Soft, old-school cookies with that familiar bakery crumble, finished with simple butter icing

They’re my favourite sugar cookies, gently adapted over the years as I started milling my own flour and baking more from scratch. They bake up soft and tender, with that familiar “bakery-style” crumble. Not in the artificial way, but in the classic, sweet, slightly crumbly way that makes people reach for a second one without thinking. This is the kind of recipe you make for company and everyone asks for the recipe after.

I’ve been baking these for almost my whole life. Now we make them a couple of times a year with the kids. Sometimes they go to school as treats. Sometimes they’re for holidays, rolled into shapes and covered in icing and sprinkles. It’s messy. It takes longer when little hands are helping. The counters get dusted in flour and the sprinkles somehow end up everywhere. But they love decorating them, and those slow afternoons turn into the kind of memories that stick.

They’re simple, forgiving, and perfect for making together.

Save

A Note About Cream of Tartar (and the Easy Swap)

This recipe uses an old-fashioned combination of cream of tartar + baking soda. Cream of tartar adds the acidity that activates the baking soda, giving the cookies gentle lift and helping them bake up soft, tender, and a little bit fluffy instead of flat and crisp. It’s part of what helps them hold their shape and keep that classic sugar cookie texture.

If you have cream of tartar, it’s worth using. But if you don’t, you can still make these without stopping to hunt down one extra ingredient.

Simple swap (no cream of tartar)

Instead of:

• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp cream of tartar

Use:

• 1 tsp baking soda
• 3 tsp baking powder

That’s it. This swap replaces the interaction the cream of tartar provides and keeps the cookies soft and tender without adding extra ingredients.

---

Fresh-Milled Family Sugar Cookies

Ingredients

• 2 cups butter, softened
• 2 cups sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 5 1/4cups (780g) Tevah Fresh-Milled All-Purpose Baking Flour (see flour options below)
• 2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 4 tsp cream of tartar
• 1 tsp salt

Flour Options (Fresh-Milled)

This recipe is designed for fresh-milled flour. Any of these options work beautifully:

• Tevah Fresh-Milled All-Purpose Baking Flour (my go-to “baking mix” style blend)
• 50/50 blend: hard white wheat + soft white wheat
  (Hard white keeps the flavour mild and clean, which is perfect for sugar cookies.)
• 50/50 blend: hard white wheat + spelt
• 100% spelt (delicious and slightly nuttier) When using spelt be sure to weigh. You want it to be 780g to get the right consistency.

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Take your time here — this helps build structure and keeps the cookies soft.
2. Add the eggs slowly, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla.
3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt.
4. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture until a soft dough forms.
5. Roll the dough into a ball, cover well (or seal in a container), and chill until quite firm.

Roll & Cut

• Roll on a lightly floured surface to about ¼-inch thick.
• Cut out shapes with cookie cutters.
• Gather scraps, re-roll, and keep cutting until used up.

No Cookie Cutters? Easy Option

Roll the dough into a log, wrap tightly, chill until firm, then slice into rounds with a knife for simple circle sugar cookies.

Bake

Bake at 350°F (175°C) for about 8 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn lightly golden. Cool completely before icing.

---

Save

Classic Butter Icing

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter, very soft
• 2 cups icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla
• Pinch of salt
• 1–2 Tbsp cream or milk, as needed

Method

1. Make sure the butter is properly soft. If it’s too firm, you’ll end up with butter chunks in the icing.
2. Beat the butter until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the icing sugar slowly, mixing as you go.
4. Mix in the vanilla and salt.
5. Add cream a little at a time to thin to a smooth, spreadable consistency.
   Go slowly: icing loosens quickly and also thins just from mixing.

Decorating Notes

• Add sprinkles while the icing is still wet.
• Optional: colour with food dye, or use natural powders like beetroot powder for a soft pink.
• If the icing gets too thin, add more icing sugar. If it’s too thick, add a tiny splash more cream.