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Origin of the Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ah, the classic sugar cookie. It’s a sweet, tender treat that truly can’t be topped! And it really is a classic—people have been enjoying this kind of cookie for hundreds of years. The sugar cookie of today is thought to have originated back in the mid-1700s, when German Protestant settlers in Pennsylvania created a buttery, crumbly cookie in the shape of the state’s keystone emblem. The typical sugar cookie recipe has since evolved to create a sweeter, richer, and endlessly tasty cookie.
Throughout the years, sugar cookies have remained a popular treat for holidays and year-round celebrations alike. Whether you bake up a batch of plain cookies or get fancy with colorful sugar cookie frosting, this iconic dessert is always a crowd-pleaser. Give one of our time-honored, kitchen-tested, totally delicious recipes a try the next time you need an irresistible treat. We’ve got you covered with Betty’s best ideas for frosting, decorating, or enjoying sugar cookies straight from the oven (after cooling briefly, of course)!
How Does Sugar Create Texture in Cookies?
What’s the secret behind the best sugar cookie recipes? How do bakers achieve that soft, chewy, buttery texture that has everyone reaching for just one more? It’s all about the science! Sugar attracts and holds onto moisture, which keeps cookies and other baked goods from drying out and cracking during baking. Hello, soft, tender treats! Creaming sugar with butter (a key step of many sugar cookie recipes) also helps to aerate cookie dough, resulting in a light and tender cookie.
Different kinds of sugar will create different flavors and textures. Stick with the recipe, or experiment to make your own unique sugar cookies! Check out our how-to video for classic sugar cookies to see a simple recipe come to life in the most delicious of ways.
Betty’s Favorite Sugar Cookie Toppings and Add-Ins
Whether you’re a sugar cookie purist or you like your cookies with a little crunch, there are so many ways to customize a recipe and make it your own. Try out some of these family-favorite toppings and add-ins.
Frosting: You don’t need a special occasion to break out the sugar cookie frosting! Use store-bought icing or make your own glaze with powdered sugar, and get decorating. Hosting an event? Set up a decorating station with different colors of icing so guests can channel their inner bakers and decorate their own iced sugar cookies.
Jam: Whether you make and bake thumbprint cookies or add jam as a topping to a fresh batch of light, airy treats, jams and jellies are a deliciously sweet addition to homemade sugar cookies! Strawberry, raspberry, peach, you name it—fruity flavors pair perfectly with the rich, buttery texture of this cookie.
Your Favorite Candy: Make this sweet treat all the sweeter with your favorite chocolate candies! Try these M&M™ sugar cookie bars for a colorful dessert with just the right amount of chocolate. You could also top your sugar cookies with chopped-up pieces of your favorite candy bar.
Nuts: A little crunch brings a lot of texture to a tender cookie. Roughly chop walnuts, pecans, or your favorite nut and sprinkle them over freshly baked cookies to add some rich, earthy flavor. You could also artfully arrange pecan or walnut halves on top of frosted sugar cookies for a decorative topping that tastes just as good as it looks.