Sugar Cookies
These sugar cookies are simple and delicious. If you need an easy, no chill sugar cookie recipe, this one is it! These chewy sugar cookies have an amazing vanilla taste and soft texture. This is my version of the best sugar cookie recipe.
Ingredients for Sugar Cookies
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder + baking soda – To help the cookies rise and spread.
- Salt – A bit of salt balances out the sweetness in the cookies.
- Unsalted butter – Room temperature.
- Granulated sugar – For the cookie dough and more for rolling.
- Egg + egg yolk – Large eggs, room temperature. The extra yolk helps make the cookies soft and chewy.
- Vanilla extract – Opt for a good quality pure vanilla extract for the best vanilla flavor.
How to Make Sugar Cookies
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet pans with silicone mats or parchment paper.
- Make the cookie dough: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. Cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Pour in the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until the cookie dough forms.
- Bake the cookies: Portion the cookie dough using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons). Roll the sugar cookie dough balls in granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for approximately 12 minutes until the edges are set. Remove the pans from the oven and cool the cookies on the pan for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- Check out my baking tips blog post on 10 Tips for Baking Perfect Cookies to learn easy tips and tricks to baking the best sugar cookies.
- Use good quality vanilla extract for the best vanilla flavor.
- Add frosting and sprinkles to the cookies as decorations, if desired.
- Use a large cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough for uniform, even, round cookies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How should I store the cookies?
- Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
- Yes! Portion the cookie dough into balls and store in the refrigerator in a storage bag for up to 2 weeks. You can also store the cookie dough in the freezer for 3 months.
- To use, bring the dough to room temperature, roll in sugar and bake as directed.
Other Cookie Recipes You Will Love
- Chocolate chip cookies
- Peanut butter cookies
- Oatmeal raisin cookies
- Monster cookies
- Double chocolate chip cookies
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Sugar Cookies
Yield: 18 cookies
These sugar cookies are simple and delicious. If you need an easy sugar cookie recipe, this one is it! These chewy sugar cookies have an amazing vanilla taste and soft texture. The perfect sugar cookie recipe for Christmas baking.
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup (344 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking soda
- 1 tsp (1 tsp) baking powder
- ½ tsp (0.5 tsp) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup (250 g) granulated sugar
- 1 (1) egg room temperature
- 1 (1) egg yolk room temperature
- 3 tsp (3 tsp) vanilla extract
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line baking sheet pans with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer, cream the unsalted butter and granulated sugar until creamy. Add the egg, egg yolk and vanilla extract and mix until well combined. Pour in the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the cookie dough forms.
- Portion the cookie dough using a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons). Roll the sugar cookie dough balls in granulated sugar. Bake the cookies for approximately 11 to 12 minutes until the edges are set and the centers are slightly underbaked.
- Remove the baking pans from the oven and allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Store the sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
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Please leave a comment with a star rating to let me know how you enjoyed the recipe!
About Courtney
Baker | 80s Lover | Cookbook Author
Courtney is a self-taught home baker and cookbook author of “Girls Just Wanna Bake Cupcakes”. She loves to create new and unique recipes while simultaneously listening to 80s music.
Hi – I just made the recipe and the tops didn’t crackle the way yours did. I made 3oz balls. I do freeze my dough before baking, could that be affecting the crackling top?
Hi Sabrina! The freezing may have affected the way the cookies are cracking during the baking process.
The best
Hi Nora! So thrilled that you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for the positive review 🙂
Very easy and delicious😍 do you know how many calories one cookie has?
Hi Emilia! So glad to hear you enjoyed the recipe! Unfortunately, I do not have the nutritional information for my recipes.
I liked how the cookies came out soft and chewy and the flavor is nice and vanilla-iy
Thanks so much for trying the recipe! I’m so glad to hear that you enjoyed the cookies!
Are you sure these will spread? Cause everytime I bake mine they never spread.
Hi there! I’ve made this recipe many times and I personally have never had an issue with the cookies not spreading. If they are not spreading, perhaps the flour was measured incorrectly or one of the measurements was off.
If I wanted to add sprinkles into mix and on top would I need to change anything in recipe or jus add it in?
Hi Gabby! You can just add sprinkles to the cookie dough and on top! No changes to the recipe!
The recipe looks pretty easy (which is good because I’m not the best baker 😅). I’m thinking of adding food coloring and making it pink! When should I add the coloring?
Hi Angie! That would be so cute! I would add food coloring when you add the vanilla extract.
Are sooo good
Happy to hear you enjoyed the cookies!
Thank you so much for the recipe! Could I use this recipe to a lemon sugar cookie? If so how woul I incorporate the lemon?
Hi Lashawne! That sounds delicious! I would add a bunch of fresh lemon zest to the cook dough. You could also substitute some of the vanilla extract for lemon extract!
Oh my gosh I was just thinking of that!! Lemon zest and extract. Will try it in the next week and update you!
Yes! Let me know how it turns out!
Going to make
Hope you enjoy the recipe!
The recipe looks pretty straight forward. I’m going to try it.
Hope you enjoy the recipe, Maria!