Melt-In-Your-Mouth Sugar Cookies
Posted: July 25, 2025
Updated: December 3, 2025
Instinct Level 4 – Advanced Technique: Patience and precision shine here: complex steps, longer time, sharper skills required.
Instinct Level 3 – Intermediate Balance: A little layering, some timing, and a dash of judgment — you’ve got this.
Instinct Level 5 – Expert Challenge: Multi‑stage, high‑skill cooking with nuanced judgment — a true kitchen adventure.
Instinct Level 2 – Easy with Guidance: Simple skills, short prep, clear steps — just follow along and you’re golden.
Instinct Level 1 – Beginner Friendly: You’ll breeze through this: quick, easy, no judgment calls, barely any cleanup.
My grandma made these for family and friends every Christmas and these were my absolute favorite – I was as excited for these cookies as I was for presents. Growing up as a skinny kid, I had no idea how unique these sugar cookies were...my first store-bought sugar cookie was a huge disappointment (even with frosting!). I am not entirely sure about the origin but they do seem to be similar to Amish sugar cookies. My twist is using lemon juice as an acid instead of cream of tartar (which is common to be in your pantry) and the cookies are a huge hit (especially for my nieces – they check the cookie jar first thing when coming over). They are so easy to make and super soft and crumbly.
cookies (approximately)
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Hands-On Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 45 to 55 minutes (for about 3 batches)
Total Time: ≈1 hour 10 minutes
Equipment
baking sheet (half-sized or 2 quarter-sized)
flat-bottomed glass and plate
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Suggestions
These cookies are a great gift! A handy trick is to reuse (cleaned and possibly decorated) Pringles cans – stack the cookies inside after they are completely cool and send in the mail.
Shortcuts
Don’t have time or forgot to pull out the butter? You can still soften butter by cutting into smaller pieces and warming in the microwave using 5 to 10 second increments (avoid melting) or using stacking bowls – fill 1 of the bowls about ¼ of the way with hot/boiling water, place the other bowl on top and place the butter inside the top bowl.
Troubleshooting / Prevention
The cookies are spreading too much: If the first batch results in thin cookies, the dough is likely too warm – refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes then bake. Other culprits can be old baking soda or the butter was too warm or melted.
Cookies are hard: Don’t overbake – the edges should just be golden.
Cookies are too crumbly: Warming the eggs to room temperature is the best prevention. If this is still an issue, add 1 to 2 Tbsp. of milk or cream to the dough and mix.
Make Ahead
The dough can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. When ready to bake, let the dough warm up a little and cook as usual.
Uncooked cookie dough freezes well! Roll into logs about 3 inches thick, wrap with clear plastic wrap, and freeze in a freezer-safe container or bag. To cook, remove from the freezer and thaw to prepare as usual or cut the log into rolls about ½ inch and bake from frozen for about 12 to 15 minutes.
Storage & Leftovers
These cookies last awhile (as long as 2 weeks) when stored in an air-tight container at room temperature.
FAQs
Q: Can you taste the lemon? Do I have to add it?
A: The lemon juice is not actually in the cookies for flavor. It's the acidic component that reacts with baking soda to make the cookies rise. You can replace the lemon with cream of tartar or another acidic ingredient but skipping altogether will result in flat cookies.
Q: What if I don't have or don't want to use vegetable oil?
A: You can probably replace vegetable oil with another neutral oil. Don't use olive oil though – the taste of the olive oil will overpower the cookie. If you want to use olive oil, I would recommend finding a cookie recipe that is specifically designed for that strong olive oil flavor. Trust me...I know this from experience.
Nutrition Facts
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* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet; your needs may differ.
Nutrition information is estimated using USDA databases and may vary based on ingredient brands and preparation methods.
The 2,000-calorie reference is used as a general guide. Individual calorie needs typically range from 1,600-2,400 calories per day for adult women and 2,000-3,000 calories per day for adult men, depending on age, activity level, and other factors.
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Cream
(Action) To cream means to beat together fat (typically butter) and sugar until the mixture becomes light in color, fluffy in texture, and aerated. This action incorporates air pockets that contribute to the leavening and tender crumb structure in cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Proper creaming ensures even distribution of sugar and fat, resulting in uniform rise and fine texture. The technique sets the foundation for many batters by creating a stable foam that traps leavening gases.
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