perfect sugar cookies

These are not crisp or crunchy sugar cookies. They are soft, pillowy, and almost cake-like, with a tender crumb that stays soft for days. They roll out beautifully, hold their shape, and bake up thick and fluffy.

They are meant for frosting. Thick layers. Lots of sprinkles. No pressure to look perfect.

They are the kind of cookie that feels nostalgic the moment you take a bite.

Why This Recipe Matters to Me

There are some recipes that are more than just food. They are memory keepers. They show up year after year, tied to certain seasons, certain people, and moments you don’t realize are sacred until later.

This sugar cookie recipe is one of those for us.

They are meant to be soft and cakey, the kind that remind me of Lofthouse cookies from the grocery store bakery, but better. Not overly sweet. Not dry. Just perfectly tender with that familiar vanilla and almond warmth. And the best part is that I know exactly what’s in them.

We make these every year. Sometimes once, sometimes multiple times depending on how long winter feels. They are the cookies my kids hover around while they bake. The ones we frost slowly, messily, and imperfectly. This is a recipe I will absolutely be passing down to my children.

---

Perfect Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups powdered sugar

• 1 cup butter or margarine, softened

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ½ teaspoon almond extract

• 1 large egg

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon cream of tartar

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, beat the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and egg with an electric mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy.

2. Stir in the flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar until fully combined.

3. Drop the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and split into two balls. Flatten each ball into a disc, and then wrap with parchment or plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This step is important for soft, thick cookies.

4. About 10-15 minutes before you're ready to roll & cut out the cookies, remove the dough from the fridge to soften a bit. Preheat the oven to 370 degrees F and lightly grease cookie sheets.

5. After the dough has become soft (you may need to knead it a bit!), roll one half at a time about 1/2-3/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. The thicker you make them, the more cake-y they will be!

6. Cut into desired shapes and place cookies about 2 inches apart on the baking sheet.

7. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are just barely light golden (I even like mine not quite golden yet, but no longer wet-looking In the middles.) Do not overbake.

8. Remove and let cool completely on wire racks or wax paper before frosting.

Our Classic Sugar Cookie Frosting

This frosting is simple, sweet, and spreads beautifully. It firms up just enough to hold sprinkles, but stays soft underneath.

Ingredients

• 3 cups powdered sugar

• ⅓ cup butter, softened

• 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract

• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk (or cream!!)

• Optional: ½ teaspoon almond extract

Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, mix powdered sugar and butter with an electric mixer on low speed until combined.

2. Stir in vanilla extract and almond extract if using, along with 1 tablespoon of milk.

3. Gradually beat in just enough milk to make the frosting smooth and spreadable.

4. If the frosting is too thick, add a little more milk. If it is too thin, add a small amount of powdered sugar.

5. Separate into bowls if you want to color the frosting. Or, leave it white!

6. Spread desired amount onto the cookies and add sprinkles if desired. Enjoy!

---

A Recipe Worth Passing Down

There’s something grounding about making the same recipe every year. In a world that changes quickly, traditions like this anchor us. They remind me that childhood doesn’t need to be complicated to be meaningful.

Someday, my kids will remember these cookies not because they were perfect (even though they are imo), but because they were part of our family rhythm. Flour on the counter. Frosting on fingers. A kitchen that felt warm and safe.

When We Make Them

We almost always make these around the holidays, but honestly, they work any time of year. Birthdays. Snow days. A random afternoon when everyone needs something sweet.

They’re especially fun for decorating, and forgiving enough that even little hands can help. Thick frosting, simple sprinkles, and zero pressure for things to look Pinterest-perfect.

A Note on Ingredients

One of the reasons I keep coming back to this recipe is because I know what’s in it. No artificial flavors. No mystery ingredients. Just real butter, sugar, flour, and the things you’d expect to find in a family recipe that’s been loved for a long time.

It’s proof that you don’t need shortcuts to create something special. Sometimes the simplest things really are the best.

Final Thoughts

This sugar cookie recipe is more than just dessert in our home. It’s part of our family story, one I’m already watching take root in my children as they grow.

If you’re looking for a soft, nostalgic sugar cookie that feels like a memory waiting to be made, this one is it. I hope it finds a place in your kitchen the way it has in ours.

And maybe, years from now, it will be a recipe you pass down too.