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Close up of a stack of buttermilk cookies.

Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Cookies

Pillowy soft and topped with a simple sprinkle of cinnamon and sugar, these tender Old-Fashioned Buttermilk Cookies are a deliciously sweet treat that are easy enough to bake (and enjoy) any day of the week.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: baking, cookies and bars, Fika
Cuisine: Nordic, Scandinavian
Keyword: buttermilk cookie recipe
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 80kcal
Author: Kristi

Ingredients

For the cookie dough:

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg room temperature
  • ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the topping:

  • ¼ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a medium bowl and set aside.
  • Combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
  • Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to mix until fully incorporated.
  • Reduce the mixer speed to low and add half of the dry ingredients followed by half of the buttermilk. Repeat with the remaining dry ingredients followed by the remaining buttermilk. Mix until the dough just comes together.
  • Reduce the speed to low and add the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough just comes together. Cover and chill the dough in the refrigerator for an hour.
  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine the sugar and cinnamon for the topping together in a small bowl. Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking sheets leaving at least 2 inches of space between each cookie (about 12 cookies per sheet). Sprinkle the top of each cookie with the cinnamon sugar mixture.
  • Transfer to the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are puffed and set and not brown. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Notes

To Store:  These cookies are quite moist so if you store them in an airtight container at room temperature, be sure to put a layer of parchment or wax paper in between each layer of cookies. The will tend to get almost damp (as quickly as overnight) when stored in an airtight container at room temperature, so for best results I recommend freezing the cookies you wish to enjoy at a later time.  Simply let them cool completely and transfer to a freezer-safe bag or other container and transfer to the freezer.  They will keep for 2-3 months.
Adapted from Betty Crocker’s Cooky Book.

Nutrition

Calories: 80kcal | Carbohydrates: 13g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 55mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Vitamin C: 0.002mg | Calcium: 9mg | Iron: 0.4mg