These scoop, press, and bake sugar cookies use an unexpected ingredient list for a rustic, soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookie topped with creamy buttercream. They’re truly the BEST sugar cookies you can make at home.
I’ll admit: I haven’t always been a sugar cookie fan. So many recipes rely on heavy frosting to hide a dry, bland cookie. These cookies flipped that idea for me. The base is tender and sweet, almost meltaway in texture, yet sturdy enough to hold a generous spread of frosting. They’re delicious on their own and even better with the frosting.
People can be picky about sugar cookies, which is why I hesitated to share. But these turned out so well I had to post them. If you like a tender, flavorful cookie with a smooth buttercream, give this recipe a try—you’ll probably be surprised at how good they are.
One surprising ingredient is oil. Yes—oil in cookies. Don’t replace the oil with all butter. The oil helps keep the cookies soft and prevents them from drying out, as long as you don’t over-bake. Powdered sugar and cream of tartar are other keys to the cookie’s tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture—exactly what a great sugar cookie should be.
The buttercream is the finishing touch: silky, spreadable, and not overly sweet. I use solid coconut oil along with butter so the frosting holds up better than a pure-butter buttercream and has a pleasant texture. If you prefer, tint the frosting a pale pink for a classic sugar cookie look—it’s optional but makes them feel extra festive.
I haven’t tried cutting shapes with this dough, but it should work if you keep the dough a bit thicker; it spreads more than typical sugar cookie dough. Overall, these are quick to make and perfect for sharing—try them soon!
The BEST Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¾ cup oil, (vegetable or canola)
- 2 Tbsp water
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour, (stir, scoop, and level)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp salt
- *an extra ¼ cup granulated sugar for flattening the cookies
Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, room temperature
- ½ cup solid coconut oil, (or shortening)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp milk
- red food coloring; optional
Instructions
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In a mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter with the granulated and powdered sugars until smooth. Add the oil, water, eggs, and vanilla and mix until combined.
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In a separate bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Add the dry ingredients all at once to the wet mixture and mix until the dough comes together. It should be slightly crumbly but not sticky.
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Using a #30 cookie scoop (about 2 Tbsp), portion dough onto lined baking sheets, no more than eight per tray.
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Pour ¼ cup granulated sugar onto a small plate. Dip the bottom of a glass into the sugar and press each dough ball to about ½-inch thickness. If the glass is slightly bowed, rock it in a circular motion for an even flattening.
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Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 7–8 minutes. Do not over-bake. Cookies are done when the tops appear matte rather than glossy.
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To make the frosting, beat the butter and solid coconut oil until smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk and mix until creamy. Add up to ½ Tbsp extra milk if needed for spreading. Tint with a drop or two of red food coloring for pink frosting, if desired.
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Spread frosting over cooled cookies. Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to five days, or refrigerate if you prefer.
Notes
Nutrition
Disclaimer: Nutritional values were calculated using a third-party tool and are provided as an estimation only.
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Recipe lightly altered from Vintage Revivals
