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Wondering how to make soft and chewy sugar cookies? Then you have to try this easy recipe. These simple sugar cookies don’t need to be chilled and stay wonderfully soft & chewy for DAYS!
Table of Contents
So I feel like I’m a tad bit late with these cookies, since I just missed Christmas and all, but the truth is that sugar cookies are good all year round. In fact, next to a good Snickerdoodle, chewy sugar cookies are a total favorite of mine any day of the week.
I feel like Cutout Sugar Cookies are the Christmas version of a sugar cookie while a classic drop cookie, like this one, is the year-round version, you know?
And as with any classic, simple cookie that doesn’t hide behind frosting or anything, it really needs to be just right. Soft and chewy for days, my friends. I don’t want some cookie that’s great for a day or so and then you have to toss them. No, these will call to you from the kitchen counter until they’re all eaten – and it could be 4 or 5 days later (if they last that long).
I tested SO many versions of these 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 seriously, I love a good old-fashioned soft sugar cookie. Like, for reals. So it just had to be right. And I’m happy to say these are it.
So what makes this the best soft sugar cookie recipe? These cookies are:
- Not too thin – They are just thin enough to get golden edges without losing their soft centers.
- Not too thick – They are just thick enough to be chewy without being cakey.
- Soft and chewy – These cookies have the PERFECT texture.
- Delicious! – I mean, many cookies are delicious, but these sugar cookies have the kind of flavor that makes you daydream about your next opportunity to eat one.
- And they stay good for DAYS. – I’ll be honest, these cookies are usually gobbled up stat. But for the sake of testing this recipe I did purposely see how long they would last and I’m happy to say these sugar cookies stay soft and chewy for days when stored properly.
In closing, these soft sugar cookies are dangerous because you want to keep eating them all!
In addition to all of the above, these sugar cookies have another major bonus – the dough doesn’t need to be chilled!
That’s right – there is no need for chilling the cookie dough or even pressing the balls flat. They spread perfectly on their own. These two features make these cookies perfect for spur-of-the-moment baking!
Before we get into how to make this cookie recipe in particular, lets talk a bit about what makes a cookie soft and chewy in the first place. Here are the major elements:
Baking Soda + Baking Powder
Sugar cookies can easily turn out dry or too cakey. In all my testing, I found that my favorite sugar cookies were ones that used a combination of baking soda and baking powder – and just a bit more soda than powder.
There is nothing wrong with using just one or the other – I have done both in other cookies. In fact, I have an all baking soda Coconut Sugar Cookie that is delicious!
But for the straight-up vanilla bakery-style sugar cookie, the combo works best. Baking powder only = thicker and cake-y. Baking soda only = chewy and thin. A combo = just right.
White Sugar + Brown Sugar
The other big thing here is the sugar. Naturally a sugar cookie is going to use white granulated sugar. It’s just how it is. But part of what makes a cookie chewy is a high moisture content.
Brown sugar has more moisture than white sugar, because it contains a little bit of molasses. You don’t want to overdo the brown sugar here, but I swapped out two tablespoons of white sugar for brown sugar and the result was fantastic. It makes a much softer and chewier cookie that stays fresh longer.
And just a little tidbit about baking cookies – it’s amazing how much of a difference such a small change can make to a cookie. Just two tablespoons! When I used all white sugar, the cookies didn’t spread as much (less moisture). When I used just a bit of brown sugar, they spread just enough AND stayed soft for DAYS! And when I used just a bit more brown sugar, the flavor started to get a bit too off track and they spread more than I wanted, leaving me with a little thinner cookie with less defined edges. So I totally suggest sticking with it as I have it. The best!
The Right Amount of Flour
The other important part of a chewy cookie is having enough flour. You have to have enough flour to support the moisture content, but not too much to make it dry. A tight balance, but it’s well achieved here.
So one of the best parts of these cookies is that they are quick and straightforward to make. Here’s a quick overview. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for specific amounts and instructions.
- Cream the butter and sugars together until light in color and fluffy. You’ll actually be able to see the lighter color, so don’t quit mixing until you see it.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Next you’ll add the egg, then the vanilla extract.
- Next are the dry ingredients. Now add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- Mix it until it’s all combined. But don’t over-mix it. Over mixing any batter or dough can lead to toughness.
- Bake. Divide the cookie dough into 1 1/2 inch balls of dough and roll them in a little bit of granulated white sugar. Place the balls onto a cookie sheet (I like to line my cookie sheets with silicone baking mats) and bake them!
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.
These sugar cookies are the perfect example of a treat that doesn’t have to be fancy to be awesome. In fact, I think something simple like this is one of the most impressive things when done well and right. And these are SO right!
Want to add a little something extra to these sugar cookies? Here are some ideas:
- 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. Use any color you like!
- Frosting: If you simply can’t have a sugar cookie without it being frosted, check out my royal icing or my vanilla buttercream frosting. Even my cream cheese frosting would make a tasty addition. Any of them would be delicious!
Tips for Success
Although these soft sugar cookies are super easy to make, there are a few simple tricks you can use to make sure that your cookies come out perfectly. Here’s what I recommend:
- 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 too cold still.
- 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!
- Don’t over-mix the dough after you add the flour. It can over-develop the gluten and cause the cookies to not spread as nicely or be tough.
- Make sure your cookie dough balls are 1 1/2 tablespoons each or you’ll want to adjust the baking time. I also found that size to be just right for spreading well.
- 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 ziplock bag and freeze them. Thaw them in the fridge or on the counter when you’re ready to eat them.
Watch How To Make Them
Print
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Yield: 30-32 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
If you’re wondering how to make soft and chewy sugar cookies, then you have to try this recipe. These cookies require no chilling, are easy to make, and stay wonderfully soft and chewy for DAYS!
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups (358g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (224g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (233g) granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp (28g) light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup 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 1/2 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.
Notes
The sugar amounts are important for these cookies. If you chose to use all granulated sugar, rather than a little brown sugar, the cookie won’t spread quite as much and will be a little thicker and a little less soft.
Be sure to measure the flour accurately. The best way is by weight with a food scale, but if you don’t have one, give your flour a stir, then scoop it out with a measuring scoop. Do not pack it into the measuring cup.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 Cookie
- Calories: 126
- Sugar: 8.4 g
- Sodium: 79.3 mg
- Fat: 6 g
- Carbohydrates: 16.7 g
- Protein: 1.4 g
- Cholesterol: 21.1 mg
Categories
Enjoy!
oops I forgot to leave a rate on my last comment. 5 star!
OMG! I’ve been trying to make the perfect sugar cookies for me and my family but it never worked out, all the other recipes were not that great, my cookies were coming out hard as a rock. I try this recipe and my cookies came out great! Thank you so much! I’ve never thought my cookies would come out so great if it wasn’t for you.
It was good but in the ingredient spot it said brown sugar, and in the instructions it never said anything about brown sugar. 🤔
The instructions refer to adding the “sugars” in plural because you add both at the same time. Glad you enjoyed them!
Hi i just want to know my cookies is not flat it is much bigger. What must i do?
Thank you for the recipe. The cookies turned out perfect. I had to bake mine for 10 Minutes at 200 Celsius for them to bake properly, but maybe the European ovens are different then the American ones. Nevertheless, I’m gonna be making this recipe another 100 times at least, and I’m gonna add some pecans next time. Thanks again!
Very concerning that you would suggest someone use wax paper in an oven!
I have no idea what you’re talking about. The recipe mentions parchment paper. I never use wax paper.
I’ve made these multiple times and the flavor is A+++ EVERY TIME but, no matter what, they’ve never spread properly! Each time I’ve made them, they remain thick. They still taste OUT OF THIS WORLD DELICIOUS, but I wish I could figure out what I’m doing wrong that isn’t allowing them to spread beautifully!
I too had cookies that were too dry and did not spread. At all. I am an experienced baker looking for the “perfect” sugar cookie my daughter requested. These looked perfect. I measured every ingredient possible using my digital scale, and double checked before measuring due to the comments, because using voume to measure is innacurate. I noticed your flour measure and weight don’t match, so I went with the weight. Flour weighs 120 g per cup. Your measurement of 2 3/4 cups flour should have weighed 330 grams, not 358. The higher weight results in a 1/4 cup more flour, or a full 3 cups by measure. The extra 1/4 Cup flour would make a huge difference and I wish I’d held back some. I wonder if the people, like me, that got dry cookies either weighed to the 358 g or did measure heavy in a cup. People who carefully fluffed and used a cup measure could have had softer results. After the first batch I added a TB of milk and then still had to flatten every batch with a glass. Delicious cookies, and tender, but something is up with the measurements. I will do these again, but I’ll use the 330 grams to aim for the gorgeous cookies you show here.
I’m sorry to hear you had trouble with the cookies. As for the flour measurement – weight measurements vary by site but those measurements are accurate for all the recipes on my site. I actually bake with the weights, so I know they’re accurate. I’ve made these cookies dozens of times exactly as written (with weights, not volume) and get the same results every time. If your measurements were accurate, then it’s hard to say where the problem lies. Did you refrigerate the cookie dough at all?
I say this with no exaggeration, the title “Best Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies” has been irrefutably earned. These cookies are soooooooooo good. I have to freeze and make only a few at a time or else I will eat them all single handedly while my children look on bewildered. Usually when someone claims they have the best recipe for something while it may turn out good, great even it doesn’t earn “the best” title—not the case here. Bravo and compliments the chef and a big thank you for sharing the brilliance of this recipe.
Wonderful! Glad you enjoyed them! If you’d like another awesome “best” recipe, I’d try my Best Chocolate Cake. 🙂
wow, these are amazing 🙂 thank you … even passed the picky teenager taste test!!
Just took these out of the oven… because baking cookies at 1am just somehow didn’t seem wrong.. 😏 I used salted butter and omitted the salt referenced in the recipe and added just a touch of extra flour at the very end to make the dough a little less sticky. Baked for 10 min at 350° on a baking sheet with wax paper and they came out PERFECT. Solid but soft and chewy, the ideal chewy center. So glad I found this recipe.. and so is my belly 😁 Considering subbing lemon extract/flavor to make some soft, chewy lemon cookies! Thank you for sharing this recipe!
Thank you for this recipe! I’ve been looking for one like it for a long time. My little guy and I really enjoyed making them. We added food coloring and sprinkles ☺️
Wonderful! I’m so glad you guys enjoyed them!
So glad I found this after a major sugar cookie fail from another recipe. It’s especially great that the dough isn’t super sticky and you don’t need to refrigerate the dough. This recipe is a keeper thank you very much!
Great recipe!
They look delicious and easy to make.
My favorite one is the soft and chewy sugar cookies. I think I will give it a try and make it now.
Thank You!
Love love love these cookies! My grandson loves sugar cookies and I have been guilty of buying the “break and bake” from the grocery. One night he really wanted sugar cookies and we were out. I found this recipe and we are hooked! I like that they are not too sweet. We gobble them down warm just out of the oven ☺️ And the leftovers stay soft and delicious for several days in an airtight container. We now make these every week!!! He gets so excited when I surprise him with a batch. Thank you so much, I think this is the perfect sugar cookie 🤗
Awesome! I’m so glad you liked them!
Followed the recipe perfectly. Weighed my flour, was very careful not to overmix and these cookies didn’t turn out well at all. Way too sweet, and not a fan of the rolling in sugar step. Cookies weren’t soft and chewy. They turned out too thin and with hard, crunchy edges.