I love this easy sugar cookies recipe, especially when I want to do some spur-of-the-moment baking. The cookie dough doesn’t need to be chilled, and the finished cookies stay wonderfully chewy for DAYS.
If you love soft sugar cookies, try my copycat Lofthouse cookies for a frosted, bakery-style treat.
Next to a good snickerdoodle, chewy sugar cookies are a total favorite of mine any day of the week. And unlike, say, cut-out sugar cookies, which are definitely a Christmas staple, I feel like this easy drop sugar cookies recipe is perfect for year-round baking.
I tested SO many versions of these homemade sugar cookies. I’m pretty sure my mother-in-law (who watches the twins while I work) thought I was losing my mind. I’d be all, “Just one more version!” and then a week later there’d still be new batches on the counter. But finally, I found the perfect sugar cookie recipe. Everything about these buttery cookies is just right.
So Many Reasons To Love This Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
- These cookies are the perfect thickness to have crisp, golden edges without losing their soft centers.
- They’re chewy, buttery sugar cookies without being cakey.
- There’s no need to chill the dough, cut out the cookies, or even press the balls flat. They spread perfectly on their own.
- I’m happy to say these homemade cookies stay soft and chewy for days when stored properly.
- These are delicious baked as-is, rolled in sugar for a crunchy finish, and they’re great for decorating with sugar cookie icing or sprinkles.
- They’re easily adaptable for holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Valentine’s Day. See my favorites in the Variations section later on.
Ingredients Needed
Let’s talk about the key ingredients you’ll need to make chewy classic sugar cookies. See the recipe card for the full recipe with exact measurements.
- Flour – Use a kitchen scale or spoon and level the flour to avoid overmeasuring. See how to measure flour correctly so you don’t end up with too much flour in the dough.
- Baking soda and baking powder – In all my testing, I found that my favorite sugar cookies used a combination of baking soda and baking powder. Cookies made with only baking soda are chewy but thinner (see my coconut sugar cookies). Meanwhile, just baking powder yields a thicker, more cakey cookie. The combination of the two was just right for these bakery-style sugar cookies.
- Butter – I use unsalted butter. Bring the butter to room temperature before you start. If you forget, microwave it for 5 seconds at a time, turning a quarter turn after each interval, just until it’s softened but not melted. You can also slice the butter into thin slices and it’ll come to room temperature much more quickly.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar – Brown sugar has more moisture than white granulated sugar because it contains molasses. I swapped out two tablespoons of white sugar for brown sugar in this sugar cookie recipe, and the results were fantastic. It makes a much softer and chewier cookie that stays fresh longer. It also adds a touch of extra flavor.
- Egg – Also at room temperature.
- Vanilla extract – Please use pure vanilla extract for your homemade sugar cookies, and not imitation vanilla. You’ll taste the difference.
How to Make Chewy Sugar Cookies
Follow along to make the best soft sugar cookies from scratch. Before you begin, preheat your oven to 350ºF and line your baking sheets, either with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
Cream the butter and sugars together until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes).
Mix in the egg and vanilla extract.
Add the dry ingredients and mix to form a thick dough.
Portion the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls. Roll the dough balls in sugar.
Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 7-8 minutes, until they’re just set in the centers.
The cookies will look a bit puffed up when they leave the oven…
… And they’ll settle as they cool on the baking sheet.
How Long to Bake Sugar Cookies
Mine baked just enough at 7 minutes, but keep an eye on them to see how they do in your oven. I removed mine when they had spread nicely, looked just done enough without looking undercooked, and the edges weren’t quite golden. Don’t worry if the centers of the cookies are still quite soft; they will firm up as they cool.
Variations and Decorating Ideas
These make great holiday sugar cookies, but they’re also wonderful for everyday baking. Here are some of the many ways I’ve adapted this sugar cookie recipe over the years.
- Frosting: You can make simple decorated sugar cookies with royal icing or use vanilla buttercream frosting to follow my tutorial for rosette cookies.
- Sprinkles: If you’re looking to make sugar cookies for a holiday or an event, these cookies would be great rolled in sprinkles instead of sugar. See my Christmas sprinkle cookies. Use any color you like!
- Christmas: Make peppermint sugar cookies or turn these into Grinch cookies with green food coloring and red heart sprinkles.
- More flavors: Try my chocolate sugar cookies, strawberry sprinkle cookies, and lemon sugar cookies for fun flavor variations.
Tips for Chewy Sugar Cookies
- Make sure your butter is at the right temperature. Room temperature can be a little misleading if your house is too warm or too cool. Your butter shouldn’t be so soft that your finger goes right through it if you press on it, but it should also be able to make an imprint. If it won’t, or it barely does, it’s likely still too cold.
- Be sure to use just two tablespoons of brown sugar. It adds just enough additional moisture to the cookies to help them spread correctly and stay soft and chewy for days!
- Avoid overmeasuring. Measure the flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method or a digital kitchen scale for accuracy. Don’t scoop directly from the bag. You’ll end up adding too much, which makes the cookies dry.
- Don’t over-mix the dough after you add the flour. It can over-develop the gluten and cause the cookies not to spread as nicely or to be tough.
- Make sure your cookie dough balls are 1 ½ tablespoons each, or you’ll want to adjust the baking time. I also found this size to be just right for a perfect spread.
How to Store and Freeze
- Counter: Store these cookies on the counter in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Fridge: If you want to extend their shelf life, you can pop the container in the fridge. The cookies will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
- Freezer: These cookies freeze nicely too! Just let the baked cookies come to room temperature, then pack them in a Ziploc bag and freeze them. Thaw them in the fridge or on the counter when you’re ready to eat them.
More Classic Cookie Recipes
Easy Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups (358g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter (room temperature)
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (233g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28g) light brown sugar (packed)
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (52g) granulated sugar (additional for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt in a medium sized bowl and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugars together in a large mixer bowl on medium speed until light in color and fluffy, 2-3 minutes. You should be able to see the change in color happen and know it’s ready.
- Add the egg and mix until well combined.
- Add the vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until the dough is well combined. It will be thick and shouldn’t be sticky. Do not over mix. Once it’s well combined, use a rubber spatula to help it come together to form a more cohesive ball.
- Create 1 ½ tablespoon sized balls of cookie dough. Gently roll into a ball, then roll each ball in the additional sugar to coat. Set the balls on the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 7-8 minutes. The cookies will spread and the centers will look soft, but should look done. Remove just before the edges begin to turn golden. Don’t over bake. The cookies will be a little puffy when you take them out of the oven but will fall a bit as they cool.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on baking sheets for 4-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
The nutrition facts provided are calculated using a third-party tool and are estimates only. Actual nutritional content may vary based on the ingredients and brands you use, as well as portion sizes. For accurate results, please consult a registered dietitian or nutritionist.
Categories:
Christmas, Cookies, Easter, Holidays, Recipes, Recipes with video, Sweets and Treats, Thanksgiving, Valentine's Day,
My new Favorite cookie recipe! They are perfect! I made 6 batches this season already! Thank-♡You so much! Btw I bought a farberware non stick airbase pan and they slide right off no problem.
Hi!!! I’m using your recipe to make sugar cookies and I see that the recipe yields about 30 cookies. If I’m planning to only make around 15 cookies can I split the measurements in half?
You could. I would just measure out all the cookie dough balls before baking to be sure you get enough.
Hi! I definitely wanna try this recipe but I’m curious, would I be able to use cookie cutters on the dough or do they have to be circular?
BEST SUGAR COOKIES EVER!! 10 stars!! I did sub one of the teaspoons of vanilla extract with 1 tsp almond extract because it’s just so good. I also rolled them in colored granulated sugar and smashed them a little bit with a rocks glass. Divine!
So glad you enjoyed them!
Can I add shredded coconut and dried cherries to these cookies?
I think people have added things with success. It should be fine.
My dough came out more dry and crumbly and the cookies didn’t spread like yours. I followed the recipe to a T. I don’t understand.
It’s truly a balance of “wet” ingredients to dry ingredients (mainly the flour). If the dough is too crumbly, there is either too much flour or not enough of the “wet” ingredients. Typically people over measure the flour. The most accurate way is to use a food scale. If you’re using cups, don’t pack the flour into the cup. Stir your flour to loosen it, spoon it into the cup, then level it.
Rebecca, the first time I made these I over measured the flour too and when I noticed it a bit dry i added a few dashes or milk and a little extra vanilla to the dough until it formed a nice ball. They came out amazing! Use your judgement when you see the dough you could have accidently added too much dry ingredient.
Would the chewy sugar cookies be good for using my cookie cutters?
No, they spread in the oven. Here is my cut out sugar cookie recipe. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/soft-cut-out-sugar-cookies/
Any thoughts on subbing part of the vanilla for almond extract? I just love almond flavor in my sugar cookies and wondering if there is a way to incorporate it into this recipe!?
Definitely. You can substitute all of the vanilla extract or some of it. Just depends on how strong you want the flavor.
I love this recipe! Quick, easy and cookies come out perfectly every time. Really good with cream cheese frosting and perfect for decorating. My go to sugar cookie recipe!
These cookies taste wonderful!!!! Made these 3 times and they are super easy to make. I have never been able to get them to flatten much at all. That’s fine!!! They are beautifully dome like and still soft and chewy!!!! My friends and family love them so no complaints from me!!!
Made these cookies last Christmas. Absolutely best ever and was asked to make them again this year. Wondering if possible to use this recipe to make snickerdoodles?
You could roll them in cinnamon and sugar if you like, but classic snickerdoodles are a little bit different. I have a recipe for that if you would like. https://www.lifeloveandsugar.com/classic-chewy-snickerdoodles/
These cookies are SO GOOD!!!! I halved the recipe– will not be making that mistake again. The only reasonable adjustment is to double the recipe. These are the softest, moistest sugar cookies I have ever eaten! I think the brown sugar is a game changer. I’m going to try this recipe out with varying amounts of brown/white sugar (both to see what ratio I personally favor, and to have an excuse to bake a ridiculous number of these cookies). Thanks for this fantastic recipe, Lindsay! 😊
So glad you love them!
I mixed a little red and green food coloring in the (divided) coating sugar and made pretty Christmas cookies! They didn’t spread at all and were quite small and round but still taste great! I love at 10,000ft 3000m so never blame a recipe, baking here is always weird. For the lady asking about high altitude, I suggest just 2.5c flour and just a little LESS than a level spoon measurement of the soda and baking powder.
My cookies ended up being more like cookie shaped mini sweet bread. I don’t understand. I followed your recipe and carefully measured all the ingredients. What did I do wrong?
Me again. The dough didn’t form. It was really sticky and too thin to roll into balls.
Sorry, when you say it was like little mounds of bread but that the dough was really thin and sticky, I’m a little confused. Did the cookies over spread or under spread?
Didn’t really get a dough you could make cookies with. I was disappointed until my grandma gave me the idea to turn it into a bar in an attempt to save it. It worked so if this dough isn’t cookie making material just lay it all flat on a cookie sheet and turn it into a bar. Still just as good.
It sounds like you added too much flour, but I’m glad you found a way to make it work for you!
Also does it make a difference if you use a little bit Of cooking spray on the cookie sheet?
I haven’t tried it. I would recommend a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
If that substitute the unsalted butter to salted will it affect how moist the cookies are?
Salt primary contributes to flavor in these cookies. You should either use salted butter and no added salt, or unsalted butter and the added salt listed in the recipe.