Quick and easy sugar cookies recipe, homemade with simple ingredients from scratch. Soft and chewy! No chilling required!
These traditional and classic cookies have been in the family for years and we make them for all occasions like birthday parties, weddings and especially the holidays.
This is absolutely a no-fail recipe and even beginners who have never baked in their life can make them. They are easy enough to make with kids plus they also make a great homemade gift, just like these Best Shortbread Cookies (3 Ingredients).
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from CakeWhiz
How to make best soft and chewy sugar cookies?
- Cream together butter and sugar.
- Mix in eggs and extracts.
- Mix in flour, baking powder, baking soda.
- Make small balls.
- Roll in sugar.
- Bake.
- Frost them if you like and enjoy!
How do you make sugar cookies keep their shape?
- Measure ingredients correctly because baking is science and this would ensure that your cookies turn out exactly like mine and all those ingredients and quantities work together to create perfect results.
- Chill the cookie dough balls in the freezer for 15 minutes and then bake. This will slow down the spreading during baking.
- Don't flatten the cookie dough balls because that just makes them spread even more, while they bake.
Are snickerdoodles and homemade sugar cookies the same?
No, they are not the same. Classic Snickerdoodles Cookies have a spiced flavor and are rolled in cinnamon sugar. They also typically have cream of tartar as one of the main ingredients. These cookies, on the other hand, are loaded with vanilla flavor and rolled in granulated sugar. Both cookies have a soft and chewy texture though.
How long do Christmas sugar cookies last after baking?
They can last up to 3 days in a sealed cookie jar at room temperature, unfrosted. They can last up to a week or more, frosted, if you store them in a sealed container in the fridge. You can also freeze them in air-tight sealed freezer bags for up to 1 month.
Tips and Techniques
- All ingredients should be at room temperature because that allows them to blend together smoothly and evenly.
- Don't over-mix the dough because that will make very tough cookies
- These are not Rolled or Cut Out Sugar Cookies. Those ones can be decorated with Royal Icing or Glace Icing and they can be cut into various shapes with cutters.
- Use unsalted butter to prevent cookies from becoming too salty.
- Don't replace butter with oil because that will change the consistency of the dough and make it very sticky.
- I have tested this recipe with other types of flours and all-purpose gave the best soft and chewy texture.
- Almond extract is optional and only adds a hint of flavor. It is a strong extract and I highly advise you to go easy on it.
- Instead of vanilla extract, you can also use vanilla bean but that will add little black specks in the dough.
- If the dough is difficult to handle or feels sticky, cover bowl with saran wrap and chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to make it easier toll into balls.
- Sugar cookie icing/ frosting- Use this Classic American Buttercream Frosting or Marshmallow Frosting or White Chocolate Buttercream Frosting or even Cream Cheese Frosting. Icing can also be tinted with gel coloring to make them more festive (E.g. Pink for Valentine's Day, green for St.Patrick's Day e.t.c.)
Other Classic Cookies
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies (Cut Out Recipe)
- Red Velvet Cookies With Cake Mix
- Easy Gingerbread Cookies With Cake Mix
Recipe
Easy Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I'll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from CakeWhiz
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- 1 cup Granulated sugar
- 1 Egg Large
- 1 tablespoon Vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon Almond extract Optional
- 2.5 cups All-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
Topping
- ½ cup Granulated sugar For rolling cookie dough balls
Instructions
- In a large mixing bow, cream together butter sand sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add egg, extracts and mix until smooth.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda and mix until just combined to a cook dough consistency.
- Scoop out small portions of the dough and make balls.
- Roll in a bowl of granulated sugar.
- Place them on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 12 minutes or until edges are firm and light golden brown.
- Allow them to cool down and enjoy!
Notes
- Read all my tips above.
- Leftovers can be stored in a sealed 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.
Until next time, tata my lovelies!
Drew
Looks great!
Hazel Abington
So soft on the inside, yet crunchy on the outside! A new favorite.
SB
Got a craving while watching tv... looked up “easy cookie recipe,” picked this one,...30 easy mins later I’m munching on a delicious cookie, warm from the oven! Some I squished an almond into.... still in oven now but I bet that’ll be tasty too.
Abeer Rizvi
I have cravings like that all the time...lol. I didn't even think about squishing an almond...cool idea!
Gretchen
My boyfriend has a gluten allergy, so I used cup for cup gluten free flour and they still turned out great! So easy my 9 year old daughter made them!
Tracy Wilson
Easy and great!
Julie J Childers
I made these today and they were a huge hit! Next time I'm changing the flavoring to lemon!
Gina
Made the cookies today and everyone loved them!
Kathleen young
I love the idea of rolling the cookies in sugar I am baking them today.
Abeer Rizvi
I hope you like them.
Diana
Delicious and easy! Consistency of the cookies are light and fluffy inside. Only change I’d make is adding a little salt as I thought some salt would compliment the sweetness. Thank you for a yummy recipe!
Socorro
These are so easy to bake and simply delicious! I love decorating these with my grandson. So much fun!
Mikayla
They have a good texture, but need salt. Either half salted butter or salt.
Becky
Can I use powdered sugar in this recipe? I am incapacitated at home and don’t have granulated sugar. Only have powdered sugar.
Abeer Rizvi
I haven't tried it that way to know how the recipe would need to be adjusted.
Nicole
I think this is my third or fourth year making these and they are the best sugar cookie ever! I used salted butter!
Abeer Rizvi
You have no idea how happy that makes me. Have a great holiday!