This Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe is made with simple ingredients. Each bite is soft and chewy with the perfect amount of sweetness.
I am going to show you how to make the best chewy sugar cookie dough. I have been making sugar cookie dough for years and years.
This recipe for Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies is another great recipe with a slightly different texture.
You only need a handful of ingredients, and most are pantry items you probably already have. This recipe for soft sugar cookies is so indulgent. It is one of our favorite cookie recipes. If you would like a gluten free option, try Gluten Free Shortbread Cookies.
For another flavor idea, try Peanut Butter and Jelly Cookies.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe
- Pantry Ingredients. The recipe calls for simple ingredients you probably already have.
- Quick and Easy. It is so simple to make these cookies without much effort.
- Soft and Chewy. Each bite is soft and so delicious.
Ingredients:
- Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Large Eggs
- All-purpose flour
- Vanilla Extract
Scroll to the bottom of the post and find the complete ingredient list in the recipe card.
How to make Soft Sugar Cookie:
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then combine the dry ingredients. In a large bowl of a stand mixer, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
Step 2. In a medium bowl, cream together the unsalted butter and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer. Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined.
Step 3. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed with the paddle attachment. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Step 4. Pour the remaining sugar into a bowl. Roll dough into one inch sized balls. Then roll the balls into the granulated sugar.
Step 5. Place the dough balls on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10 minutes until the top of the cookies begin to crack.
Step 6. Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
How to decorate Sugar Cookies
- Colorful sprinkles. You can add sprinkles for any holiday or occasion to these cookies. Just roll in the sprinkles before rolling in the sugar.
- Different colored sugar. Instead of regular sugar, try rolling the balls in colored sugar for special occasions. This is perfect for decorating Christmas Cookies. You can also sprinkle powdered sugar.
- Frosting. Top the cookies with your favorite sugar cookie frosting recipe. We love Cream Cheese Frosting and Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting. You can also make a sandwich cookie with frosting in between.
Tips for Success
- Accurately measure the flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup instead of scooping it directly into it. This will prevent excess flour packed into the measuring cup.
- Softened Butter. The butter should be room temperature for easy mixing. You do not want it to be melted otherwise the cookies will spread too much.
- Room temperature eggs. The consistency of the dough is best with room temperature eggs.
- Make sure the baking powder is fresh. Baking Soda helps to give the cookies the perfect crinkly texture on top once baked.
- Prepare the pan. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper. This will make clean up easy and also prevent the cookies from spreading. I prefer parchment paper over silicone baking mats because they spread less.
- Use a cookie scoop. The dough balls will all be the same size and shape.
- Allow to cool. The cookies need to cool completely on a wire rack before moving to storage.
Storage:
Refrigerator
Store the leftover cookies in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep a slice of bread in the container with the cookies to keep them moist. This will keep the sugar cookie recipe soft.
Freezer
You can also freeze the cookies if you make several batches. I like to freeze the dough balls unbaked. Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet and freeze for 1 to 2 hours.
Then transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer container. They will not stick to each other since you flash froze them. This makes it easy to take out just a couple if desired.
When ready to enjoy, bake as normal but add a few minutes extra cooking time. Learn more tips on how to freeze cookie dough. They still taste great.
Frequently Asked Questions
The butter needs to be at room temperature and not warm or melted. The cookies will spread during baking if using warm butter.
You should be able to press gently on the butter and your fingers will leave a slight indentation. However, it is important that the butter still holds its shape.
More Sugar Cookie Recipes to try:
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Unicorn Sugar Cookies
- Football Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Dipped Sugar Cookies
- Strawberry Lemonade Sugar Cookie Bars
Try these amazing cookies and leave a comment and star rating once you do.
Print this Easy Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe:
Soft Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups Granulated Sugar divided
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a medium size mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, cream together the butter with 1 ¼ cups of the granulated sugar with a hand held mixer or stand up mixer.
- Add in the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix until thoroughly combined and smooth.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed.
- Place the remaining granulated sugar into a small, shallow bowl.
- Roll dough into one inch sized balls. Then roll the balls into the granulated sugar.
- Place them onto a cookie sheet and bake for 10 minutes until the top of the cookies begin to crack.
- Let the cookies sit for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
