Perfect Sugar Cookie Recipe is really just that- PERFECT. These sugar cookies come together quickly with only 6 ingredients; butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, flour and baking powder. The cookies keep shape while baking, are soft and chewy, plus there is NO chilling! This Sugar Cookie recipe is PERFECTION!
Sugar Cookie Recipe
Everyone needs a good staple sugar cookie recipe. Trust me, this is THEE sugar cookie recipe for you!
Sugar Cookies are my husband’s favorite, I have been making them for years! I’ve tweaked this recipe little by little until it became absolute perfection.. I haven’t messed with this recipe the past 3 years now because it is THAT good.
Even better news? This is 100% beginner friendly. It is nearly impossible to mess this recipe up! It is so forgiving!
Ingredients in Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup butter (I usually just use salted butter, because that is what I always keep on hand!)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
Yes, that is it!! Only 6 ingredients that I bet you have on hand right now!
How Sugar Cookies are Made
Making your sugar cookie dough is so simple. First, I’d recommend using a stand mixer if you have one. If not, an electric hand mixer will work, too.
The first step is to cream the butter and sugar together for a full 2 minutes. You want this extremely light and fluffy! Next, scrape sides and add in your egg and vanilla. Finally, add in your flour and baking powder.
The dough will look dry, just keep mixing. Mix, mix, mix and it will come together! If it does’t come together, you can add water to the dough 1 tsp at a time. The dough should be the same consistency as play-doh. If it is too dry, add some water. If it is too wet, add some flour. This dough is SO forgiving.
How Thick to Roll and Cut Sugar Cookies
For this recipe, what you cut is what you get. (Hallelujah, right?) They will not spread, they will not rise. If the cookies are smaller, I will roll a little thinner, about 1/4 of an inch. If I am making large, 4-inch round cookies (like pictured here) I roll them out closer to 1/2 inch thick.
How to make Soft Sugar Cookies
The key to making soft sugar cookies is this- do not over bake them! This recipe will yield a very soft and chewy cookie as long as they are not over baked. Keep a close eye on the cookies, you’ll want to pull them out of the oven when the tops are no longer glossy and they have puffed up. If you wait until the edges start turning golden brown, they are overcooked!
Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
What Frosting should I use on my Sugar Cookies?
I always, always, always frost my sugar cookies with a crusting vanilla buttercream. This cookie will hold up to Royal Icing if that is what you prefer to use. I like buttercream because, to me, it tastes better and it is so much faster and easier!
How to Decorate Sugar Cookies
Decorating sugar cookies is the best part! This is really where they take on personality. Sometimes I just frost them, sometimes I add sprinkles. Pretty piped flowers happen a lot, too. Sometimes I go really overboard, though. Like on holidays. Holidays are meant for overboard cookies, right?
Check out some fun holiday inspired sugar cookie decorations below!
How to store Sugar Cookies
Store un-frosted sugar cookies in an air tight container until ready to frost. They can be stacked and just placed in a zip top bag. If you want to store frosted sugar cookies just overnight until you are ready to serve them, I usually just leave them on my counter and put plastic wrap over the cookies and try to seal it onto the counter.
For ‘long-term’ storing, store in an air tight container, preferably without stacking, for 3-4 days.
Can I freeze Sugar Cookies?
Yes. My sister freezes her sugar cookies all the time! They never last that long at my house. 😉 She freezes them with the frosting on in separate zip top bags and then let’s them sit on the counter for 15 or so minutes before eating.
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Here is a little recap of why this recipe is the recipe you need. Why it is, indeed, perfect and the best!
- The dough is super simple. Now that I have the recipe memorized, I can throw the dough together in 5 minutes flat.
- NO CHILLING THE DOUGH. I can’t be the only one who never has patience for dough chilling.. right?
- You want a horse sugar cookie? After these bake, you’ll still have a horse cookie. Not some lumpy unicorn looking thing. 😉 These cookies keep their shape!
- Soft, soft, soft, soft, SOFT. Oh, and chewy.
- They are still sturdy, even though they are soft & chewy.
- The cookies are an amazing base for some serious frosting work. Here is my absolute favorite Sugar Cookie Frosting Recipe!
More Cookie Recipes to enjoy!
- Cookies made with Brownie Mix
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Chocolate Cookies with Cheesecake Frosting
- Raspberry Lemonade Sugar Cookies
- Swig Sugar Cookies
- Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Raspberry Cheesecake Cookies
- Christmas Sugar Cookies
- Halloween Sugar Cookies
- Twix Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- All Cookie Recipes
- All Dessert Recipes
Perfect Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
- 3 cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 batch Sugar Cookie Frosting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- Cream together the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer for a full 3 minutes.
- Scrape sides and add in vanilla and egg. Mix until combined.
- Add flour and baking powder to the bowl. Mix slowly at first gradually getting faster until the dough comes together. The texture should be like Playdoh. Add a little flour or water if needed to get it to a soft, pliable consistency.
- Turn out onto a floured surface. Use a rolling pin and roll until about 1/4 inch thick. (The cookies will not rise while baking, they will not get thinner while baking. Roll out to your desired FINISHED thickness.)
- Use cookie cutters and cut out desired shapes. Transfer the cookies to a silicone lined cookie sheet.
- Bake at 350° for 6-8 minutes or until the centers are puffy and no longer glossy. Pull the cookies out of the oven BEFORE they start turning brown. If they turn brown, the cookie will be dry and 'crackery' instead of soft and chewy.
- Frost with Sugar Cookie Frosting and Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
- Snickerdoodle Cupcake Cookies - July 19, 2021
- Chocolate Heath Cake Cookies - June 28, 2021
- Crumbl’s Red Velvet White Chip Cookie - June 21, 2021
Katrina says
Hi Karli, can the dough be made ahead and frozen? any instructions? I was thinking of making the dough now for Valentine’s day for my daughter. Thank you!
Karli Bitner says
This dough freezes great- just roll and cut then freeze. 🙂
Christine says
Hi Karli. This is my all time favorite sugar cookie recipe! Can this dough be used to press into a cookie pan with different shapes? They would bake in the pan.
Karli Bitner says
That should work great!! I am so glad you enjoy this recipe so much!
Megan says
Hi there,
Can I roll and cut this dough into shapes, freeze then defrost and cook?
Is it best to defrost in fridge or on kitchen bench? 🙂
Thank you!
Karli Bitner says
Hi Megan- Yes, you can do this! I would just defrost them at room temp for 15-20 mints before cooking. 🙂
Annelisa Hales says
Perfect sugar cookies!
Claudia says
Hello, do you need to have a silicone cookie sheet? I only have regular cookie sheets and parchment paper. Thank you.
Karli Bitner says
Parchment paper works great or you can bake them right on your cookie sheet- no non-stick spray needed!
Sheila says
You are right that dough is like play dough and you don’t need to refrigerate first. I am so happy I tried this recipe, it is so much better than the one I have been using for years!
Thank you!
Karli Bitner says
I amm so happy to hear you had a great experience with my recipe! Thanks for the comment!
Madiha Azim says
Hey, if I want to half this recipe would I still use 1 whole egg?
Karli Bitner says
I usually crack the egg in to a measuring cup, whisk it together and then measure out half of the egg to get exactly half that egg in there. 🙂
Krystal says
These truly are foolproof and so delicious! We have gotten the best response from these! They are so easy to shape with cookie cutters and it’s so simple to make. We would even go as far as to call these the perfect shortbread cookie recipe.
Jessica Hill says
This recipe turns out perfect EVERY SINGLE TIME. We make these cookies for every holiday (Valentines, Halloween, Christmas, Just because…) We make it with 1/4 C applesauce instead of egg due to a family allergy and it STILL WORKS and tastes delicious.
Karli Bitner says
I am so happy to hear this! I am sure others will find this comment valuable, too! Thanks, Jessica!
katie Thornley says
My daughter and I have tried a couple different recipes to find the perfect sugar cookie ,,Remember that F.R.I.E.N.D.S episode hahah, anyways .. This is the perfect easy to follow recipe!! Its so good that I even printed it for my recipe box and cut off Cooking with Karli name off of it so my posterity will call it ” Great Grandma Katies Sugar Cookie Recipe” Yes, its a legacy built on lies,, but its a yummy lie;)
Karli Bitner says
You have my blessing to call it your own for posterity. 😉
Jodi says
Hi there, can you use fondant on these?
Karli Bitner says
I don’t see why not!