Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
These easy drop-style sugar cookies require NO chill time and bake up soft and chewy. Roll them in granulated sugar before baking for a sugary crust, or bake them plain, frost them, add sprinkles… it’s the best and most versatile sugar cookie recipe you’ll find!
These cookies are flat-out fantastic. It is not often that I eat a plain sugar cookie without any type of icing, and these were delicious in every way a sugar cookie should be.
Soft, chewy, buttery, and sweet, these are the essence of what every sugar cookie aspires to become. Rolling them in sugar prior to baking allows them to create a nice sugary crust in the oven, that gives way to buttery softness when you bite into them.
How to make drop sugar cookies
I love having a go-to drop sugar cookie recipe because sometimes when the mood strikes for a good sugar cookie, you realllllllly might not want to go through the hassle of rolling out dough, cutting it, etc.
Are you ready to hear how easy these cookies are to make? This is what we do:
- Preheat the oven.
- Prep the pan (see below).
- Whisk together dry ingredients.
- Cream butter and sugars.
- Add egg and vanilla.
- Mix in dry ingredients.
- Roll dough into balls.
- Roll in sugar.
- Bake!
In case you missed it, the best part is… NO CHILL TIME!
That’s right, they are TRUE drop cookies. Mix together the dough and then bake right away.
Now, let’s talk about those pans!
My baking pans of choice are these rimmed half sheet pans; I have a ton and I use them for everything! And they are perfect for cookies.
I highly, highly recommend using parchment paper to line your baking pans when baking cookies. Greasing cookie sheets will allow excess fat to leach into your cookies, causing them to spread too much and potentially burn on the bottom.
For a brief time, I experimented with silicone baking mats, but over time found that they developed a greasy film that I couldn’t get rid of no matter how many times I washed in soapy water or ran through the dishwasher. It was causing the same issues as greasing the pan would, so I stopped using them and went back to parchment paper.
Sugar cookies vs snickerdoodles
Some think of snickerdoodles as simply drop sugar cookies that have been rolled in cinnamon-sugar, but this oversimplification is far from accurate.
While both cookies have the same basic list of ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, flour, and baking powder/soda), there is one key ingredient in snickerdoodles that turns them into something altogether different:
Cream of Tartar
This magical little ingredient is an acid, so its presence gives the cookies that ever-so-slight tangy flavor to make snickerdoodles, well… snickerdoodles.
Keep them soft!
I’m a firm believer that all sugar cookies should be super soft; if you want a hard or crunchy sugar cookie, shortbread cookies are your answer.
A couple of keys to keep those cookies nice and soft:
- Brown Sugar – Just a small amount gives the cookies a little extra softness and gives them a chewier texture.
- Don’t Overmix – When you add the dry ingredients, only mix until just combined. You can always finish mixing in bits of flour with a rubber spatula.
- Don’t Press Down Too Far – When you press the cookies down, make sure they are still ¾-inch thick to keep them from getting too flat (and crunchy!).
- Don’t Overbake – Quite possibly the most important tip of all! Keep an eye on the cookies since some ovens can run hot and pull them out when the edges are light brown and the centers look just barely set and still pale.
Customize!
Even though these are drop cookies, you can still dress them up a bit if you’d like. Some ideas:
- Frost them – Instead of rolling the cookies in sugar, skip that step and then slather on your favorite vanilla frosting or cream cheese frosting – tint it different colors if you’d like!
- Add sprinkles – Who doesn’t love sprinkles?! Fold in ½ cup of colored sprinkles with a rubber spatula after mixing in the dry ingredients.
Make-ahead, storage, and freezing tips
- Make-Ahead – You can prepare the dough and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before scooping and baking.
- Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing the Dough – You can roll the dough balls and freeze them for up to 2 months. Bake for an extra minute or so.
- Freezing the Cookies – You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature then enjoy!
If you like these cookies, you’ll love these other recipes:
If you make these sugar cookies and love them, I would so appreciate it if you would take a moment to leave a rating below. Thank you so much! ❤️️
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
- 1 cup (198 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) vanilla extract
For Rolling
- ½ cup (99 g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the egg and vanilla; beat at medium speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- Place the ½ cup sugar for rolling in a shallow bowl. Fill a medium bowl halfway with cold tap water. Dip your hands in the water and shake off any excess (this will prevent the dough from sticking to your hands and ensure that the sugar sticks to the dough). Roll a heaping tablespoon of dough into a 1½-inch ball between moistened palms, roll the ball in the sugar, and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, moistening your hands as necessary, and spacing the balls about 2 inches apart. Butter the bottom of a drinking glass and then dip the bottom of the glass in the remaining sugar. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of the glass until they are about ¾ inch thick, dipping the glass in sugar as necessary to prevent sticking (after every 2 or 3 cookies).
- Bake until the cookies are light brown around the edges and their centers are just set and very lightly colored, 10 to 13 minutes. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets about 3 minutes; using a wide metal spatula, transfer the cookies to a wire rack and cool to room temperature. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Pans: I recommend half sheet pans and lining with parchment paper.
- Frost them - Slather on your favorite vanilla frosting or cream cheese frosting - tint it different colors if you'd like!
- Add sprinkles - Fold in ½ cup of colored sprinkles with a rubber spatula after mixing in the dry ingredients.
- Make-Ahead – You can prepare the dough and store it, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days before scooping and baking.
- Storage – Store the cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezing the Dough – You can roll the dough balls and freeze them for up to 2 months. Bake for an extra minute or so.
- Freezing the Cookies - You can freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw at room temperature then enjoy!
- Recipe from Baking Illustrated
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Dee of One Sarcastic Baker]
I have baked these cookies many times and they are always perfect and delicious! Very easy recipe too!! I shared with my sister in law and her grandson loves fhem! I have baked many of your recipes and they are simple to make and the end result is
always perfect. My husband loves everything I bake!! Thank you so much for your lovely recipes.
These cookies are a family favorite!! I use a teaspoon of almond extract and half a teaspoon of vanilla extract for a yummy almond flavor!
How do I measure the flour? And do I measure the flour in a metal measuring cup or a hard plastic measuring cup?
These cookies are delicious!!!
Gee! These were delicious! My dough was crumbly after the first six cookies. I continued on and they were still chewy in the center with crunchy edges. Thank you, thank you! I will definitely make these again.
We loved these.cookies! The dough was very crumbly. What could I have done to prevent that? The cookies were delicious but thin.
Hi! So I have made these a few times and I’ve had an issue with the edges getting too brown while the center is a bit under baked. Do you have any idea why that may be?
Hi Katie, You could try bumping the baking temperature down to 350 degrees and see how that works for you!
I made a double recipe. The first baked out too thin.
It worked better for me to roll into balls, coat, then bake without flattening. I patted them gently with the back of my spatula when they came out of the oven to keep them from being too puffy.
They were crunch on the outer edge but soft and chewy in the center. I rolled half in granulated sugar, very pretty. The other half I rolled
in rainbow sprinkles-they turned out so cute!
One of the best sugar cookie recipes. Found it years ago and it’s my go to— I make these on the fly for party before the days of COVID, and everyone wanted to know where I bought them 😂
One thing I do for a chewier cookie is do half cup of brown sugar and half cup of white. I love brown sugar so this is my fave way to make them. I’ve also added lemon extract with frosting for Easter and maple extract with walnuts!
It one of the best cookies I have ever made. I was worried it won’t be soft because I reduced the amount of sugar but it still turn out good.
A great no chill sugar cookie recipe – love it, cuz I hate waiting for the dough to chill prior to baking! So yum and fluffy!
Amazing they were really soft and chewy and they were absolutely delicious
Yes, yes to the cookbook suggestion from reader below!!!. Besides your amazing recipes, you’re such a good story teller and writer and photographer. Would be so neat to see if one day you had a beautiful recipe book that included some of your amazing pics, life stories….even your doggies and kids. I think we all can use something uplifting in our cookbook sections besides just having recipes on every page. My favorite of yours is, and always will be your Friday Things and your Weekend things. How great to have a big new book filled with recipes and things like that😊 you can do it girl, if anyone can it’s you!!
Sugar cookies look amazing. Nice choice to transition us from Summer to Fall.
I love your recipes! Would you consider doing a cookbook?
Amy
Aw thank you, Amy! I’d love to get a cookbook out one day!
Hello, quick question, a Bakery we go to has a soft sugar cookie stuffed with Nutella. would your recipe be suitable for that?
Ooooh that sounds delicious! You could for sure try it!
It looks like from the comments you published this recipe first about 10 yrs ago and I was wondering what tweeks you did over the years if any. Always interesting to know how recipes change as we make them thru the years.
Hi Cheryl, Yes, this is an old one! Other than including better photos and a video, the only change is to a slight reduction to baking time to keep them nice and pale and from overbaking. When I make substantial changes to an old recipe, I’ll always discuss that in the post above so you know what may be different.
I was wondering if this was the old sugar cookie recipe (I always recognize these cookies to know I have the right recipe by the picture of the cookie with the blue object in the picture). These truly are the best sugar cookies and super quick to make especially if your used to the recipe. These are my go to quick cookie and I can whip these up super fast.
Wow this looks easy to make and delicious to eat. I am gonna try it for sure.
These are the best sugar cookies! Everyone loves them!
Literally the best sugar cookie ever!!!! I found this recipe about 5 years ago and it is my go to sugar cookie recipe every single time. So many people hate sugar cookies and can then plain or bland. Not this one! I’ve converted so many non believers into lovers! It’s buttery and chewy but still crisp around the edge, tastes great day one and stays fresh in in air right container with a few pieces of bread in to keep them moist! This recipe is perfect as is and needs no amendments! Easy to make and even easier to eat. Try them, you won’t be disappointed!!!
Do you have a sugar cookie and Royal Icing recipe that you would share….my children grew up in glen Ellyn, Illinois with a bakery that had delicious big round sugar cookies with bright Yellow icing and a smiley face…they want me to recreate these for them…begging actually…I told them if anyone had a recipe it was “the brown eyed Baker…Is there any chance that you could help me make this 49 year old boy and 48 year old girl deliriously happy again?…Thank you for so many wonderful recipes…I was describing something wonderful of yours that I had cooked the night before to my 10 year old granddaughter as we drove to Gymnastics…I told her the ingredients and how delicious it was…and from the back seat came “Was it a Brown Eyed Baker?…They know when it’s one of your recipes and I make copies in multiples of 3 now…so they will have the in their box to cook for their grand children someday. Thank you, brown Eyed Baker !
Hi Gerrie, Yes! https://www.browneyedbaker.com/soft-chewy-sugar-cookies/ and https://www.browneyedbaker.com/how-to-decorate-cookies-with-royal-icing/
I know this post was like…long way back, but I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate the recipes and how easy you make it to follow! I love the tips and little baker secrets that you have learned and then graciously share. You are my go to for recipes, so I knew I could count on this cookie! I made it as the base of my fruit pizza and it was perfect!!
Aww thank you for the lovely comment! xo
Not a fun dough for cut out cookies. Way too soft :(
hi michelle! I wanted to ask if I could add sprinkles to these cookies to make them more of a funfetti cookie. would that alter the texture in any way? and also, when should I add in the sprinkles? thanks so much in advance!
Hi Shanice, You could definitely add sprinkles! I would add them at the very end, stirring them in by hand.
Perfect little treat for Spring Break. My son and husband inhaled them!
Hello…I am finally getting a Kitchen Aid stand mixer. Needless to say I plan on a lot of baking. I was wondering if you could mark your Christmas recipes showing which items can be canned, which travel well and which can be shipped with minimal breakage. I want to send some homemade gifts to families and friends who don’t live near here. For canning I wondered about the bacon jam for instance. Thanks for lots of fun and Merry Christmas to all.
These fabulous cookies are my go-to and were my first attempt at royal icing. Thank you! I’ve become “famous” in certain circles for them. I’m making a batch for an Elmo-themed birthday party and have been reading a lot online to prevent them from spreading. One tip is to lose the baking powder. Have you done this? How has it worked out? I’m planning on using an email cookie “stamp” to help with the outlining and I’m afraid I’m testing too many variables at once.
Hi Genna, I have not tried eliminating baking powder.
Thanks! I tried it and definitely got a crispier cookie but it was great for what I needed. I think it helped with the spread just enough. I kept the cookie on the thicker side and it was still soft. Nixing the baking powder may be a good solution!
Hello!! I’ve been looking for a great recipe for cut-out sugar cookies and I’m wondering if these cookies are just right and not super duper sweet that if I decorate it with royal icing, the sweetness would be alright? Thanks a lot :)
Hi Noelle, Yes, these are the cookies that I use a base for decorating with royal icing.
Just made these…absolutely delicious. They literally melted in my mouth. Made full batch and I am freezing half of the dough, since I am on a diet and all…tee hee.
I just baked these and they turned out perfectly! I am having a difficult time describing the texture on the outside – sort of a crinkle-like crunchy sweet outside with a chewy inside. Quite tasty. My husband said that he doesn’t like sugar cookies but these were very good. Thanks for posting the recipe!
I just made these cookies and very yum! I used a small ice cream scoop and got 4batches. SInce they were small size I baked them only $13minutes.
thanks.
should i refrigerate cookies with baking sheet or only the baking sheet before baking?
Hi Jasminee, If you are doing the cut-outs, refrigerate the baking sheet with the cookies on it.
Refrigerate with cookies too or only baking sheet?
Yum. Just ate one hot out of the oven. I’m going to put buttercream frosting on them.
Your measurements are off. 2 cups is 16 oz not 10 oz. And 1 C is 8 oz not 7oz. I did the correct measurements and its too much flour.
Christina, My original measurements are correct. Unfortunately, it’s a widely held misconception that 8 ounces = 1 cup for every single ingredient. For liquid measurements, yes. However, solid ingredients have a wide range of volumes, therefore 1 cup of flour, for instance, will not weight the same as 1 cup of sugar. Please consult this ingredient weight chart for more information: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipe/master-weight-chart.html. I am not surprised that using 16 ounces of flour in a recipe that called for 2 cups resulted in way, way too much flour for this recipe.
Im making these cookies and i sifted the 2 cups of flour thinkn it would be the same result but the dough is still soft what should i do ?!?! Help
I just made these cookies tonight, and they are very delicious! I slightly undervalued them and they are just incredible.
I meant to say underbaked! Not undervalued. Ha! Like the person above me, I did notice that the edges turned brown quickly before the rest of the cookie finished baking. But to mitigate that, I baked them for about 12-13 minutes total, and they turned out good.
Sorry to say that these did not turn out well for me as cutout cookies. I am an experienced baker and followed the directions to a “T”. These spread, were a little greasy to me, and did not have much flavor. Either edges too done or middles too soft. Just wasn’t the recipe for me.
How long will these stay fresh?
i baked these cookies thinking they would be soft and chewy. I did exactly what the recipe called for – baked for 15 minutes and they were burnt and horrible.
luckily I still had some batter left so I did the next and took 5 minutes off the time – they were still hard and crunchy.
disappointed – I have tried other recipes for soft chewy sugar cookies that were way way better
I made it yesterday, and I loved it…I made 24 pcs. of it. it is really easy to make that beginners (like me) can do.. :D I like the it’s softness and chewiness.. Thank you very much for the recipe :D
They look delicious! I have a question, though. Can I replace the normal sugar with Splenda? Will it taste the same, or would it change completely?
Hi Helen, I’ve never used Splenda or a sugar substitute, so I can’t really say if they would taste the same or if the texture would be different. If you try it, be sure to come back and share your feedback!
Thanks, Michelle! I’ll try them at home and see how they turn out
These look great! I have been looking for a chewy sugar cookie for some time now. Do you think these will work with some cocoa (subbing for a bit of flour)? I’m on a mission to do a sugar swirl caramel stuffed cookie. I love your site and would love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Karen, I haven’t done it, so I’m not sure how it would turn out, but you could certainly give it a try. Let me know how it goes!
I made these yesterday, and they were a total disaster. Everything seemed to be going well. The dough was sticky, but wetting my hands helped handle it. I even put the baking trays in the fridge while I waited for the oven to get to temperature, since I live in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, and it was really hot that day. I peeked into the oven at about the five-minute mark, and they looked good. The next time I looked in, the cookies had spread all over the entire pan. I had to throw them away. :-(
I just made these and 375 was WAY to high. The bottoms burned while the middle was still doughy – that was the first batch. The 2nd turned out MUCH better at 350 for like 10 mins. much more even baking. soooo yummy.(:
Very delicious! For cutouts, though, just remember that they rise! I made the mistake of using stamped cutouts and the lettering could barely be seen. But the plain shapes came out beautifully and taste GREAT with royal icing!
I loved the recipe — Hate the font — Please make it bigger on the recipe — or able to copy it — so that I may change to a font that I can read while cooking.
Made these cookies today, I used 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp almond extract, and they turned out lovely. Thx for this recipe !
Mmm…these *are* delicious and work quite well as a gluten free version substituting regular wheat flour with Namaste All Purpose Gluten Free flour blend. Yay! So excited to find a perfect sugar cookie that translates well to GF. Thank you :)
Hi Michelle! I’m so excited to try this recipe- I want to send these to my boyfriend for V-day! I’ve never mailed any baked goods though so I am concerned on the best way to do it.. any suggestions?? I saw that the cookies can be frozen after being decorated so I am wondering if I should ship them frozen (priority mail would get there in 2 days). Thanks for your help!
Hi Kristen, Yes, you could definitely ship them frozen.
can you make these cookies and use cookie cutters with them? :)
Hi Sharon, Yes, there are instructions in the blog post above about how to adapt this recipe to be used with cookie cutters.
HI!
FIRST, THIS IS MY FAVORITE BAKING BLOG, AND THESE ARE MY FAVORITE SUGAR COOKIES, SO THANK YOU FOR POSTING ‘EM! MY KIDS’ GRUBBY LITTLE PAWS DIDN’T EVEN RUIN THE DOUGH AFTER FIDDLING WITH IT :)
I HAD A QUESTION, I WOULD LIKE TO USE THIS RECIPE ON MY BLOG, AND WILL OBVIOUSLY CREDIT/LINK YOU AND BAKING ILLUSTRATED, BUT CAN I USE YOUR INSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING THESE AS CUT OUT COOKIES AS WELL, OR IS THAT COPYRIGHTED JUST TO YOU? THANKS IN ADVANCE FOR ANY HELP YOU CAN GIVE.
HAPPY BAKING!
Hi Katie, You are more than welcome to post on your blog with your own photos and experience, as long as you provide a link back, as you had mentioned. So glad you enjoyed these!
I made these for Christmas cookies and just added a little colored sugar glitter after pressing them down. They are soooo gooood….perfect sugar cookies and I’m sure anyone would love them.
Disappointed.
The cookies were dry and crunchy, not soft and chewy!
Maybe cooking at lower heat would work.
Sorry browneyed, this recipe did not turn out well.
Oh my goodness ! The BEST homemade sugar cookie ever ! Thank you so much!
I am planning to make these to put in goodie bags for my son’s birthday party next week. I’d like to make them ahead of time, to give me time to make sure they turn out ok and also to have them ready to go. Can you tell me the best way to make them in advance? Can they be frozen once they are decorated? Before they are decorated but after they are baked? Freeze the dough? Don’t freeze, but refrigerate? Just not sure how to plan ahead. Thanks!
Hi Tracey, Pretty much, yes to everything ;-) You can freeze them decorated, freeze them undecorated, or freeze the dough. You could make the dough 1-2 days ahead and refrigerate. You didn’t mention if you would be decorating with just a buttercream or using royal icing. If you are decorating with royal icing, here is a great post about freezing and thawing decorated sugar cookies: http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/2012/05/yes-you-can-freeze-decorated.html
BEST cookies I’ve ever made!!! try these if you want everyone begging for your recipe! If I could literally eat the entire batch
What do you use to roll and cut your cookies on, silicone mat, counter, etc..? Thank you very much!
Hi Caroline, I use a silicone mat. I have this one from King Arthur Flour: http://www.kingarthurflour.com/shop/items/silicone-rolling-mat#4994#
Oops, meant four hours. lol!
Wow, these were very good. The first batch disappeared quickly. Definitely a repeat in our kitchen. They sat in the fridge for about four house while I was fixing Sunday dinner. Turned out just like your picture. I added fresh nutmeg and only had to bake them for 12 min. in my oven.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. Next will be your Italian Wedding Soup this week. Still looking for one that was like the one served at our wedding 31 years ago.
Carrie
Any tips on softening refrigerated butter in a time crunch?
Hi Julie, I unwrap the butter and cut it into smaller pieces, put it on a plate and microwave for 5 seconds. If it’s still cold/hard, then I’ll do another 5-second spin. Just don’t let it get too soft where it’s on the verge of melted.
Oh my goodness, this recipe is phenomenol!!!
So tasty, buttery, soft, delicious, and they had an amazing flavor, even with all the substitutions i made:
1 cup white whole wheat flour + 1 cup all purpose
reduced sugar to 2/3 cup
used 3/4 cup smart balance spread + 3 Tbsp applesauce
And I mixed it all up using my electric hand mixer since I don’t have a stand mixer. Sooo delicious, and only 95 calories for a batch of 26 cookies using my variations.
I can only imagine how delicious they are if you don’t make any substitions…..make these NOW!!!!!
I used Splenda sugar instead of the actual thing and my cookies turned out different. Very dry, like so dry they made you choke. They also stayed in the clump ball shape i rolled then into, no spreading whatsoever. The taste was phenomenal though, but that’s not the point. Don’t substitute ingredients and it’ll be prefect.
I made these today. Though they taste awesome, they don’t look as nice as yours. Mine spread a bit more than I was expecting (I did the ball rolled in sugar method).
I did not chill the dough before I baked it so that probably had something to do with the spreading.
But, I also used a Silpat sheet rather than parchment. Would the Silpat cause additional spreading?
Thanks for the recipe, they taste great!
Hi Kat, Not chilling the dough would definitely have caused them to spread a bit more.
love these there as close to the kroger sugar cookies i guess ill get but hubby really likes but say they taste a little to floury what can i do to prevent this i roll dough in less flour but didnt change much but chewwy and soft and great taste i use a gas oven so would that change any thing the time or etc.
I love these! My only qualm is that you list the butter in sticks. In my ountry (canada) stick butter isn’t prevalent. I counted out all the tablespoons before realizing that 1 stick i 1/2 a cup, so 2 is one cup!
Wow! These cookies were awesome! I have been craving a good sugar cookie, and this met my expectations. I personally am handicapped when it comes baking cookies, so my sister made these. These cookies were delicious!
Thanks for another fabulous recipe! Love how soft and chewy these cookies are! I made them as regular sugar cookies and as cut-outs and both ways worked great! Instead of rolling them in white sugar, I rolled them in sprinkles and they were so fun and colorful – a big hit!
i tried them today but ddnt turn out well….the dough wasn’t thick enough i guess :( :( :(
Can this cookie dough be refrigerated or frozen?
Hi Danielle, Yes, both! You can refrigerate it up to 2 days, or freeze it for up to a month.
These cookies were so soft and so good. Perfect recipe!
These are SO GOOD. I’m usually a soft sugar cookie fan, soft and frosted even better, but these are amazing! They’re crunchy around the edges, soft in the middle, and the sugar crust is incredible. I added an extra step by adding a little extra sugar to the tops of the cookies and spreading the sugar across the top with my fingertips, and it just made that sugar crust even better. On some of them, the sugar crust even cracked a little. TO DIE FOR!
I just wanted to let you know I made these with the royal icing and they are sooo great!! Delicious. I also shared this on my blog today: http://vixenmade.blogspot.com/2012/01/circus-party-recipes.html
well i made these cookies and they are cooling right now……………………. delicious!
I think i used to much sugar when rolling them and using the glass to flatten but non the less very good and light and everything this page claims to be.
Has anyone made these in a high altitude area. I live in Colorado at 7,500 feet above sea level and was wondering if there were any changes that I need to make to ensure they come out well.
This is the easiest sugar cookie dough I have ever worked with! It rolled out beautifully, cut cleanly (no tearing) and baked up perfect! The true test will be my coworkers devouring them :)
Hi Michelle,
I doubled the the recipe because I need to make quite a bit of cookies. However when I was done mixing the dough…it was very sticky when I was shaping it. Is that typical? I wonder if my mixer was too small to double the recipe and it didn’t mix well enough. I’m freezing it until Saturday when I have to make them…but do you think the dough is ruined? If so, anything to save it when I make them this weekend?
Thank You!!
I double the recipe all the time! Sometimes it is stickier because it takes longer to mix more ingredients, and the extra mixing causes the dough to warm and thus get stickier than usual. Don’t worry, you’re cookies will be perfect! :)
Hi Kate, I also double the recipe very often. I don’t think it’s ruined at all. Just make sure you generously flour the counter and the dough when you roll it out. You should be fine!
AMAZING! I just made these and to make them a bit more Christmas-y, instead of rolling them in granulated sugar, I rolled them in red and green sugar crystals and they look awesome! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
What recipe for icing do you recommend.
Would like to use this for Christmas cut-outs.
Thanks
Hi Greer – I use a royal icing for decorating sugar cookies. You can find the recipe and the method I use for decorating here: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/06/04/how-to-decorate-cookies-with-royal-icing/
Delicious! My first time ever making sugar cookies on my own and they turned out perfect! I love thick chewy sugar cookies and that’s exactly what these are. Next time I think frosting them would make them even better.
Heey, this recipe looks amazing but i dont understan this part
“Butter the bottom of a drinking glass and then dip the bottom of the glass in the remaining sugar. Flatten the dough balls with the bottom of the glass until they are about ¾ inch thick, dipping the glass in sugar as necessary to prevent sticking (after every 2 or 3 cookies)”
Ps. I can speak english but i’m not good enough for this. I put it into a traductor but i dont understand :/
It means: make the balls of cookie dough flat by pressing with the bottom of a drinking glass. Just make the balls flat :)
Immediately wanted to try this recipe when I saw it, and I did. I used the roll in a ball form yiu mentioned in the instructions,but they spread out a lot. After reading the comments I think it could be because I didn’t cool the dough before placing it on the cookie sheets, so ill try that next time. What I really can’t seem to figure out is that they didn’t really brown around the edges :( I left them in there even longer too just to see if that would help but it didn’t seem to. They’re cooling now so ill see how they turn out, but any advice would be great!
Nevermind! It was just–as I expected–a mishap with my oven. Turned it off for a bit,put them in again and they turned out great!
after they are baked how long will they stay fresh for? how do i store them? I’m planning on making a big batch and want to make them in advance.
They should be store in an airtight container at room temperature; they can stay fresh for about 3 days like that; if you wrap them individually with plastic wrap, then store them, you’ll get about 5 to 7 days of freshness.
ok
Thnx:)
Before you bake it, can you put sprinkles on while they bake?
The kind of sprinkles that look like colored sugar?
I’ve never done it but I don’t see why not. Have fun baking! :)
I am bowing down to you right now. I too have been on the search for the perfect chocolate chip cookie. Thanks to you, I found it! AMAZING!
Well, I switched pages without knowing. This was supposed to be for the Thick and Chewy Chocolate Chip cookies! But these look good too! :)
“Soft and chewy” are magical words for me, too. As much as I love cookies, a burnt or overcooked one can turn me off. I will be sure to give these sugar cookies a try and see for myself just how amazingly soft and chewy they are.
I made these today in the roll-in-a-ball form. They spread quite a bit. I will try sticking them in the fridge for a while before baking next time. Also, they were starting to brown around the edges at about 12 minutes. I have an oven thermometer so I know the temperature was correct. Maybe I’ll try to leave them a little thicker too?
They are cooling now and smell delicious, even if they aren’t “perfect”!
I used this recipe to make heart shaped cookies, then decorated them with a version of royal icing. This was one of the easiest sugar cookie doughs to work with, it was so easy to roll out. There were no cracks and the dough was nice and soft. The shapes maintained fairly well too. Two days later, they are still soft and chewy, just the way we like them. I only eyeballed my dough for thickness and I’m pretty sure I only ended up with maybe 1/8″ thick, but I made sure not to overbake them and they turned out just fine. Thanks for the recipe Michelle.
These cookie came out fantastic! I made them for Valentine’s Day with red sugar and they were a hit!
Hi Michelle – I am making these for the first time – bought a shirt cookie cutter to make the Steelers jersey cookies. I never measured flour by the oz before and found that each cup was only 4 7/8 oz so now I don’t know if I should add the extra .25 oz, which measured almost half a cup on my digital scale. I don’t want them to spread too much but I don’t want them to not roll out. I am using my old stand by sugar cookie recipe for footballs and helmets but thought I would try this for the shirts.
Hi Diane, If I weigh, I just weigh – I don’t put it into cups and try to compare. For me, that’s the whole point of weighing – it’s consistent every time where when you scoop into measuring cups it can vary each time. I would recommend just weighing and using that amount.
I was wondering if there was a tip to make perfectly uniform cookies when rolling them out. I’m not into making sugar cookies because I don’t like to roll them out, probably due to the fact that I am very anal about being the right thickness. Is there some sort of kitchen gadget to press/roll cookie dough into to make them all uniform? Thank you in advance for your time in answering my question.
Cathe Kitchen Gadget (as my husband refers to me)
Hi Cathe, You can actually buy these little rubber bands to slide on the ends of your rolling pin so that you can roll the dough to a specific thickness. You can get them at Bed Bath & Beyond.
Very chewy, but they spread out a little too much. I tried to roll them out for use with cookie cutters but the cookies spread too much, leaving the shapes big blobs. I think maybe this recipe is best for round cookies appearance wise. Taste wise they’re great!
i made these and they are great, chewy, soft and buttery.
BEST sugar cookies I have ever had. Thank you so much for this recipe! I will always and forever keep this!
I just discovered your blog 2 nights ago. EVERY one of my Christmas cookies are made from YOUR recipes!! They have all come out divine! Thanks for such a fun and delicous blog to follow. Can’t wait to make some more goodies after the holidays :)
Amazing cookie recipe! I made these tonight and my family LOVED them! Thanks!
Michelle…you KNOW I’m a huge fan of yours (also the Red Sox, Celts & Pats!) and I followed your instructions about making these for cutouts but they did NOT work for me! They were tasty but once the dough softened (which was quickly), I had to use a lot more flour and then I did the refrigeration for 15 mins so they would set but they still spread way too much…so much that some didn’t look like the cutter I used. I’m so disappointed! I’m due to go to my brother’s with lots of cookies for the kids to decorate on Saturday and tomorrow night, I’ll have to make more cookies. I admit that my cutters are kind of large so I only got about 1 1/2 doz per batch. My son wanted to use a small cutter that he got as a present and surprisingly, the tiny ones kept their shape but I don’t want all pigs from Toy Story! LOL I had done 4 batches and then froze them for baking tonight so I guess for the remaining 2, I’ll just roll them at a later date in sugar and just make regular cookies. Should I try your other recipe? I’m now desperate!
Hi Lisa, I’m so sorry you didn’t have luck with these. I do have two other sugar cookies on the site, but I have found that this recipe specifically held shapes infinitely better than either of the other two. It’s my go-to recipe for decorated sugar cookies (which I make tons and tons of). The only thing I can think of is that maybe the dough wasn’t rolled out quite thin enough? If it’s too thick sometimes it can spread more. Just a thought. In any case, so sorry these didn’t work out for you! :(
Mine didn’t turn out well for cut out either, the dough went really soft really fast. like in 10 mins. i couldn’t roll it out properly. Any suggestions? I need these on Saturday.
Thanks!
I would recommend chilling the dough if you are having trouble, and making sure your surface is well-floured. If the dough is ridiculously soft, the butter may be too warm, in which case the refrigerator will help.
i made these this morning, and have some tips. the best results were on a light pan lined with parchment paper. the dark pan lined with parchment made the edges a bit too brown and crunchy, and the dark pan with spray instead of parchment made them spread out way too much, and the edges got REALLY brown and crunchy. i am going to ice and decorate them and send them to school for my sons b-day party cookies to have in class. :) he is very excited!
Hi Patti, thanks for your tips! I’m definitely a big advocate of parchment paper, it’s awesome! Happy birthday to your son! :)
So, is this now your go-to Sugar Cookie recipe? I see you have more than one listed on your site (including one by Dorie Greenspan). With Christmas coming soon, my thoughts are turning to frosted sugar cookies and I still haven’t found the recipe that I’m happy with. Since I’m a fan of the folks at Cook’s Illustrated, I’ll have to give this recipe a try – I have Baking Illustrated, but I never thought to try this recipe. Just curious, have you ever tried rolling these in cinnamon-sugar to make Snickerdoodles? I’m still on the lookout for the perfect Snickerdoodle too, and I wonder if this might be an option.
Hi Erik, Yes, this is now my go-to sugar cookie recipe. I really need to make note of that on the other recipes! I haven’t tried making these into snickerdoodles, but I do have an absolute favorite snickerdoodle recipe:
https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2009/07/08/snickerdoodles/
If you try snickerdoodles with this recipe, let me know how you like them!
I have made this recipe a few times and tonight I made 4 batches of it. Some of the cookies spread and lost their shape. The dough had been refrigerated and each baking sheet had been cooled. What could I have done wrong? I have used recipe before with no problems and gotten a lot compliments. Please help!! :-)
Hi Kristi, Sometimes I find if I roll out the scraps a few too many times, those batches can tend to spread a bit. Perhaps that could have happened?
Sugar cookies are my husband”s favorite but I could never outdo grocery store bakery cookies – until now! He loooooved them! He said he never had better. I am trying the Chocolate chip recipe next :)
Yay so happy your hubby loved them! You will love those chocolate chip cookies!
I’m planning to make a large batch of these cookies (about 200!) and would really like to make the dough in advance. How long can I freeze it?
Hi Joelle, You can freeze it up to a month in advance. Have fun with the cookies!
I just finished making a batch of these cookies and they are simply divine. I just love your website…it’s my new best friend!
Yay for BFF’s! So happy to hear you love these Tykisha!
I’ve made these several times, and they are just the best-tasting sugar cookie, ever.
However, mine don’t look like yours and I’m wondering why. Mine come out wrinkly and a little sunken on the tops, not “smooth” and uniform. They look fine when they are baking, and when they come out of the oven, but seem to “deflate” after they cool. Any thoughts on what I may be doing wrong?
Hi Julie, Hmm deflating sugar cookies…Sometimes when the dough isn’t completely chilled before being baked it can spread a little. Try refrigerating the baking sheet (with the cookies on it) for about 20 minutes before baking and see if that helps. So glad you’ve been enjoying them anyway though!
Hello
I just made these and they are wonderful. Thanks for sharing this great recipe.
I have to tell you that these are by far the BEST sugar cookies I have ever had! I have made them for my family, my boyfriends family (whose mother is an avid baker), and my friends birthday party and all I have heard is how much everyone loves these cookies.
Hi Samantha,
Woo! So happy to hear that so many of your family and friends have enjoyed these cookies! They are certainly a winner.
Hey thanks for sharing! I was really wanting to love these as they look awesome. Unfortunately, this cookie dough didn’t work out too well for me. I had trouble rolling it, cutting it, and even baking it (kept coming out too overdone or too underdone). Would require a lot of trial & error on my part, which I don’t have time for. I have been using your “All Occasion Sugar Cookies” for awhile now, and have always loved them and had great results! I think I will stick with those for now! Love your blog!
I’m not really a baker but you’re site has inspired me and this is my first recipe from your site. They turned out sooo yum! Will be trying out more recipes from here, you have been bookmarked :) now maybe my son|(17 months) will grown up thinking ‘mom’ is a good baker lol.
I’m going to have to try these. My problem with baking is the wait time because I don’t make cookies until I want to eat them and then I never let them chill so they always melt in the oven, lol.
-pleasefeedme.wordpress.com
Yay, a chewy sugar cookie! Mine have been turning out too crispy lately. Can’t wait to try this!
I have the exact same problem!! I am always on the look-out for the best. I’m thankful to people like you who introduce me to cookies like these for the very same reason!! Delicious looking thangs, I must say!
So glad to see this post! And thank you for answering the question as to whether these work for cut-out cookies. Seriously every time I make cut-out cookies I try a new recipe to see if it beats the one before. I have a feeling that will stop with this recipe!
There is something extraordinary about a simple sugar cookie! I love trying different versions, so I will bookmark this one.
…Great recipe; my family loved them, specially my 6 yr old nephew(he did a little happy dance after tasting them for the first time)…and I don’t know why, but cookies taste even better the next day…
Looks amazing!! I’m curious, though, if I can make them with oil instead of butter? I really don’t like baking with butter…
Hi Esti,
I personally would never substitute oil for butter in a recipe like this, as the butter flavor is really pronounced, as it should be in a good sugar cookie. I hope you’ll give them a shot!
Look delish. I tried Cooks Illustrated brown sugar cookies and i must have done somethign wrong but they were flat as could be . But I will have to try yours. Wonder if you could make a tart crust out of it?
I love a softer sugar cookie. The ones that snap when you bite or break them are not as appealing. But these sound so yummy! My go-to sugar cookie recipe has confectioner’s sugar instead of granulated sugar, which has satisfied me thus far. But I am going to give your babies a whirl very soon! Great photos too!
Soft and chewy – just the right combination for me. These look delicious!
Are these okay for icing/decorating?
Hi Heather,
Yep! You can definitely use these for icing/decorating. I decorated quite a few batches, and they are just perfect for it.
Sugar cookies should always be soft and chewy!!! Yay!
OOooh, I love a good soft and chewy sugar cookie!!
How I love chewy sugar cookies. It looks as though you have found the perfect recipe!
They look absolutely delectable!
I love chewy cookies, and most sugar cookie recipes don’t fall into that category. I will have to give this recipe a try!
If I had my choice of cookies, this would be it! I love soft and chewy and no chocolate!
Okay, making these. Apparently I have the same problem as you. That and my last batch of sugar cookies weren’t that great, so I’m still on the search for a great recipe.
Chewy cookies are the best! I could probably eat that whole stack in one sitting!
I love a good sugar cookie!
WOW.. These look gooood!! Soft and Chewy , is what I’m all about when it comes to any cookie! Gonna try real soon . Thank You for sharing another great recipe.
These look so good! I’m still searching for the perfect chewy sugar cookie recipe, so I’ll have to try these soon!
I MUST make these. I’m trying to “be good” for the next 6 weeks or so, so I’m not sure how I can wait that long – but there’s nothing better than the perfect sugar cookie. I might just have to treat myself. xxSAS
I can never get enought of great sugar cookies. They are so versatile.
Mmmmm!! Love a good sugar cookie!
Soft and chewy-these look perfect!
I made about 17 batches of these around Christmas this year. You’re right – these are just about perfect. Did you use ATK’s ‘reverse creaming’ method? I think it helps.
I’m with you – I like soft and chewy sugar cookies, too. They look delicious!
Mmmmmmm looks delicious! I’ve always thought of sugar cookies as thin and crispy and simply a vehicle for decoration, but these look divine! I bet there could be so many variations you could think of for these… I’m thinking lemon juice and zest right now… ;D
I love your blog! It’s so beautiful and everything you post is always so yummy looking. :D
Wei-Wei
These look amazing! I am going to try them! My aunt sent me your link and I will definitely start reading!
I wish I could stack up these cookies and eat them one by one until they are all gone!