This Sugar Cookie Recipe stands the test of time. Crisp on the outside, but buttery soft on the inside, this is a family favorite!
This recipe for easy sugar cookies is one of my very favorite baked goods. I have made this recipe so many times, I can practically do it in my sleep. Originally from America’s Test Kitchen, you know it is a winner.
By following my simple tips for how to make the best sugar cookie recipe, these will turn out perfect for you as well. You’ll never need another recipe.
I have used this recipe for around 2 years and I absolutely love it.
What Makes This Recipe the Best
I don’t use “best” loosely. This recipe really is the best, and there are a few things that will make you heartily agree.
- Flavor: These cookies have a simple delicious buttery flavor that wins over everyone.
- Texture: The texture of these sugar cookies is perfection. They are crisp on the outside and buttery soft on the inside.
- No chilling: These homemade sugar cookies don’t need any chilling, which means you are that much closer to being able to eat them.
- Easy to make: This is an easy sugar cookie recipe. If baking intimidates you, read on! You can do it.
- Variations: This one recipe has inspired so many variations. Don’t miss the full list at the bottom of the post.
How to Make Sugar Cookies
This is a brief overview to show you just how easy these cookies are to make. For the full recipe with all of the measurements see the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Cream together the butter and sugar. You can do this with a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer, but I much prefer the stand mixer. Once it is creamed, add the vanilla and eggs.
- Add the flour mixture. I like to add it all at once, mixing on low for a short time and then on high for a very short time to keep the mixing time as small as possible.
- Make the dough into cookies. Shape the dough into balls using a cookie scoop, and roll in sugar. Bake the cookies and enjoy!
Cookie Scoop
Adding Flour in Cookie Recipes
So many cookie recipes suggest that you add flour a little bit at a time, but what I’ve learned is that doing it that way is more likely to result in over mixing. Once flour is combined with wet ingredients, the gluten begins to develop. If you beat the flour in too long, it will result in unpleasantly chewy cookies.
Rather than adding the flour a scoop at a time, add in all of the flour mixture. Beat on low, just long enough so the flour doesn’t fly all over. Then beat on high, just enough so it is combined. Be sure to scrape your bowl at the bottom with a spatula to make sure all the flour was mixed in. We also don’t want to under mix. This will result in less beating time than the alternative.
Baking Sheets
Sugar Cookie Tips and Tricks
These tips apply to a lot of my cookies. They are such helpful little tips.
- Measure the flour correctly. This is so important that I have a whole section on it below.
- Ensure the baking powder is still good. To test, add a little to some water. It should bubble right away. Keep in mind that baking powder should be replaced ever six months to maintain its effectiveness.
- Fully whisk your dry ingredients. There is no risk of over mixing when it’s all dry ingredients and no one wants a pocket of salt in their cookie.
- Use unsalted butter. Because the salt content varies from brand to brand, using unsalted butter and then adding salt to the recipe ensures you get the amount you want.
- Use room temperature butter. Resist the urge to soften the butter in the microwave. It just doesn’t soften the butter evenly, resulting melted patches. Instead, cut it up and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes. You should be able to easily dent it with your finger but not push all the way through. And it will feel cold to the touch.
- Fully cream your butter and your sugar. It should look light and fluffy after mixing. (See the photo above.) Doing this will create lighter cookies because it will beat air pockets into the butter. Additionally, this will create more volume of dough and therefore more cookies.
- Use room temperature eggs. Fill a bowl with luke warm water and let the eggs sit in there while you are doing your other measuring and mixing.
- Use a cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon). This will ensure that all of your cookies are uniform in size.
- Rotate your baking sheet half way through baking. This helps ensure that your cookies will bake evenly.
How to Measure Flour
Measuring Flour in Baking Recipes
A key component to any baking recipes is measuring flour correctly. If there is too much flour, it will greatly impact the recipe, perhaps even to the point of ruining it. Extra flour most often happens when it is measured incorrectly. Follow the steps below to ensure you get the correct amount of flour. You can read more about this in the link above.
- Whisk the flour in the container you keep it in, even if that container is the bag you purchased it in. This will loosen up the flour, a key step.
- Scoop the flour with a spoon. Scoop it into a dry measuring cup. Then with the flat edge of a spatula, level off the flour.
Storing
This soft sugar cookie recipe can be stored in an airtight container for up to two weeks. Please keep in mind that they are freshest in the first three days after making. These can be stored at room temperature. As with all recipes, use your best discretion when it comes to leftovers.
Freezing Sugar Cookies
Freezing as Cookie Dough Balls
Sugar cookie dough is perfect to make ahead and freeze. To do that, follow the recipe through rolling the balls in sugar. After that, follow the steps below.
- Press the dough down lightly.
- Place on wax paper on a baking tray and put in the freezer for four hours to flash freeze.
- Transfer the frozen dough to an airtight container.
- Put back in the freezer and store the dough for up to three months.
- When you are ready to bake, proceed as directed in the recipe card but bake for an extra 2 minutes.
Freezing as Baked Cookies
If you would like to bake the cookies completely, but then freeze the whole cookie, these cookies freeze great.
- Place the baked and cooled cookies on a wax lined baking sheet.
- Freeze for four hours to flash freeze them. Transfer the cookies to an air-tight container and freeze for up to three months.
- Allow cookies to thaw at room temperature before eating. This will take less than 30 minutes.
Drop Sugar Cookies
This sugar cookies recipe is meant to be rolled into balls, rolled in sugar, and then baked. These chewy sugar cookies, while they make perfect Christmas cookies, are not a recipe that can be rolled out. For that you will want my Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe.
Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe
Frosting Sugar Cookies
While these can’t be rolled and cut out, you can absolutely frost them. I would suggest using my vanilla buttercream frosting. It can be spread on with a knife and then you can top with festive sprinkles.
Sugar Cookie Variations
I love this recipe so much that I’ve used it again and again to create some pretty amazing cookies. Check them out!
- Sugar Cookie Bars
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Fruit Pizza Recipe
- Red Velvet Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles
If you make this sugar cookies recipe and love them, join the others leaving a comment and letting me know!
Perfect Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (300 grams)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter room temperature (197.8 gram)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar plus extra for rolling, about 1/2 a cup (297 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.2 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about three to six minutes.1 1/2 cups granulated sugar, 14 tablespoons unsalted butter
- Mix in the eggs, one at a time, and then the vanilla until well combined.2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 2 large eggs
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients. Mix on low until it just begins to combine. Then turn up the mixer to high just long enough that you don't see streaks of flour. Scrape down the bowl and ont he bottom to ensure that all the flour is added. Only mix long enough to combine the flour.
- Using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop, roll the dough into one inch sized balls. Roll the balls in sugar (you will need about 1/2 cup extra). Place on the prepared baking sheet. Space the cookies about two inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through the baking, or until the cookies just begin to turn golden brown around the edges. Allow to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once cool, store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.
Adriana Calderon says
Hi I’m Adriana from Costa Rica can you tell me how much is in grama of butter?? Grate recepie!! Thank you so much
198.45 grams
Jo says
I’m Gluten sensitive- is there another option other than regular flour?
I’m so sorry, I’ve only tested this recipe with all purpose flour. If I were going to try it with a GF flour, I would start testing using a one for one GF replacement, like this one: https://amzn.to/3xA17Ny
Carleen M Magri says
These were and are so yummy!! Everyone at my worked loved them too.
I’ms o glad to hear it!
Janet Mathis says
Instead of vanilla flavoring for the sugar cookie I used almond flavoring and they tasted wonderful
Ida says
So nice to see this ATK recipe floating around again. I thought I had lost my copy, but thanks to you I found it. It was just tucked away under ordinary ol’ sugar cookies. The ‘Perfect’ is important! These are the best sugar cookies ever.
Maryjo Betson says
Lisa how come no one sifts their flour anymore and then measure? You can significantly see how much extra flour you’re putting in a recipe by comparing say a cup of flour whisked and leveled off versus sifting and then measuring and leveling off. You will end up with extra flour from the whisk pile. Lisa by the way, I absolutely love and look forward to all of your recipes!
I can’t really speak for anyone else, but I will say that scooping the flour with a spoon and then leveling it off is a great way to get the amount that the recipe calls for without sifting. I’m so glad you are enjoying my recipes!
Kit says
Hi, are the degrees in fahrenhite or celsius
Fahrenheit
Samantha Dimic says
For gluten free sugar cookie, use King Arthur , baking mix ,it is one to one measure ment and works great, just check your baking time, it bakes faster.
Zucchini Bread takes 60 minutes
With king Arthur gf baking mix it takes 30 minutes. Just an example.