The Perfect Sugar Cookies from Fine Cooking Magazine! This page used to have a link to the recipe, but alas Fine Cooking is no more. That's too bad because they had a great article on how to make perfect sugar cookies, the science behind sugar cookies and instructions for how to make chewy vs. crunchy. From the old notes, I can see that the cookies had corn syrup in them, which helped give them the distinctive texture. I'm going to try to track down the old recipe. In the meantime, here are some other suggestions. The ones I'm linking to are mainly cut-out types or ones that work well for decorating.
If you like having a lot of options, here's a direct link to the Sugar Cookies Category page.
But as mentioned, I want to link you to some good cut-outs, so here are some more specific recommendations.
In the Sugar Cookies category, you will see there is one post without a photo, and the post just links to Lisa's page where she posted Ethel's Sugar Cookies, an old one from Betty Crocker. You may want to just stop here and make Ethel's, based on Lisa's notes.
Lazy Mom's Sugar Cookies. These are cut-outs made with melted butter, therefore they are easy and don't require an electric mixer. I've always loved this recipe for its convenience.
Wondra Flour Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs -- Old me complicating things by using different flour. The dough was dry, but the cookies were fantastic!
Cookies on a Stick. Stick optional -- My most trusted recipe for thick and sturdy sugar cookies. Maybe one day I'll update that page.
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookie Cut-Outs -- Another one I've made multiple times (not lately).
The Rochester Gas and Electric Recipe is great if you like cookies with some bite to them. The recipe requires shortening. I sure wish they'd hurry up and develop a healthy shortening that works as well as old trans-fatty Crisco did. But Crisco is still good. I'm old now as I update this and I've tried a lot of shortening. Crisco really is the best as far as flavor goes.
Here's a recipe I never updated, but these coconut sugar cookie cut outs have an easy-to-work-with dough and a subtle coconut flavor.
Old Notes on The Perfect Sugar Cookies
The cookies live up to their name. The recipe gives you the option to make them chewy or crispy, and while I would have preferred crispy, the girls chose chewy so we went with that. In the end, all parties were pleased. While the corn syrup addition does make them chewy, they are still pretty crunchy around the edges. Also, the dough was very easy to work with -- not too sticky, not too dry. The girls are just learning the importance of making cookies a similar size and thickness, so having an easy to work with dough was important. My only complaint is that I sent all the cookies home with the girls and didn't save enough for us!
Best Flour for Sugar Cookies
By the way, lately I've found that different brands of flour really do work better for different types of baked goods. For crispy or sturdy cookies with some chomp to them, I buy King Arthur Unbleached All Purpose. Louise mentioned it has more protein, therefore more gluten, which may be why cookies made with King Arthur seem a little sturdier. Since King Arthur is a little more expensive, I call it my "cookie flour" and use it exclusively for cookies. F
Jan
Thanks...the quotes work!
Anna
Adam, these are good for purists who don't want the flavor of vanilla pudding mix anywhere near their cookies ;).
Jan, the best way to find stuff that disappears like that is to use the search box. There's a trick, though. Right now you have to use quotations. I need to fix that. Anyway, the link is here.
https://www.cookiemadness.net/2008/05/1846/
Jan
Anna; I saw the post for a honey cookie you got from Janet...the next it was gone. Can you repost it or send to me...thanks!
Adam
Okay, but how do these compare to the "Secret Ingredient Sugar Cookies"? Because those are the best ones I've ever had. It's like the best part of a sugar cookie meets the best part of a shortbread cookie.
Ronda
Thank-you!
XO
Tracy
I nominated you for best mom food blogger:
http://www.babble.com/best-recipes/dinner/top-100-food-mom-blog-2011-nominate-a-food-blog/index.aspx
vanillasugarblog
you know i love sugar cookies when they have a crispy edge and then chewy center.
i only wish i could get my snickerdoodles to do exactly that too. you know?
debzy
As much as I hate to admit it, because I honestly didn't think it made a difference, pie crust made with King Arthur flour is DIVINE! Someone out there say "I told you so"...
This cookie recipe is definitely worth trying and I shall 🙂
thanks!
Gloria
I love sugar cookies too. And thank you for the information about the flour (I am a gold medal unbleached "flour" child.)
I use an old sugar cookie recipe my friend's mom says she developed many years ago. In addition to the flour, butter, and egg she uses powdered sugar, vanilla, and a little bit of almond extract plus some cream of tartar and baking soda. They come out crispie because we always make them thin. The almond seems to add a little extra pizzazz.
Anna
BB, I'd say the chewy are actually in the middle depending on how long you bake them. The girls made some of their cookies kind of small and thin so there's were chewy but still kind of crunchy around the edges due to *slight* overbaking.
Louise, I don't know! Maybe the cookies from your childhood had some special flavoring...maybe a little lemon zest or extract that made them special? This is a good recipe to test. You can adjust the flavorings, of course.
Ronda, thanks! I've fixed the link so that it goes to the article by Nicole Reese plus both recipes.
Ronda
I love sugar cookies and these look great, but I didn't see on the link where the option for chewy or crispy was. Thanks!
Ronda
Louise
I'm still looking for the sugar cookie I remember from my childhood. Maybe this is it. Another one for me to try. 🙂
bakingblonde
MMMMMMMMMMMMMM I love sprinkles!
My mom loves crispy, my hubs loves chewy.I am somewhere in the middle!