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Home » Recipes » Cookie Recipes

Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

Published: Sep 25, 2023 by Debra Clark · 21 Comments

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Soft, chewy and delicious this old fashioned Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe bakes up tender, sweet cookies. Each cookie is stuffed with your favorite jam or jelly!

Freshly baked Brown Sugar Cookie on orange plate with glass of milk.
Bake Brown Sugar Cookies until they are golden brown!

Just like this chewy Butterscotch Cookie Recipe this one of our favorite family recipes!

Jump to:
  • Why you'll love this recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
  • FAQ's
  • Things to know
  • Related recipes
  • Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Honestly when I was reading my Grandma's notes on these cookies I thought perhaps some ingredients were left out.

No white sugar?

Water?

Hmmm...

But I thought I'd bake them up, just like her notes because there's obviously something I'm missing.

And Grandma was right!

These cookies are soft and chewy, full of molasses-ee sweetness from the dark brown sugar.

This recipe has been in our family for almost 200 years - this is my Great, Great, Grandma Josephine's Recipe and I'm honored to share it with you!

Boy are these cookies good! Stuffed with jam - use your favorite, I used Strawberry Rhubarb Jam and Apricot Jam, YUM!!! I even filled a few with Fig Spread and man, it was hard to pick a favorite!

What I loved best is that such a simple cookie could be so perfectly delicious!

Ingredients

  • brown sugar - makes moist, tender cookies
  • butter - shortening or butter also helps keeps cookies moist
  • eggs - helps ingredients to bind together and makes cookies chewy
  • flour - depending upon the amount in a recipe can make the cookies crunchy or chewy
  • salt - keep the sweetness from taking over and balances the flavors
  • cinnamon - adds flavor and balances with the molasses in the cookies
  • vanilla - more flavor - delicious!
  • baking soda - helps the cookies rise
  • jam - for a sweet surprise in the middle!

Instructions

  1. Allow the sugar to come to room temperature.
  2. Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon - set aside.
  3. In a mixer cream the eggs, brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla.
  4. Add the dry ingredients, mix well.
  5. Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet.
  6. Make a dimple in the middle of the cookie.
  7. Drop a teaspoon of jam into the middle of each cookie.
  8. Top with another small spoonful of dough.
  9. Bake until golden brown.
Brown Sugar Cookies stacked on blue plate.
Moist from the brown sugar and stuffed with jam, these are a sweet treat!

FAQ's

Why use brown sugar in cookies?

When you only use brown sugar in a cookie it bakes soft and moist. Using only brown sugar makes for a chewier cookie!

Why is brown sugar brown?

It's brown because it's flavored with sweet molasses. It's what keeps the sugar moist and super sweet!

Which brown sugar is best for cookies?

Light brown sugar and dark are interchangeable in this recipe, but I like that extra bit of flavor you get from dark in this recipe! If light is what you have, then go for it - either way you won't be disappointed!

When a recipe calls for brown sugar is it light or dark?

Either will work - unless it specifies one or the other, they are interchangeable.

Things to know

Don't crowd the cookies on the baking sheet as these cookies spread while baking.

Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe on baking sheet - cookies are cooling.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a baking rack.

Related recipes

  • Sweet Chocolate Dipped Coconut Macaroons will certainly satisfy your sweet tooth.
  • Or if you like a crispy cookie, try 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies - they are done in a snap!
  • These easy White Chocolate Dipped Oreos are an eases to make sweet treat!
  • Persimmon Cookies - this old fashioned recipe is sweet and delicious. Drizzling them with white chocolate tops them perfectly!

Don't forget to check out my Amazon storefront for some of my favorite products! 🛍️

If you love this recipe please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating! 

Stack of brown sugar cookies.
5 from 9 votes

Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe

Old Fashioned Brown Sugar Cookie Recipe are tender and chewy! Stuffed with jam and baked until golden brown they are sweet and delicious!
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Prep Time10 minutes mins
10 minutes mins
Total Time20 minutes mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 36 cookies
Calories: 142kcal
Author: Deb Clark
Cost: $10

Ingredients

  • 2 cups brown sugar
  • 3 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup butter softened
  • 3 eggs
  • ½ cup water
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

  • Allow the sugar to come to room temperature.
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees, prepare baking sheet - lightly spray - set aside.
  • Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon - set aside.
  • In a mixer cream together eggs, brown sugar, butter, water and vanilla.
  • Add the dry ingredients, in two separate batches until well combined, scraping down the side - mix well.
  • Drop by spoonfuls onto a greased baking sheet, leaving plenty of room between the cookies as they spread shile baking.
  • Make a dimple in the middle of the cookie. Drop a teaspoon of jam into the middle of each cookie.Top with another teaspoon of dough.
  • Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown

Notes

  • Be sure to leave plenty of room between the cookies as they spread while baking.
  • Simply drop a teaspoon of dough on top of the jam, no need to try and seal the dough over the jam.

Love this recipe? Join the free membership group!

    Nutrition

    Calories: 142kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 36mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 177IU | Calcium: 16mg | Iron: 1mg

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    About Debra Clark

    Hey I'm Deb Clark, and I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over! We live in the sleepy little town of Scappoose, Oregon. And I admit it... I love food! Join me in this foodie journey (even if you've never cooked before!) I will help you learn to be confident in the kitchen! Want to learn more? Let's stay connected, you can email me at debra@bowl-me-over.com and find me on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.

    Comments

      5 from 9 votes

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Cindy says

      November 06, 2023 at 12:44 pm

      5 stars
      Grandma definitely knows what she's doing, these cookies are AWESOME! Thank you!

      Reply
    2. Camden says

      October 30, 2023 at 3:42 pm

      These old fashioned brown sugar cookies are so easy and delicious!

      Reply
    3. Kristen says

      October 16, 2023 at 10:42 am

      5 stars
      My great-aunt used to make cookies just like these old fashioned brown sugar cookies! I completely forgot until I saw this recipe, and memory instantly unlocked! Can't wait to make them for Christmas!

      Reply
    4. Cynthia says

      October 11, 2023 at 8:27 am

      These brown sugar cookies look delicious. I can't wait to try them with various jam flavors!

      Reply
    5. Brittany says

      October 07, 2023 at 12:14 pm

      These old fashioned brown sugar cookies were perfect. Soft and chewy cookies are my favorite!

      Reply
    6. Amy Nash says

      September 18, 2019 at 12:15 pm

      5 stars
      I love these old-fashioned cookies! They are so, so homey and delicious!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 20, 2019 at 8:14 pm

        Thank you Amy!

        Reply
    7. Nikki says

      September 18, 2019 at 5:08 am

      5 stars
      Made these over the weekend and they didn't last long! So good!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 20, 2019 at 8:14 pm

        I'm so glad you enjoyed them Nikki - these soft chewy cookies are so good!!

        Reply
    8. Kylee from Kylee Cooks says

      September 15, 2019 at 5:29 pm

      5 stars
      We made these today (Sundays are for baking, in my house). We all ADORED these - there are none left, and I only made them today. Going to double next time.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:22 am

        That's awesome Kylee! I'm glad they were such a hit!!!

        Reply
    9. Michaela Kenkel says

      September 15, 2019 at 7:13 am

      5 stars
      These brown sugar cookies just went straight to the top of my must bake list!!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:23 am

        They are sooo yummy, enjoy!

        Reply
    10. Debi says

      September 15, 2019 at 6:29 am

      5 stars
      I've always thought that brown sugar made better cookies than white sugar. These look so delicious & I loo forward to eating them.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:24 am

        I have never made a cookie with just brown sugar - what a difference!!

        Reply
    11. Julie Menghini says

      September 14, 2019 at 7:43 pm

      5 stars
      I love this cookie. If I was to write a cookbook it would be called dark brown sugar.... I love this recipe and can't wait t add them to my regular baking recipes!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:24 am

        You will love them Julie - they are amazing!

        Reply
    12. Brandi Burgess says

      September 14, 2019 at 7:29 pm

      5 stars
      Old fashioned cookies are ALWAYS the best! These did NOT disappoint! We loved them!

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:24 am

        Wonderful!! I'm glad you love them as much as we do!!

        Reply
    13. Michelle Turner says

      September 13, 2019 at 1:43 pm

      Hey, I had an Aunt Josephine too (not a Great Aunt, but a GREAT AUNT). They look delish. Will try them.

      Reply
      • Bowl Me Over says

        September 16, 2019 at 7:27 am

        GREAT Aunt's are the BEST, right? Enjoy these yummy cookies Michelle!

        Reply
    Blogger Deb Clark smiling at camera holding a plate filled with a casserole.
    Welcome to Bowl Me Over!

    Hey I'm Deb Clark! I'm the owner of Bowl Me Over. We live in a sleepy little town just north of Portland in the beautiful Pacific Northwest... (read more)

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