Our homemade sugar cookies have been a Betty Crocker favorite for decades. First appearing in the 1950 Betty Crocker Picture Cook Book made with granulated sugar, the recipe was later perfected with powdered sugar and became Mary’s Sugar Cookies in the 1961 Betty Crocker Cookbook. Since then, this much-loved, highly reviewed easy sugar cookie recipe has been a constant in every Big Red edition and in many other cookbooks, including the beloved 1963 Betty Crocker Cooky Book—a favorite many of us grew up baking from.

Over the years, little has changed—because some things are just right as they are. These cookies are melt-in-your-mouth good, easy to make, and perfect for decorating. Whether you're baking festive cutouts or everyday treats, this classic sugar cookie recipe is sure to impress family and friends.

Recipe Ingredients

Before we dive into making this sugar cookie recipe, let’s start with the ingredients you’ll need.

Ingredients for the Cookies

Powdered Sugar: Also called confectioner's sugar, powedered sugar ensures your cookies are tender, sweet, and fluffy.

Butter: Over the years, we’ve experimented with shortening and margarine, but butter remains our top choice. Soften it by leaving it on the counter until your finger makes an imprint

Vanilla and Almond Extracts: These flavorings create a balanced, nutty sweetness. Vanilla enhances both the dough and icing, while almond extract adds a subtle, marzipan-like note

Other Ingredients for Cookie Dough: Gold Medal™ All Purpose Flour, large egg, baking soda, and cream of tartar.

Ingredients for the Icing

Powdered Sugar: The go-to sugar to make smooth icing as it dissolves readily with the other ingredients.

Milk: Combines with powdered sugar and vanilla to create a spreadable icing.

Other Ingredients for Icing: Vanilla, optional decorating items like food coloring, candy sprinkles, or colored sugar.

Through the years, the cookware you'll need has remained largely unchanged. Here's a breakdown of what you’ll need for making this sugar cookie recipe with icing.

Electric Mixer: Both an electric hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment work well to mix these cookies. A wooden spoon or rubber spatula will also work—choose whichever is most convenient for you.

Rolling Pin: A rolling pin helps spread dough evenly for uniform baking. While available in wood, plastic, and marble, a wooden pin is durable and easy to use.

Cookie Sheet: Through our over 75 years of baking, we’ve found that the best cookie sheets are shiny metal ones. They reflect heat efficiently, ensuring cookies bake and brown evenly.

Other Cookware You’ll Need: Large bowl, dry measuring cups, measuring spoons, rubber spatula, plastic wrap, cookie cutters, cookie spatula, cooling rack, medium bowl, and a mixing spoon.

Here’s a quick overview of how to make sugar cookies.

Beat the wet ingredients until well blended, then stir in the dry ingredients. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.

Chilling the dough helps the cookies hold their shape and makes it easier to handle.

Dust the counter and rolling pin with flour to prevent sticking. Roll the dough evenly—too thin makes cookies fragile, too thick leads to uneven baking. Use cookie cutters to cut shape, then slide a floured spatula underneath each cutout for easy transfer to the cookie sheet. Bake same-size cookies on the same sheet for even results.

Bake cookies one sheet at a time for even heat distribution. Remove when edges of cookies are lightly browned—they’ll continue to set as they cool.

Mix icing until smooth and spreadable. Spread icing (plain or tinted) over the cooled sugar cookies and decorate with sprinkles, candies, or colored sugar.

We’ve heard from you that you like to try variations to make your homemade sugar cookies look as good as they taste.

Decorating Before Baking: Sprinkle cookies with colored sugars before baking. Or, as Sugarcookiequeen shares, “I’ll frost 1/2 of them and the other half I’ll put melted butter and cinnamon and sugar on before I bake…”.

Use Different Frostings and Icings: Royal icing gives cookies that polished look.  Buttercream frosting is creamy and easy to top with sprinkles or candy.

Decorate for Holidays: Get festive with themed cookies—hearts for Valentine’s, snowflakes for Christmas, or eggs for Easter.

If you love thick, soft, bakery-style cookies—try our Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies. They won’t disappoint.

Here are the best methods we’ve tested for storing your homemade sugar cookies.

Store cookies in a covered container with wax paper between layers to prevent sticking, for up to 3 days.

No need to store baked sugar cookies in the fridge, but you can make the dough ahead of time. Shape dough into 2 disks and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate up to 24 hours. Let stand at room temperature for up to 15 minutes before rolling out. 

Baked, Unfrosted Cookies: Store in an airtight food container up to 12 months.

Baked, Frosted Cookies: Store in an airtight food container with wax paper between layers for up to 3 months.

Frozen Baked, Unfrosted Cookies: Thaw at room temperature for 1 to 2 hours. Frosting a frozen cookie may prevent the icing from sticking.

Frozen Baked, Frosted Cookies: Thaw at room temperature in their container for 2 to 3 hours or until fully thawed.

With over 350 reviews and counting, our sugar cookie recipe is a longtime favorite among bakers. Many bakers say they’ve been making it for years—and keep coming back to it—because of its consistency and reliability. Each batch turns out just right, with cookies that hold their shape and have a perfectly tender crumb. The combination of vanilla and almond extracts is often praised for adding a delicious depth of flavor, making these cookies especially memorable.

Bakers also love the sugar cookie recipe’s ease and versatility. Even with small adjustments—like skipping the chilling step or swapping extracts—bakers report great results. Many have made it a family tradition, especially around the holidays, because the dough is so easy to work with and sturdy enough for decorating. Whether you're baking with kids, preparing festive treats, or simply looking for a dependable go-to recipe, this one continues to stand the test of time.

Frequently Asked Questions How can I keep sugar cookies soft?

To keep sugar cookies soft, avoid overmixing the dough—this can make them tough. Don’t overbake either; take them out when the edges are just lightly browned, so they stay soft as they cool.

Once baked, store the cookies in a covered food container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For extra softness, add a slice of bread to the container—the cookies will absorb the moisture and stay tender longer.

Yes, you can make this easy sugar cookie recipe’s dough in advance. Refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours before baking. If it chills for more than 4 hours, let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 15 minutes before rolling, depending on how firm it is. For longer storage, shape dough into disks, wrap in plastic wrap, and seal in a freezer bag. Freeze the dough disks for up to 6 months

Cream of tartar is used in this sugar cookie recipe to help create a soft, chewy texture. It also activates baking soda, helping the cookies rise just enough while holding their shape. If you don’t have cream of tartar, you can substitute it with 2 teaspoons of lemon juice or white vinegar for every 1 teaspoon of cream of tartar—the results may vary slightly but still work well.