Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
This is the best sugar cookie recipe! These sugar cookies are soft, chewy, rich and buttery, with warm vanilla flavor. This recipe is so easy to make, with no dough chilling required. The cookies roll and bake up perfectly right after mixing the dough.
Best Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
When I set out to develop a sugar cookie recipe, I never realized just how good such a simple cookie could taste. These sugar cookies are rich, buttery and sweet, with warm vanilla flavor. I just love the soft and chewy texture and extra burst of sweetness that comes from rolling the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar before baking.
Made with a handful of simple ingredients (there’s nothing fancy here – no chocolate, sprinkles or frosting), these sugar cookies are as basic as can be. But wow, are they good. I can pretty much never eat just one. I hope you’ll love them just as much as I do!
Ingredient Notes
- All-Purpose Flour: Be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and level method. First, fluff the flour in your container using a whisk or spoon. Then lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. This will give you the most accurate measurement and will avoid packing in too much flour.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These two ingredients help the cookies to puff up as they bake.
- Salt: Salt is an essential ingredient in baking. It brings out all of the flavors.
- Butter: The butter should be slightly softened at room temperature but still slightly cool. Do not soften the butter in the microwave; if it’s too warm the cookies may over-spread. You want it to be just soft enough so that it will cream together with the sugar.
- Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cookies. I also roll the cookie dough balls in sugar before baking.
- Egg + Egg Yolk: Using one whole egg plus one egg yolk creates a rich, flavorful dough.
- Vanilla Extract: This sugar cookie recipe uses 2 teaspoons of vanilla to give the cookies amazing flavor.
How to Make Sugar Cookies
Make cookie dough. First, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Then, beat together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in the egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until combined.
Roll and bake. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in granulated sugar. Bake at 350° F for 8-9 minutes, until cookie tops are almost set. For soft and chewy cookies, be careful not to overbake.
Kristine’s Tip: Don’t overbake these cookies! To keep their soft and chewy texture, slightly under-bake. The cookie edges should not be brown and the centers will be not quite set when the cookies are done. They will set up as they cool.
Sugar Cookie Recipe Variations
- Funfetti sugar cookies: Gently mix 1/2 cup of sprinkles into the cookie dough. (Use jimmies sprinkles, which are the tiny rod-shaped colorful sprinkles. Do not use nonpareils, which are the sprinkles that look like tiny balls. They would melt right into the cookies.)
- Roll in sprinkles: Roll the cookie dough balls in sprinkles instead of granulated sugar for a festive look. Colored sanding sugar works especially well.
- Can I use this dough for cut-out sugar cookies? Unfortunately, no. This sugar cookie recipe won’t work for cut-out cookies. I have a recipe for cut-out sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting that you could try.
More Favorite Cookie Recipes
These sugar cookies are perfect for sharing at the holidays or any time of year! Here are a few more of my favorite cookie recipes:
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature but still slightly cool
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup more for rolling the dough balls in, if desired
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Use a stand mixer or hand mixer to beat together the butter and sugar until creamy, starting on low speed and then increasing the speed to medium-high. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla and mix in on medium speed until incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix on low speed until combined.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet, about 3 inches apart. Bake one pan of cookies at a time, for 8-9 minutes, until tops are almost set. For soft and chewy cookies, be careful not to overbake.
Notes
- Be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and level method. First, fluff the flour in your container using a whisk or spoon. Then lightly spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. This will give you the most accurate measurement and will avoid packing in too much flour.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. (These freeze great! Thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes, then enjoy!)
