This is the easiest old-fashioned sugar cookie recipe made with simple ingredients you probably already have in the kitchen!
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
Old Fashioned sugar cookie recipes are so simple, use everyday ingredients, and make the best sugar cookies!
They are perfectly SOFT, chewy sugar cookies, that are quick to make, required no chill time, and everyone loves them!
I’m also sharing variations on this classic sugar cookie recipe for quick chocolate or pecan sugar cookie recipes!
Making these old-fashioned sugar cookies and giving them away to friends and family is one of my family’s favorite Christmas traditions that we do every Christmas season. This recipe entertains kids for hours! They love rolling out cookie dough, cutting shapes, and decorating sugar cookies!
How To Make Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda or Milk
This easy sugar cookie recipe is so easy that you just need one bowl. I use a stand mixer (KitchenAid) but you can also just use a hand mixer and a big mixing bowl. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Simple Ingredients
Just a handful of simple ingredients make these soft chewy sugar cookies!
- Softened butter
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Pure vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
That’s it! Simple ingredients that you provably already have on hand make this recipe fast and easy to whip up!
Optional – Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up!
On a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick and cookie cutters to cut out shapes! Keep adding flour to the surface and rolling pin as needed to prevent sticking.
Place uncooked cookie shapes on a large prepared baking sheet. Make sure to give them at least a half inch between cookies, so they have enough space to grow as they cook without sticking together.
To make perfectly round cookies, use a cookie scoop and roll into perfect balls of dough, then place dough on the baking sheet!
Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. (Baking time will differ with ovens, but do not cook till golden brown, or they will be hard. I prefer to bake at 6 minutes because I do not like dry cookies.
Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack.
Remove and decorate with colored (or uncolored) buttercream frosting and sprinkles!
Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Variations
Chocolate Sugar Cookie Recipe
This is the same recipe in just one bowl with one minor addition for chocolate sugar cookies. I use a stand mixer (KitchenAid) but you can also just use a hand mixer and a big mixing bowl. First, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
Add the following to your large mixing bowl:
- 1 1/2 cup softened butter (or 3 sticks of softened butter)
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (vanilla is optional but adds a great depth of flavor that you can’t get any other way.)
- 5 1/2 cups flour (I use unbleached, use your favorite)
- 1/2 cup Hershey’s cocoa powder
- Then 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- 2 teaspoons salt
- *optional – 2 cups mini chocolate chips
Mix all ingredients together till all incorporated (about 2 minutes with a cookie paddle).
I rolled these into 1 inch balls and flattened them to 1/2 inch. Then baked for 10 minutes at 350.
Let cookies cool, then top with a peppermint Hershey’s Kiss and dust with powdered sugar!
Pecan Sugar Cookie Recipe
This is the same old-fashioned easy sugar cookies with the addition of pecans. Follow the original recipe directions as above and add 2 cups of chopped pecans!
I love to use maple buttercream frosting on these pecan perfect sugar cookies.
Add the following to your large mixing bowl:
- 1 1/2 cup softened butter (or 3 sticks of softened butter)
- 2 cups of granulated sugar
- 4 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla (vanilla is optional but adds a great depth of flavor that you can’t get any other way.)
- 5 1/2 cups flour (I use unbleached, use your favorite)
- 2 cups chopped pecans (I like a lot of nuts in my cookies!)
- Then, add 1 teaspoon baking powder.
- 2 teaspoons salt
Mix all ingredients together till flour mixture and wet ingredients are all incorporated (about 2 minutes with a cookie paddle).
On a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut out shapes!
Place uncooked cookie shapes on a large baking sheet.
Bake cookies at 350 for 6-8 minutes.
I prefer to bake at 6 minutes because I do not like dry cookies.
Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes.
Remove and decorate with colored (or uncolored) maple buttercream frosting or icing and sprinkles!
Buttercream Frosting for Sugar Cookies
You can use a simple sugar cookie Icing recipe… Or this delicious buttery frosting. I love the simplicity and flavor! In a large mixing bowl combine:
- 2 cubes (1 cup) softened butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk (any kind of milk will work)
Using a hand beater or stand mixer, slowly mix the powdered sugar into the softened butter. Blend till smooth and enjoy! You can separate into separate bowls and add food coloring for decorating if desired.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
To make chocolate buttercream frosting, just add 1/4 cup Hershey cocoa powder, and follow the directions above.
Maple Buttercream Frosting
To Make Maple Buttercream Frosting just add maple extract instead of vanilla, and follow the directions above! (This is my favorite on pecan sugar cookies!)
Recipe Card
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup softened butter or 3 sticks of softened salted or unsalted butter
- 2 cups of granulated white sugar brown sugar will make the texture different.
- 4 eggs
- * 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract vanilla is optional but adds a great depth of flavor that you can’t get any other way. You can also use almond extract if you like that flavor better.
- 5 1/2 cups all purpose flour I use unbleached, use your favorite
- 1 teaspoon baking powder. This recipe does not use baking soda as a leavening agent
- 2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together till all incorporated (about 2 minutes with a cookie paddle).
- On a floured surface, with a floured rolling pin, roll cookie dough to 1/4 inch thick and cookie cutters to cut out shapes! Keep adding flour to the surface and rolling pin as needed to prevent sticking.
- Optional – Line your cookie sheet with parchment paper for easy clean-up!
- Place uncooked cookie shapes on a large prepared baking sheet. Make sure to give them at least a half inch between cookies, so they have enough space to grow as they cook without sticking together.
- To make perfectly round cookies, use a cookie scoop and roll into perfect balls of dough, then place dough on the baking sheet!
- Bake at 350 for 6-8 minutes. (Baking time will differ with ovens, but do not cook till golden brown, or they will be hard. I prefer to bake at 6 minutes because I do not like dry cookies.
- Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool for 5-10 minutes on a wire rack.
- Remove and decorate with colored (or uncolored) buttercream frosting and sprinkles!
- Enjoy with a glass of milk!
Notes
Nutrition
How To Store Or Gift Sugar Cookies
Place decorated (or undecorated cookies) on a paper plate and wrap with plastic wrap. These cookies will dry out if they are left uncovered. To store leftovers, place them in an airtight container and keep them on the counter (or refrigerator) for up to 4 days.
Christmas Cookie Recipes
About Juliea
Juliea Huffaker is the creator of Farmhouse Harvest, and dedicated to teaching from-scratch cooking, sourdough baking, gardening, and food preservation. With over 25 years of hands-on experience she has preserved hundreds of jars of produce, mastered the art of meats and sourdough baking, and nurtured a thriving organic garden. Her recipes and articles have been featured across the web. And she’s passionate about inspiring others to embrace a simpler, self-sufficient life style.
2 comments
Darin
these are delicious
Catalina Hailee Wilson
Thank you for the awesome recipe, it’s always appreciated