Soft Sugar Cookies
Soft sugar cookies that taste straight from a bakery—because they basically are. This tried-and-true recipe features a chillable, make-ahead dough that’s soft, chewy, and endlessly adaptable.
Ingredients
- 2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour *See notes below for measuring*
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 14 tablespoons unsalted butter cool room temperature (67-68°F)
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 1/2 cup sprinkles if using
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
- In a stand mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Scrape down the bowl, then mix in the egg, egg yolk, heavy cream, and vanilla.
- Scrape down the bowl again and mix in the flour mixture and sprinkles, if using. The dough should be soft but scoopable and hold its shape. If it feels loose, shiny, or spreads when scooped, mix in 1–2 tablespoons (8–15 g) of flour before chilling.
- Cover the top of the bowl with plastic wrap and chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, scoop the mixture into two tablespoon-sized balls, roll each between your palms, and place them on the prepared baking sheet.
- Wrap the pan tightly with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for a minimum of 3-4 hours, preferably overnight for thicker centers.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F/180°C.
- Roll each cookie in granulated sugar, then bake until the tops look set with little to no color for the softest, gooiest texture, about 8-9 minutes. They should still look pale when you pull them from the oven. If you prefer a firmer or more well-done cookie, continue baking until the edges turn lightly golden.
- Immediately after baking, sprinkle the tops with more sugar, then let the pan cool on a wire rack. Once the cookies are completely cool, you can remove them from the pan.
Notes
*Measure your dry ingredients properly. This is my #1 baking tip! Do not ever scoop a measuring cup into your flour, as this always leads to using too much flour. Instead, use the spoon-level method. This means fluffing the flour first, then spooning it into your measuring cup/spoon. For the BEST results, use a kitchen scale!*
Notes on butter: It's important to use cool, room-temperature butter (67°-68°F). Butter that is too warm, even after chilling, will spread more!
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Large cookies: Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and bake them for 11-13 minutes or until the edges are set and the centers are still a little puffy.
