OLD-FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES (Grama B's Recipe)

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Every Christmas and Valentine's Day we would always look forward to my Mom's old-fashioned sugar cookies.  She made DOZENS of these every year and they have always been a family favorite!  My Dad loved them, my brothers and sister loved them, EVERYONE raved about how wonderful her sugar cookies tasted!

​From the time that they were little my kiddos have loved these soft and tender sugar cookies better than any other!  Probably because it was the first cookie for each of them...

​I was one of those crazy moms that didn't give my little ones any refined sugar until their first birthday.  And Mom would always make it a special event by baking up a batch of these and giving them a simple sprinkle of sparkling sugar on top.  Perfectly simple, perfectly wonderful!

Christmas Sugar Cookies with Easy Royal Icing

If you are one of those people that prefer your sugar cookies on the hard or crisp side, these are not for you. These are thick and tender, soft and chewy!  I generally use cookie cutters that have simple designs - no intricate edges or cutouts, as these cookies bake up soft and puffy. 

​And whether you prefer them simply sprinkled with sugar, or want to throw caution to the wind and decorate, these are the sugar cookies that always disappear first!  When I'm decorating with little ones, I prefer to use a "bakery style" frosting and let them swirl and twirl the frosting and sprinkle with holiday sprinkles.  So messy, and so dang much fun!  And if I have an afternoon to myself, I love taking the time to frost and decorate with Easy Royal Icing.  And have lots of fun with holiday sprinkles!

Grama B's Christmas Cookie Cutters

Any way that you decorate these, they roll out, bake and freeze like a dream!  Simply make sure that the icing or frosting has had at least 3 hours to sit, and then place in single layers on top of parchment paper in an airtight container.  They will stay soft and wonderful at room temperature for at least a week, or in your freezer for a month. 

​Mom also used these sugar cookies as the base for her Date Filled Sugar Cookies.  Simply cut the cookie dough into 3-inch circles and place a spoonful of date filling between two cookies, sprinkle with sparkling sugar and bake just until the edges start to turn golden. So soft and good!

Old-Fashioned Christmas Sugar Cookies

I also wanted to share my food color recommendations with you.  For years I have used Wilton Paste Colour or Wilton Gel for cake and cookie decorating, but I've now switched over to AmeriColor Soft Gel Paste.  You'll get a far more intense and superior color that doesn't separate or weep - the last thing you want to have happen on your beautiful sugar cookies! 

​And the next time you have one of those store-bought iced sugar cookies and wonder how impossibly hard it would be to make them at home, you've now got the perfect recipe for the perfect Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies, and our favorite Bakery Frosting and Easy Royal Icing.

​Thanks Mom!  Your sugar cookie legacy will live on and always remind us of you!

Grama Benesh's Sugar Cookies

OLD FASHIONED SUGAR COOKIES
(Grama B's Recipe)

These are a secret family recipe – my Mom (Grama Benesh) was famous for these wonderful and perfect sugar cookies!  She always cut these thick and baked them until lightly golden on the bottom, the tops sprinkled with colorful sugar.  These were always the first cookies that each of my kids ate – perfectly simple and wonderful!
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Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
SUGAR COOKIES:
3 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (sifted, spooned & leveled)
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (room temperature)
½ cup Crisco shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg (room temperature)
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup sour cream (room temperature)
 
FROSTING:  (Bakery Frosting or Easy Royal Icing – see SnowflakesandCoffeecakes.com)
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BAKERY FROSTING:
½ cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
½ cup Crisco shortening
4 cups powdered sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla (use clear vanilla if you want pure white frosting)
Milk or half & half (add by tablespoons to desired consistency)
Food Coloring (optional)
 
FOR DECORATING:  Holiday Sprinkles and Sparkling Sugar
 
SPECIAL EQUIPMENT:

• Cookie cutter(s)
• Rolling pin (my wooden Joseph Joseph rolling pin works the BEST for these cookies!)
• Large baking sheets
• Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper

 
HOW I MAKE THESE: 

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium speed until completely smooth and creamy.  Add the sugar and beat on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add in the egg and vanilla and beat on high speed for 2 full minutes. Add sour cream and mix just until blended.  Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.
3. On low speed, slowly mix half of the flour mixture into the wet ingredients just until combined; add remaining flour mixture and again mix just until combined.  
4. Divide dough in thirds and place each onto a large piece of plastic wrap. Wrap each up tightly and pat down to create a disc shape.  Chill dough discs at least overnight and up to 2 days. Chilling is mandatory for this cookie dough!
5. The next day, preheat oven to 375°F. Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. 
6. Remove chilled cookie dough from the refrigerator.  Generously flour a work surface, as well as your hands and the rolling pin. Roll out cookie dough until evenly 1/4-inch thick.  Cut into shapes with cookie cutters that have been dipped in flour.  Place each cookie about 1 inch apart on prepared baking sheets.  Re-roll dough scraps until all the dough is shaped.  Repeat with remaining cookie dough.
7. If you are not planning to frost with Bakery Frosting or Easy Royal Icing, sprinkle with sparkling sugar. 
8. Bake cookies for about 8 minutes, or just until the edges just begin to turn golden.   If your cookie cutters are smaller than 4 inches, bake for about 7 minutes. If your cookie cutters are larger than 4 inches, bake for about 9-10 minutes.  Every oven is a little bit different, so watch your first batch when baking and time accordingly.  DO NOT OVERBAKE!
9. Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Once completely cool, decorate with Bakery Frosting or Easy Royal Icing and sprinkles (Bakery Frosting is easier for little ones…)
10. TO MAKE BAKERY FROSTING:  Beat all ingredients together in a stand mixer with whisk attachment on medium-high speed, until light and fluffy (beat at least 10 minutes). 
11. Frost completely cooled cookies and sprinkle with sprinkles (optional).  Allow frosting to set before storing – keep parchment paper between each layer.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature or freeze for up to 1 month.

YIELD:  Makes 24 (four-inch) cookies or 30-36 (three-inch) cookies.

NOTES:  TO KEEP THESE COOKIES SOFT:  I keep a slice of sandwich bread in the container to keep the cookies soft – replace every day or so, as soon as the slice of bread dries out.  It’s a sweet little trick!  These cookies will stay fresh in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to one week.  Baked these freeze well – plain, or even if frosted or decorated!

Originally published December 2010, Revised & Republished December 2017
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