If you’re looking for a fluffy, crisp, old-fashioned Sugar Cookie, do I have a treat for you! This is a simple sugar cookie recipe, packed full of flavor, and straight from Grandma’s cookbook!
Grandma’s Simple Sugar Cookies
If you’ve been following this blog for a while you know that I’m known for my iced sugar cookies. It took me weeks to come up with a recipe that works for cut-out sugar cookies, (which is what you need for covering with Easy Royal Icing).
This ain’t that.
This is an old-fashioned sugar cookie recipe you’re going to love!
This particular recipe came from the matriarch in our family, my mama. It’s so good that she called it her “super” sugar cookie recipe!
I have no doubt my mama got it from her mama. And I’m happy to post it here so that my kids and grandkids will always have it as part of their legacy.
Unlike my roll-out cookies, this recipe produces a super light, fluffy cookie. That’s not to say my painted sugar cookies are hard. They’re delicious and just right for painting. But these are literally like puffs of air.
When I took my first bite of one of these cookies I felt myself transported back to my mama’s kitchen. I could hear her voice. I could see her smile. I could smell that luscious aroma wafting over her spacious country kitchen.
These cookies took me home again. And they’ll take you home again, too.
Soft Sugar Cookies Ingredients
You will find a full printable recipe card at the bottom of this post but here’s a quick peek at what you’ll need to make these scrumptious sugar cookies.
- room temperature butter (salted or unsalted butter, your choice)
- cup vegetable oil
- cup granulated sugar
- cup powdered sugar
- teaspoon vanilla extract (not pictured)
- large egg
- teaspoon baking soda
- teaspoon cream of tartar
- teaspoon salt
- all purpose flour
- extra sugar for rolling
How to Make Grandma’s Sugar Cookies
These came together so easily! I was tickled at how simple they were.
Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Put your room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. You can use the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer, but I opted to mix mine by hand with a whisk.
Add the oil and continue to mix.
Add your sugars and vanilla. Continue to whisk until completely smooth.
Add egg and continue to blend.
It’s time to add your dry ingredients. Add them to the wet ingredients and stir well until fully incorporated.
Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is set.
Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Remove the bowl of dough from the freezer and scoop into balls. I used a cookie scoop for this.
Roll in sugar and place the dough balls onto prepared baking sheets. Press them down with your palm to flatten them.
I use Nordic Ware pans, along with the perfect parchment sheets that are pre-cut to fit the half-sheet perfectly!
Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 – 12 minutes. I left mine in the full 12 minutes. (Baking time may vary, depending on your oven.)
Remove and place baking sheet on wire rack to cool.
Once cookies have cooled slightly, serve to a hungry crew! You’ll want to double this recipe if you’re feeding a large group. (This recipe made 20 cookies so judge accordingly.)
Store in an airtight container. They are good at room temperature for 3 – 5 days.
You can freeze any leftover dough, if you like. I rolled mine into a tube, covered in in sugar, then wrapped it in plastic wrap so that I can slice-and-bake them later on. I then placed the tube into a freezer bag and put it in the freezer.
Option two for freezing sugar cookie dough: Roll balls of dough in advance, roll in sugar, and freeze in a ziplock bag.
What to Expect from These Cookies
This is the best sugar cookie recipe I’ve made in ages! They have a lovely buttery flavor and those tiny granules of sugar are perfection!
As I mentioned above, these really took me back in time. They’re so light and fluffy on the inside that they practically melt in the mouth! You can thank the addition of powdered sugar for this airy consistency. Talk about a tender crumb!
I love the tiny bit of crispness on the golden brown bottom. The vegetable oil helps achieve this effect. Aren’t these gorgeous?
All in all, this is a perfect sugar cookie with the right amount of sweetness. Now I see why my Mama labeled these her “super” sugar cookies in her recipe book. (And boy, am I ever glad she took the time to write down this recipe for the rest of us.)
Variations on this Recipe
This is a great recipe you’re going to make again and again! They’ll be great for the holidays but (honestly?) they’re perfect any time of year!
I think these cookies are amazing just like they are, but you guys know me! I’m always looking for ways to change things up. Here are a few ideas that came to me:
Snickerdoodles: You could easily turn these into Snickerdoodles by rolling in a cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking.
Almond: I use a lot of almond in my roll-out cookies and I think almond extract would pair beautifully with this recipe, too!
Lemon: I think these would be delicious with lemon extract and covered in a lemon glaze instead of granulated sugar.
Sprinkles: Roll in colorful sprinkles instead of sugar. Options might include red, green, and white at Christmastime; red, white, and blue on the 4th of July; green and white on St. Patrick’s Day and so on. Let your imagination be your guide!
Colored sugars: These would make perfect Christmas sugar cookies with red or green sugar in place of white.
Dreamy Buttercream: These cookies would be perfect covered in buttercream. Yum!
Other Sugar Cookies from Out of the Box Baking
Here are a few of my favorites!
Sugar Crinkle Cookies: These cookies are similar to Mama’s sugar cookies but they’re meant to crack on top. They’re light and delicious!
Lemon Burst Cookies: These are lemon-infused sugar cookies, guaranteed to make you smile!
Cut-Out Sugar Cookies: My roll-out cookies, in case you missed the memo above.
Cinnamon-Sugar Bisquick Cookies: These start with my DIY Bisquick mix. They’re easy to whip up! Talk about a simple recipe!
Brown Sugar Pecan Cookies: This is a delicious twist on a simple sugar cookie, loaded with pecans and brown sugar in place of granulated and powdered.
Crumbl Copycat Pink Sugar Cookies: This is a relatively new recipe and it’s delicious!
Follow this link for a comprehensive post listing more of my fall cookies and bars, perfect for autumn!
Tips and Tricks for Baking Cookies
- Use an oven thermometer to ensure the temperature is correct.
- Use parchment paper on the cookie sheet.
- If you’re using a darker colored cookie sheet, use a slightly lower temperature.
- Don’t over-mix, especially once the flour goes in.
That’s it for this post, friends! I hope you enjoyed this easy sugar cookie recipe!
See this recipe at
Busy Monday
About the Author
Janice Thompson is an author, baker, and all-around mischief maker! She has overcome a host of baking catastrophes, including a toppled wedding cake, to learn more about the baking process. Janice has published over 150 books for the Christian market but particularly enjoys writing recipes and baking devotions. To learn more about Janice or to drop her a note, visit her About the Author page.
Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
If you're looking for a fluffy, crisp, old-fashioned Sugar Cookie, do I have a treat for you! This is a simple sugar cookie recipe, packed full of flavor, and straight from Grandma's cookbook!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup room temperature butter (salted or unsalted butter, your choice)
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla (not pictured)
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- extra sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Start by preheating your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Put your room temperature butter in a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth. You can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment or an electric mixer, but I opted to mix mine by hand with a whisk.
- Add the oil and continue to mix.
- Add your sugars and vanilla. Continue to whisk until completely smooth.
- Add egg and continue to blend.
- It's time to add your dry ingredients. Add them to the wet ingredients and stir well until fully incorporated.
- Cover your bowl with plastic wrap and place in the freezer for 10-15 minutes or until the dough is set.
- Prepare a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the bowl of dough from the freezer and scoop into balls. I used a cookie scoop for this.
- Roll in sugar and place the dough balls onto the cookie sheet. Press them down with your palm to flatten them.
- Place in preheated oven and bake for 10 - 12 minutes. I left mine in the full 12 minutes.
- Remove and place baking sheet on wire rack to cool.
- Once cookies have cooled slightly, serve to a hungry crew! You'll want to double this recipe if you're feeding a large group. (This recipe made 20 cookies so judge accordingly.)
- Store in an airtight container. They are good at room temperature for 3 - 5 days.
- You can freeze any leftover dough, if you like. I rolled mine into a tube, covered in in sugar, then wrapped it in plastic wrap so that I can slice-and-bake them later on. I then placed the tube into a ziplock bag and put it in the freezer.
Crumbl Birthday Cake Cookie Copycat - Out of the Box Baking
Saturday 25th of November 2023
[…] other sugar cookies I’ve done (like the Pink Crumbl Cookies, my Lofthouse cookies, and my Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies) is the amount of cream cheese in the […]
Let's Take a Fun Baking Quiz - Out of the Box Baking
Friday 18th of August 2023
[…] often I use baking soda in my cookies, like my Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies. They’re light and airy and that’s (in part) due to the addition of baking […]
Easy Hot Chocolate Cookies - Out of the Box Baking
Monday 12th of December 2022
[…] Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies: If you’re looking for a fluffy, crisp, old-fashioned Sugar Cookie, do I have a treat for you! This is a simple sugar cookie recipe, packed full of flavor, and straight from Grandma’s cookbook! […]
Cherry Pie Bars (aka Cherry Cobbler Bars) - Out of the Box Baking
Wednesday 7th of December 2022
[…] just kept thinking about my Mama’s soft sugar cookie recipe as I tasted my first cherry bar. These have that same “bite,” that same soft […]
Kathleen
Sunday 27th of November 2022
Can you freeze these after baking?
booksbyjanice
Monday 28th of November 2022
I haven't tried it. I would probably do it the other way around: freeze the dough in balls and pull them out of the freezer to bake. (That's my norm. I always keep dough balls in my freezer.)