This Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe is a copycat recipe of the grandma’s big, frosted cookies sold in grocery stores. The cream cheese frosting and freshness of the cookies make them even better!
Grandma’s Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
Have you ever been tempted by the big frosted sugar cookies sold in the grocery store’s bakery section? They look so good, don’t they?! But, sometimes they aren’t fresh and after spending all that money, it can be a big disappointment. Don’t do it! You can make your own at home for less money and better quality and taste. These sugar cookies are melt-in-your-mouth soft. When you add the cream cheese frosting on top they are absolutely scrumptious!
Tips for Making Grandma’s Soft Sugar Cookies
The number one tip I can give you for this recipe is that you absolutely MUST NOT over-bake them! That is the key to making them soft. They may look under-baked when you take them out in 10-12 minutes, but they will cook a little more on the hot pan. This sugar cookie recipe is perfect for cookie cutters. If you don’t have any cookie cutters you can use the top of a glass. This is a go-to recipe for any holiday or birthday celebration throughout he year when you want to cut out cookies in fun shapes. You can also dye the frosting all sorts of colors and use lots and lots of sprinkles to make them extra festive! Add different extracts to the frosting for a variety of tastes – orange, almond, vanilla – make them your own!
More of Our Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Sugar Cookies with Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting
- The Best Christmas Cookies Ever
- Swig Cookie Recipe with Four Variations
- How to Make Cookie Ice Cream Sandwiches
- Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
How to Make Grandma’s Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 to 1½ pounds powdered sugar
- Candy sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees
- Beat shortening (or butter) and sugar together.
- Add eggs, milk and vanilla
- In separate bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Slowing add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.
- Mix together until you can form a large dough ball.
- On floured surface, roll out dough ball until about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick.
- Use cookie cutters (or rim of a drinking glass) to cut cookie shapes out of dough.
- Place cookies on lightly sprayed cookie sheet.
- Bake about 10-12 minutes. DON'T OVERCOOK OR THEY WILL BE HARD!
FROSTING
- Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar to desired consistency.
- Spread frosting over cooled cookies. If adding sprinkles, add them immediately after frosting.
Morgan says
I was really impressed with this recipe. The dough was easy to work with, I cut out hearts for Valentine’s Day. The cookies were soft and tender and held their shape perfectly!
Cate says
These look absolutely amazing, and that frosting looks to die for! Thanks for the recipe!
Alisha Rodrigues says
Ah !! These look so fancy .. Love how easy they are. Perfect for valentines day and even to make with the kids
Traci says
Yayyyy! I’ve found a new, reliable cookie recipe for my collection. Thanks for another winner! 🙂
David says
Those are some seriously tempting cookies! Definitely have had the experience of getting store cookies that looked good but were pretty stale.
V. L. Dillaun-Calhoun says
I have a recipe that I concocted years ago That keep much longer, it there are any left to keep.:
No eggs or milk, margerine instead of butter or Crisco. I don’t have to ice them nor decorate.
They are gone before I get the chance to.
I make 4 -6 dozen per batch, to take to my computer club.
I also make a humungouse batch of the dry ingredients to keep on hand & use the same batter for a
base for many other cookies. I seldom am allowed to bring any back home.
Teresa says
I made these today. The dough was too soft for cutouts. I couldn’t pick the cutout from the floured parchment after cutting it out. I was afraid to add too much flour. I scooped the dough with a #40. Commercial food scoop,flattened the ball. The recipe yield was 3 dozen cookies. I added a small amount of milk to the frosting. I used a small amount of “koolaid” like drink mix (unsweetened) to add color and cut the sweetness of the frosting. Awesome cookie.
Favorite Family Recipes says
Thank you for sharing your tips on this recipe! The dough can be tricky depending on elevation and humidity. I add a little flour at a time to get to the consistency for cut-outs, or powdered sugar if your concerned about taste. I love your Kool-Aid idea for adding color to the frosting.
Catt says
My dough was very sticky. I Added flour but it didn’t work. Also this recipe only makes 2 dozen cookies. They did taste good in the end though.????????
Favorite Family Recipes says
I wonder why it was so sticky? What elevation are you at?
Tammy says
Can the dough be refrigerated or frozen for later use?
Erica says
We haven’t tried freezing it but I am sure you wouldn’t have a problem if you did. Let us know how it turns out!
Mary says
Does the frosting recipe harden a bit so cookies can be stacked to give away?
Erica says
It hardens a little bit but I would definitely take care in stacking. I would separate each layer with wax paper just in case!
Shannon says
For the icing I used orange extract instead of vanilla and it came out really good 🙂
Echo says
That sounds delicious! Thank you for sharing!
Lore Frame says
Can I use a teaspoon and make a ball of dough and then flatten them with a glass dipped in sugar
Erica says
Yes, that way they would be a lot like our “Swig” cookie recipe. 🙂
TheWannaBeBaker says
I made them and the dough is awfully sticky. but they are good i rollled them in cinnamon sugar.
Calley GArdner says
What happens if you omit the baking powder and use baking soda instead??
Emily says
I don’t think that baking powder and soda are interchangeable.
Deb says
Using butter instead of shortening what will be the taste difference?
Erica says
It will have a slightly different taste and texture – but you may like it better!
Leah says
Hi, is it really 1 to 11/2 pounds of powdered sugar in the frosting? Seems like a lot! Is it tablespoons instead?
Thanks!
Leah
Emily says
No that is correct. That is the size of the bag of powdered sugar, not the actual weight. It takes a lot of powdered sugar to make frosting.
zerlene woodward says
Thank You for this recipe! Because Jill A. recommended it I printed it off….Looks sooo Good! Thank You! Will make them at Christmas time also Jill A…..
Donna says
I think I’m going to give these a try! I would think that butter-flavored Crisco might give them a better flavor.
alexis says
How many cookies does this Recipe make ?
Echo says
It makes about 3 dozen cookies. It can vary a little depending on how big you make the cookie dough balls. If you make them closer to 1/2″ the recipe would yield closer to 4 dozen.
Kara says
These cookies are easy to make and incredibly tasty! For the frosting I omitted the cream cheese and added in about 4 tablespoons of milk instead. I will definitely make these again!
Anne says
will using butter instead of shortening ange the chewy ness of the cookies? thanks
Emily says
It will taste a little different, but still work fine!
Fern says
Can’t wait to make these for Valentines Day!
Bailey says
Hey thanks for the recipe they are fantastic!!!
Bianca says
Excited to try these <3
Gail Crandall says
can I use unsalted butter instead of the crisco?
thanks
Emily says
Yes, that’s fine.
Asher says
I just made these and they are fantastic! I’ll be using a different frosting but the cookies are amazing.
Jody Mercado says
Good recipes