Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
Classic Sugar Cookies (5 Recipes) — Five vintage sugar cookie favorites in one place: quick drop cookies, a filled preserve cookie, brown sugar drops, and two more old-fashioned variations. These are simple, pantry-style recipes with classic leavening (baking soda + sour milk, and even soda + cream of tartar).
Use the jump links to go straight to the style you want—soft drop cookies for everyday baking, or the chilled/rolled dough if you’re making filled cookies.
Recipes on this page
Sugar Cookie
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda (stir into the sour milk/buttermilk)
- 2 cups flour (with dash of salt)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Vanilla and lemon extract (to taste)
- Sweetened coconut
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cream shortening, sugar, and egg.
- Add sour milk (with soda), then flour, salt, and baking powder.
- Mix in vanilla and lemon extract.
- Drop large teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheet.
- Flatten slightly and sprinkle tops with mostly coconut mixed with a little sugar.
- Bake 10 minutes.
Servings: about 2 dozen cookies
Sugar Cookies (Filled)
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup shortening (part margarine)
- 2 eggs
- 2/3 cup milk
- 1 heaping teaspoon nutmeg
- 4 to 4 1/2 cups flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- Strawberry preserves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cream sugar and shortening. Beat in eggs and milk.
- Sift dry ingredients and add to creamed mixture.
- Chill dough 1 hour.
- Roll 1/8-inch thick and cut with 2–2 1/2 inch cutter.
- Place 1 teaspoon preserves on one cookie, top with another, seal edges.
- Bake 10–20 minutes until very light tan.
Servings: 3–4 dozen cookies
Brown Sugar Drop Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup shortening
- 2 cups brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sour milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Cream sugar, shortening, and eggs.
- Sift flour, salt, and soda.
- Stir milk into creamed mixture, then add dry ingredients.
- Chill at least 1 hour.
- Drop rounded teaspoonfuls on greased cookie sheet.
- Bake 10–15 minutes.
Note: Nuts, dates, coconut, or fruit may be added.
Servings: about 5 dozen cookies
Sugar Cookie – 2
Ingredients
- 2 cups sugar
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups butter or lard
- 1 cup sweet milk
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 4 teaspoons vanilla
- 5 cups flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Beat eggs with sugar; beat in butter.
- Combine soda and cream of tartar with milk; add vanilla.
- Mix into dough and beat in flour.
- Drop onto cookie sheet and bake 10–12 minutes.
Servings: about 4 dozen cookies
Drop Sugar Cookie
Ingredients
- 2 eggs
- 2 cups sugar
- 3/4 cup shortening
- 1 cup milk
- 4 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Mix eggs, sugar, shortening, and milk.
- Sift soda, salt, cream of tartar with flour; add to mixture.
- Stir in vanilla.
- Drop by teaspoon onto greased cookie sheet.
- Bake 10–12 minutes.
- Remove and sprinkle separately with sugar and cinnamon.
Servings: about 4 dozen cookies
FAQ
Why do these recipes use sour milk or buttermilk?
The acidity reacts with baking soda, helping the cookies bake up softer and lighter.
Can I substitute regular milk for sour milk?
Yes—add about 1 teaspoon vinegar or lemon juice per cup of milk, then let it stand a few minutes before using.
Can these sugar cookies be frozen?
Yes. Freeze baked cookies airtight, or freeze portioned dough and bake later (add a little extra bake time if baking from frozen).
Why chill some sugar cookie doughs?
Chilling firms the dough, helps prevent spreading, and makes rolling and filling easier.