Favorite Soft Sugar Cookies
I realized that after all this time of us knowing each other…yeah, you and me. Me and You. Us. We…
I haven’t ever shared with you one of my most favorite cookie recipes.
I think Dr. Phil calls that “Lying by omission”. Great I am a Dr. Phil-ism.
But really, how can I legitimately call you “friend” if I’m holding back in such a major way?
Rude.
Disloyal.
Meannnnnnn.
Not sharing such a solid recipe warrants death by spitballing.
I feel such shame right now.
Is it too late to apologize? Apologiiiiiiiize, yeahhhhh-ayyhhhh. Sorry.
Anyway, of course all this is very dramatic.
Especially for such a simple cookie.
Because, well. That’s me.
Anyhow. Let’s not delay this any longer.
My Favorite Soft Sugar Cookies.
Get your sprinkles ready folks. These are as fun as they are simple.
Just a quick batter using the usual stuff..
and…
Except this time I used some vegetable shortening with the butter.
I know how some of you feel about shortening, so you can absolutely substitute in butter for it here, but know that your cookie will be a little flatter (unless you chill the dough) and more crisp around the edges. If you’re cool with that, go for it!
Also. I threw in the seeds of a vanilla bean.
You absolutely don’t have to use a vanilla bean. I know they cost a jillion dollars…so feel free to sub in regular extract. No worries.
Drop the dough in balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet. (Also I’ve been using these Bullseye Baking Parchments recently and they are too easy! Also, here are unmarked pre-cut parchment papers that I like too. Yes, I’m lazy!)
When they’re done they will look like this…
Let them cool.
Next up make the frosting. Mix your shortening. Yes more shortening. Again, if you want to sub in butter, totally fine.
The reason I use shortening here is that it produces a very stable frosting and “crusts” nicely which is perfect for these cookies.
I filled a piping bag up with the frosting…
Honestly, you don’t have to get fancy here. Just smear it on. It will taste just as good.
But a swirl is always pretty…
Sprinkles are not optional.
Perfect Soft Sugar Cookies.
And of course I had to make it a fatty. But you knew that already. Because we’re friends.
- 10 Tbsp butter, room temperature
- ⅔ cup vegetable shortening
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 Tbsp vanilla (I used 1 tsp + 1 vanilla bean ~ totally optional)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 3⅓ cups flour
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup + 1 Tbsp milk
- Preheat oven to 350°
- Line baking sheet with parchment and set aside.
- Cream shortening and butter together until smooth, add in sugar and beat for 1 minute on medium speed.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla until smooth.
- Turn mixer to low and add in baking powder, salt and flour until just combined.
- Drop by rounded tablespoon onto lined baking sheet.
- Bake 8-10 minutes until cookies just start to get golden.
- Allow to cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to wire rack to continue cooling.
- In mixer beat shortening and powdered sugar together. Mixture will look like course sand.
- Slowly add in milk and vanilla. Beat for 2 minutes until smooth and fluffy.
- Color frosting if desired and spread onto cooled cookies.
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52 Comments on "Favorite Soft Sugar Cookies"
I loooove a good sugar cookie! Yum!
Soft and chewy sugar cookies like these are the BEST! Yours look fantastic. And every cookie is better with frosting and sprinkles too 🙂
I think the simplest cookies are always the best! I think a little shortening in certain baked cookies can really change them for the better!
aSo perfect!! These look like the best!! YUMMY!
Such a lovely cookie! And so adaptable too. I have been looking for a pale puffy cookie that I could use a base for a many flavour creations. The sandwich idea is so cute!
I really need to get my butt in gear and make some of these. Soft sugar cookies seem to have floated around the blogs forever and I’ve still yet to try them. Yours look perfect!
I have such a weakness for soft sugar cookies. I don’t know if I should thank you or turn and run the other way after seeing this recipe. I have a feeling a batch of these cookies will be in my kitchen on a weekly basis!
I just want to reach through the screen and eat one!
They’re beautiful! So thick, puffy, and I can tell soft and chewy, rather than dry and crumbly, which is what happens to most sugar cookies. And love that they’re drop cookies, not rollout cookies.
I can’t resist a really good sugar cookie. I can’t believe you held out on us for so long. Death by spitballing, indeed! 🙂
Seriously, love drop sugar cookies. I don’t love doing “roll-out” cookies so these are perfect! That frosting looks delish too!
Hmmm these look good. How many cups of butter or weight is 10tbsp of butter?
5 ounces = 10 Tbsp.
Love the swirl on top, not sure why I have never thought to do that with cookies. My husband is in the camp of the more frosting the better – so he would be all for this!
The texture of these looks so perfect! Love frosted sugar cookies <3
How many cookies per batch? Yum!!!
“… death by spitballing.”
You crack me UP!
Love these w the icing and the sprinkles scream PARTY!
Saw these on Pinterest and Twitter! They look awesome!
We’re not friends anymore.
Look delish. I’ll have to try em soon!
I was just at a luncheon and I pushed people aside to get those “Lofthouse” cookies. I said, “I could eat the whole dozen”. Someone said, “Prove it!” Man I was tempted 🙂
I was crazy for sugar cookies when I was little…favorite childhood cookie! These look so amazing…they’re going on my sweets list!
These cookies look so soft and puffy and chewy. Pretty much the best kind of sugar cookies. I hate flat, crispy ones. And sugar cookies are just not right without frosting- at least in my world! And bonus they are drop cookies! SCORE!
Love these cookies! That giant swirl of frosting has my mouth watering!
These look so good! I love the pretty swirl of frosting!!
I am soooo craving buttercream and sprinkles now! I am quite impressionable apparently…I’m sure Dr Phil would have a LOT to say about that!
Just made these and they are awesome.Made 40 cookies using my large oxo scoop.I added almond extract along with the vanilla in the frosting,yummy.Thanks for the recipe it is now bookmarked 🙂
You got a lot out of the batch! Good to know 🙂 I must make huge cookies!
Shelly these cookies are an instant favorite.I bake all the time and take treats to work a couple times a week.They went crazy for these cookies.I left a few for my husband even though he said he didn’t want any because of the frosting.Guess what he was eating while I was at work,lol.He said he ate one and had to have more.Thanks for the recipe.Love watching for your recipes on Facebook 🙂
Mmmm I remember sugar cookies like these from when I was younger.. MUCH younger, my Mum used to make them for us at birthday parties (they were the only thing she COULD bake bless her!)
These look so lovely, thanks for sharing the recipe xx
Your cookies look wonderful! So soft and moist!
My kids would love these…must make immediately!! Love sprinkles by the way.
I have been searching for a “lofthouse” sugar cookie recipe forever! These look amazing! Pinning them now – suddenly my greek yogurt with berries snack isn’t doing a whole lot for me.
I found these rather disspapointing, although the frosting saved them.
This is the first food blog post I have read in three months due to being soooo sick! I can’t wait to feel well enough to try out these cookies. Sugar cookies are my fav 😉
Those cookies look fantastic, better than any store-bought sugar cookies I’ve seen.
My baby is turning 2 this week and we are having a “if you give a Kimball a Cookie” party!! I’m making a test batch of these today and am SO excited. They are easy and looking good.
OK, tonight I am making 3 batches of these for my momma and daddy’s Marine Corps League BB-Q tomorrow…These go with BB-Q right…lol
I made these last night and they are absolutely delicious. I’m glad you finally shared the recipe with us. Hmmm…any other favorite recipes you’re holding out on?? 🙂
If I wanted to replace the shortening in both the cookies and the icing with butter, how much would I use in each?
The same amounts!
Can you freeze these cookies with the frosting on? Making these today!
Yes! Absolutely!
Made these and we loved them. I used a buttercream frosting recipe ,but did not alter the cookie recipe. These were perfect. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Hi, I love this recipe (and all of your recipes), but I was just wondering – can you roll this cookie out to make shapes or does it really only work as a drop cookie?
If you used them as roll out cookies they would work, but they wouldn’t give you sharp edges after they baked. They’d puff up a bit.
Made these tonight and they are fantastic. An instant family favorite. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
I’m going totally new this year and making ALL new cookies for our gift tins (we give about 40 away ea yr). I’m also new here so I guess you could say I’m into NEW this year. I was wondering if you had every switched the vanilla for lemon? If not I’m not going to try it, just yet, but I WILL be making these beautiful little ladies for our tins.
I have a question about frosting, I quit using milk in mine when I stopped and thought about it one day, that the cake or cookies might sit out for a day or two or three, doesn’t the milk sour at room temperature? I just use all butter now and extra vanilla but a tablespoon of milk sure makes it smooth 🙂 thanks for your thoughts
If you’re worried you could add water, but the milk won’t sour. the sugar acts as a preservative to the small amount of milk in the frosting!
I’m pregnant and was craving soft sugar cookies…. All I can say is I LOVE YOU FOR POSTING THIS! These are the most delicious sugar cookies, actually most delicious COOKIE ever! I’ve already eaten 4 and have to ask my husband to hide them now! Thank you for a great recipe!!
I just made these and they came out AMAZING!
100% would make again 🙂