These Chewy Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy, and delicious! Quick and easy to make, this sugar cookie recipe produces a flavorful bakery-style soft sugar cookie that turns out perfectly every time!
Looking for more delicious cookies? I think you’ll love these cookie recipes: chocolate chip cookies, peanut butter cookies, and cut out sugar cookies. They are all amazing!
Sugar cookies are always a favorite no matter the occasion! Great for holidays, as a homemade gift for a sick friend, or as an afternoon treat, these well-loved cookies are just perfect! And this recipe makes absolutely the BEST sugar cookies I’ve ever tasted!
Sugar Cookies are one of my very favorite cookies in the entire world. I bake all types of them for various occasions throughout the year. When I want soft, rolled sugar cookie dough to use cookie cutters to cut into shapes and decorate, my Cut Out Sugar Cookie recipe is my go-to. Delicious and flavorful, it holds frosting or icing and the taste is out of this world!
But when I want a soft, chewy bakery-style sugar cookie to serve or share, these Chewy Sugar Cookies, as well as my Lemon Sugar Cookies or my Chocolate Sugar Cookies, are quick, simple, and amazing and don’t require a rolling pin! The soft, chewy texture and out-of-this-world flavor brings me back time after time. They are truly one of the most perfect cookies ever.
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How to Make Soft Chewy Sugar Cookie Recipe
These soft, chewy sugar cookies stay soft for days, come together quickly, and are a perfect drop-style cookie. I truly think this is the best sugar cookie recipe! These soft and chewy cookies are so easy to make any time and taste amazing!
This is by far one of my most requested cookie recipes throughout the holidays, but also throughout the year. Here’s how you’ll make them.
Ingredients
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, notes, and estimated nutritional information.
To make these favorite cookies, you’ll need the following 7 ingredients:
- Butter – I use salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter. The butter should be softened to room temperature.
- Granulated sugar – gives sweetness and structure to the cookie recipe.
- Egg – use a large, room temperature egg.
- All-purpose flour – use your favorite all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder – if you store your baking powder in the freezer as I do, make sure to allow it to reach room temperature.
- Kosher salt – balances the flavors of the cookies.
- Vanilla extract – use this homemade vanilla extract recipe or use your favorite high-quality vanilla.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 350º F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat, such as a silicone mat.
Cream together room-temperature butter and sugar with a stand mixer or hand mixer in a large bowl until light and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Then add egg and mix until well combined. Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl to be sure the butter and sugar are well combined. But be sure not to over-beat the butter and sugar when creaming it together. Doing so could cause the cookies to rise and fall flat when baking.
Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt, and combine these dry ingredients. Then, gently stir in vanilla extract into the cookie dough.
Scoop cookie dough with a tablespoon and roll it into a ball. Be sure not to over-handle the balls of dough as it will make the butter too warm. If the dough seems too warm or sticky, chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes, then proceed with scooping and rolling into balls.
Add sugar to a large separate bowl for rolling. Lightly roll cookie dough balls in the granulated sugar to coat them. This adds a sparkly touch that lends a crisp little coating to the cookie once it is baked. While you can certainly skip this little step, I highly recommend not. It is so worth it!
Place each rolled cookie dough ball onto a parchment-lined or silicone mat-lined cookie sheet, about 1 ½ to 2 inches apart. Make sure to provide ample spacing between each cookie for the best results.
Lightly press each cookie down with a finger.
Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Allow them to cool slightly on the baking sheet, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely. Place on a cookie platter and serve. Cookies can be stored in a cookie jar or airtight container and kept on the counter for up to one week.
It is just that perfectly chewy, soft sugar cookie recipe that everyone raves over! You’ll want to keep this sugar cookie recipe on your list of must-make cookie recipes. It’s perfect for any cookie platter, cookie exchange, or homemade baked gift tray.
Room Temperature Ingredients
Room temperature eggs and butter incorporate more easily and evenly into the cookie dough.
Storage Tips
To store. Once baked, store cookies on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week.
To freeze. For an easy make-ahead sugar cookie recipe, prepare your sugar cookie dough by rolling in the sugar, and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then cover with freezer-safe plastic wrap and place into the freezer, and freeze for 30 minutes. When frozen, transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to serve, remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.
Sugar Cookie Decorating Options
- Frosted Sugar Cookies – Glaze cookies with my family’s sugar Cookie Icing recipe. A pinch of sprinkles on top is always fun!
- Color Sprinkles Sugar Cookies – Roll your sugar cookies in colored sprinkles (red or green for the holidays or pink for a little girl’s birthday) for a festive cookie!
- Confetti Sugar Cookies – Mix colored confetti sprinkles in your cookie dough before scooping.
7 Tips for the BEST Chewy Sugar Cookies!
This sugar cookie recipe is so easy to make that you’ll turn to it again and again. Here are seven key tips to make sure your cookies turn out perfectly every time:
1. Room temperature ingredients. All ingredients should be at room temperature to best incorporate into the cookie dough. This includes the egg and butter. The cookies will spread and become flat if the butter is too soft.
2. Do not overbeat your butter and sugar. It adds too much air to the butter. This causes the cookies to rise and then fall flat when baking.
3. Avoid overmixing once you add the flour. This prevents the cookies from being tough and crumbly.
4. Use a high-quality vanilla extract. I love to use my homemade vanilla extract. It is so easy to make and has a major flavor impact for the cookies.
5. Use a cookie scoop. Use a cookie scoop so your cookies are all the same size and bake evenly.
6. Use parchment paper. Line your baking sheet with parchment paper to help the cookies bake more evenly.
7. Do not overbake. Overbaked cookies are hard and crumbly. Check the cookies at the earliest suggested time to make sure they are not overbaked.
Other Easy Cookie Recipes:
Frequently Asked Questions
See my “7 Tips for the BEST Chewy Sugar Cookies” in the post! Following these tips will give you delicious, chewy sugar cookies every time.
Make sure that your butter is at room temperature and not too soft.
When sugar cookies have brown edges, they’ve overbaked. Once these sugar cookies have turned lightly brown and just begin to have a craggy texture on the top, they should be removed from the oven.
Store sugar cookies in an airtight container or package for them to remain soft and chewy. You can also add a small terracotta disc (or a cute terracotta bear!) to the container of cookies. These discs are primarily sold to store in brown sugar containers to keep the sugar from becoming hard. Soak the disc in water, make sure that it is not dripping water, and then place it into the container with the cookies.
350º F is generally the best temperature to bake cookies. There may be some types of cookies that require a different baking temperature, but by and large, the majority of cookies will be baked at 350º F.
Here’s my Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe. I hope you love it as much as we do.
The BEST Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar , for rolling cookies
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat.
- Cream together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg and mix until well-combined.
- Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt until well-combined. Stir in vanilla extract.
- Scoop cookie dough by the tablespoon-sized cookie scoop and roll into a ball.
- Add granulated sugar to a large bowl for rolling cookie dough in before baking. Place each ball of cookie dough into the bowl of granulated sugar and roll to coat well.
- Place cookie dough onto baking sheet, spacing about 1 1/2-inches to 2 inches apart. Lightly press each cookie down. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned.
Notes
Storage Tips
To store. Once baked, store cookies on the counter in an airtight container for up to a week. To freeze. For an easy make-ahead sugar cookie recipe, prepare your sugar cookie dough by rolling in the sugar, and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then cover with freezer-safe plastic wrap and place into the freezer and freeze for 30 minutes. When frozen, transfer your cookies to a freezer-safe zip-top bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to serve, remove from the freezer-safe bag and place onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Then bake as directed, adding about 3 minutes to the baking time.Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
My friends and family ate these cookies so fast! THEY’RE DELICIOUS. Looking forward to making more!
– D.
Danielle, I love that your family and friends enjoyed these cookies so much! Thanks!
really good cookies i added a bit of melted chocolate on top made it even better
I just made these, and was so confused as to why they came out looking like a puddle of grease, *but* after re-reading the recipe, I see that we accidentally only put 1 & 1/4 cup flour and not 2!!! 🤣 So, although it is very much the wrong consistency, I did taste one, and the flavor is good. I will try again when I am less tired. So the failure is all my own fault, can’t wait to attempt this again and follow the instructions correctly. haha
Grace, you use 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour in these cookies. I do hope you make them again.
Can these be rolled to make cut out cookies and still be soft and chewy?
Cindy,I think you will want to try my Cut Out Sugar Cookie Recipe if you want to roll out the dough and cut out shapes. This particular recipe is delicious, but it’s different than the type you’ll want to use to roll out.I hope you enjoy both these recipes – I make them both often and they’re delicious!
These are Chewy and delicious, just like you said!
Thank you!
Delicious cookie!..Turned out perfect.. Thank you for the wonderful recipe,,
So glad you loved the cookies and they turned out so well for you, Kathy.
YUM!!! Just a simple word but it is the perfect word for this cookie. Thank You!
Just made these and they were delicious! I accidentally put a little more flour than the recipe called for but still came out delicious! The cookies are so soft and chewy like I like them!
Kiara, so glad you love these cookies and that they turned out great even with the extra flour. Thanks!
I made this recipe and took to friends they love them… delicious cookie… thank you for sharing!.. I won’t be looking for another sugar recipe!!
Thank you, Kathy. I’m happy that you and your friends loved these sugar cookies. They have been a favorite around my house for years.
Do you have to use a mixer for this recipe or can it be down manually?
I use either a stand mixer or hand mixer, Ona. I find it easier. but you can mix by hand. Hope you enjoy the cookies.