Soft Sugar Cookies

This soft sugar cookie recipe is a state fair blue ribbon winner, and it's so easy, anyone can make it. Just mix up the dough, roll it into balls (no rolling pin required!), coat with sugar, and bake. These soft, chewy sugar cookies can be decorated with any color sugar, making them perfect for holidays and other special occasions like baby showers, engagement parties, and birthdays.

• Preparation Time: 15 mins
• Cooking Time: 10 mins
• Total Time: 25 mins
• Calories: 226 Calories

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups white sugar
• 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ⅔ cup shortening
• 2 large eggs
• ⅔ cup unsalted butter, softened
• ⅓ cup colored decorating sugar

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Place decorating sugar in a small bowl (or use several colors and separate bowls).

Step 2

Beat shortening and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer until smooth and creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in sugar until incorporated, then mix in eggs, one at a time, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in vanilla.

Step 3

Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Gradually add to the wet ingredients and mix until incorporated and the dough comes together.

Step 4

Roll dough into walnut-sized balls. Roll each ball in sugar to coat, then place 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets.

Step 5

Bake in the preheated oven until light brown on the bottoms, 10 to 12 minutes, switching racks halfway through. Remove from the oven and transfer to wire racks to cool.