I’m excited to share with you a new sugar cookie recipe today. I’ve been using this recipe for several years, and these really are the best! They are a family favorite! They remind me of the Lofthouse cookies my mom used to buy for me as a kid. I have to tell you, I tried making a new version over the weekend and they did not turn out well. I came right back to this recipe. These ones always come out super soft and fluffy… just the way sugar cookies should be.
I love soft sugar cookies topped with LOTS of frosting and a few sprinkles on top. :)
Ingredients
- 1 cup margarine, at room temp
- 1 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temp
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 tsp lemon or almond extract
- 5 1/2 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- In a large bowl mix together margarine and sugar. Beat until creamy. Add in eggs, vanilla, lemon extract and sour cream and mix together until combined.
- In a separate bowl mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until combined.
- Split dough in two and place in saran wrap. Refrigerate dough for 1-2 hours.
- Once dough has been chilled roll out dough on a bakers mat or parchment paper. Add another 1/4 - 1/2 cup flour if dough is still sticky. Cut with floured cookie cutter.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes.
I use 2 different frostings with these cookies. I’ll give you both of them, because they are both super yummy!
Buttercream frosting:
- 3/4 cup of butter
- 3 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 3-4 TB heavy cream
- 1 tsp vanilla
- food coloring and sprinkles
Cream cheese frosting:
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 stick of butter, softened
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla
Now for the best tip for perfect sugar cookies…
- Before rolling out your dough, separate in two sections and wrap dough in saran wrap dusted with powdered sugar.
- Roll out your dough on a baking mat or parchment paper (so you don’t have to peel up the shapes).
- Dust cookie cutter with powdered sugar and cut out shapes. Slowly remove the excess dough.
- Carefully place mat on baking sheet, then bake.
Seriously I wish I would have learned this tip sooner. Now you’ll always have perfect shaped cookies. Thanks to an awesome friend for the tip! Have you done this before? My sugar cookies are forever changed. ;)
My little girls favorite part… decorating them! Enjoy!
Looking for more sugar cookie recipes? Check out these:
Gayle
I am wondering if you have ever tried butter instead of margarine in the cookie recipe?
Jamielyn
Hi Gayle! You can substitute for butter, I have just found it makes the edges a little crispier. Just watch them in the oven. Enjoy!
Jana
They look so pretty. Wish I wasn’t on a fairly strict diet because when I run across posts like this I just want to jump through my screen and eat one.
Maureen R.
I swear I could eat these right off the computer screen. Great photos, thanks for sharing!
Emily @ Color Coded Crazy Life
Looks Delish! Since we’re already guaranteed a snowday in NE tomorrow this would be a great treat to surprise the girls with while we make our home made valentine’s! Lo
Jess
OH my these look so good! Pinned for later! :)
Michael
Totally pumped to try out sugar cookies that taste like those Lofthouse ones! And awesome tip with the powdered sugar. I also get dough stuck and they never come out perfect. I’m currently snowed in, so I’ll have to try this this weekend.
Jen
They look so yummy! I never thought of dipping the cutter in the powdered sugar, duh! :) I have always done flour but not any more. Thanks for sharing!
Jen
Is there a reason not to use butter? Margerine is really not a food and is terrible for you. It’s something to be avoided. Also have you tried greek yogurt instead of sour cream? I’ve done that in a cake and it worked great.
Jamielyn
You can substitute for butter, I have just found it makes the edges a little crispier. Just watch them in the oven. I haven’t tried greek yogurt, but give it a try. I’d love to hear how they turn out. It would make them a little healthier too. Enjoy! :)
Susan
I’m with Gayle..we don’t do margarine at our house…have you tried butter? Does it make them too crispy??
Jamielyn
Hi Susan! You can substitute for butter, I have just found it makes the edges a little crispier. Just watch them in the oven. Enjoy!
immy
Hi,
These cookies looks so yummy. I am a first time baker here. Never baked any cookies in my life. I have a three and half year old daughter and we will be baking these cookies for the first time as a valentine’s day treat :)
Can you tell me please what do you use to beat the mixture? Kitchen aid 5 qt mixer or hand hel mixer? Also any other tips for a first time baer? I really have my hopes up:)
Jamielyn
Hi Immy! So fun, your daughter will love making them with you. I would say to just take it slow. I used the Kitchen Aid mixer, but you could use a hand held mixer too. Good luck! Let me know how it goes. :)
immy
Ji Jamie,
I am baking your heart sugar cookie with my 3 and half year old. First time baking :) Need your help/ I got the dough in the refrigerator now. I wrapped it with glad press and seal clear wrap. Was I suppose to dust the dough with powder sugar before I refrigerated it? Or do I put the powder sugar before I roll out the dough?
Can you also explain this a little bit please… “”Before rolling out your dough, separate in two sections and wrap dough in saran wrap dusted with powdered sugar”"
I am a little confused. After I take the dough out of the refrigerator I dust it with powder sugar and wrap with clear wrap again and roll the dough out while it is in the clear wrap?
I also bought the same baking mat….
Please help…
Natalie
I’ve been looking for a fluffy sugar cookie recipe….forever!! Going to make these after church tomorrow. Thanks much!
Kiki
How much do they keep their shape when baked? I don’t like it when my cookies puff a ton and then look like blobs instead of what I cut them out to be.
Thanks.
Jamielyn
My cookies didn’t lose their shape. Just make sure to follow the baking tip above. Enjoy!
Nicole
Thanks for the recipes — they sound great! For the frosting recipes, do you use salted or unsalted butter? Thanks!
Jamielyn
I typically use unsalted, depends on my mood. ;)
Kristy
Thank you for this recipe. I will try it today. I have the best tip for not adding excess flour. Roll out dough in between two sheets of parchment paper, place on cookie sheet and put in fridge. I stack all the dough on top of each other. Then it chills faster and you dont end up with flour filled counter :)
Jamielyn
Great tip Kristy! I’ll have to try that one. Thanks for sharing!
ashley
can you do it with out the lemon or almond extract?
Jamielyn
Yes you can. It just adds a little punch, but you can’t even taste it.
Jenni
Just pulled some of these out of the oven. Even without the frosting on yet, my kids are loving them! Thanks for the post. One question, half the dough already baked up more than 3 dozen for us. Will the other half freeze well for use later if wrapped tightly in saran wrap?
Jamielyn
Glad you liked them Jenni! Yes, you can freeze the other half. Wrap it in saran wrap and then stick in a freezer zip lock. :)
Dani B
Oh! What a fantastic tip! My hubby is a helicopter pilot and I got the cutest helicopter cookie cutter to celebrate, but when I dried to move the cut out dough it failed quickly! Thank you so much for this recipe and the tips! I’m excited to try them!
Jamielyn
Ooo the helicopter cookies would be so fun to make! Let me know how you like them. :)
Ginger
I have a sugar cookie recipe that is very similar to yours, there are just a few differences. I make them a lot and everybody loves the flavor & softness. I do everything you do but I have a problem, everytime I make them they spread to where you can’t always tell what they are. I am going to be making a bunch of diamond sugar cookies for my in-laws 60th wedding anniversary in March for party favors for the guests. Of course, I am going to want these to be perfect because I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist – LOL. Do you have any other tips for me on how to make them stay looking uniform in shape after baking? Also, have you ever used a royal icing instead of buttercream or cream cheese frosting? If so, do you have a good tasting, easy to decorate recipe you would share?
Jamielyn
I have found if I make the cookies too thick they tend to lose there shape. I try to make them about 3/8 – 1/4 inch. Hope that helps! Have a great weekend!
Lisa
Your cookies look scrumptious and are so pretty! I was just wondering if the frosting hardens up a bit or does it stay moist? I am wanting to try out both your frosting recipes.
den
How can I prepare sour cream?
Jamielyn
Hi! I buy it from the cartons from the store (in dairy section) and just scoop it directly from the container.
Name ayesha farah
wt s TB heavy cream?? wt cn i use instead of it?
Jamielyn
1 tablespoon of heavy cream. You could use whipped cream or whole milk instead. :)