Classic Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies Recipe: Soft, Chewy & Easy Homemade Perfection

There’s an undeniable comfort that comes from a batch of homemade cookies, and these Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies stand as a timeless testament to that feeling. With their soft, buttery texture and perfectly balanced sweetness, they evoke cherished memories of family kitchens, holiday baking, and the simple joy of a truly delicious treat. This recipe brings back the authentic taste of cookies just like mom and Grandma used to make, using nothing more than simple pantry staples you likely already have on hand. It’s an easy-to-follow guide to creating nostalgic, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies that are perfect for any occasion.

Forget complicated techniques or a long list of exotic ingredients. This classic sugar cookie recipe focuses on the essentials, delivering a reliable and crowd-pleasing dessert every single time. Whether you’re looking for a quick after-dinner treat, a festive addition to a holiday spread, or a comforting snack for any day of the year, these cookies are incredibly versatile and always a hit. Their golden edges, soft, tender centers, and delicate sweetness make them irresistible to all ages, bringing smiles with every bite.

While this recipe focuses on delightful drop sugar cookies that require no rolling or cutting, if you prefer the kind you decorate with cookie cutters, be sure to check out our Christmas Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe for beautifully festive results perfect for holiday celebrations.

Why This Recipe Works: The Secret to Irresistible Sugar Cookies

This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s a carefully balanced formula designed for success, even for beginner bakers. Here’s why these old fashioned sugar cookies consistently turn out perfectly, guaranteeing a delightful treat every time you bake:

• Simple, Pantry-Friendly Ingredients: You won’t need to make a special trip to the grocery store for obscure items. This recipe relies on common baking staples like butter, sugar, flour, eggs, and vanilla. This accessibility makes it a convenient go-to when a cookie craving strikes or an unexpected occasion calls for a quick homemade dessert. It saves both time and money.
• Achieves the Perfect Texture: The precise ratio of fat, sugar, and flour is crucial for sugar cookie perfection. This recipe creates a dough that bakes up beautifully, yielding cookies that are delightfully soft and chewy in the center with just the right amount of crispness around the edges. This ideal balance prevents them from being either too cakey or too crumbly, ensuring a satisfying bite every time.
• Incredibly Customizable: These sugar cookies are a wonderful blank canvas for your creativity. Whether you want to keep them classic and simple with a sprinkle of sugar, add vibrant sprinkles for a lively party, or layer on rich frosting for a special holiday, the basic recipe remains a reliable foundation. They can easily adapt to any season, theme, or personal preference, making them incredibly versatile for all occasions.
• Tried-and-True Classic Flavor: There’s a reason this recipe is called “old-fashioned.” It sticks to traditional methods and proportions that have been perfected over generations. The result is that comforting, nostalgic sugar cookie flavor that everyone knows and loves, making them a universally appealing treat that brings back fond memories of home baking.
• No Rolling or Cutting Required: Unlike elaborate cut-out sugar cookies, these are simple drop cookies. This means minimal effort and less mess in the kitchen. You simply scoop the dough, flatten slightly, and bake. This significantly streamlines the preparation process, making them a much faster and easier option, ideal for busy schedules or when you need a quick dessert fix.

Key Ingredients for the Best Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

The magic of these simple cookies comes from using quality ingredients and preparing them correctly. Understanding the role of each component will help you achieve the best possible results:

• Butter: For the richest flavor and smoothest, most pliable dough, always use unsalted butter, softened at room temperature. Softened butter creams beautifully with sugar, incorporating air pockets that are vital for the cookies’ light and tender texture. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe by ¼ teaspoon to avoid overly salty cookies.
• Granulated Sugar: This is not just for sweetness; granulated sugar plays a vital role in the cookie’s structure, texture, and browning. It helps create those slightly crisp edges while ensuring the center remains soft and chewy. Fine granulated sugar dissolves easily into the butter mixture, creating a uniform and smooth dough.
• Large Eggs: It’s crucial to bring your large eggs to room temperature before mixing. Room temperature eggs emulsify much better with the butter and sugar, resulting in a more cohesive and evenly textured dough. They also add richness, moisture, and act as an essential binder, holding the cookies together.
• Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is indispensable for that classic, warm, and inviting sugar cookie flavor that truly defines an “old-fashioned” taste. Avoid imitation vanilla if possible, as it lacks the depth and complexity of real vanilla, which makes a noticeable difference in the final taste profile.
• Milk: A small amount of whole milk adds essential moisture and richness to the dough, preventing it from becoming too dry or crumbly. It helps achieve that desirable soft and tender texture. While whole milk is ideal for its fat content and flavor, 2% milk or even unsweetened almond milk can also work in a pinch.
• All-Purpose Flour: The structural foundation of our cookies. To ensure you don’t add too much flour (which is a common culprit for dry, tough cookies), always spoon the flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with the back of a straight edge or knife. Never scoop directly from the bag, as this can compact the flour and lead to significantly inaccurate measurements.
• Baking Powder: This chemical leavening agent is responsible for the slight rise and tender crumb of the cookies. It reacts during baking to create air bubbles, which contribute to the cookies’ characteristic soft texture. Ensure your baking powder is fresh for optimal results.
• Salt: Just a half teaspoon of salt might seem insignificant, but it’s absolutely essential for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cookie. It truly brings out the buttery and vanilla notes, preventing the cookies from tasting one-dimensional or overly sweet.

You can find the complete list of ingredients with precise measurements in the comprehensive recipe card at the bottom of the page, making it easy to gather everything you need.

Endless Variations for Your Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

One of the best things about old-fashioned sugar cookies is their incredible adaptability. They serve as a perfect base for a myriad of customizations, allowing you to tailor your batch for any occasion, holiday, or personal preference. Let your creativity shine!

• Add Festive Sprinkles: For a quick and easy festive touch, simply roll the dough balls in colorful sprinkles before baking. This is a fantastic way to customize cookies for birthdays, baby showers, gender reveals, or any holiday gathering. Alternatively, decorate the tops with sprinkles after applying frosting once the cookies have cooled completely.
• Frosted Sugar Cookies: Elevate your cookies with a luscious layer of frosting for extra flavor, moisture, and a beautiful finish. You can opt for a high-quality store-bought frosting for ultimate convenience, or try a simple Homemade Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe for a rich, tangy complement that pairs wonderfully with the sweet cookie base. For a more subtle and elegant look, a delicate dusting of powdered sugar over unfrosted cookies works beautifully.
• Frosting + Sprinkles: This combination is always a runaway favorite, especially with kids! Once your cookies are frosted, immediately top them with a generous amount of colorful sprinkles or nonpareils for a joyful, celebratory, and visually appealing treat. The possibilities for color combinations are endless!
• Food Coloring Fun: Easily match your cookies to any theme or occasion by adding a few drops of gel food coloring to either the dough or the frosting. Imagine vibrant red and green cookies for Christmas, delicate pastels for Easter or spring parties, bold orange and black for Halloween, or school colors for graduation celebrations.
• Alternative Flavor Extracts: Beyond classic vanilla, don’t hesitate to experiment with other flavor extracts. Almond extract adds a sophisticated, marzipan-like note; lemon extract provides a bright, zesty, and refreshing flavor; and a hint of peppermint extract is perfect for a festive holiday twist. Start with ¼ to ½ teaspoon and adjust to your taste.
• Bright Citrus Zest: For a fresh burst of natural flavor, add the finely grated zest of a lemon, orange, or lime to the dough when creaming the butter and sugar. The aromatic oils in the zest infuse the cookies with a vibrant and delicious fragrance.
• Warm Cinnamon Sugar Topping: For a delightful variation, instead of plain granulated sugar for flattening, create a cinnamon sugar mixture (approximately 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon per ½ cup of granulated sugar). Roll the dough balls in this spiced sugar before baking for a warm, comforting, and aromatic sugar cookie.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Follow these detailed steps carefully to bake a batch of soft, chewy, and utterly delicious sugar cookies that will impress everyone with their homemade goodness. Precision in baking leads to perfection!

Step 5: Garnish (Optional)

If you’ve chosen to add sprinkles, you can either roll the dough in them before baking (as mentioned above) or sprinkle them on top of frosting once the cookies are completely cooled and frosted. If you prefer a simple look, a light dusting of powdered sugar just before serving adds a touch of elegance without the need for full frosting.

Storage Tips to Keep Your Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies Fresh

Proper storage is essential to maintain the delicious texture and flavor of your homemade sugar cookies, ensuring they stay delightful for as long as possible:

• Room Temperature: Unfrosted sugar cookies are best stored in an airtight container or tightly wrapped in plastic wrap at room temperature. They will remain fresh and delicious for up to 1 week. For an old-fashioned trick to keep them extra soft and moist, place a slice of plain white bread in the container with the cookies; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, helping them stay tender.
• Refrigerator: If your cookies are frosted, especially with a cream cheese-based frosting or any frosting containing dairy, it’s best to store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator to prevent spoilage. To enjoy them at their best texture, let them sit out at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes before serving to allow the frosting and cookie body to soften slightly. They will typically last for about 5-7 days in the fridge.
• Freezer (Baked Cookies): To extend the life of your baked cookies, first ensure they are completely cooled. Arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 30-60 minutes until they are solid. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe bag or an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. They’ll keep wonderfully for up to 2–3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours.
• Freezer (Cookie Dough): For ultimate convenience, you can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. Scoop the dough into individual balls (you can even flatten them with sugar if desired) and place them on a baking sheet. Flash freeze until firm, then transfer the frozen dough balls to a freezer-safe bag or container. When you’re ready for freshly baked cookies, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake straight from frozen, adding just 1–2 minutes to the typical bake time. This is perfect for warm cookies on demand!

Expert Baking Tips and Tricks for Perfect Sugar Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality sugar cookies at home is easier than you think when you follow these helpful hints and common baking best practices:

• Don’t Overbake: This is arguably the most crucial tip for achieving irresistibly soft sugar cookies. Bake just until the edges are lightly golden. The centers may still look slightly soft or even a bit underdone when you pull them from the oven, but trust the process! The cookies will continue to set and firm up as they cool on the baking sheet and then on the wire rack, resulting in that perfectly tender, chewy texture. Overbaking is the leading cause of dry, hard, and crumbly cookies.
• Avoid Overmixing the Dough: Once you add the flour to the wet ingredients, mix the dough only until the ingredients are just combined and no streaks of dry flour remain. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour excessively, which can lead to tough, dense, and less tender cookies, rather than the desired soft and delicate ones. Mix until just combined, then stop.
• Let Cookies Rest Before Moving: Freshly baked cookies are quite delicate and fragile when hot. Allow them to cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 minutes after removing them from the oven before attempting to transfer them to a wire rack. Moving them too soon can cause them to break, crumble, or lose their perfect shape. The short rest period allows them to firm up enough for a safe transfer.
• Use a Cookie Scoop for Consistency: A cookie scoop is a worthwhile investment for any baker. It makes it incredibly easy to portion the dough evenly, ensuring that all your cookies are roughly the same size. This consistency is vital for even baking times (no burnt small cookies and raw large ones!) and results in a uniform, professional-looking batch.
• Ensure Room Temperature Ingredients: This tip applies to butter and eggs. Softened butter (not melted!) creams more easily and incorporates air better, leading to a lighter cookie. Room temperature eggs emulsify smoothly with the fat, creating a homogenous, tender dough that bakes more evenly.
• Chill the Dough Thoroughly: Do not skip the chilling step! Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours (or even overnight) solidifies the butter, which is key to preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. It also allows the flour to fully hydrate and the flavors to meld and deepen, leading to a better overall texture and enhanced taste.
• Prepare Your Baking Sheets Properly: Always line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This not only ensures that the cookies don’t stick to the pan but also promotes more even baking and makes for significantly easier cleanup, allowing you to enjoy your cookies without the fuss.
• Know Your Oven: Ovens can be notoriously temperamental and often run hotter or cooler than their display indicates. If you find your cookies are consistently baking unevenly, consider investing in an oven thermometer to verify if your oven is running at the correct temperature. Rotating baking sheets halfway through the baking time can also help achieve more even browning.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

What makes a sugar cookie “old fashioned” compared to other sugar cookies?

Old fashioned sugar cookies typically refer to classic drop sugar cookies. These are known for being soft, chewy, and often have slightly crisp edges. They rely on simple, wholesome ingredients and are often flattened before baking (sometimes with a sugar-dipped glass). Unlike intricate cut-out sugar cookies, the focus of “old fashioned” is more on a comforting, familiar flavor and texture that evokes nostalgia for homemade cookies from generations past, rather than perfect shapes or elaborate decorations.

Do I absolutely have to chill the cookie dough? What happens if I don’t?

Yes, chilling the dough is highly recommended for this recipe. It serves several important purposes: it allows the butter to firm up, which prevents the cookies from spreading too much and becoming thin in the oven. It also gives the flour time to fully hydrate, resulting in a more tender cookie, and allows the flavors to meld and deepen. If you skip chilling, your cookies may spread excessively, lose their desirable soft texture, and potentially be too thin or crispy.

Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted butter?

You can use salted butter if that’s all you have, but it’s generally best to use unsalted butter to have precise control over the salt content in your baking. If you do use salted butter, omit the ½ teaspoon of salt called for in the recipe, or reduce it to ¼ teaspoon, depending on how salty your specific brand of butter is and your personal taste preference.

How do I get my cookies to be uniformly sized and baked evenly?

The best and easiest way to ensure uniform cookie size (and thus, even baking) is to use a cookie scoop. A 1.5 to 2-tablespoon scoop works perfectly for this recipe, ensuring each cookie has roughly the same amount of dough. Also, rotate your baking sheets halfway through the baking time for consistent results.

How can I prevent my cookies from spreading too flat in the oven?

Several factors can cause cookies to spread excessively:

• Warm Dough: Ensure your dough is thoroughly chilled (at least 2 hours) before baking. Warm dough causes butter to melt too quickly.
• Butter Temperature: While softened butter is good, butter that is too warm, oily, or melted will cause spreading.
• Too Much Butter/Not Enough Flour: Accurate measurement of ingredients is key. Always spoon and level your flour, do not scoop directly from the bag.
• Warm Baking Sheets: Always use cool or room temperature baking sheets. Using hot sheets will start melting the butter before the cookies even get into the oven.

Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?

Absolutely! This dough is excellent for making ahead. You can store the covered dough in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days before baking. You can also scoop the dough into balls and freeze them for up to 2-3 months (see freezer storage tips above).

More Easy Cookie Recipes to Try

If you loved these delightful old fashioned sugar cookies, you’re in for a treat with these other simple and delicious cookie recipes from our collection:

• Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies: A decadent and elegant twist on the classic, perfect for special occasions.
• Lemon Sugar Cookies Recipe: Bright, zesty, and incredibly refreshing, a delightful option for citrus lovers.
• Strawberry Cheesecake Cookies Recipe: A delightful fusion of two favorite desserts, offering a creamy and fruity experience in cookie form.
• Butter Cookies Recipe: Simple, rich, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, these are a classic for a reason.

Give this comforting and easy recipe a try and share your experience with us! We absolutely love hearing from you and seeing your baking creations, so please don’t hesitate to leave a comment and a star rating below. Happy baking!

Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies Recipe Card

These Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies are incredibly easy to prepare with absolutely no rolling or cutting needed. These drop sugar cookies take very little effort but turn out wonderfully soft, chewy, and delicious every time. A true family favorite!

Prep Time: 2 hrs 15 mins

Cook Time: 15 mins

Resting Time: 5 mins

Total Time: 2 hrs 35 mins

Yields: 24 cookies

Cuisine: American

Course: Dessert

Author: Carrie Barnard

Ingredients:

• 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened at room temperature
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 2 Large Eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 2 Tbsp Milk (whole milk preferred)
• 3 cups All-Purpose Flour (spooned and leveled)
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• Extra granulated sugar for flattening (optional, for coating glass)

Instructions:

1. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, beat together the softened butter and 1 cup of granulated sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale yellow (about 2-3 minutes).
2. Add the room temperature eggs, milk, and pure vanilla extract. Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough just forms and no streaks of dry flour remain. Be careful not to overmix.
5. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. This step is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
6. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
7. Use a cookie scoop (or about a teaspoon) to drop uniform balls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie for proper spreading.
8. Lightly dip the bottom of a flat-bottomed glass into granulated sugar and use it to gently flatten each cookie dough ball slightly.
9. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and the centers appear just set. The cookies may look slightly soft in the middle, but they will continue to set as they cool. Rotate baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
10. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheets for 5 minutes after removing from the oven. Then, carefully transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
11. Serve once cooled and, if desired, decorate with frosting and sprinkles.

Recipe Notes:

• Store any leftover unfrosted cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. To help keep them extra soft, place a piece of plain white bread in the container with the cookies.
• It’s essential not to overbake these cookies. They should be just lightly golden brown around the edges, and their soft texture will develop fully as they cool.

Nutrition Facts (per serving – approx. 1 cookie):

• Calories: 163 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 20g
• Protein: 2g
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g
• Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
• Trans Fat: 1g
• Cholesterol: 34mg
• Sodium: 151mg
• Potassium: 26mg
• Fiber: 1g
• Sugar: 8g
• Vitamin A: 258 IU
• Calcium: 28mg
• Iron: 1mg

Pin This Recipe for Later!