Introduction
These classic sugar cookies are the kind of cookies that feel like home. They use simple pantry ingredients, come together quickly, and bake into soft, buttery, melt-in-your-mouth perfection. This recipe is loved because it requires nothing fancy and still produces bakery-style results. The dough is sturdy enough to roll, soft enough to stay tender, and flavorful enough to stand on its own without icing. Whether for holidays, birthdays, or everyday sweetness, these cookies always deliver.
Ingredients
4 sticks butter or margarine (Imperial works excellently)
3 cups sugar
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla extract
2 teaspoons baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
7 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Pour in the vanilla and continue mixing. Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt, mix again. Slowly add the flour, one cup at a time, mixing until a smooth, soft dough forms. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour for easier handling. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Roll out the dough on a floured surface to your desired thickness. Cut into shapes using a cookie cutter or shape into simple rounds. Transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8–10 minutes or until the edges are just set but not browned. Cool on a rack before serving.
Methods
Creaming method: Creaming butter and sugar incorporates air, giving the cookies a light and tender texture. Gradual flour method: Adding the flour slowly keeps the dough soft and prevents overmixing. Chilling: Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and enhances flavor. Even baking: Using parchment ensures soft bottoms and prevents sticking.
History
Sugar cookies have roots in the 1700s in Pennsylvania, created by settlers who made simple “Nazareth cookies” from butter, sugar, and flour. Over time, the recipe evolved into the soft, rollable dough we know today. These cookies became especially popular for holidays because the dough shapes cleanly and holds decorations well. Your version follows the traditional American style: buttery, sweet, and perfect for rolling or forming by hand.
Benefits
Simple ingredients, no complicated steps. Makes a large batch, perfect for events. Cookies stay soft for days thanks to the rich butter-based dough. Kid-friendly preparation. Ideal for decorating or leaving plain.
Formation
This dough can be formed into cut-out cookies, drop cookies, or rolled sugar balls coated in sugar. For crispier cookies, roll thinner. For thicker, bakery-style cookies, roll slightly thicker.
Nutrition
Approximate per cookie (depends on size): 150–200 calories, 8–10 g fat, 18–22 g carbohydrates, 1–2 g protein, moderate sugar. Contains gluten and eggs.
Conclusion
This homemade sugar cookie recipe is reliable, easy, and always delicious. It’s the kind of recipe that becomes a family tradition because it never fails and uses ingredients already in your kitchen. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, decorating sessions, or anytime you want a soft, sweet treat.
Lovers
Cookie lovers adore this recipe because it creates soft but stable cookies. Bakers love it because it rolls beautifully and bakes evenly. Kids love it because it tastes like pure buttery sweetness. Families love it because it makes enough to share, freeze, decorate, and enjoy for days.
If you want, I can also make a version with icing, a flavored variation like lemon or almond, or a no-chill version.
