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.
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:
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Biscoff Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Hot Cocoa Cookies
- Turtle Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Creme Pies
- S’mores Cookies
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Recipe
Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 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
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but makes a great flavor )
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (375g)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese , softened
- 1/2 cup butter softened, (113g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 cups powdered sugar (360-480g)
Instructions
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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I originally shared this recipe March 2013. Updated December 2020 and February 2025.
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The cookies were easy to make and were a hit with my family. They were soft and chewy and had good flavor. I ended up baking 10 minutes because I liked the bottom of cookies to be light brown. The cream cheese frosting wasn’t my favorite. I tasted too much cream cheese so added a lot more powdered sugar, Karo syrup, and some milk.
I’d make the cookies again!
These were great. Soft and delicious! My new go to sugar cookie recipe! Thank you!
I made these sugar cookies for church. After church everyone comes downstairs and has coffee and snacks. Some of the older ladies make bake goods. As I always do too. I made your sugar cookies,a double batch, and they came out mint.[use to be a chef,cook in the military,84 Bravo] Well needless to say they was none left. The kids came back for seconds and thirds,and so did the adults. So I put your name down on the paper as it was your recipe,and I included the recipe,then I sign my name as the baker. Needless to say I was ask to make them for next week. See Mrs. Allen what your recipe did,made more work for me.[ha,ha,ha] I think your kids did a better job than me,they were prettier!! Thanks for your recipe! Randy. 9Feb2020
These sound awesome and I’m going to try them soon!!! Do you have a good buttercream recipe for these? I’m not a huge fan of cream cheese frosting for sugar cookies. I have a great recipe for cake frosting but it’s too soft for cookies.
You could try this buttercream frosting: https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/homemade-funfetti-cupcakes/
I haven’t made these yet but they look perfect!
I was wondering if I could use the solid coconut oil instead of the shortening
Any egg free substitution suggestions?
I haven’t tested egg substitutions with this recipe, but here are some good suggestions: https://www.sheknows.com/food-and-recipes/articles/955371/baking-without-eggs/
I made this recipe with cup4cup gluten free flour, coconut butter and coconut milk, was a lot e worries but so far so great. In the oven baking now, and the dough was perfect consistency. I only added a little extra flour until it felt right. 🙂
My dough seems to be a little fluffy for putting in a bowl and rolling out. Would refrigerating overnight or freezing be helpfull ?
Yes, stick them in the fridge for an hour or so.
Hello,
Can i substitue all butter instead of shortening?
Thank you
Yes, you can.
I made these for Valentine’s Day and they were a HUGE hit. My new favorite sugar cookie recipe!
I live at 5200′. Should I add more flour or bake at a different temp?
I would just add 1-2 tablespoons extra flour, and bake the same.