If you’re like me and adore a cookie that’s both soft and chewy, you’re in for a treat with this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe. These cookies have just the right balance of melt-in-your-mouth tenderness and a gentle chewiness that keeps you reaching for one after another. I love making these for casual afternoons when I’m craving something sweet but not too heavy—perfect with a cup of tea or coffee.
What makes this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe truly special is how simple the ingredients are, yet the results feel like you pulled off something gourmet. Plus, they hold their softness longer than your typical sugar cookie, which means less stress about finishing them off right away. Once I discovered this recipe, it quickly became a favorite to bake for friends and family, especially around holidays or weekend get-togethers.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Texture: You’ll get irresistibly soft centers with just the right amount of chewiness around the edges.
- Simple Ingredients: Pantry staples combine to create an amazing cookie that’s straightforward and fuss-free.
- Great for Any Occasion: Whether it’s a kid’s party or a cozy night in, these cookies fit right in.
- Easy to Customize: Add your favorite flavors or toppings to make it your own special treat.
Ingredients You’ll Need
To bake these Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies, you’ll want to use fresh, quality ingredients that work well together to deliver that perfect texture and flavor. I recommend using unsalted butter at cool room temperature and measuring your flour carefully—it makes all the difference!
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure; scoop and level for accurate measurement to avoid dry cookies.
- Baking powder: Helps the cookies rise slightly without getting cakey.
- Fine sea salt: Enhances the sweetness and balances flavors beautifully.
- Unsalted butter: Using cool room temperature butter gives you a smooth dough and soft cookies.
- Granulated sugar: The main sweetener; some is mixed in and some for rolling to add a delightful crunch.
- Egg and egg yolk: Adds richness and helps achieve that chewy texture.
- Vanilla extract: Brings out depth of flavor and sweetness, so don’t skip it!
Variations
I love tweaking this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe to suit different moods or seasons. You can easily customize them for birthdays, holidays, or even just a quiet evening when you want a comforting treat.
- Sprinkles: Adding colorful sprinkles before baking brings a festive touch, and my kids go absolutely wild for it.
- Lemon zest or almond extract: For a fresh twist, a little zest or extract adds a lovely aroma and unique flavor.
- Gluten-free option: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend; be sure to check the texture and adjust as needed.
- Chocolate chips: Mix in mini chocolate chips for a cookie that’s part sugar cookie, part chocolate chip cookie—you get the best of both worlds.
How to Make Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Prep Your Dry Ingredients
Start by preheating your oven to 350°F and lining a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. Then, whisk together your flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. This keeps everything evenly distributed and prevents any pockets of baking powder or salt in the dough—trust me, I’ve had uneven cookies before when I skipped this!
Step 2: Cream Butter and Sugar
In a large bowl, beat the cool room temperature butter with 1¼ cups of granulated sugar using an electric mixer on medium-high speed. This should take about 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light, fluffy, and a bit paler in color. It’s a critical step because the air you beat in here helps with the soft texture of the cookies.
Step 3: Add Eggs and Vanilla
Scrape down the sides of the bowl, then add the whole egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Beat again until everything is combined and smooth, making sure there are no stray bits of butter clinging to the bowl’s edges—those can cause uneven mixing.
Step 4: Incorporate Dry Ingredients
Slowly add the flour mixture into the wet ingredients, beating on low speed or folding with a spatula just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix here, or the cookies might turn out tough—this was a lesson I learned the hard way!
Step 5: Shape and Sugar-Coat the Dough Balls
Pour the remaining ¼ cup sugar into a shallow dish. Using a large spring-loaded cookie scoop (around 3 tablespoons), form dough balls and then roll each one thoroughly in the sugar. Place them on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart, then gently press down on each ball with the bottom of a measuring cup to give them that classic flat cookie shape.
Step 6: Bake Until Gorgeous
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes until they’re set and starting to brown just a touch on the edges. Don’t wait for them to look fully done—they’ll firm up more once cooled. Remove the trays and let the cookies rest for 5 minutes before transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Pro Tips for Making Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Butter Temperature Matters: Keeping your butter at cool room temperature—not too soft—helps create a dough that’s easier to handle and yields a perfectly chewy cookie.
- Don’t Overbake: Take the cookies out right when the edges start to brown; if you wait longer, they’ll lose that soft center I know you’re after.
- Scoop Size Consistency: Using a spring-loaded scoop gives your cookies uniform sizes, so they bake evenly every time.
- Sugar Rolling Trick: Rolling dough balls in sugar adds just a little crunch on the surface and a beautiful shimmer under the oven light—it’s a little extra step that’s totally worth it.
How to Serve Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
When I serve these cookies, I love keeping it simple with a light dusting of powdered sugar or a few colorful sugar crystals to keep that delightful sparkle and fun texture. Sometimes I drizzle a bit of melted white chocolate or dip half the cookie for a subtle indulgence. It’s amazing how a small garnish can elevate your presentation and taste.
Side Dishes
These sugar cookies pair beautifully with a dessert platter featuring fresh berries or a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a treat that feels special. At tea time, a good latte or your favorite black tea complements the sweetness perfectly—my afternoon routine!
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I like arranging them on a tiered dessert stand decorated with edible flowers or fresh herbs like mint. During holidays, you can also decorate them with colored icing or edible glitter to match the theme—kids especially love helping with the decorating part!
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
If you end up with leftovers (which, honestly, is rare in my house), storing these sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature is best. They stay soft for up to three days, but to keep that freshness longer, I place a slice of bread in the container to maintain moisture—it’s a neat little trick I discovered!
Freezing
I’ve had great success freezing the raw dough balls—just roll them in sugar and freeze on a tray until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. When you want cookies, pop the frozen dough onto a baking sheet, flatten, and bake a minute or two longer. This way, you can enjoy fresh-baked cookies anytime without the full prep.
Reheating
To revive slightly stale cookies, I gently warm them in the oven at 300°F for about 5 minutes, then let them cool a minute before enjoying. This brings back that soft texture and fresh-baked feel without drying them out.
FAQs
-
Can I use salted butter in this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe?
You can use salted butter if that’s what you have on hand, but I recommend reducing the added salt slightly or omitting it altogether. Using unsalted butter gives you more control over the saltiness, letting the sweetness and vanilla shine.
-
Why do my sugar cookies turn out hard instead of soft and chewy?
The biggest culprits are usually overbaking or using butter that’s too warm and overly creamed. Be sure to take the cookies out when edges just start to brown and keep your butter at cool room temperature to maintain the ideal texture.
-
Can I substitute the granulated sugar with brown sugar for these cookies?
Substituting with brown sugar will add moisture and a slight molasses flavor, which can actually enhance softness. However, it will change the taste and color a bit, so try a small batch first to see if you like the variation.
-
How do I prevent my sugar cookies from spreading too much?
Start with cool butter and chill your dough if your kitchen is warm. Also, spacing your dough balls properly and flattening gently will help keep the cookies uniform without excessive spreading.
-
Can I double this Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe?
Absolutely! Just be sure to mix in batches if your mixer is small, and extend baking time slightly depending on your oven. Also, keep an eye on cookies as baking times can vary.
Final Thoughts
This Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe has truly become my go-to when I want that nostalgic, comforting cookie with a fresh twist. It’s satisfying to make, forgiving in the kitchen, and beloved by guests every time. I hope you give it a shot—you’ll enjoy how it fills your home with the warm smell of vanilla and butter while delivering cookie perfection that’s soft, chewy, and absolutely irresistible.
Print
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 16 large cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies are the perfect treat for any occasion, featuring a tender crumb with a slight crisp on the edges. Rolled in sugar and baked to golden perfection, they offer a delightful balance of buttery sweetness and a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2½ cups (318 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Wet Ingredients
- 2 sticks (226 grams) unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1¼ cups (250 grams) granulated sugar, plus ¼ cup (50 grams) for rolling
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, ensuring the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed for consistent texture.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, use an electric mixer with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed to beat the unsalted butter and 1¼ cups sugar until light and fluffy, which should take about 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to combine everything evenly.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Add the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated, scraping down the bowl as needed for uniformity.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed until just combined to avoid overmixing, which can toughen the dough.
- Shape the Cookies: Place the remaining ¼ cup sugar in a shallow dish. Using a large 3-tablespoon spring-loaded scoop, form the dough into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar to coat evenly, then place on the prepared baking sheets spaced about 2 inches apart. Slightly flatten each dough ball with the bottom of a measuring cup to help them spread evenly during baking.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until they set and the edges begin to brown, signaling that they are perfectly baked yet soft inside.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents breakage while still warm.
- Store: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to retain their soft and chewy texture.
Notes
- Butter should be at cool room temperature to ensure proper creaming and texture.
- Do not overmix after adding flour to keep cookies tender.
- Spacing cookies 2 inches apart prevents them from spreading into each other during baking.
- Using a spring-loaded scoop helps create evenly sized cookies for consistent baking.
- For extra flavor, you may add a pinch of cinnamon or almond extract to the dough.
- If you prefer crispier cookies, bake an additional 1-2 minutes but watch closely to prevent burning.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 large cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 14g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 45mg
