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Sugar cookies do not get any better than these soft, chewy, sugar-dipped rounds that stay tender for days. Maddie and I bake a double batch every holiday weekend because they are easy enough for little hands to help, and they vanish before they even cool. If you love a buttery cookie, you have to try our chocolate dipped shortbread cookies too.
These sugar cookies skip the rolling and cutting, so they come together with just a scoop and a chill.
Sugar Cookies Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 15 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 11 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: About 2 hours 30 minutes (with chilling)
- 🍽️ Serving: 40 cookies
- ⚡ Calories: 110kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Buttery, sweet, and soft with a sparkly sugar top
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our cream cheese cookies
Quick Answer
To make soft sugar cookies, cream butter and sugar, then beat in an egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients just until combined, scoop the dough into balls, and chill at least two hours. Roll the balls smooth, dip the tops in sugar, and bake at 375 degrees until lightly golden at the edges.
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Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Chilling is non-negotiable. Chilling the dough firms up the butter so the cookies bake up thick and chewy instead of spreading flat.
- Milk for tenderness. A splash of milk in the dough keeps these cookies soft and tender even a few days later.
- No rolling or cutting. Scoop-and-bake means all the flavor of a sugar cookie with none of the fuss of rolled cut-outs.
- A sugar-dipped top. Dipping the dough balls in sugar gives every cookie a sparkly, slightly crisp top.
- Just-combined dough. Mixing the flour in only until it disappears keeps the cookies tender, since overmixing makes them tough.
- They keep for days. Thanks to the butter and milk, these stay soft in a covered container for nearly a week.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are irresistibly soft and chewy, never dry or cakey.
- No rolling pin or cookie cutters required, just scoop, chill, and bake.
- The recipe makes 40 cookies, perfect for sharing like our snickerdoodle sandwich cookies.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes these sugar cookies so good. See the recipe card for exact amounts.
- Butter: Softened unsalted butter creamed with sugar is the foundation of that rich, tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the dough and, dipped on top, gives the cookies their signature sparkly finish.
- Egg and milk: The egg binds everything together while a splash of milk keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
- Vanilla: A full teaspoon brings that warm, classic sugar-cookie flavor.
- Flour and leaveners: All-purpose flour with baking soda and powder gives just the right rise and chew.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Here are a few easy ways to make these sugar cookies your own.
- Add sprinkles: Roll the dough balls in colorful sprinkles instead of sugar for funfetti cookies.
- Almond flavor: Swap half the vanilla for almond extract for a bakery-style taste.
- Frost them: Skip the sugar dip and frost the cooled cookies, or try our frosted sugar cookie bars.
- Citrus zest: Stir in a little lemon or orange zest for a bright twist.
- Make a cookie box with these and our butterscotch cookies for the holidays.
How to Make Sugar Cookies
- Cream the softened butter and sugar together with a hand mixer until smooth and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then the milk and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as you go.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together, then mix them into the wet ingredients just until combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls on a lined tray, cover, and chill at least 2 hours, or overnight for the best results.
- Roll each chilled ball smooth and dip the top in sugar, then space them out on parchment-lined trays.
- Bake at 375 degrees for 8 to 11 minutes until lightly golden at the edges, then cool on the tray before serving.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Chill the dough at least 2 hours, or overnight, so the cookies stay thick and chewy.
- Do not overmix once the flour goes in, or the cookies will turn tough.
- Use a cookie scoop so every cookie is the same size and bakes evenly.
- Pull them early; take them out when the edges are just golden and the centers still look soft.
- Cool on the tray for 10 minutes so they finish setting before moving to a rack.
- Use room-temperature butter, which creams best, so soften it but do not melt it.
- Store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them extra soft.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These sugar cookies are perfect just as they are, with a cold glass of milk for dunking. They are a classic lunchbox treat and an after-school favorite around here.
For a holiday cookie tray, pile them alongside our chocolate dipped shortbread cookies and snickerdoodle sandwich cookies for a pretty, varied spread.
They are also a blank canvas for decorating. Set out frosting and sprinkles for the kids, or dip half in melted chocolate like our butterscotch cookies for a fancier look.
Sugar Cookies FAQs
Flat sugar cookies usually mean the dough was not chilled enough, or the butter was too soft or melted. Chill the scooped dough at least two hours so the cookies hold their shape and bake up thick.
Yes, chilling is key for these soft, chewy cookies. It firms up the butter so the cookies do not spread, and it deepens the flavor. Two hours is the minimum, but overnight is even better.
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature and tuck in a slice of bread; the cookies absorb the bread moisture and stay soft for days. The milk in the dough also helps them stay tender.
Absolutely. Freeze the scooped dough balls on a tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag for up to three months. Bake them from frozen, adding a minute or two to the time.
This is a soft, chewy drop-cookie dough, so it is not ideal for cut-outs. For rolled and cut shapes, use a firmer sugar cookie dough designed to hold its edges.
This recipe makes about 40 cookies using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop. You can easily halve it for a smaller batch, or freeze half the dough for later.
Craving more cookies? Bake a batch of our chocolate dipped shortbread cookies next.
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup decorators sugar optional
Instructions
- Line a sheet tray with parchment paper, set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, set aside.2 ¾ cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, pinch of fine sea salt
- In a large bowl cream together the butter and sugar until smooth with an electric hand mixer. Add the egg and mix it in until combined. Add the milk and vanilla, stir it in until combined, scrape down the sides as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 3 tablespoons whole milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Add in the dry ingredient and mix until just combined, scrape down the sides as needed.
- Using a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop out the cookie dough onto the parchment-lined sheet tray. They can be close but not touching. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 2 hours, but best if you can chill overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line sheet trays with parchment paper. Pour the decorator’s sugar into a small bowl.
- Roll the cookie dough balls between your hands to form a smooth ball. Dip the tops of the dough balls into the decorator’s sugar. Place them, sugar side up, onto the parchment-lined sheet trays about 2 inches apart.⅓ cup decorators sugar
- Bake for 8-11 minutes until lightly golden brown around the edges. Let the cookies cool on the tray for 10 minutes, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Do not forget to chill your dough, 2 hours is minimum but overnight if you can.
- You can add different things to this cookie to change the flavor, see my tips above.
- If you are not a fan of decorators’ sugar, you can roll in regular sugar or leave it plain.
- These can be frozen, see my tips above.
- These make a larger batch, but since they store so well, you can absolutely double.
Nutrition
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I’ve never tried so I can’t say if they would come out or not.
Can you add a little peanut butter to the sugar cookies