Q1: Why is my dough so crumbly and not coming together?

Don't worry! This is a "short" dough, so it will be a bit crumbly at first. The secret is to use your hands at the very end to gently knead and press the dough together. The warmth of your hands will help it form a cohesive ball.

Q2: Why did my cookies spread out and lose their shape?

The most common culprits are butter that was too soft (or melted) or overmixing your dough. For a foolproof, sharp-edged cookie, the "optional" 30-minute chill is highly recommended!

Q3: Can I make this with all shortening?

This recipe's unique flavor comes from the all-butter base. While using shortening would make the cookies very tender, you would lose all that delicious, rich, buttery flavor that is the signature of this old-fashioned cookie.

Q4: Do I have to use heavy cream?

The high fat content in the heavy cream is the secret to the rich, tender texture. If you are in a pinch, you can substitute it with whole milk, but the final cookie will be slightly less rich.

Q5: Can I make these without a pastry blender?

Yes, absolutely! You can use your fingertips to quickly rub the cold butter into the flour, or you can use two knives in a scissoring motion. A food processor also works beautifully—just be sure to pulse the butter until it is in pea-sized pieces, and then pulse the wet ingredients in just until the dough begins to come together.

Old-Fashioned Sugar Cookies (Grandma's Classic Recipe!)

Sugar Cookies (Grandma’s Classic Recipe!)

A classic, old-fashioned recipe for traditional cut-out sugar cookies. This recipe uses a pastry-blender method, cutting cold butter into the flour mixture, and enriching the dough with heavy cream and an egg. The dough is rolled thin, cut into desired shapes, and baked at a high temperature for a quick bake, resulting in a classic, tender sugar cookie perfect for decorating or enjoying plain.

Author: Grace

Ingredients

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter (implied: cold)
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tablespoons heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until combined.
Cut the butter into the flour mixture using two knives or a pastry blender until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs (this should take about 2 minutes).
In a small bowl, combine the beaten egg, heavy cream, and vanilla.
Stir the wet ingredients into the flour-butter mixture until the dough just comes together and forms a soft ball (about 1 minute).
Chill the dough for 30 minutes, if desired, to make rolling easier.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/8-inch thickness.
Lightly sprinkle the surface of the dough with extra sugar.
Cut the dough into desired shapes using cookie cutters.
Transfer the cookies to ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Chilling the dough for 30 minutes, while optional, is recommended to make the soft dough easier to roll.
This is a classic cut-out cookie recipe; the dough is designed to be rolled and cut into shapes.
The dough is sprinkled with sugar *before* baking, rather than being frosted, for a simple, traditional finish.

Find it online: https://www.eatswithsoul.com/old-fashioned-sugar-cookies/