Learn how to make sugar cookies at home. This easy sugar cookie recipe can be made into personal-size or giant bakery-style cookies.
Craving a batch of delicious, easy sugar cookies without the hassle of complicated steps and hard-to-find ingredients? You’ve landed on the right page! Discover how to make sugar cookies with a recipe so simple, yet so delightful, it’s guaranteed to satisfy your sweet tooth.
Whether you’re a baking beginner or a seasoned pro, this easy sugar cookie recipe will walk you through each step to create irresistible, personal-size, or giant bakery-style cookies, ensuring your home is filled with the sweet, comforting aroma of freshly baked goodies in no time!
Ingredients Needed:
- Butter (unsalted & softened)
- Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
- Vanilla
- Large Egg
- All-Purpose Flour
- Salt
- Baking Soda
- Additional Sugar (for rolling dough balls before baking)
Equipment Needed:
- Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer: I would highly recommend using an electric mixer to cream the butter and sugars together. You can use a spatula but be prepared to get a serious arm workout.
- Mixing Bowl
- Spatula: You will want a spatula to scrap the sides of the bowl between ingredients and possibly use it to fold the dry ingredients in.
- Parchment Paper: I highly recommend using parchment paper which keeps the cookies from sticking to the cookie sheet and makes cleanup a breeze.
- Cookie Sheet
- Portion Scoop: This will help you measure out equal amounts of cookie dough and ensuring uniform baking. If you don’t own a #12 or #40 portion scoop feel free to measure via the amounts listed in the recipe card.
How To Make Sugar Cookies
Making these easy sugar cookies is a quick and delicious process, especially with this straightforward recipe. Below are the step-by-step instructions to create delicious, perfect cookies every time:
Start with Creaming the Ingredients:
Using either a stand mixer or a hand mixer and a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, brown sugar, and white sugar. The mixture should become light in color and fluffy after about 2-3 minutes. Don’t forget to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice during this process to ensure all ingredients are well-incorporated.
Add Egg and Vanilla:
Incorporate the large egg and vanilla into the mixture. Continue mixing until these ingredients are fully blended, remembering to scrape down the sides of the bowl to avoid any uneven mixing.
Combine Dry Ingredients:
Now, add the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda to your mixture. Use a spatula or carefully continue with the electric equipment. the key here is to incorporate the dry ingredients without over mixing.
Form Dough Balls:
Using a #12 portion scoop (or roughly 1/3 cup), form 6 large cookie dough balls. If you prefer smaller cookies, refer to the notes on the recipe card for adjustments. Roll each dough ball in additional sugar and place them on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
Bake the Cookies:
Bake the cookies in a preheated 350°F (180°C) oven. When making large #12 size cookies, this will take about 16-18 minutes. For perfect cookies, they should just begin to brown at the bottom edge and be gooey in the center. This will make the cookies chewy and soft upon cooling. If they are overbaked the cookies will be crisp and dry in the center.
Let them Cool:
Before indulging, let the cookies cool for at least 10 minutes as they will be very soft when they are hot out of the oven.
Always remember to refer to the recipe card for specific measurements and any additional notes or adjustments based on the size of the cookies you prefer. Enjoy your homemade, easy sugar cookies with a glass of milk or your favorite beverage!
This simple sugar cookie recipe is a delightful indulgence for any day of the week, requiring just 5 to 10 minutes of mixing before it’s oven-ready.
Easy Sugar Cookies: FAQs
Why are my cookies so flat?
Flat cookies could be due to overly softened butter, too much sugar, or not enough flour. Ensure you follow the recipe accurately, measure your ingredients correctly, and don’t overmix the dough.
I highly recommend weighing the ingredients to get the most accurate measurements.
Can I use salted butter?
I recommend using unsalted in this recipe but if all you have is salted butter, you can use it. Depending on the brand of butter the amount of salt in salted butter can vary from 1/2 teaspoon to a full teaspoon in every 1/2 cup. If using salted butter in this sugar cookie recipe, omit the additional salt to avoid overly salty cookies.
I don’t have portion scoops. How should I measure the dough?
No portion scoops, no problem. You can use a regular tablespoon or measuring cup to portion your dough. One #12 scoop is roughly equivalent to 1/3 cup, and a #40 scoop is about 1½ tablespoons. This easy sugar cookie recipe will make 6 large #12 cookies or make 17-18 regular #40 size cookies.
If making the giant cookies you will only need one cookie sheet. If making regular size cookies using you will bake 9 on a sheet (two sheets will be needed). I recommend baking each sheet individually to insure even baking.
Should I measure the ingredients by weight or volume?
Measuring ingredients by weight ensures uniformity and precision, reducing the likelihood of errors and variations in the final product, which is especially important for baking. With that said, I use a kitchen scale to weigh the sugars, flour and butter if it’s not a 4oz cube. The rest of the ingredients are such small quantities that it’s easier for me to measure with measuring spoons.
Please note, when using a measuring cup to measure volume, fill the cup with a spoon. Scooping dry ingredients like flour directly with a cup can cause compaction, resulting in too much flour being added. Spooning the flour into your measuring cup enables a more accurate measurement.
My cookies came out firm not gooey. Why?
This is most likely due to overbaking or using too much flour. Stick closely to the recommended baking times and measure your ingredients accurately.
If you’re certain you adhered to the suggested baking time you might want to consider calibrating your oven. This will ensure it is heating to the accurate temperature you’ve set because every oven can be a little different or completely off.
Can I double this easy sugar cookie recipe?
Absolutely! You can easily double the ingredients, just ensure that your mixing bowl is large enough to accommodate the increased quantities.
I enjoy making double or triple batches of this recipe and then freezing the dough balls. Having these frozen dough balls on hand offers a convenient way to quickly bake a fresh dessert whenever needed. You have the flexibility to bake just a couple or prepare a whole tray.
Storage & Freezing:
- Storing Baked Cookies: Place the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they will stay fresh for up to a week.
- Freezing Dough: To freeze the dough, form the dough into a pancake shape. Place in a ziplock bag and place in the freezer. You can freeze the dough for up to six months. Alternatively, you can freeze the dough in a log shape. When ready to bake, slice into 6 piece per batch or smaller if desired. Thaw on the cookie sheet then bake as directed.
- Freezing Dough Balls: This is my favorite method of freezing. I form the balls and place them on a lined cookie sheet. You can place them side by side; there’s no need to leave space in between. Once frozen, take them off the cookie sheet and place them in a Ziplock bag or airtight freezer container. Pull the dough balls out whenever you feel like fresh baked sugar cookies. If you want to bake them straight from frozen, you can! Simply add a couple of extra minutes to the baking time.
Love Cookies?
Me too. Cookies are the best. A few of my favorites are my Ginger Snap Cookies and Nutella Cookies.
Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe Card:
Embark on your baking journey with this uncomplicated and flavorful easy sugar cookie recipe. The crispy edges and gooey centers of these cookies are sure to make your taste buds dance with joy. Just follow the steps mentioned above, use the right ingredients and equipment, and you’ll master how to make sugar cookies in no time! Don’t forget to refer to the recipe card below for precise measurements and detailed instructions. Happy baking!
Yield: 6 giant cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 26 minutes
Learn how to make sugar cookies at home. This easy sugar cookie recipe can be made into personal-size or giant bakery-style.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, unsalted & softened (113g)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (105g)
- 1/4 cup white sugar (50g)
- 1 tablespoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- additional sugar to roll dough balls in before baking
Instructions
1. In a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl using an hand mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and sugar until light in color and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrap down sides one to two times during this process.
2. Add the egg and vanilla. Mix until fully incorporated. Scrap down sides of the bowl.
Add the flour, salt and baking soda. Using a spatula or cafefully mixing with the electric equipment of choice, blend dry ingredients into the sugar mixture only until just combined. There should be no dry ingredients.
Using a #12 portion scoop equivalent to about 1/3 cup to form 6 large cookie dough balls. See notes for size of scoop, yield and baking time for smaller cookies. Roll each dough ball in sugar and place on a single parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake at 350F for 16-18 minutes. The cookie should just begin to brown at the bottom edge and be gooey in the center. Let cookies cool for at least 10 minutes before serving as they will be very soft when they are hot.
Notes
For smaller cookies, use portion scoop size #40 equivalent to 1 1/2 tablespoons. This size will yield 17-18 cookies. Use two cookie sheets lined with parchment paper, baking one at a time. Bake at 350F for about 10 minutes. The cookie center should be soft and gooey but spread out. Let cook for a couple of minutes before moving as they will be very soft.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 543Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 428mgCarbohydrates: 70gFiber: 2gSugar: 24gProtein: 6g
