Description
Make the best Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies! My simple recipe brings back childhood memories with every bite. Easy to bake, impossible to resist.
Ingredients
Scale
- Dry Goods & Flavor Base:
- 2 ¾ cups (330g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Wet Ingredients & Richness:
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons milk (optional, if dough is too stiff)
- Finishing Touch:
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Creaming the Butter & Sugar:: First things first, get that room-temperature butter and granulated sugar into a mixing bowl. Cream them together until they’re light and fluffy, almost pale in color. This step is crucial for incorporating air, which gives our Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies that wonderful texture. I usually set a timer for about 3-5 minutes on medium speed. Don’t rush it! I’ve definitely under-creamed before, and the cookies turned out a bit dense, not the soft cloud I was hoping for.
- Adding the Egg & Vanilla:: Next, crack in that large egg and pour in the vanilla extract. Mix until they’re just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula, making sure everything gets incorporated. This is where the mixture starts to smell absolutely divine, that sweet vanilla scent filling the kitchen. I always give it an extra scrape to catch any stray butter bits that cling to the bottom; those little pockets can mess with your final cookie texture.
- Whisking Dry Ingredients:: In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Make sure it’s really well combined – you don’t want a sudden burst of salt or baking soda in one cookie! This step feels a bit mundane, but it’s important for even distribution. I usually use a whisk, but sometimes I just use a fork if I’m feeling lazy. Just ensure there are no lumps!
- Combining Wet & Dry:: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet, mixing on low speed until just combined. Don’t overmix! Overmixing develops too much gluten, which can make your cookies tough instead of tender. I stop as soon as I don’t see any streaks of flour, even if it looks a little shaggy. If the dough feels too stiff, add a tiny splash of milk, just a teaspoon at a time, until it comes together.
- Chilling the Dough:: Now for the hard part: chilling! Wrap your dough in plastic wrap and pop it in the fridge for at least 30 minutes, or up to an hour. This helps the flavors meld and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. I’ve skipped this step when I’m impatient, and ended up with flat, crispy disks instead of plump, soft cookies. Trust me, the wait is worth it for perfectly shaped sugar cookies.
- Baking & Cooling:: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Roll spoonfuls of dough into balls, then roll them in extra granulated sugar. Place them a few inches apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look soft. They’ll firm up as they cool. Let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The smell of warm sugar cookies fresh from the oven? Pure bliss, honestly, it’s the best part!