Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Sometimes the simplest things are best, and it doesn’t get any simpler than Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies. With a short list of ingredients, this dough comes together in a snap. Plus, you can flavor and decorate sugar cookies all kinds of ways. I love using different colors of coarse sugar or fun sprinkle shapes to match the season. These wonderful, old fashioned sugar cookies are tender, cakey, and chewy with a wee bit of crunch from the colored sugar on top. As a bonus, they stay fresh and yummy for days so you can savor them slowly.
My recipe calls for plenty of vanilla and hints of lemon and orange. I use a special flavoring from King Arthur called Fiori di Sicilia. You can sub in either lemon and orange oils or lemon and orange extracts. Or, you can add a bit of lemon and orange zest. Of course, you can flavor these any way you want!
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Here’s What You Need to Make Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 drops Fiori di Sicilia (Or 3 drops each lemon and orange oils; or ½ tsp. each orange and lemon extracts)
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
Here’s What to Do
Preheat oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats. Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and citrus flavorings and beat well. Tip in the salt, baking soda and flour and beat on low until combined.
Using a #70 disher (if you want to get technical, that’s 2.75 tsp.) or small spoon, scoop out small balls of dough. Dip top of dough ball in sprinkles, colored sugar or plain coarse sugar. Place dough balls, sugar side up, evenly spaced on the baking sheets. See tips below for easy techniques to do this.
Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges and set in the center. Make sure to rotate the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking and browning.
Cool on sheets a few minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Tips for Forming the Sugar Cookies
This dough is soft and a bit sticky so a little technique goes a long way. Pour whatever sprinkles or sugar you are using into a small, wide bowl. Put one hand out flat, fingers together, and dollop the dough ball onto your fingers. The dough will stick to your hand just enough for you to turn your hand upside down and dip the top of the dough into the bowl of sugar. Bring your hand over to the baking sheets and gently “roll” the dough ball onto the sheet so the sugar ends up on top. You may have to tap it a bit here and there to get the sugar centered on top.
Another option is to dollop the dough directly into the bowl of sugar and gently use your fingertips to pick the blob up and place it on the cookie sheet. I find the first way easier, but you do you!
Enjoy!
Love old fashioned cookies? Try these three other favorites of ours:
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter or margarine
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 8 drops Fiori di Sicilia
- OR 3 drops lemon oil and 3 drops orange oil
- OR ½ tsp. orange extract and ½ tsp. lemon extract
- 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. flour
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp. baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 and line 2 baking sheets with parchment or silpats.
- Cream margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg, vanilla and citrus flavorings and beat well. Tip in the salt, baking soda and flour and beat on low until combined. Using a #70 disher (if you want to get technical, that’s 2.75 tsp.) or small spoon, scoop out small balls of dough. Dip top of dough ball in sprinkles, colored sugar or plain coarse sugar. Place dough balls, sugar side up, evenly spaced on the baking sheets. See tips below for easy techniques to do this.
- Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the edges and set in the center. Make sure to rotate the sheets halfway through to ensure even baking and browning. Cool on sheets a few minutes, then transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.