This treasured family recipe for classic sugar cookies has been handed down through four generations. Each Christmas, Valentine’s Day and Easter, my late mum and I would roll up our sleeves, cut our favourite shapes and decorate a batch of cookies together. Of course, the cookies were never perfect, but they were full of that irresistible buttery-vanilla melt-in-your-mouth texture and we made some wonderful memories. When my son Alexander was old enough to start helping in the kitchen, I carried on the tradition. (Read on for more, or click the Jump To Recipe button above to go straight to the recipe.)
I still remember the snowy day when my son Alexander and I made the cookies in the photograph below. He was about seven at the time. He decorated them all by himself. The photo may be grainy – it is over twenty years ago – but the cookies are super cute and they sure did taste good. It’s a lovely memory for us both.
Perfect For Any Occasion
Sugar Cookies are a perfect for any occasion. Use your favourite cookie cutters to cut the dough in any shapes you like. Try heart shaped sugar cookies drizzled with pink icing for Valentine’s Day, bunnies and egg shapes for Easter, flowers for spring and leaf shaped cookies to celebrate the arrival of autumn. The only limit is your imagination!
You can of course ice these cookies using more elaborate decorative icing or just cut them in shapes and drizzle them with icing or sprinkle them with sugar as I have in these more recent photos.
Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
Cut the dough into heart shapes and sprinkle with pink or red tinted sugar or drizzle with a pink tinted glaze. Alternatively, go all out and frost them with more elaborate decorative icing and sprinkles.
Christmas Sugar Cookies
Cut out in Christmas shapes, and either sprinkled with sugar before baking or iced afterwards, these flaky sugar cookies are one of my favourite Christmas recipes. Plate after plate of these sweet treats were laid on the buffet table at our extended family Christmas dinners. Back then they were my favourite part of the meal.
Here in the UK there is more emphasis on heavy desserts at Christmas; Christmas pudding, fruit cake and mincemeat pies. However my absolute favourite things to make at Christmastime are the cookies like these as well as the squares and bar cookies I remember from when I was a kid.
Why You Will Love These Classic Sugar Cookies
- The recipe uses store-cupboard ingredients that are generally easy to source.
- Perfect for cut-outs – Provided you follow the instructions, the dough rolls out beautifully and is very easy to cut into shapes.
- Ideal for decorating – Use royal icing, buttercream or a simple icing sugar glaze.
- Make ahead friendly – The cookies will keep for several days once they are baked and decorated. (If you use buttercream icing the shelf-life may shorten.)
- Lovely for gifting – They are fragile, but carefully wrapped and packed, these cookies make a wonderful gift for any occasion.
Perfect for Any Celebration Or As Gifts From The Kitchen Any Time Of Year
Whatever the occasion, sugar cookies make great gifts from the kitchen. Choose Christmas cookie cutters, Valentine’s Day cookie cutters, Easter cookie cutters or any to suit the occasion and bake everyone happy with these delicious treats! (affiliate links)
- Christmas – stars, baubles, snowflakes, Santa shapes, reindeer and more
- Valentine’s Day – hearts and pretty pink icing or glaze
- Easter – chicks, eggs, rabbits, flowers
- Birthdays – initials, numbers or themed shapes
- Everyday treats – simple circles or whatever makes you happy!
Decorating Ideas
- A simple icing sugar glaze, plain or tinted with food colouring. To make a simple glaze, measure 1 cup of icing sugar in a bowl and gradually add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water, whisking well with a fork between additions, until you have a smooth, pourable glaze.
- Royal icing – This is best for detailed designs. It also makes packaging and gifting then cookies much easier.
- Melted chocolate drizzle – Be sure to let the drizzle dry before stacking or eating!
- Sprinkles – either sprinkle on top of royal icing before it sets or lightly press into the cookies before baking.
- Coloured Sugar – Before baking, sprinkle the cookies with plain caster sugar or coloured sugar, pressing in very lightly.
How To Wrap Sugar Cookies
When I was in my teens I began sourcing inexpensive vintage plates from charity shops and antique fairs. I would then fill them with cookies, wrap in cellophane and tie with a bow. You can also use sturdy paper plates to do this as well. These easy to make, inexpensive gifts are still cheerfully received by family, friends and neighbours. Now I also wrap the cookies in cute little cellophane bags and tie them with pretty ribbon (affiliate link) too. There are so many creative ways to wrap your cookies for giving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do classic sugar cookies spread when baking?
Chilling the dough before rolling means the cookies generally keep their shape very well. However be sure to leave a bit of space between the cookies to allow for a minimal amount of spreading.
Can I use caster or granulated sugar instead of icing sugar?
I don’t recommend it as it will affect the texture and flavour of the cookies. It may also leave sugar crystals visible in the cookies once they are baked.
Can the dough be made ahead?
I prefer to make and bake the cookies on the same day for best results.
Can I flavour the dough?
If you add flavouring, you may discolour the cookies. While a bit of lemon or orange rind might add flavour, it is likely to make them look funny. Part of what makes this recipe special is the mild, buttery flavour.
Can I use non-dairy butter in this recipe?
If you need to for dietary reasons, yes. However I recommend using butter if you can.
How thick should I roll the dough?
Roll the dough about half an inch (1.25 cm) thick before cutting. You can re-roll the scraps once, but do not re-roll them multiple times as the dough will toughen.
How should I store sugar cookies?
Store the cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for several days. However if you use buttercream to decorate them, they may not keep as long as the butter may spoil after a day or so. This is why I recommend a glaze or royal icing.
Tips for Making Sugar Cookies
Be sure your butter is very soft and at room temperature. It is best to avoid softening butter in a microwave. It changes the texture of the butter and therefore affects the texture of the cookies.
Take the time to sift the icing sugar. It gives the cookies that lovely melt in your mouth texture.
Beat the flour into the batter slowly, but be careful not to over-beat. The batter should be smooth.
It’s really important to put the cookie batter in the fridge for at least an hour before rolling. If you refrigerate the dough for longer, you may need to remove it from the fridge to soften a bit before you can roll dough it out. It may sound counter-intuitive to refrigerate the batter and then have to allow it to soften a little, but chilling the dough is another factor in achieving that melt in your mouth cookie texture.
Watch the cookies while they are baking. It is incredibly easy to overcook them. Oven types and temperatures vary radically, so these cooking times are just a guide.
Be sure to allow the baked sugar cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before you remove them or they are likely to break.
Be sure to let the sugar cookies cool completely before frosting or glazing.
Classic Sugar Cookies – Printable Recipe
Classic Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1½ cups sifted icing sugar Icing sugar is also known as confectioner's sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 2½ cups plain flour plain flour is also known as all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda baking soda is also know as bicarbonate of soda or bicarb
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sifted icing sugar until light and fluffy. You can do this by hand, but it's easier in an electric mixer.
- Add the vanilla and the egg and stir to mix.
- Sift the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar together into a bowl.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter and egg mixture, blending until well combined. Do not overbeat.
- Shape the mixture into a ball and refrigerate for at least an hour. If you refrigerate the dough for longer, you may need to remove it from the fridge to soften a bit before you can roll dough it out.
- Preheat the oven to about 350°F (160°C or 150°C for fan assisted ovens).
- Line 2 baking sheets with greaseproof paper.
- Divide the dough in half. Keep the second half in a cool place.
- Roll the dough out on a floured surface using a rolling pin to about ½ inch thick (about 1.3cm).
- Cut the dough into shapes using cookie cutters. Use whatever shapes you like best. I like to use seasonal cookie cutters, especially at Christmas.
- Carefully lift the cookies, using a slice if necessary, on to the greaseproof lined baking sheets.
- Re-roll the dough scraps to make more cookies. Do not do this more than once or twice or the dough will become tough.
- If you are not going to ice the cookies, you may want to sprinkle them with some fine white or coloured sugar before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, watching them carefully so they do not get too brown. I like to switch the oven trays half way through cooking time (bottom rack to top and vice versa, using oven mitts) for more even cooking.
- The cookies are done when they are just barely beginning to turn golden on the edges. Be sure not to overcook, we are aiming for a pale cookie.
- Remove the baking sheets from the oven. Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheets for a minute or two before carefully removing them from the baking trays and placing them on wire racks to cool.
- Meanwhile, remove the remaining dough from the refrigerator. Roll out, cut out and bake as above.
- Once all the cookies are cool, glaze or frost as desired.
Notes
Equipment
- 1 electric mixer or use a bowl and spoon if you have strong arms!
did you make this recipe?
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Closing Thought
Baking these Classic Sugar Cookies brings back so many happy memories for me, and it is a real joy to share this family recipe with you. Whether you are decorating these cookies with children, making them for gifts, or simply treating yourself on a cosy afternoon, I hope this recipe becomes a part of your traditions too.
Comments & Reviews
I love the sweet memory with your son, April! I also love the idea of sourcing plates from vintage and second hand shops! Happy American Thanksgiving!
Thank you so much, Helen! Happy Thanksgiving to you and yours too 🙂