Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies made with real butter and flour are seriously THE BEST SUGAR COOKIES EVER! They simply cannot be beat.
Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies
My husband makes the best sugar cookies ever. I mean EVER. Really. The old fashioned buttery sugary goodness kind. He is always asked to bring them to any Chanukkah or Christmas party where we get an invite. I dare you to find a better tasting cookie……
Cast of Ingredients for Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies Ever
Always start with the best ingredients you can afford.
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Ingredients for Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies
- Land O Lakes Butter, Kerrygold Unsalted Butter or Costco Butter are best for this recipe. Brand does matter here. Unbeknownst to me, the hubs once picked up store brand butter and made the cookies although they were good, they were not life changing. I later found out, he use a store brand butter.
- King Arthur Flour
- Good Vanilla Extract – a friend of mine brings me back vanilla from Costa Rica, which I feel makes this cookie extra special. We also make our own extra with Madagascar Vanilla Beans.
Cream the Butter and Sugar
This is an old fashion recipe, so it is important to follow the steps and not throw everything in a mixer and whip.
A good Stand Mixer is very help for making Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies.
Once you start, you won’t be able to resist these Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies. I promise. Let me know if you make them.
Add in Dry Ingredients
The dry ingredients will get mixed together separately and then slowly added to the wet mixture until just combined.
The last part of the mix is done with a silicone spatula, which is not old fashion, but is safer than a rubber spatula, so that you don’t over mix.
Refrigerating the dough for a bit, makes rolling easier.
Now the fun part, roll the dough into a bowl and then roll into granulated sugar.
Place the dough balls on a Half Sheet Baking Cookie Sheet.
I like using Silicone Baking Mats instead of parchment paper so that I make less of a carbon footprint.
That is my husband’s hand, not mine. 🙂
He uses an Old Fashion Whisky Rocks Glass to flatten the dough.
This is a fun project to get kids in the kitchen. Lay out bowls of colored sugar and have them decorate the cookies however they like.
He decorates my cookies in blue and white for Chanukkah and he also will make Dreidels and Jewish Stars on the cookies.
Bake just enough so that the edges begin to brown, but the centers are still soft and puffy.
Tips for Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies.
- Remove butter from refrigerator 30 minutes prior to starting this recipe.
- An Old Fashion Whisky Rocks Glass is the perfect size for flattening dough.
- Refrigerating the dough for 30 minutes prior to rolling, makes it easier to handle.
- After placing dough rounds on cookie sheet, slightly push down in center of dough to ensure the center of the cookie from puffing up unevenly.
Holiday Ideas
For Christmas cookies – use red and green colored sugar.
For Chanukkah cookies – use blue and white colored sugar.
For Easter cookies – use pastel colored sugar.
Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies
If they are not the Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies Ever, let me know. I dare you to try them and not absolutely love them!
More Delicious Desserts to Make.
- Chocolate Chip Coffee Cake
- Holiday Spice Peppernuts Cheesecake
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Butterscotch Bundt Cake
- Instant Pot Peppermint Milkshake Cheesecake
Kitchen Equipment and Essentials
- Amco Advanced Performance 18/10 Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons
- Simply Gourmet (Dry) Stainless Steel Measuring Cups
- Anchor Hocking Glass (Liquid) Measuring Cups
- LamsonSharp Chef’s Slotted Turner – I totally love this spatula!
- Porcelain & Bamboo Salt Box with Spoon
- 3.5 Quart Stainless Steel Mixing Bowl
- 1/2 Cookie Sheet
- Reusable Silicone Baking Mat
- Silicone Spatula
- Lock N Lock Small Container
- Lock N Lock Storage Container
- Kitchen Stand Mixer, Professional Series
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Here is the handy printable recipe:
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups All Purpose Flour
- 2 cups White Sugar
- 2 large Eggs
- 14 Tablespoons Unsalted Butter softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 2 teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
Topping
- Colored Sugar
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Instructions
- Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 350 degrees. Spread ½ cup of the sugar in a shallow dish for coating and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together and set aside.
- Beat butter with the remaining 1 ½ cups sugar together in a large bowl using an electric mixer, on medium speed until light and fluffy, 3 to 6 minutes.
- Beat in the vanilla.
- Add the eggs, one at a time, until combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly mix in the flour mixture until combined, about 30 seconds.
- Give the dough a final stir with a rubber spatula to make sure it is combined. Place bowl with dough into refrigerator for 30 minutes.
- Use wet hands to roll 2 Tablespoons of dough at a time into balls, then roll in the sugar to coat. Lay the balls on two parchment-lined baking sheets, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Flatten the cookies with the buttered bottom of a drinking glass, then sprinkle any of the remaining sugar over the flattened tops or use colored sugar.
- Bake the cookies, one sheet at a time, until the edges are set and just beginning to brown but the centers are still soft and puffy, 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through baking.
- Remove from oven and transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely.
Notes
Alternative Flavors.
- For Lemon Sugar Cookies - Add a Tablespoon of Lemon Zest in with the eggs.
- For Lime Sugar Cookies – Process one teaspoon grated lime zest in with the ½ cup of sugar for 10 seconds in step 1 and add 2 teaspoons grated lime zest with the eggs.
- For Peppermint Sugar Cookies – Process 20 peppermint candies in a food processor until course crumbs Sprinkle the crumbs on top of the cookies after flattening instead of the leftover sugar
Nutrition
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Best Old Fashion Sugar Cookies EVER!
Can I make these delicious cookies in my air fryer?
If I only have salted butter do I omit the sea salt?
So delicious!! I’ve searched for perfect recipe for years and I think I’ve found it!!
Thanks so much, Judy. Thrilled that you love my recipe. Jill
These turned out so well. Absolutely delicious!
However, there should be no worries for those who prefer parchment paper over silicone for the slightly crispier cookie bottoms. There is no evidence that the complicated production of silicon baking mats leaves a smaller carbon footprint than paper does.
Hi Jill. Have you come across a good substitute for eggs? Unfortunately I’m allergic to theme.
Mayo is often used as a sub. Jill
I sweet-talked a coworker to baking these for me the other day! They were delicious. I randomly lay recipes on her desk for tasty treats and they mysteriously appear a few days later!
Can you roll the dough and use cookie cutters for shapes?
Hi Carlie. I don’t see why not. Let me know how it goes. Jill