Easy vanilla crackle cookies or sugar crinkle cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients. Rich and buttery. Firm, crispy and crunchy texture on the outside but slightly chewy on the inside.
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As I wrote this post, I ate 5 of these phenomenal treats. I think they might even be better than my Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies and Chocolate Crinkle Cookies (Cake Mix). The first time I made them was actually a happy accident. Well, I have gone back and modified the recipe further and made it even better than before. They are packed with vanilla flavor with a hint of almond flavoring. Also, this recipe is a great way to use up those leftover egg yolks from other desserts which only call for egg whites such as these Meringue Cookies (Egg White Cookies) or Pavlova Cake or Mini Pavlova.
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Key ingredients for sugar crinkle cookies
- Flour- Using all-purpose is best.
- Sugar- Granulated sugar is all you need.
- Eggs- Only egg yolks are required in this recipe.
- Milk- Keep in mind that using one with a higher fat content makes for a richer treat.
- Butter- I like to use unsalted for best flavor.
- Extracts- You will need vanilla and almond extract.
- Leavening agents- Baking soda and cream of tartar are both used.
Variations
- Coat in colored sugar or even sanding sugar- Red and green colors would be great to do during the festive Christmas holiday season and they look so pretty. Instead of rolling cookie balls fully, you can just sprinkle some colored sugar on top of each cookie dough ball, prior to baking.
- Consider add-ins- Such as finely chopped nuts or mini chocolate chips.
- Package these in gift boxes- Using ideas from my post on Food and Cookie Packaging Ideas (Easy). They can also be used in your Christmas Cookie Boxes (Homemade Gift) for family and friends.
- Drizzle on top- Some melted chocolate, Caramel Sauce, Chocolate Ganache, or dip in Powdered Sugar Glaze, Royal Icing, Lemon Glaze, or Easy Glace Icing.
- Try other flavors of extracts- Such as lemon, orange, maple, peppermint, or almond.
- Roll in desiccated coconut- Instead of sugar. I love a bit of coconut flavor and if you do as well, try these Chewy Coconut Cookies.
- Omit rolling in sugar altogether- Which would reduce the crunchiness but still tastes great. The pictures above are not coated in sugar.
- Coat them- In my homemade Cinnamon Sugar like I did with these Cinnamon Cookies (Soft and Chewy).
- Put add-ins in the dough- Such as finely chopped nuts, mini chocolate chips, fruit zests, or sprinkles.
- Tint smaller portions- With gel coloring. You can do one color or many and make it colorful like these Rainbow Cookies for a holiday or event.
- Roll cookie dough balls in powdered sugar- Instead of granulated sugar for a different look at texture.
- Add in spices- Such as cardamom, pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or cinnamon.
How to make easy vanilla crackle cookies recipe from scratch?
1. Cream butter and sugar- Until light and fluffy.
2. Mix in- Egg yolks and extracts.
3. In a separate bowl- Whisk flour and leavening agents together.
4. Combine wet and dry mixtures- Until a crumbly texture is reached.
5. Add in- The milk a little at a time.
6. Knead with hands- To bring dough together.
7. Form balls- To dip in granulated sugar.
8. Place on a lined cookie tray- Flatten them slightly, bake, and enjoy.
Tips and techniques
- Butter and egg yolks- Should be at room temperature.
- Do not replace butter with shortening, margarine or oil- Because the results with not be the same.
- Cream of tartar substitute- Typically, the homemade substitutes don't work, trust me. I have tried with my Best Snickerdoodle Cookies but in today's recipe, the same quantity of baking powder works just as well. I still prefer cream of tartar for the subtle tanginess it adds as well as the crackling pattern it creates. That being said, overall, it works decently.
- Do not replace egg yolks with whole eggs- Otherwise the dough will become too wet and difficult to handle.
- Use the best quality of vanilla extract you can find- Or you can even use vanilla bean paste.
- Make sure your leavening agents are fresh and not expired- Or else the cookies won't expand during baking.
- No chilling is necessary for these cookies- But if the dough feels sticky, chill it for 30 minutes in the fridge and then roll balls and bake as usual.
- Line pans- For easy cleanup and less mess.
- If you like softer cookies- Cook for less time, about 8 minutes.
Recipe FAQs
Mix together granulated sugar with a few drops of liquid or gel food coloring in a mixing bowl until the color is evenly distributed.
My favorite substitute is baking powder. Use the same quantity of cream of tartar to baking powder in the recipe. Some people like to use lemon juice or white distilled vinegar. Use 2 teaspoon for 1 teaspoon cream of tartar. I haven't had too much success with this one though.
One reason could be that you didn't use cream or tartar. Another issue could be that you didn't use sufficient quantity of baking powder and baking soda. Your leavening agents may have expired could be another factor. You may have added whole eggs instead of just egg yolks and that creates issues too.
Cookies will crinkle when the outside sets first while the inside continues to expand and cook during baking. This causes the top to burst into that lovely pattern that we all love. Also, be sure to use cream of tartar which reacts with baking soda in such a way that it causes the cookies to burst to create those wonderful tops. Another thing you can do is to not use egg whites and just use egg yolks. Coating dough balls in granulated sugar or powdered sugar prior to baking also helps create this cool effect.
Storage
- Refrigerate- Sugar topping can become sticky from moisture in fridge, so I do not recommend this.
- Freeze- I don't recommend this option, because they are not freezer friendly at all.
- Room temperature- They can be left out for up to 3 days in a container.
- Make ahead- I like these fresh, but you can make them up to 3 days earlier.
More cookie recipes
- Small Batch of Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
- Coconut Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
- Easy Funfetti Cookies (Cut Out Recipe)
- Easy Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Cut Out)
- Best Spritz Cookies (Almond Butter Press Cookies)
Recipe
Vanilla Crackle Cookies (Sugar Crinkle Cookies)
Video
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Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 ¼ cups Granulated sugar
- 3 Egg yolks From large eggs, Room temperature
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon Almond extract
- 2 ½ cups All-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Cream or tartar I have made these with ½ teaspoon baking powder instead of cream of tartar and it has worked very well too. The crackly appearance was slightly different. The cookies were just lacking the subtle tanginess that comes from cream of tartar.
- 2-3 tablespoon Milk I used 2% but you can also use whole milk. Start with 2 tablespoon and add more if necessary to bring the dough together.
- 1 cup Additional granulated sugar For rolling cookie dough balls. You can color the sugar with food coloring if you like.
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg yolks, vanilla extract and almond extract and mix until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and cream of tartar.
- Add this dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix everything until you have a crumbly mixture.
- Add milk and knead with your hands to bring the dough together. I suggest starting with 2 tablespoon milk and adding more, if necessary. The warmth of your hands really helps to form this dough. You don't want the dough to be sticky. A small amount of milk goes a long way.
- Scoop out small portions of the dough (about 1 tbsp) and form little balls.
- Roll them in a bowl of granulated sugar. You can use colored sugar if you like. You can also leave them as is and not coat them at all. It's entirely up to you. The sugared ones are more crispy and crunchy.
- Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
- Flatten them just slightly with your fingers if you want a thinner, more crispy, crackled cookie. If you want a slightly thicker cookie with a soft and chewy center, don't flatten them and leave them as balls. I always flatten them a little.
- Bake these cookies at 350 degrees F for 10-12 minutes or until they are golden brown around the edges and slightly soft in the center.
- Let them cool and enjoy.
Notes
- Only egg yolks are used in this recipe. Please don't use whole eggs because that will affect this recipe massively.
- I have made these cookies successfully by replacing cream of tartar with baking powder. It seems to be a good substitute in this recipe surprisingly. I still prefer the crackled appearance of cream of tartar cookies more.
- Since I like these cookies to be crispy, I let them over-bake a little until the edges are golden brown and the tops are slightly firm. If you prefer your cookies somewhat softer, your baking time will be shorter at about 8 minutes.
- If the dough feels a little sticky, cover and chill dough in the fridge for 30 minutes and then form little balls.
- Add- ins you can try: Mini chocolate chips, zests from citrus fruits, other flavors of extracts or spices such as cardamom, cinnamon, nutmeg, pumpkin pie spice.
- Instead of coating the cookie dough balls in granulated sugar, you can leave them as is.
- Coat cookie dough balls in desiccated coconut for another flavor profile.
- Read additional tips and variations above.
- Store leftovers in a cookie jar at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
An automated tool is used to calculate the nutritional information. As such, I cannot guarantee the accuracy of the nutritional information provided for any recipe on this site.
Donna Warner
These are so good. I have played with several extracts. Also, tinted them variou colors. For Valentines I am making some with strawberry extract and tinting them pink. I add the coloring to the wet ingredients before adding the dry ingredients. This makes the color more consistent throughout the cookie. I love this recipe.
Nicki F
Made these today, Oh My Gosh! so Good. This is definitely staying in my repertoire.
Abeer Rizvi
YAY! I am so happy to hear that. This year, I am making these in green and red colors for Christmas.
Maiwenn
What a great recipe, I think I'll do them this week ! Have a good day !
Abeer Rizvi
It's really a fabulous recipe... my favorite crackly sugar cookie recipe so far! Let me know how it turns out for you