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.
Beka says
The pumpkin version of this cookie was FLAWLESS. I made them so much this fall and they turned out perfect every time. But I have tried 3 batches of this version and they all spread too far and ended up flat and crispy on the edges. Any ideas of what I could be doing wrong?
I would guess that your butter was too soft.
Sonya says
Made your yummy sugar cookies, added cinnamon chips to the dough, then after baking lightly drizzled homemade carmel sauce on them. So, good! Tastes just like a cinnamon roll, but better because it is a cookie.
So happy you liked them!
Donna says
Have you ever added a little almond extract? I’ve added it in sugar cookies before and it’s so good!
I have! I did it in this Sprinkle Sugar Cookie version and it it turned out great.
Jennifer says
I would like the icing recipe you show on the sugar cookies on the article 30 Christmas cookie recipes.
I think this is the recipe you’re looking for: https://www.simplejoy.com/the-best-vanilla-buttercream-frosting/
Peri Dunn says
I have used this recipe for around 2 years and I absolutely love it.
So glad to hear that, Peri!
Leah says
I followed the dire actions and measurements exactly but the dough wasn’t well dough. It had a batter constancy and rolling them? Impossible. I don’t know what I did wrong but it did NOT work.
I’m so sorry this didn’t work for you, Leah. This is a recipe that our family has made probably hundreds of times, so I feel really confident in it. Based on your description of problems, I would guess that your butter was too soft. You should be able to easily dent it with your finger but not push your finger all the way through. If it is softer than that, it will be harder to roll out the cookies.
Laura walker says
I will try these cookies soon I watch you love all uou recipes thank uou do
Much do you have the recipe for the thin sugar cookie that really crispy if so please send it to me please
I’m so sorry, I don’t have a recipe like that.
April A Lewis says
I made these cookies and I let them cool completely and then I made a homemade no bake cheesecake and I had made sure that the cookies where the same size as my cupcake liners, I then placed a sugar cookie on the bottom of all the liners and then topped it off with the cheesecake filling and set them in the fridge for 6 hours, you could go less than 6 hours but I wanted to make sure that they would be set enough to cheat and topp off the cheesecake with different kinds of jam. I used Raspberry and Strawberry jam and they were a complete smash hit at the dessert table during an invite for dinner. You can also choose to make homemade toppings if you don’t prefer the jam but with my 4 full grown children and 13 Grandchildren I prefer to cheat and take a short cut with just regular jam 😋😊
These cookies made this dessert a must keep recipe. I look forward to trying many new recipes with these cookies. Thanks for the recipe and keep up the good work 😋😋😋
I never would have thought to use these as a cheesecake bottom! Genius!
Eudora says
So easy and tasty! It’s a keeper.
I’m glad to hear it!
Stevey says
Cookies turned out nicely! The only change I made was I kept them in for 12ish minutes instead to bake through. Delicious!
I’m glad you liked them!