Sugar Cookies
This simple sugar cookie recipe yields tender, buttery cookies with a lightly crisp edge and soft center. Perfect for everyday baking, these cookies come together quickly with basic ingredients and minimal fuss.
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand mixer
- 2 Mixing bowls (medium and large)
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 2 Baking sheets
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Your Ingredients and Workspace: Begin by gathering all your ingredients and kitchen tools. This helps streamline the process and avoids last-minute scrambling. Measure out 2 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of baking powder, 1 cup (two sticks) of softened unsalted butter, 1 ½ cups of granulated sugar, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Ensure the butter is softened to room temperature, which means it should be soft enough to press gently but not melted. This is key for proper creaming and smooth dough texture. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) to get it ready for baking. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and promote even baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients Thoroughly: In a medium-sized mixing bowl, add the measured flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Use a whisk or fork to thoroughly blend these dry ingredients. This ensures that the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for the cookies to rise evenly and have a consistent texture. Set this bowl aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar Until Fluffy: In a large mixing bowl, add the softened butter and granulated sugar. Using an electric hand mixer on medium speed, beat these together until the mixture turns pale, creamy, and fluffy. This process should take approximately 3 to 5 minutes. The creaming of butter and sugar is essential as it incorporates air into the mixture, resulting in light, tender cookies with a delicate crumb. Be sure to stop a couple of times to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula, ensuring no butter or sugar remains unmixed.
- Incorporate Egg and Vanilla Extract Smoothly: Once your butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy, add the large egg and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, scraping down the bowl again if necessary. The egg adds moisture and helps bind the dough ingredients together, while the vanilla extract enhances the cookie’s flavor with a sweet, aromatic note. Mixing thoroughly at this stage ensures a uniform dough without pockets of egg or vanilla.
- Gradually Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Mixture: Reduce your mixer speed to low and begin adding the dry flour mixture in small batches to the butter mixture. This gradual addition prevents flour from flying out of the bowl and allows the ingredients to combine evenly without overworking the dough. After each addition, mix gently just until the flour is fully incorporated. Over-mixing can develop gluten in the flour, which could lead to tough cookies. Once all the flour mixture is blended in, stop mixing and give the dough a final gentle stir with a spatula to make sure there are no streaks of flour left.
- Shape Dough into Uniform Balls: Using your hands or a small cookie scoop, portion the dough into walnut-sized balls—about 1 to 1 ½ inches in diameter. Roll each piece gently between your palms to create smooth, even balls. Place the dough balls at least 2 inches apart on your prepared baking sheets. Spacing them properly allows the cookies to spread evenly without sticking together during baking.
- Bake Until Edges Are Lightly Golden: Place the baking sheets on the middle rack of your preheated oven. Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, watching closely toward the end. You’re aiming for edges that turn a delicate golden brown while the centers remain slightly soft. This timing ensures a perfect balance of crispness and chewiness. Avoid over-baking, as this can dry out the cookies.
- Cool Cookies Properly for Best Texture: Once baked, remove the sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for about 3 to 5 minutes. This brief cooling allows the cookies to firm up slightly, making them easier to transfer. Then, carefully use a spatula to transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely on the rack, which prevents steam from softening the bottoms and helps maintain a crisp edge with a tender center.
- Optional – Decorate and Serve: If desired, once the cookies are fully cooled, you can decorate them with your favorite sugar cookie frosting and sprinkles to add color and festive flair. This step is optional but enhances presentation and flavor, especially for special occasions. Serve the cookies fresh, or store them in an airtight container at room temperature for several days to enjoy later
Notes
This sugar cookie recipe is designed to be straightforward, but a few tips can elevate your results. Make sure your butter is softened, not melted, to achieve the perfect creamy texture when creaming with sugar. Precise measuring of flour is important; too much flour can make cookies dry and crumbly, while too little will cause excessive spreading. For even baking, rotate your baking sheets halfway through baking if your oven heats unevenly. Don’t overbake — cookies should have golden edges but still feel slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven, as they will firm up during cooling. If you want to add color or texture, decorating with frosting and sprinkles after cookies have cooled is highly recommended. Finally, chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking can improve flavor and reduce spreading, though it’s not required.
