balls and place them carefully on your prepared baking sheets. Give each cookie some breathing room, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

• Bake to Perfection

Slide the cookies into the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Watch for slightly puffy tops and edges that look just set. Keep them pale and tender.

• Cool and Dress Up

Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Optional: Whip up a quick frosting by beating butter, powdered sugar, and a touch of milk. Spread or pipe onto cooled cookies and add fun sprinkles if you want.

Flavor Swaps For Soft Sugar Cookies

• Baking Brilliance: Tips to Elevate Your Soft Sugar Cookies
• Butter Temperature Matters: Let butter sit at room temperature for 30-45 minutes before mixing. Softened (not melted) butter creates the perfect cookie texture and ensures smooth creaming.
• Dough Chilling Trick: Refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking to prevent spreading and maintain a thick, soft shape. Chilled dough results in more uniform, prettier cookies.
• Gluten-Free Option: Swap all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend for those with wheat sensitivities. Add an extra tablespoon of liquid to maintain moisture.
• Flavor Adventure: Experiment with different extracts like lemon, orange, or coconut to create unique cookie profiles. A small swap can transform the entire dessert experience.
• Dairy-Free Modification: Replace butter with dairy-free margarine and sour cream with coconut yogurt. The texture remains soft and delicious for those avoiding dairy products.

Serve Soft Sugar Cookies Anytime

• Cookie Celebration Platter: Arrange the soft sugar cookies on a beautiful rustic wooden board, creating a colorful display with different frosting colors and sprinkle varieties. Perfect for parties or family gatherings.
• Tea Time Companion: Serve these delightful cookies alongside a warm cup of chamomile or Earl Grey tea, creating a cozy afternoon treat that melts in your mouth and complements the beverage's flavor.
• Dessert Buffet Star: Include these sugar cookies as a featured item on a dessert table, pairing them with other sweet treats like brownies or mini cupcakes to offer guests a delectable variety of textures and tastes.
• Holiday Gift Packaging: Wrap a few cookies in clear cellophane with a festive ribbon, making charming homemade gifts for neighbors, teachers, or friends during special occasions like Christmas or birthdays.

Storing Soft Sugar Cookies Without Drying Out

• Cookie Shelf Life Strategy: Store soft sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days, ensuring maximum freshness and delicious taste.
• Freezing Fantastic Technique: Layer cookies between wax paper inside a sealed freezer container, keeping them perfectly preserved for up to 3 months without losing texture or flavor.
• Refrigeration Wisdom: Frosted cookies require careful chilling; place them in a single layer inside a container with a tight lid, maintaining quality for 1 week when refrigerated.
• Moisture Management Trick: Add a small piece of bread to the storage container to help maintain cookie softness and prevent them from becoming dry or crumbly during storage.

Heavenly Sugar Cookies Recipe

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4.7 from 29 reviews

• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 25 1x

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Description

Grandma’s soft sugar cookies bring nostalgic comfort from American home kitchens. Sweet memories melt together with buttery layers, promising delightful moments you’ll treasure with each delicate bite.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 3 cups (360 g) all-purpose flour
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• 1 cup (225 g) unsalted butter (softened)
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• ½ cup (115 g) unsalted butter (softened)
• 2 large eggs
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp almond extract (optional, for added flavor)
• ¼ cup (60 ml) sour cream
• 3 tbsps milk (to thin)
• Food coloring (optional)
• Sprinkles (optional)

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Instructions

1. Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper for optimal cookie baking environment.
2. Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to create a uniform dry mixture.
3. Butter Transformation: Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light, fluffy, and fully integrated, developing a smooth base.
4. Moisture Integration: Add eggs one at a time, blending thoroughly, then incorporate vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream to create a rich, cohesive wet mixture.
5. Dough Formation: Gently fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing minimally to prevent toughening, then scoop uniform dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
6. Baking Process: Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookie edges stabilize and tops appear slightly puffy, maintaining a delicate pale complexion.
7. Cooling and Finishing: Rest cookies on baking sheets for 5 minutes, transfer to wire rack for complete cooling, then prepare frosting by whipping butter until creamy and gradually mixing in powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and milk to desired consistency.
8. Decoration: Once cookies are entirely cooled, embellish with prepared frosting, optionally adding food coloring or sprinkles for visual excitement.

Notes

• Measure Ingredients Precisely: Use level measuring cups and spoons for accurate flour, sugar, and leavening agents to ensure consistent cookie texture and rise.
• Avoid Overmixing Dough: Stop mixing as soon as dry ingredients are incorporated to prevent tough, dense cookies by maintaining a delicate, tender crumb.
• Chill Dough for Better Spread: Refrigerate cookie dough for 30 minutes before baking to control spreading, enhance flavor development, and create a more structured cookie shape.
• Room Temperature Ingredients Matter: Allow butter, eggs, and sour cream to reach room temperature before mixing, ensuring smoother blending and more even cookie consistency.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Category: Desserts, Snacks
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 25
• Calories: 174
• Sugar: 10 g
• Sodium: 30 mg
• Fat: 8 g
• Saturated Fat: 5 g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 25 g
• Fiber: 0.5 g
• Protein: 2 g
• Cholesterol: 35 mg