Old-fashioned shortening sugar cookies with tender centers and a touch of nutmeg.
The feature to preserve is the shaping: Scoop eighteen tablespoon balls, about 27 g each, and place 2 inches apart. Leave rounded for a soft center or flatten gently for a crisper rim.
Before mixing, measure without packing the flour. Shortening contains nearly all fat; butter also contains water and has a different melting behavior. Keep the measured shortening for this texture rather than making an untested equal-volume swap.
Use the observable baking cues as well as the timer. Allow the crumb to cool before packing; the texture continues to settle after the tray leaves the oven.
Shortening Sugar Cookies
Per tray: 14–16 minutes · 2 batches, about 12 pieces per 13 × 18-inch half-sheet pan.
Allow about 82 minutes: 25 hands-on, 0 required chilling, 32 baking all batches sequentially, 25 cooling including pan rest, and 0 finishing/set time. Preheat during preparation or final chilling. Extra trays and optional decoration add time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale or US measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl and silicone spatula
- Electric hand mixer
- 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- 1-tablespoon cookie scoop
Old-fashioned shortening sugar cookies with tender centers and a touch of nutmeg.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches. Keep piece size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Cookie dough
Instructions
Mixing
- Make the doughBeat shortening and sugar smooth. Mix in buttermilk and vanilla, then flour whisked with nutmeg, soda and salt. A slightly separated wet mixture is normal.
Thermal management
- Prepare for shapingNo chilling is scheduled. Prepare the pans and preheat during mixing. Keep the dough away from a warm oven.
Shaping
- Shape the batchScoop eighteen tablespoon balls, about 27 g each, and place 2 inches apart. Leave rounded for a soft center or flatten gently for a crisper rim.
Baking
- Bake to the right textureHeat a conventional oven to 350°F (177°C). Bake on the center rack for 14–16 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers have lost their wet shine. Keep the tops lightly colored. Use cool pans for later trays.
Cooling
- Cool before servingRest on the pan 5 minutes, then move carefully to a rack. Allow 25 minutes total cooling, including pan rest; the crumb firms as it cools.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Keep the shortening
Shortening contains nearly all fat; butter also contains water and has a different melting behavior. Keep the measured shortening for this texture rather than making an untested equal-volume swap.
Shape with purpose
Scoop eighteen tablespoon balls, about 27 g each, and place 2 inches apart. Leave rounded for a soft center or flatten gently for a crisper rim. Bake similar-sized pieces together.
Serving and texture
Old-fashioned shortening sugar cookies with tender centers and a touch of nutmeg. Let the crumb cool fully before judging texture; pack only once the finish has set.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3–4 days | Cool completely and seal in an airtight container. Keep unfrosted cookies separate from moist or strongly flavored treats. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 2 days | Cover raw dough tightly. Refrigerating plain baked cookies is unnecessary and can dry them; let chilled dough become workable before shaping. |
| Freeze raw | Up to 2 months | Freeze portioned dough balls on a tray, then seal in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, allowing extra time and checking for a set center. |
| Freeze baked | Up to 2 months | Freeze fully cooled, plain cookies in a sealed container with parchment between layers. |
| Restore | 30–60 minutes | Thaw baked cookies in their closed container at room temperature. For a freshly warmed plain cookie, use a 300°F oven for 2–3 minutes; cool briefly before serving. |
Notes
- US measures are shown first; gram weights help avoid packed flour. Spice weights are approximate: use measuring spoons for small quantities. Egg weights exclude shells. Temperatures are for a conventional oven.
Nutrition
Approximate nutrition per serving calculated from ingredient weights divided by 18; required fillings and toppings included, optional decorations excluded. Brands, unused coating and actual serving size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
Can I replace shortening with butter cup for cup?
Shortening contains nearly all fat; butter also contains water and has a different melting behavior. Keep the measured shortening for this texture rather than making an untested equal-volume swap.
What makes shortening sugar cookies different?
Old-fashioned shortening sugar cookies with tender centers and a touch of nutmeg. Keep the shortening. Follow the specified technique rather than substituting the shaping method from a different sugar-cookie recipe.
Can I make shortening sugar cookies ahead?
Prepare with the storage instructions below. Cool completely before sealing, and keep the stated piece size when baking refrigerated or frozen dough.
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