Best Soft Sugar Cookies

sugar cookies lined up on a baking sheet.

5 from 12 votes

These sugar cookies are buttery, soft, chewy, and take less than an hour to make with absolutely no chill time needed! Perfect for holidays, birthdays, and any occasion in between, enjoy these sugar cookies year round!

Prep Time25

Cook Time20

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, New England

Servings: cookies (roughly)

Author: Grace Vallo

Equipment

Stand mixer (or hand mixer if needed)

Ingredients

2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour precisely measured
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter softened to room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar plus ¼ cup for rolling dough balls
1 large egg
1 tablespoon real vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350℉. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until well incorporated.
In the bowl of a mixer, add butter, 1 cup granulated sugar, and vanilla. Turn mixer on medium speed and cream together for 2 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through. Butter/sugar mixture should look creamy and fluffy.
Add egg, turning mixer to medium/low speed until just incorporated. Scrape down the sides as needed. Do not over mix.
Add dry ingredients to mixer, and combine until just incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Do not over mix.
Time to bake…no need to chill the dough! Roll cookie dough into 2 tablespoon-sized balls. Roll balls in granulated sugar, and then place at least 2 inches apart on a greased (or Silpat/parchment lined) baking sheet. Dough will be sticky.
Bake for 9-12 minutes until the middle of the cookies are just set and the edges of the cookies just start to turn light golden.
Let cookies cool for 5 minutes before devouring or placing on a wire rack to cool completely!

Video

Notes

Freeze any unused raw cookie dough balls in a Ziploc bag. Bake cookies right from the freezer at 350℉ for 10-14 minutes.
To refrigerate cookie dough or not? I tested refrigerating cookie dough for 2 hours and not refrigerating cookie dough. I actually preferred not refrigerating dough for this recipe. The result was slightly softer, as opposed to chewier cookies. The choice is up to you!
Important: make sure to measure flour correctly! Use the spoon and level method by gently scooping flour into a dry measuring cup and leveling it off with a knife, ensuring accurate and consistent results every time.

Nutrition