Well hey there friends! Darian here from County Mama Cooking, coming to you with my classic homemade sugar cookie recipe. There’s nothing quite like the taste of traditional sugar cookies, especially during the holidays.
As I’ve mentioned before, I’m a busy mama to three adorable kiddos – Zoey, Scarlette, and Dain. They absolutely love helping me bake and decorate these cookies every year. And my supportive husband is always willing to sample a fresh batch!
Baking these melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies from scratch is one of my favorite holiday traditions. Though it takes a bit of time, the end result is so worth it. The house fills with the nostalgic aroma of vanilla and butter. I just adore it!
Traditional Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- oven
- 2 medium-sized bowl
- 1 parchment paper-lined (or greased) baking sheet
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour
- 2 tsp Baking powder
- ½ tsp Salt
- 1 cup Butter
- 1 cup White granulated sugar
- 1 Egg
- 2 tbsp Milk
- 2 tsp Vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, mix together all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In another bowl, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Once a nice creamy mixture has formed, mix in the egg, milk and vanilla extract. Continue to mix until well combined.
- Add your dry mixture into your wet mixture and mix until well combined.
- Roll out the cookie dough onto a floured surface.
- Using your desired cookie cutters cut out your cookies and place onto a parchment paper-lined (or greased) baking sheet.
- Bake in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes (baking time may vary depending on oven).
- Once done, remove from the oven and let fully cool on a cooling rack before decorating.
Video
Notes
Why Make Sugar Cookies from Scratch?
You may be wondering why go through the effort when store-bought dough is so convenient. Here’s why homemade is best:
- Unbeatable Flavor: The taste of fresh, buttery cookies right out of the oven can’t compare to anything from the grocery store.
- Fun Family Activity: Kids of all ages have a blast cutting out shapes and decorating the traditional sugar cookies together. Such special memories!
- Make Them Your Own: Customize with unique shapes, different extracts and spices, colored sugar – get creative!
- Perfect for Gifting: These cookies look beautiful packaged up in cellophane bags tied with ribbon. Heartwarming edible gifts!
- Endless Decorating Options: Frosting, sprinkles, chocolate drizzle – the decorating possibilities are endless.
And speaking of the magic of baking, if you’re looking for more inspiration on what to cook in your oven, check out my collection of the ‘Best Oven Recipes‘. It’s packed with a variety of dishes that will help you make the most out of your oven. Click here to explore the recipes and let me know which ones you try!
My Best Tips for Sugar Cookie Success
I’ve baked more batches of traditional sugar cookies than I can count, so here are my pro tips:
- Allow the dough to chill for at least 2 hours for easy rolling and cutting
- Dust the surface and rolling pin well with flour to prevent sticking
- Rotate the dough while rolling to keep it an even thickness
- For best results, bake just a few sheets at a time – don’t overcrowd
- Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before removing
- Store decorated traditional sugar cookies between layers of parchment or wax paper
Serving Suggestion
Here are some suggested ways to serve traditional sugar cookies:
- On a decorative platter or tiered cake stand for holidays, parties, or gatherings. Arrange the cookies in fun shapes or patterns for a pretty presentation.
- Stacked in a glass traditional sugar cookies jar on the countertop for easy snacking anytime. The visual appeal makes them tempting to grab one after another.
- As part of a dessert bar or cookie tray assortment. Offer a variety of cookies like chocolate chip, oatmeal, and snickerdoodles along with the sugar cookies.
- With cups of milk or coffee for dunking. The simple sweetness of a traditional sugar cookie is perfect for dunking into a warm beverage.
- Decorated with royal icing and sprinkles for a pop of color and crunch. Get creative with your icing techniques like flooding or piping.
- On a tiered dessert stand paired with fresh fruit. The fruit provides a nice contrasting flavor and texture.
- In clear cellophane bags tied with ribbon for gift-giving. Include a tag with the recipe for an extra thoughtful touch.
- With ice cream for an impromptu ice cream sandwich. Kids and adults alike will love this fun twist.
- Broken into pieces and layered with whipped cream and fruit for a quick trifle. The cookies soak up the cream beautifully.
The possibilities are endless for how to serve and enjoy these traditional sugar cookies! Let your creativity guide you.
Answering Your Traditional Sugar Cookies FAQs
I know you guys will have lots of great questions, so here are some common FAQs about this recipe:
How long does the dough keep in the fridge?
The dough will keep for 3-4 days tightly wrapped in the fridge. The flavors continue developing.
Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
Absolutely! Portion dough into discs, wrap well and freeze for up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough for just 1-2 extra minutes. Also freeze decorated cookies up to 3 months.
What’s the best way to cut shapes?
Lightly dust cookie cutters with flour before each cut. Dip the edges in flour between cuts too. Start at the outside edge and push down firmly.
How do I get the icing so smooth?
Use a really thin consistency of royal icing. Thin it with water or milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it’s easy to flood the cookies.
Should I sift the dry ingredients?
Yes! Sifting helps incorporate air for a lighter texture. It also removes any lumps.
What extracts can I use besides vanilla?
Almond, maple, orange, lemon, peppermint all work wonderfully! Start with 1 tsp and add more to taste.
There you have it folks – my tried and true recipe for the softest, most delicious homemade sugar cookies. They require a bit of time and effort, but it’s so rewarding to bake these from scratch.
I hope this post has inspired you to carry on this classic holiday tradition with your own family. The memories made while baking and decorating together are so precious. And the final product of beautifully decorated traditional sugar cookies is such a treat for the eyes and tastebuds!
Let me know if you give this traditional sugar cookies recipe a try. I’d love to see your gorgeous cookie creations! Feel free to share any special tweaks or add-ins too. I’m always looking for new ways to improve this traditional favorite.
Now if you’ll please excuse me, I see a freshly frosted snowman cookie calling my name! Wishing you all a very happy and sweet holiday season.