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butter powder sugar cookies
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Perfect Powdered Butter Sugar Cookies

Delicious, buttery cookies made entirely with shelf-stable ingredients – no fresh butter required! Perfect for pantry baking, emergency prep, or camping adventures.
Course Desserts
Cuisine American
Keyword camping, Easy, emergency prep, pantry baking, powdered butter, shelf stable
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 24 cookies
Calories 145kcal

Equipment

  • Large mixing bowl
  • Medium mixing bowl
  • Measuring cups and spoons
  • Wooden spoon or electric mixer
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper

Ingredients

Base Cookie Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup powdered butter
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 large egg or 1 tablespoon egg powder + 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/3 cup milk or 2 tablespoons milk powder + 1/3 cup water
  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil vegetable or canola
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Optional Add-ins

  • 1 cup chocolate chips for chocolate chip variation

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease them.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, powdered butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt. Make sure the powdered butter is evenly distributed with no clumps. If you see any lumps, break them up with your fingers or sift the mixture.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, oil, and vanilla extract. If using powdered substitutes (egg powder or milk powder), make sure they're completely dissolved before proceeding.
  • Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a wooden spoon or electric mixer on low speed, mix until a soft dough forms. The dough should hold together when pressed but not be sticky. If too dry, add milk one tablespoon at a time. If too wet, add flour one tablespoon at a time.
  • If making chocolate chip cookies, fold in the chocolate chips now. For other variations, add your mix-ins at this stage. Don't overmix – just fold until evenly distributed.
  • Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. The cookies will spread slightly during baking.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. Don't overbake – they'll continue cooking on the hot pan after removal.
  • Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They'll be soft when hot but will firm up as they cool to the perfect texture.

Notes

Camping Instructions: For Dutch oven cooking, use about 8-10 coals underneath and 14-16 coals on top. Bake for 12-18 minutes, checking after 10 minutes and rotating if needed.
Make-Ahead Tip: You can mix the dry ingredients ahead and store them in an airtight container for up to 6 months. When ready to bake, just add the wet ingredients.
Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze for up to 3 months.
Variations: Try double chocolate (add 1/4 cup cocoa powder), snickerdoodles (add cinnamon and roll in cinnamon sugar), or oatmeal cookies (replace 1/2 cup flour with oats).
High Altitude: Above 5,000 feet, reduce baking powder to 3/4 teaspoon and increase flour by 2-3 tablespoons.