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Freshly baked milk cookies stacked on a plate

Milk Cookies

These milk cookies are simple, tender, and perfect for dunking, made with everyday pantry ingredients and no chilling required.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Calories: 100
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Main ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened Use room-temperature butter for proper aeration.
  • 1 cup granulated sugar Use regular granulated sugar rather than superfine.
  • 1/4 cup milk Whole milk works best; reduce richness with low-fat or non-dairy options.
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract Gives flavor; can swap for almond extract.
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour Avoid overmixing to prevent tough cookies.
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder Helps cookies rise.
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt Enhances flavor.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
  2. Cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer or 4–5 minutes in a stand mixer.
  3. Add the milk and vanilla extract, mixing until combined and smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
  4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low until just combined; avoid overworking the dough.
  6. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them 2 inches apart to allow for spread.
Baking
  1. Bake for 10–12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through if needed, until the edges are lightly golden and centers are set.
  2. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to finish cooling.

Notes

Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. Chill dough if cookies spread too much.