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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!
I made these yesterday and I loved the taste. I will weigh the flour next time because I had the same problem as others with the dough being too dry and crumbly. Also, they did not spread, so I hope weighing the flour will fix this problem too. Thanks.
I love this so much! I halved it because 30 cookies is too many, but great recipe! It tastes so good and came out perfect! Small baker’s trick: grate your butter with a cheese grater. It’ll come down to room temp faster.
I made these cookies and had the same issue as other people. After some tinkering I was able to get these baked and delicious, my hope with this post is to save someone some time and effort! I weighed everything on a kitchen scale to the gram. I measured the 1 1/2 tbsp for the cookie – I got 24. Other than the bake time being too low, my best guess is that because of the amount of butter in the dough it should probably be cooled in the refrigerator before baking.
1st Batch: after 8 minutes at 350 the cookies hadn’t spread, but the directions say they will be puffy and to take the cookies out. They cooled on the sheet for 4 minutes and then on the cooling rack. The flattened out, but they were raw. You couldn’t pick the cookie up in one piece.
2nd Batch: 11 minutes at 350, rested for 5 minutes on the sheet before completely cooled on the rack. These look a lot better, they are very soft and can almost be picked up without falling apart. Yummy, but you have to want a very soft and pale cookie to stop here. I enjoy a soft cookie and I’d bake it for longer.
Third Batch: 13 minutes in the oven at 350, 5 minutes of resting in the pan before cooling completely on the cooling rack. If you’re not resting the dough in the fridge, this is a great soft cookie.
Fourth batch (because why not try something else): 12 minutes in the oven at 350, 5 minutes on the sheet and then fully cooled on the rack. I liked the 13 minutes better, but this works too.
If you look in the oven at 8 minutes and see mounds of raw cookie dough, add 4-5 more minutes to the timer and you’ll get a great soft cookie!
I made these as written and they came out perfectly! Really strange thing happened though- the first and last batch were made on a regular cookie sheet with a silicone liner and they came out perfect. The second batch I made on an air bake sheet with parchment paper and they spread out too thin. I can’t attribute it to the batter being out longer since the last batch was good on the silicone. Maybe something to consider if they don’t come out as desired
I had to google the air bake sheet, lol. But after looking at that, it actually makes sense. The baking sheet you use can make quite a significant difference. Lighter colored ones tend to produce cookies that spread more, and darker ones tend to spread less. I used one that’s kind of in the middle. Since the air bake sheet reduces the heat of the top of the cookie sheet, the cookies will spread more because there isn’t that high heat to prevent the spread from happening more quickly while they bake. Does that make sense? It’s all about the way the cookie sheet handles heat and there’s HUGE variety. It’s actually on my list of things to do a blog post on this topic because there are so many variants with cookies in particular that can really make a difference. Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
I prefer soft and chewy cookies and these cookies did not disappoint. May slightly increase the vanilla fIavor or search for a stronger brand. I enjoyed baking and eating these and looking forward to baking them again.
Hi There,
I tried this receipt tonight and unfortunately my cookies came out thickand almost fluffy. Could this be from over mixing?
Still delicious but I imagine the texture is not the same.
Pretty sure this is the first time I ever made sugar cookies of this sort, and I’m in my sixties (husband not crazy about them – requires chocolate)! They came out just the way I was hoping, and I mixed by hand. I love them. Thanks!!
I tried this recipe without a stand mixer, used a hand mixer instead, and I guess it over-mixed. Instead of dough I ended up with a big bowl of powder. Had to throw the whole thing out.
How would you recommend to add some freeze dried strawberries to the recipe? I tried another recipe for strawberry sugar cookies – not what we had hoped. These sound delightful and will be trying them today!!
I’ve never tried adding freeze dried strawberries, so I’m not sure. But I’d try grinding them into powder and adding it that way. You might just be able to add it without other adjustments.
This recipe was great, thank you so much for including gram measurements, I never understand when it’s in cups.
I didn’t want to make a large batch, so I saved part of the dough for another time and made in my convection toaster oven. I did put ever so slightly more baking powder. It was delicious 😋 I will be trying the cutout sugar cookies next time.
These were good but definitely need more than 7 to 8 minutes to bake. They were still raw at 8 minutes. About 11 minutes worked but they didn’t flatten much.
Mine didn’t spread. I might try again and reduce flour. The flavor is just okay. I am on a mission to duplicate the butter sugar cookie at the Barnes & Noble café. This was my 10th attempt. Thanks for the recipe. I will keep trying.
My son wanted to make sugar cookies- not my favorite cookie, Your photo of these cookies looked like a chewy, crunchy cookie unlike any sugar cookie I’ve had before.
Although we made the balls a little too big- we had about 24 cookies- we baked them 5 minutes longer and they are AMAZING. Thank you!
Cookies taste great but didn’t spread. I’m guessing I should have weighed the flour instead of using measuring cups…too tired to make a new batch so the fluffy cookies are going to daycare. I would suggest putting a note next to flour recommending to weigh the flour so people don’t waste their time and ingredients.
These are fantastic. Exactly the taste and texture I remember in sugar cookies as a kid. I think this is the first time I’ve found your site on the www and look forward to trying other recipes.
Thanks!
So glad you enjoyed them!
The search is over!!! Thank you for this recipe – I have been on a quest to find the perfect drop sugar cookie recipe for years and I can say with conviction that this is it!