Learn to make a small batch of sugar cookies recipe. This easy sugar cookie recipe requires no chilling. The cookies hold their shape and taste great.
I already shared my very small batch of sugar cookies recipe when I first started off this blog.
But over time, I have received a lot of feedback and suggestions.
Based on that, I have updated my small batch of chewy sugar cookies recipe and it’s so much better!
My husband ate the whole batch in two sittings, which means this recipe is a winner!
Depending on the size of your cookie cutter, this can be a 1 dozen sugar cookie recipe or you can easily double the recipe to make 2 dozen sugar cookie recipe.
I want to be clear and point out that these are NOT small batch drop sugar cookies.
These are a small batch of cut out cookies!
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This easy sugar cookie recipe is PERFECT because:
- The cookies hold their shape. There is no spreading during baking, which makes them perfect for cookie decorating.
- Unlike most classic cut out sugar cookies, which become hard as rock in a few hours after baking... these cut out cookies remain crispy on the outside and slightly soft on the inside.
- There is NO chilling required! You just mix all the ingredients, roll out the small batch sugar cookie dough, cut out shapes and bake.
- These sugar cookies from scratch can easily be modified with various spices and extracts to yield different flavors.
- This small batch sugar cookie recipe is perfect for days when you suddenly have the craving for cut out cookies but only want a small number of cookies to munch on.
- You can also use gel coloring to color the cookie dough and bake a tray of colorful sugar cookies.
How to make a small batch of sugar cookies from scratch?
The process is very SIMPLE. Start off by creaming together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg yolk, vanilla extract, sour cream and mix until smooth. Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix until you have a small batch of sugar cookie dough. Roll between 2 sheets of wax paper. Cut with cookie cutters. Bake and enjoy!
This small batch of sugar cookies recipe is always a hit with my family and friends and the recipe is pretty much always REQUESTED!
I have made this simple sugar cookies recipe for birthday parties/ tea parties, decorated them and used them as party favors at small events and even taken them at family picnics.
You can decorate them with royal icing or glace icing (both will give you a hard finish) or classic American buttercream frosting.
By the way, if you like this small batch of soft sugar cookies recipe, you might also like some of these other delicious cookie recipes:
Recipe
Small Batch of Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- ¼ cup Butter Unsalted, Room temperature
- ⅓ cup Sugar Granulated
- 1 Egg yolk From large egg
- 1 tablespoon Full fat sour cream OR greek yogurt OR cream cheese
- ½ tablespoon Vanilla extract
- 1 cup All-purpose flour
- ⅛ teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ teaspoon Baking powder
Instructions
- Cream sugar and butter in a deep bowl.
- Add egg yolk and vanilla extract. Mix until everything is well-blended.
- Add sour cream and mix again. I think sour cream added some moisture to these cookies and prevented them from becoming very hard.
- Add flour, baking powder and salt.
- Mix everything. The batter will start to curdle and look odd. That’s perfectly normal… you haven’t done anything wrong.
- When the curdling happens, it’s time to use your hands to start mixing until you form a ball of cookie dough!
- Roll this dough between 2 sheets of wax paper or parchment paper.
- Use a cookie cutter to cut out cookie shapes.
- Bake these cookies on a cookie tray, lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees for 6 minutes. Then rotate your tray and bake for another 3 minutes. Your baking times may vary depending on the thickness of your cookies. Cookies are done when they are light golden brown along the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool down completely before removing them from the parchment paper. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- You are only using an egg yolk... NOT the whole egg!
- To make Orange sugar cookies, replace vanilla extract with ½ tablespoon orange extract or orange oil and also add ½ tablespoon orange zest. You can add more or less zest depending on your preference.
- To make Almond sugar cookies, add ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract and ½ teaspoon almond extract.
- To make Spiced sugar cookies, add ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg powder.
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!
rae
can we substitute milk for sour cream?
Abeer Rizvi
No, you cannot replace sour cream with milk since that will make the dough very sticky and wet. The only substitution my readers and I have had success with is thick greek yogurt. Happy baking!
Tasheena
I have made these cookies and they turned our fantastic and kept their shape! I always use this recipe now when I am making a small batch of cookies!
Abeer Rizvi
Thanks for your lovely feedback Tasheena! I am happy it's become one of your favorites!
Lynn
What type of flour is recommended? I'd like to use almond or gluten free, will that work?
Abeer Rizvi
I only use all-purpose flour for this recipe and don't recommend anything else since those other flours can change the consistency and texture of this sugar cookie dough. If you do end up trying a different type of flour, I would love to hear your feedback...
katie
can i multiply everything by 4 if i want to make more cookies?
Abeer Rizvi
I have doubled the recipe ebfore and that worked great but I have never quadrupled it. I am guessing if the measurements are done properly, it should not be a problem. But if you try it, let me know how it goes
Sonia
I am desperate to try this easy cookie recipe but don't have sour cream, can I substitute this ingredient for something else? Or better yet can I just omit the sour cream ingredient? Thanks.
Abeer Rizvi
You cannot omit the sour cream. Some substitutions that seem to work are thick Greek yogurt and full fat cream cheese. I still prefer sour cream the best.
Nicola Chris
Hi there,
I live on a tiny island in Greece and we don't have sour cream *sigh*. Is there a substitute?
Abeer Rizvi
You can use the same quantity of thick green yogurt or even cream cheese. I have substituted both of those ingredients and they work well. I do like sour cream the best though. Let me know how it goes!
Leah
I made these, and skipped the vanilla and used lemon instead. Then, I rolled them inti balls. They kept the ball shape. At the end, I rolled them in powdered sugar. So delicious, and I've never had a cookie quite like it. Thanks for the inspiration!
Abeer Rizvi
Yum! I must try that some time. It almost sounds like a zesty snowball cookie
Kelly
I made these cookies the other day and they were excellent. I quadrupled the batch. (I just scrolled up and saw that the previous poster asked if it could be quadrupled. I did without a problem!) They kept their shape and browned nicely around the edges. My sons made dinosaur-shaped Christmas cookies and we had a blast! Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Abeer Rizvi
That's awesome! Thank a lot for your feedback! Happy holidays.
Darla Hackel
Greased pan? Or do they have enough butte
Abeer Rizvi
I don't grease my pans. I use parchment paper and that's what I would recommend for these cookies.
Darla Hackel
Is it ok to chill the dough. I want to mix them up and bake them later.
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, you can chill the dough and roll it out, bake later.
Adriana McKenzie
Mine are in the oven now! Am I missing it or do you just bake the cookies on the parchment? That's what I did! Thanks for posing this easy recipe!
Abeer Rizvi
I always bake on parchment paper. You can easily remove them, once they have cooled down.
Z
Hello, can I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream? And do you think it would make much of a difference if it were fat free Greek yogurt? Thank you
Abeer Rizvi
My first choice would always be full fat sour cream but if you have to substitute with yogurt, it must be thick full fat greek yogurt. Happy baking!
Veronica
Do you think I can I substitute the sour cream with cream cheese?
Abeer Rizvi
Yes, I have done that before and they turned out just fine but I still prefer the sour cream ones... probably a personal preference.
If you do use cream cheese, make sure it's full fat cream cheese! You might have to moisten your hands with water a couple of times to knead the dough at the end since sour cream is more "wet" compared to cream cheese.
Let me know how it goes
Jennifer
Made this last night and they were delicious! Thanks for sharing!!
Abeer Rizvi
So happy to hear you liked them
Sarah
Hello! Is it 350° C or F?
Abeer Rizvi
All my oven temperatures are in Farreneheits. Happy baking!
Mai
Hello can I skip the sour cream? Thank you
Abeer Rizvi
No. Sour cream gives the best results but you can replace it with thick greek yogurt or cream cheese. Happy baking!
Suzanne
Do you know if I would need to make high altitude adjustments? I am 6300 ft above sea level.
Abeer Rizvi
Oh man... that's tricky. I have never tried that. So, I really don't know how this recipe needs to be tweaked for those altitudes. Sorry!