Soft and Fluffy Sugar Cookies
Soft and fluffy Sugar Cookies that remind me of the Lofthouse cookies! We love making these cookies for Valentine’s Day and Christmas.
SOFT AND FLUFFY SUGAR COOKIES
Over Christmas last year I made over 100 sugar cookies for both preschool and our church party.
I remember thinking if I don’t see another sugar cookie for another year it will be fine with me.
Well…we’ve made up since then. Sugar cookies and I that is. I have literally tried over 5 sugar cookie recipes in the past couple of months and for me this one tops them all.
I love this recipe but sugar cookies are like eggs…everyone likes ’em different. Some like them thin and crispy, others big and dense.
This one met my criteria for a stellar cookie. It’s really moist and soft but still holds its shape so that it’s easy to frost. This cookie works best for a round shape and will spread if trying to do cut out shapes.
This is a fluffy soft cookie if you’re looking for a thinner, sturdier cookie, this is not it. John stole one while I wasn’t looking and said, “I have to tell you that this may be the best sugar cookie I’ve ever had.” Thanks to my friend Allison for the recipe.
WHAT MAKES SUGAR COOKIES FLUFFY?
The key ingredient in making sugar cookies fluffy is sour cream! It makes them light and airy.
CAN THESE BE FROZEN?
Yes. Just bake as directed and freeze unfrosted. Thaw and frost!
OTHER COOKIE RECIPES:
- Buttery Sugar Cookies
- Chewy Sugar Cookies
- Soft Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- S’mores Cookies
- No-Bake Cookies
- Chewy M&M Sugar Cookies
Sugar Cookies
Soft and fluffy Sugar Cookies that remind me of the Lofthouse cookies!
Ingredients
- 1 cup sour cream
- 2 cups white sugar
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 4 eggs
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or vanilla, (I like almond)
- 6 cups flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Buttercream Frosting
- 1 cup butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla/almond extract. Beat for 2-3 minutes.
- Add dry ingredients and mix well. Add a little flour so at a time so that it's not sticky and is managable. Wrap dough in plastic wrap. Let the dough chill in fridge for 25 minutes or until firm. Note: I trick I started doing is placing some of the dough in between two sheets of parchment or wax paper and rolling it out to the desired thickness. Put the sheets in the fridge until firm then when ready start cutting into shapes with cookie cutters.
- Roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick and use cookie cutters to make shapes or circles. You may have to add a little flour to roll them out so the dough is workable but remember the less flour you use the softer your cookie will be.
- Bake until LIGHT golden brown about 8-10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but they aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer.
- For the Buttercream Frosting:
- In a mixing bowl, cream butter until fluffy. Add sugar and continue creaming until well blended. Add salt, vanilla, and whipping cream. Blend on low speed until moistened. Beat at high speed until frosting is fluffy.
Notes
Source: my friend Allison Tolbert
Can I half the recipe?
Yes!
Can they be frozen?
Yes of course!
Do you store the on the counter or fridge?
On the counter!
Love love love this recipe, including the frosting! I too have tried several sugar cookie recipes but have finally found THE one. 🙂 I halved the recipe without any problems. Cooked perfectly at 9 minutes in my oven. I put the dough in between two pieces of wax paper as suggested, flattened it to about 1/4″ thickness and put it in the fridge for about 30-45 minutes. After I cut the cookies out, I put them in the freezer for about 5-7 minutes before cooking them. The taste and texture are amazing. I love that these aren’t sugary sweet, and the frosting is so smooth (and also isn’t overly sweet). The texture turned out just as you described – soft and fluffy. The flavor – exactly the way a sugar cookie should taste. 😉 Thanks for posting!
Thanks! You are welcome!
I love making these cookies. My family love them too. Very soft. Thank you very much for sharing this recipe.
You’re welcome!
Awesome cookies! Super easy to make and taste great! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you!
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe. I’m glad I read the reviews and ignored the rating. These are definitely 5 star worthy!
Thank you!
This recipe was very helpful for my mother birthday. Thank you so much !
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You’re welcome!
Just popping in to say hello and tell you I have been making your cookie recipe since you published it and it is our family favorite and a Christmas tradition in my house. I don’t understand why the rating is so low as they are PERFECT! Merry Christmas to you!
Thank you! I agree.
Hi Christy!
I made these cookies because your pictures looked so beautiful and I’m still on the hunt for my favorite cut out cookie recipe… one that’s soft and chewy!
However, when I made these, the dough tasted amazing and wonderful and I was so excited for them but when I took them out of the oven and I tore one apart, it looked like bread on the inside and tasted similar to corn bread, or a biscuit! I’m not really sure what went wrong. Maybe it was the 3 teaspoons of baking powder?
Thanks!
Caitlin
Sorry Caitlin. These are definitely not chewy. Like I said in the intro they are more of a soft and fluffy cookie. Here’s a chewy cookie I like: http://ourbestbites.com/2008/12/sugar-cookies/
I came across this recipe a few years ago, and it has been my go-to recipe for frosted sugar cookies ever since. It is our family’s favorite! I had lost the recipe, and I spent some time this week tracking this one down! I knew it was the right one when I saw “umpteenth time” in the title 😉 Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Don’t beat the dough in an electric mixer! They will turn into biscuits. I would mix it by hand.
Just found our site. Thank you so much for posting such great recipes. I consider myself an experienced baker… i already made your peanut butter chocolate cake, and my family just loved it. Tonight i made these sugar cookies they came just great, exactly as described. Quick and easy to make, and so soft and fluffy. They will be my go to sugar cookie recipe from now on. I notice some people do not share the same opinion. I can only assume that there was something they may not have done right. One word of advise would be to sprinkle flour both under and on top of the dough before you roll it, than another sprinkle spread evenly on top before you cut out. You’ll see how quick and easy they are to make. I am excited to try all your recipes, my only problem is which one to try first. Thanks again and God bless you and your beautiful family <3
Thank you Laura. I appreciate your tips and share your sentiment.:)))
Can I replace the sour cream with vanilla yogurt?
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see why not.
Whenever I make Sugar Cookies I usually alternate between flour and powdered sugar (when rolling them out/ cutting them.) And I like to make cream cheese frosting. 🙂 It’s a hit with my friends at our holiday parties.
I have no idea what I did wrong, but these did not turn out for me at all. Perhaps it is because I halved the recipe? Either way the batter was gluey and did not even taste good. I baked up a couple just in case, but no, they were basically biscuits 🙁
Oh no. I’m sorry! I’m not sure what went wrong.
same result as me
I just made these but used wheat flour cause I was out of white flour and they look delicious! We are going to frost them tomorrow. On the buttercream frosting do you use cold, soft, or melted butter?
I always use cold but slightly soft butter.
I just made this recipe and must have done something wrong (though I followed it step by step) because I ended up with a big gluey mess that is now in my food recycle bin. Even the addition of flour did not save the dough!
I tried this sugar cookie recipe and well the
Cookies crumbled and tasted like dull flavorless bread.
Oh, I’m sorry. Sounds like you make have added too much flour or overbaked. They are definitely not crumbly. Make sure you don’t pack your flour but spoon it into the measuring cups. That can make all the difference.
Does the icing on these cookies harden like royal icing or does it stay sticky ?
It definitely does not harden like royal icing but will set a bit.
I made these today, along with the buttercream frosting. They are excellent! My husband can’t stop eating them! Thank you for posting both wonderful recipes.
You’re welcome Melanie!
Love the way the cookies look. Does anyone have a recipe for frosting for these cookies
That isn’t buttercream. I’m allergic to that type of frosting but haven’t been able to find another
That would work as well. Any suggestions?
Just made these last night! Awesome recipe for a light, not too sweet, thick, cake like cookie – ALL of which I love! Even though I live in Florida, I found the Dough was a dream to work with (after adding a little flour to 2 pieces of waxed paper and rolling out well chilled dough like you suggested). Also made the butter cream frosting recipe you posted with it. After frosting and letting them dry overnight, they could be stacked nicely (2 layers max). I also used flowe shaped cookie cutter and placed sliced almonds around for petals before baking. Once cooled I made a nice center dollop with the frosting in a pastry bag. Others I completely frosted for people that prefer a sweeter cookie. Thank you for this awesome recipe – I have no need for any other sugar cookie recipe!
I made these two times thinking the first time I messed up (that can happen to anyone, pro or not). I ultimately do not like them. They are nothing like traditional sugar cookies and I found the texture to be very odd (fluffy, spongy). I also don’t think there was enough sugar.
I think readers should know that these are VERY untraditional.
Yes, they are more of a fluffy light cookie comparable to the grocery store ones. Sorry you didn’t like them!
i am a fan of your sugar cookie bars (as well as everyone else lol) so i was searching your site for sugar cookies. i saw this and was a bit taken back from the use of sour cream (which i don’t like) but, i just made them…literally (no icing yet) and i have already eaten 3 lol. they are sooo good. thank you!!!
Thank my friend Allison!
Nice! Yep, my favorite sugar cookie recipe has sour cream in it, too. My favorite frosting for them has cream cheese it in. Mmmmm. Maybe I WILL make these again soon. 😉 Yours are so pretty!
What kind of flour… Cake, self raising ir plain?
Just regular All-purpose flour.
These are wonderful! Made them for St. Patrick’s Day and they turned out perfect. The dough was sticky but when I added the flour to roll out they were the perfect consistency. Loved how they weren’t overly sweet. Now off to find the perfect chewy oatmeal raisin. Thanks!