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.
Ingredients
Scale
- 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)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper for optimal cookie baking environment.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to create a uniform dry mixture.
- Butter Transformation: Cream butter and sugar using an electric mixer until light, fluffy, and fully integrated, developing a smooth base.
- 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.
- 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.
- Baking Process: Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookie edges stabilize and tops appear slightly puffy, maintaining a delicate pale complexion.
- 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.
- 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