Ruth's Sugar Cookies

Old-school sugar cookies of this type lean on shortening rather than butter, and the result is a cookie that stays soft for days instead of going hard overnight.

The sugar-dip trick after baking is what makes these stand out. Pressing the warm cookie tops into a bowl of granulated sugar makes the crystals stick to the still-tacky surface, creating that signature crystalline sparkle and pleasant crunch with each bite.

Timing the dip matters. About a minute on the cookie sheet lets them set just enough to lift cleanly but stay warm enough for the sugar to adhere. Wait too long and the sugar slides right off.

These are drop cookies, not roll-and-cut. Faster, simpler, and they bake into perfect rounded mounds without any chilling or rolling pin work.

Chef Tips

• Use shortening as the recipe calls for, not butter. Shortening makes the cookies taller and softer; butter makes them flatter and crisper.
• Do not flatten the dough balls. The high baking powder ratio gives them lift on their own.
• Pull at 10 minutes if you like soft cookies, 12 for slightly crisp edges.
• Store in a sealed container with a slice of bread to keep them soft for a week.

Variations

• Replace the sugar dip with cinnamon sugar for snickerdoodle-style flavor.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a brighter, fresher cookie.
• Use colored sanding sugar for the dip to make holiday or birthday versions.