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Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies remind me of cookies my grandma made as a school cook. Buttery and sweet, but also crisp and chewy. And big!

When I was a girl, my grandma worked as a school cook at Hutton Elementary in Chanute, Kansas. Before I was in kindergarten, my mom used to stop by to say hi when we were in town getting groceries. I don’t remember a time when grandma didn’t offer us cookies. She made the most wonderful cookies. Oatmeal Raisin. Peanut Butter. Sugar. Big, homemade, freshly made, wonderful cookies.
I always loved Grandma’s cookies and was so excited when I came across this recipe years ago, as it was just what I remembered from those visits to her school kitchen.
Secret Ingredient
Through the years, I’ve tried lots of sugar cookie recipes, but it wasn’t until this one that I hit gold. These cookies have that marvelous buttery, sugary flavor that I’d been seeking all these years.
I owe it to this “secret” ingredient. Princess Cake and Cookie Bakery Emulsion. Oh my goodness! Don’t put it off. Order some of this wonderful flavoring now! You won’t regret it. You will be amazed at the flavor it brings to baked goods! See other recipes that use this Princess Flavoring.
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Princess Cake and Cookie Emulsion
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Plus, these cookies are giant disks of wonder. They spread out on the pan to make a lovely mix of crispy-chewiness. I simply adore Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies.
Giant Discs of Wonder!
Another sweet aspect to these cookies is that they are very quick to make up. Since they only make a dozen you can make them up in less than a hour. A quick and easy dessert for surprise company. Or when you are craving one. Which you will. I promise.
Ingredients for Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
(See the full recipe at the bottom of this post.)
Instructions for Making This Recipe

Preheat oven to 350°F and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Gather your ingredients so that you have everything close at hand on the counter or table.
In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and granulated sugar. Beat until fluffy. Add the large egg, vanilla extract, and the Princess Cake and Cookie Emulsion. Mix well.
In a small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and cornstarch. Gradually add to the creamed butter mixture until combined.

Place two tablespoons of Sparkling Decorating Sugar in a small bowl.

Divide dough in half. Scoop out 6 equal balls from one of the halves. Slightly press each into a flat circle and dip the tops into a bowl of decorating sugar. Place on a prepared cookie sheet.
Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Repeat for the remaining dough.

Allow cookies to cool for a few minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Store cooled cookies in a tightly covered container or cookie jar. You may also freeze the cookies in a gallon freezer bag for up to 4 weeks.

This recipe will make 12 very large cookies. Serve with a large glass of icy milk.
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Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies
(As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.)
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Princess Flavoring (optional, but highly recommended)
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons decorating sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine softened butter and granulated sugar and beat until fluffy. Add large egg, vanilla extract, and Princess Flavoring. Mix well.
- In small bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and cornstarch. Gradually add to butter mixture until combined.
- Divide dough in half. Scoop out 6 equal balls. Slightly press each into a flat circle and dip tops into a bowl of decorating sugar. Place on prepared cookie sheet.
- Bake in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until lightly browned. Repeat for remaining dough. Makes 12 very large cookies.
I chose 2 recipes to try and decided on yours. Boy am I glad I did!! Just getting into the corn starch phase of baking after all these yrs can’t believe what I have been missing out on! This recipe is the best bringing back childhood memories!! Everything i had a piano lesson the teacher gave out a sugar cookie!! Loved the recipe and so easy…ty!!!
Hi Mary Lee. I am so glad that you chose to try this recipe and that you enjoyed it as much as we do! We really love this recipe, and you are correct. It brings back memories from my childhood, too! Thanks again for letting me know and please keep trying my recipes!! Many blessings to you and yours.
Measurements of ingredients would be super helpful😁😛
Hi Sheri, Please see the bottom of this post for the entire recipe. I hope you will give this wonderful recipe a try and be inclined to change your review. Thank you for stopping by.
Always love these cookies! Super crisp on the outside, yet tender and a little chewy at the same time. Really good with milk. Absolutely yummy!
Hey Abbey! Thanks for stopping by. I agree. These cookies are so good, especially with a glass of ice cold milk!
My family loves these cookies. Soft and chewy inside, yet with a crisp shell. Delightful. And they flatten into huge cookies! Lol you should see my son’s face when he sees them!
Thanks for stopping by, Margie. I love these giant cookies! So glad that your son enjoys them, too!
Made these cookies this morning with my grandson. They worked up perfectly, just followed recipe as listed. No secret ingredient, but still excellent! Thanks for an easy, delicious recipe!
Thanks for leaving a comment and rating. I appreciate it! And I’m delighted that you enjoyed the cookies. If you have a chance, do try the Princess Emulsion. It’s really delicious.
Great recipe! Made these twice and they turned out great. Definitely use the Princess emulsion; it’s a great flavor. Be sure to shake the bottle before using. My second batch was for Christmas, so I used red and green colored sugar and a few sprinkles. They looked pretty and tasted wonderful.
Hi Susan, Thanks so much for commenting and leaving a rating for this recipe. This sugar cookie is my all-time favorite. I’m glad that you enjoyed it, too!