Perfect Sugar Cookies

This is an old fashioned sugar cookie recipe without baking powder that makes the perfect sugar cookies every time! These wonderfully chewy sugar cookies are simple to make, cut out and decorate! They are such simple cookies, but they pack a lovely punch of flavor! This has got to be my toddlers’ favorite recipe to help make, decorate and (of course) eat!

Related post: Toddler Things | Why Cooking Should be One of Them

Equipment needed to make these perfect sugar cookies:

• Baking Sheet
• Stand mixer

Shopping list for this homemade sugar cookie recipe:

• Shortening
• Granulated sugar
• Salt
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Almond extract
• Baking soda
• Sour cream
• All purpose flour 

How to make the perfect sugar cookies without baking powder:

Dough Prep:

• Mix the first six ingredients in a stand mixer on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. **About 4 minutes,
• In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the sour cream.
• Add this mixture to the mixture in the stand mixer on low speed.
• Sift flour and slowly add to stand mixture on low speed.
• **If dough is too soft, add more flour until you reach desired dough consistency.
• Wrap dough in wax paper and chill for 4-6 hours.

When Ready to Bake:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Spray three large cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge and cut into three sections.
• Work with one dough at a time, returning the remaining dough to the fridge.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8″ thick.
• Cut into desired shapes and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let rest on cooking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Ice and decorate or eat plain!
• Store in an air tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge!

Tips for making the perfect sugar cookies:

1. Chill for as long as you can. The colder the dough, the better! I like to mine the day before and let it chill overnight.
2. Once you take the dough out to roll, try to keep it as cold as possible by: picking a rolling location away from the oven, keeping the remaining dough in the fridge, and working as fast as you can!
3. Make sure you have enough flour out when rolling to keep your surface and rolling pin coated to prevent sticking.
4. After placing your cookie cutter into the dough, slowly move it around in a circle to isolate it more from the remaining dough. This makes it easier to transport.
5. Cut as many shapes as possible out of the dough after the first roll. Quickly combine and reroll the remaining dough to cut as many cookies as possible.
6. Bake each sheet one at a time on the center rack. I like to bake my first one while I work on rolling the next. If you finish before the cookies in the oven are done, place cookie sheet in the fridge. You may have to add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time depending on how cold the cookie sheet gets.
7. Quick and easy icing trick: If I’m in a hurry, I like to just grab a can of Betty Crocker icing. I melt it for a minute in the microwave and then pour it into a shallow bowl. **Color if desired. Then simply dip each cookie face into the melted icing and pull away. This creates a perfectly iced look every time!

Perfect Sugar Cookies

This old fashioned sugar cookie recipe without baking powder makes the perfect sugar cookies every time!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Chilling Time 4 hours hrs

Total Time 4 hours hrs 20 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Servings 6 dozen

Calories 150 kcal

Equipment

• Baking Sheet
• Stand mixer

Ingredients

  

• 1 c Shortening
• 1.5 c Granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 2 lg Eggs
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp Almond extract
• 1/2 tsp Baking soda
• 3 tbsp Sour cream
• 3 c All purpose flour sifted

Instructions

 

Dough Prep:

• Mix the first six ingredients in a stand mixer on a medium-high speed until light and fluffy. **About 4 minutes,
• In a separate bowl, dissolve the baking soda into the sour cream.
• Add this mixture to the mixture in the stand mixer on low speed.
• Sift flour and slowly add to stand mixture on low speed.
• **If dough is too soft, add more flour until you reach desired dough consistency.
• Wrap dough in wax paper and chill for 4-6 hours.

When Ready to Bake:

• Preheat oven to 350F.
• Spray three large cookie sheets with nonstick spray or line with parchment paper.
• Remove dough from fridge and cut into three sections.
• Work with one dough at a time, returning the remaining dough to the fridge.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/8" thick.
• Cut into desired shapes and place on prepared baking sheet.
• Sprinkle with sugar or colored sugar.
• Bake 8-10 minutes or until golden brown.
• Let rest on cooking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Ice and decorate or eat plain!
• Store in an air tight container for 2-3 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge!

Notes

**Make sure surface and rolling pin are coated in flour when rolling out to prevent sticking.

 

Keyword sugar cookie

Related Recipes:

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Pumpkin Crumb Cake Muffins

Giant Fluffy Cinnamon Roll Recipe – Struggle Shuttle

Please let me know what you think and drop pics of your perfect sugar cookies in the comments!

Happy baking!

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