I really had to swallow my pride to get to the point where I could share these sugar cookies from scratch recipe with you. Granted, it’s not MY recipe…I think I found it on the Food Network, back in the days. But, this soft, chewy sugar cookie recipe has made me the “chick that makes the BEST sugar cookies”…in the family, at church, in the neighborhood, in the ghetto, you name it. It will be hard for me to share that title with you, lots of you! So, on account of me being demoted in coolness for your sake, you better be really grateful. Grateful = buying me shoes, scrubbing my showers, babysitting my kids, and whispering sweet nothings to me in the comment section.
Sugar Cookies from Scratch Using Buttermilk
What everyone loves about these cookies is the flavor (of course… most important!) and the chewy factor. I’m not kidding, when I walk into my mom’s house for Christmas dinner or any other family event, my siblings will start clapping. Not because they’re excited to see me. It’s because I have a plate of these in my hand! I could tell you lots of stories about the need my friends and family have for this world’s best sugar cookie.
World’s Best Sugar Cookie ~ Grocery List
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Baking Powder
- Butter
- Sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Buttermilk (Buttermilk makes everything better!! It’s the secret to these cookies!)
- Powdered Sugar
Sugar Cookies Using Buttermilk ~ Tips & Tool Suggestions
- You can use any mixer to make these. I have both a KitchenAid and a Bosch. I personally prefer the Bosch for making cookies and the KitchenAid for making bread. I feel like the Bosch does a better job of creaming butter, it’s much easier to scrape and add additional ingredients to. But, any mixer will work fine.
- It’s important to use real vanilla extract… pretty much, always… as opposed to imitation. It makes a huge difference in the flavor of your cookies. I love the flavor of the Nielsen-Massey vanilla. I buy a 32 oz. bottle and it lasts me about a year!
- I don’t recommend making cookies on sheet pans (you know the kind you use for sheet cakes, with the lip around the edge?) I feel like the lip interferes with how evenly the cookies bake. I suggest a good quality, flat cookie sheet, and you will want at least two of them, as this recipe makes a couple dozen cookies.
- The bake time on the recipe, and most cookie recipes, needs to be considered a ball-park number. Basically, the cookie is done when you see the first hint of “golden” anywhere on the cookie (the sides or on top.) When you see any golden on the cookie, pull them out of the oven and let them sit on the hot pan, on the counter, for at least 3 minutes. They will continue to cook a little, without getting overcooked (like they would in the oven.) After a few minutes, you can remove them from the pan to cool.
- The frosting is a big part of the allure of these cookies. Before you try another recipe or anything pre-made (not recommended), please try the recipe included. It’s a favorite and pairs perfectly with these sugar cookies from scratch.
Print the Recipe, Below…
Soft, Chewy Sugar Cookies from Scratch ~ These Will Make You Famous!
I actually had to swallow my pride to be able to share this recipe with you. These cookies are probably why I'm invited to get-togethers! Ha. Everyone loves them and begs me to bring them to family events or whatever we have going on. They're super chewy and so delicious! Often referred to as "Crack Cookies," because they're so addicting.
* The frosting recipe is shared in the recipe NOTES section.
Ingredients
- 5 1/2 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 cups butter softened
- 3 cups white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract * not imitation
- 6 TBS buttermilk
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 375 degrees
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In large bowl, stir togethe flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
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In mixer, cream butter and sugar until smooth.
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Add the eggs and vanilla to mixer, mix for about 10 seconds.
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Add the dry ingredients to the mixer. Dough will be thick. Hurry to next step to avoid breaking beater.
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Add buttermilk, one TBS at a time. Mix well.
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Roll into 1 - 1.5" balls and place on ungreased cookie sheet.
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Bake for 10 to 13 minutes. Watch them carefully! When you see the first sign of golden on the edge of the cookies, , they're done. Pull them out of the oven. Let sit on the pan for a few minutes to set, then remove to let cool. * Ovens can vary. If your cookies overcook repeatedly, try dropping your oven to 350 degrees, next time.
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Frost the cookies! I like to put the frosting in a piping bag and do a little squiggle across the cookie, to avoid too much sweetness, but to add the yummy flavor of the frosting. Frosting recipe in note section, below.
Recipe Notes
Buttermilk Frosting Recipe
1 stick softened butter
4 cups powdered sugar
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
milk, to consistency
Instructions: Place butter, sugar, and vanilla in mixing bowl and cream together with hand mixer. Add small pours of milk into the bowl and mix until frosting consistency. Go slow on the milk! Maybe just a TBS at a time. You don't want runny frosting! Add food coloring to create your chosen color.
Pin this image to save sugar cookie recipe for later:
If you loved this soft and chewy cookie recipe, check out:
- Mom’s Cookie Cutter Sugar Cookies (For when my kids want to use cookie cutters.)
- Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies with Buttercream Frosting (One of my all time favorites!)
- Raspberry Jam Rounds with Lemon Icing (These are amazing. That’s all.)
STOP with the yummy goodies already!!
Jessica are you crazy!? 🙂 Never stop with the yummy goodies! Thank you, thank you, thank you for posting this recipe. I will make them tomorrow! I have been looking for a great recipe without using shortening considering I’m living abroad and they don’t have shortening! I hoped I wouldn’t have to go another holiday without my fave christmas cookie! 🙂 so my tummy thanks you and I’m sure my family will too!
Just found your blog–I am loving it!!!! Great ideas in every post-thanks for sharing!!!!!
Buttermilk IS the key. I have a recipe that is the best – sorry to say – and it’s buttermilk that makes the magic happen. And a sneaky tip – I’ve never used real buttermilk but once. If you don’t have any, you can use 1 TB vinegar or lemon juice with enough milk to make 1 cup. Let stand at room temp for 5 minutes and add in. ;o) There’s no difference and it’s cheaper, probably. Thanks for the recipes, though – can’t get enough! ;o)
Finally…a desent looking sugar cookie recipe
Yummy! I needed a much better sugar cookie recipe, and this one sounds like a winner! Thanks!!
Lisa
Mariel! LOVE the blogs’ new look! Very Chic! As a lover of the sugar cookie myself, I’m always looking for a great recipe! Thanks! FYI: try using almond extract in the cookies and frosting instead of vanilla. AMAZING!!!
I didn’t read the beginning of your post before. I just stopped by to see your new look and I have to say…. you are a better woman than I. I have shared my recipe with only a few people. It’s the only thing I make that people rave about, so my ego keeps me from sharing. I always like to try new recipes, and I think we’ll give yours a try. The secret is in the buttermilk, so you almost can’t go wrong with a recipe that includes it. 🙂
Sarah Anne –
I think you need to email me your recipe. I’ll keep it a secret 🙂
*sweet nothings* 🙂
looks like a great recipe. And I’m loving the new format, although I can’t read the comments other people make. 🙁 But the photo up top, love!
Debbi,
I’m not sure why you can’t see everyones comments. I can. Try refreshing your page…hmmm…I don’t know. I’ll see if anyone else is having the same trouble so we can get it sorted out.
Thanks!
Yummy!
Sugar cookies are yummy BUT OH MY GOSH LOOK AT YOUR BLOG!!! It’s GORGEOUS!! Way to go girls!
LOVE!!! your new look. Can’t wait to try the cookies.
Love,
The Damsel in Dis Dress
http://www.mynewoldschool.com
(For some reason OpenID doesn’t seem to be working today, so I have to use my lame-o Google ID.)
I can’t believe you gave up that Amazing sugar cookie recipe! I’m so excited to make these when ever I’m craving them! Aahhh, think of how fat I could get! Ha ha. Thanks for sharing the love!
Thanks for leaving the link to these cookies on my blog…they look amazing! I’ve bookmarked to try soon. Now I’m off to to browse the other goodies!
Oh yes! Thanks Mariel I love these cookies!!!!!!!!!!! I’m going to make some today:) They’re my fav!!! Love ya girl,
Em
I am finally making these cookies…(they look delicious!) the recipe doesn’t say salt, but in the directions when it says to put the dry ingredients together it mentions “salt”… am I missing something? Is there really salt in this recipe? Yipes, I need HELP! Thanks!
Camille, no salt. I was probably drunk when I typed that. Email me if you need more help!
Mariel,
Made the cookies…. can’t stop eating them now! I didn’t add the salt (thanks for letting me know!) – they are magnificent! Thanks for the recipe! 🙂
Yum! Think they’d make a good base for ice cream sandwiches? Are they sturdy enough?
Recipe Girl,
The less buttermilk you add, the less soft and chewy…so, ice cream sandwiches…I would maybe do half of the buttermilk. Just a guess.
How many cookies does this recipe make? They look fantastic. You’ve convinced me to make these for the nursing home where my grandmother resides. I’m sure they’ll be enough, but I still want to get an idea of how many times I will be having to open and close the oven LOL j/k.
Memoria, I’m thinking about 3 dozen cookies.
Just a note: I used to cook these at 375 degrees but found that if I cooked them longer (sometimes 15 minutes or more) at 325 degrees, they wouldn’t be so flat. I’ve stuck to that. Just cook them until you see a hint of golden on the edges. Good luck!
How much does this make
I will be making these soon. My cookie jar is nearly empty now.
I made these cookies for my daughter’s class at school, and they all loved them so much they kept asking for more. In fact, the next day someone brought in DQ treats and one child complained they wished they were the cookies I made. They really are the best dang cookies ever!
Ha, that’s awesome! So glad you liked them. Thanks for stopping back, Katie!
Mine did not come out looking as beautiful as yours, but OH MY!!!!!! They are indeed the BEST tasting sugar cookie I’ve ever tasted! Thank you so much for sharing it!!! I do have a question…do your cookies always come out with the crackle effect? I think I may have added a bit too much buttermilk 🙂 Thanks again!
I’m so glad you like them, Lisa! You know, sometimes I still play around with baking these. Sometimes I try 375, sometimes 350, or 325. Sometimes I add extra flour. I can’t decide what I like best! The lower temperature seems to make them more puffy, but less chewy. The higher, the opposite. But either way, they always taste delicious. These are super dangerous for me to make, I cannot keep my hands off them! I have to plan ahead of time who I can deliver cookies to, so I don’t eat them all. Thanks for coming by!
Nevermind! I realize that I did not add enough flour! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
Hey I just made these cookies and they are amazing! But they didn’t crinkle and I can’t figure out what I am doing wrong- yours look so beautiful I want mine to look like yours! I live in a high alttitude place and was wondering if you don’t and that is why my cookies aren’t looking like yours?
Shoot. Okay, I don’t know. I’m in Utah, so high altitude. I know I have messed around with this recipe a lot, adjusting the heat. Sometimes mine are a little flatter than I want, but not every time, so it’s weird. It might be a flour thing… not measuring the same every time. I try to always have the dough be somewhat chilled… I mean, not having set out on the counter and gotten all warm. I’ve tried 325 and 375 degrees to see if that helps. But, 350 seemed to work the best. I’m not really answering your question, I guess! But, maybe just try some different things like that and see if it changes the results. I’m glad they still tasted good though! Let me know if you find the trick. 🙂
thanks so much for the quick reply! I was experimenting with the oven temps too—I looked the recipe up and looked at others to see why yours crackle so nice, they really are a beautiful cookie, inside and out! I got to thinking maybe you chilled the dough and I haven’t tried that yet, but my last ones came out nice and I sprinkled them with a coarse colored sugar, and that was a nice touch (I did that after I frosted them like you did) – my daughter liked the extra crunch 🙂 I live in Utah too so that is good. I have to tell you, these are the best I’ve had and I have made a lot of sugar cookies! I think you hit the nail on the head with the frosting, it really makes these special! I’m so happy I found your recipe sorry you had to give it up, but you just made a lot of people happy! And yes I made 15 doz in the last week and a half lol 🙂 My sister found a ginger cookie recipe that has become my favorite of the ginger snap line of cookies- it crackles too and is a pretty cookie, it has a lot of ginger in them and no cloves–it really is a great cookie. Thank you for helping me figure this one out and for being generous in sharing it 🙂
Oh, you’re so sweet! I’m so glad you liked them. I don’t ever chill the dough, but I’ve notice that if I wait to long to roll them into balls and get them in the oven, they don’t come out as nice. As long as the ingredients are cold when I make them, and I roll them into balls and bake right after mixing them, it seems to be fine. And, yay for Utah! … hey, maybe you should email me this ginger cookie recipe. 🙂 ([email protected]) I wish I could share my mom’s famous chocolate chip cookie recipe! But, it’s off limits, for now. However, I have a couple more cookie suggestions for you… the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with that same buttercream frosting (on the blog) and the raspberry jam rounds with lemon icing (also on the blog). I love both of those!!
can you freeze these? already baked? dough? looking for some make-aheads that I can bake last minute or thaw. thanks.
I actually haven’t tried freezing them yet. I should definitely try that some time. It would be awesome to have some handy in the freezer. Let me know if you try it!
Hi it’s me again! These are such a wonderful cookie and everyone I have given them to love them! I have made them so many times, and they wll crackle a little but not as much as your picture, I guess I will have to live with that, I just love the look of the crackle- thanks for your help 🙂 I will be emailing that Ginger cookie recipe holy cow I just love it!
Thank you! I can’t wait! My email is [email protected]. 🙂
just sent it today! Let me know what you think )
Thank you!!
Hi!
I’m going to make these tonight but do I use all purpose; self-rising or cake flour?
All purpose is what I use!
Not sure what happened but for this recipe it lists the recipe for the frosting twice and the cookie recipe is now missing. Any chance for a fix?