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,
Love this recipe sooooo good
So glad you enjoyed it!
Can I roll this dough for cutouts
No, these cookies are intended to spread in the oven. They will not hold shape if you make cut outs. You need a cut out cookie recipe.
Can you use cookie cutters with this recipe?
No, these are meant to spread so they won’t hold their shape if you use cookie cutters. You need a cut out cookie recipe like this one.
Came out perfect on my first try. I used a larger cookie scoop so bake time increased to 11 minutes.
Glad you were happy with them!
I used a hand mixer and when I added the flour mixture it wouldn’t come together. Stayed crumbly and not a dough. Too dry. Can I use less flour?
Yes, it sounds like you added a little too much flour. The best way to measure is with a food scale, but if you don’t have one, here’s my tutorial for measuring accurately with cups. I hope that helps!
I tried to make these cookies with a hand mixer and didn’t come out. Too much flour
same! i dont know what i did wrong. i did the correct amount of flour but maybe i packed it unknowingly? i love soft and chewy cookies so im a little dissapointed
If you’re unsure about the flour, check out my post on how to measure flour properly. Maybe that’ll be helpful.
I love this recipe…it is the best sugar cookie recipe ever and I have made a lot of cookies. Can you make this dough ahead of time and place in refrigerator until ready to use, air tight of course.
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Yes, refrigerating it should be fine.
I’ve made these cookies quite a few times and they always come out perfect! I’d like to make a gluten-free batch for a party. Can I substitute gluten-free flour 1:1? Any tips?
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! I haven’t ever made them with gluten-free flour but I’m pretty sure people have commented that they have with success. I think they just do a simple one to one swap.
I tried these cookies a few weeks ago and everyone in my family loved them. They have become my mothers new favorite cookie and I officially replaced my grandmothers butter cookie recipe we have used for over 40 years with this recipe!
Wow, replacing your grandmothers recipe is quite significant! So glad they are a hit!
I think I needed less flour because mine are too thick and puffy, I live below sea level so I think it was too much flour. I haven’t been able to find or achieve a flatter chewier sugar cookie since I’ve lived here. I’m sure they are much better than what mine turned out to be. The taste is there but the texture is a flop for me. Mostly uncooked in middle and mine never flattened.
This is my go to recipe! So delicious and chewy, I’ve made it at least 5 times. But my cookies never look like the picture. They stay puffed, and never get the flatter look. I wonder why? I follow recipe exactly every time. I like in a humid climate, with low elevation if that makes a difference. Wondering if I should try using more brown sugar.
Hmm, are they not spreading enough? You could try reducing the flour a touch or possibly baking them a minute or so less. Glad you enjoy them though!
My husband and I love these cookies! They’re the best cookies we’ve ever had. But I was wondering if I could add cocoa powder in the recipe to make them chocolate cookies and if so, how much do you think I should add. Your help would be so appreciated. Thank you! 😁
I’m so glad you enjoy them! You can find my chocolate sugar cookies here.
Followed the recipe to a T and it turned out like mush. Still had to chill them to make balls.
I mean this as kindly as possible, but if the cookie dough turned out like mush then you did not follow the recipe to a T. An ingredient was not measured properly. I always recommend a food scale to be sure that the amount of flour and sugar and other dry ingredients are measured accurately.
I live in Colorado at 6,300 feet above sea level and haven’t had a soft, chewy cookie since moving here. I’m going to make your recipe, but if you have any recommendations on flour, sugar and moisture adjustments please let me know. Thanks!
I don’t know much about high altitude baking, but I hear this is a good guide.
I recently moved from the Denver area after 21 years and high altitude cooking and baking can be a challenge. Try adding 1-2 extra Tbs. of flour to the mix.
I doubled the recipe and my cookies didn’t flatten much, they came out pretty thick! I was very careful to measure ingredients. Do you know what could have went wrong? They still taste amazing none the less!
It’s hard for me to say from a distance. Typically if they don’t spread correctly, I would say maybe you added too much flour or didn’t measure some other ingredient quite accurately. I don’t know if doubling a recipe would have anything to do with it or not. I wouldn’t expect that to make a difference but I know sometimes people think it does.
Hi Hattie, I too live at extreme high altitude, 7500 ft, and these turn out beautifully for me. I do add an extra tsp of almond extract for a smidge more moisture. Good luck!
Honestly, THE BEST SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE EVER! Her directions are absolutely perfect for a novice too. Thank you!
Could you roll these out and use cookie cutters with them or do you have to roll them into individual balls?
These are meant to spread, so you’ll want a cutout sugar cookie recipe.
Is it ok to use salted butter?
Sure, just leave out the added salt.