Drop Sugar Cookies is the kind of recipe that rewards a little planning and a few simple technique cues. These soft and sweet sugar cookies are perfectly crave-able and do not require rolling pins, cookie cutters, or any ounce of perfectionism. Gather the family and friends in the kitchen, whip up a batch and enjoy them on a cozy Christmas Eve. Add food coloring to the frosting, or leave them snowy white. In the spirit of the holidays, we substituted the milk in the frosting for egg nog - a very good call.

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Drop Sugar Cookies

1. cup butter softened, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 1¼ cup sugar (plus another ¼ cup reserved), ¾ cup powdered sugar
2. tablespoons water
3. eggs, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
4. teaspoon salt, 5½ cups flour

For the frosting: ½ cup butter softened, ¾ cup sour cream, 5 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon salt, ¼ cup milk (or egg nog), food coloring (optional), sprinkles (optional)

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt, then set aside. In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter, vegetable oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Add in eggs, one at a time. Slowly add in flour mixture until combined. Roll the dough into golf sized balls and place onto a prepared cookie sheet. Dip the bottom of a flat glass into the reserved ¼ cup sugar and press onto the cookie ball to flatten to about 1/3 inch thickness. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is barely brown. Do not over bake. Remove from oven and transfer to a cooling rack. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the frosting by creaming together butter, sour cream, and salt. Add the powdered sugar, then drizzle in the milk to the desired consistency. Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cookies and scatter with sprinkles.

Use this drop sugar cookies recipe for portioning help, doneness cues, make-ahead planning, and storage advice that supports repeatable results.

Make-Ahead Tips

Prepare the dough up to 3 days in advance and refrigerate covered. The dough also freezes well for up to 3 months - freeze pre-rolled balls and bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes. Baked unfrosted cookies keep for up to a week; frost on the day of serving for the freshest presentation.

Storage Notes

Store frosted cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Unfrosted cookies keep for up to a week. Freeze baked cookies without frosting for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature and frost before serving.

Related ideas to explore next If you want to keep building on this topic, good next reads include Recipe Candy Cane Crunch Cookies, Recipe Candy Corn Cookies, and Recipe Iced Egg Nog Cookies. They are useful for comparing techniques, finding adjacent inspiration, or choosing a Mrs. Fields option that fits a different craving or occasion.