Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
This is the best Sugar Cookie Recipe! These cookies are soft, chewy, rich, and buttery, with a warm vanilla flavor. The dough requires no chilling, making this an easy and foolproof recipe—perfect for the holidays or any time!
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour*
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter 1 ½ sticks, softened at room temperature but still slightly cool
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar plus ¼ cup more for rolling the dough balls, if desired
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Using a stand mixer or hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar until creamy, starting on low speed and increasing to medium-high. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla, mixing on medium speed until fully incorporated. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until combined. The dough will be fairly firm.
- Roll the dough into 1-inch balls. If desired, roll each ball in granulated sugar. Place them on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 8-10 minutes, until the tops are almost set and the bottoms are lightly golden brown. For soft and chewy cookies, avoid overbaking. The cookies may still appear slightly puffy when removed from the oven but will flatten as they cool on the baking sheet.
Notes
Be sure to measure the flour using the spoon and level method. Fluff the flour in its container with a whisk or spoon, then lightly spoon it into a measuring cup and level it off. This ensures an accurate measurement and prevents packing in too much flour.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months. These freeze well—just thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes before enjoying!