How to Make Sugar Cookies

How to Make Sugar Cookies tastes buttery, soft in the center, and just crisp enough on the edges to hold a thick swipe of frosting and sprinkles. This recipe works for beginners and busy parents who want classic cut-out sugar cookies in about 1 hour, including chill time. I baked a test batch at 10 p.m. and still ate three warm cookies over the sink, so you know I feel strongly about this one.

Why You Should Try These Sugar Cookies

This How to Make Sugar Cookies recipe gives you soft, tender cookies that keep their shape and do not puff into mystery blobs. The dough rolls easily, cuts cleanly, and bakes into cookies that taste like a bakery special, not a grocery store box.

You can mix the dough by hand or with a mixer, so it fits tiny kitchens and low-energy days. You can also decorate them simply with sugar or go full sprinkle explosion with frosting, so the recipe works for holidays, birthdays, or random Tuesday cravings.

These sugar cookies taste buttery, hold their shape, and disappear from the plate faster than any other cookie I bake ★★★★★

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 2 ¾ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour
  • Use a standard American all-purpose flour like King Arthur or Gold Medal.
  • Avoid cake flour, since it makes the dough too soft.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • This gives a gentle lift without too much spread.
• ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • If you use salted butter, reduce this to a tiny pinch.

Wet ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks / 226 g) unsalted butter, softened to cool room temperature
  • Butter should feel slightly cool but yield when you press it.
  • I prefer unsalted butter so I control the salt level.
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
  • Use regular white sugar; extra fine sugar can make the dough too delicate.
• 1 large egg, room temperature
  • Room temperature eggs mix in more easily and keep the dough smooth.
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • Use real vanilla, not imitation, for the best flavor.
  • You can swap ½ teaspoon with almond extract for a bakery-style twist.
• 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
  • This softens the dough slightly and helps it roll without cracking.

Optional for decorating

• Additional granulated sugar for sprinkling before baking
• Colored sanding sugar or sprinkles
• Your favorite frosting or icing for sugar cookies
  • A simple mix of powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla works perfectly.

Pantry shortcuts & substitutions

• Use pre-sifted flour if you want to skip sifting; just fluff it with a spoon before measuring.
• Swap half the vanilla with almond extract for a stronger bakery cookie flavor.
• Use plant-based butter sticks and a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons water, rested 5 minutes) for a dairy-light, egg-free version, though the texture changes slightly.

Equipment list

• Large mixing bowl
• Hand mixer or stand mixer with paddle attachment
• Medium bowl for dry ingredients
• Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
• Rubber spatula
• Plastic wrap or reusable silicone cover
• Rolling pin
• Cookie cutters or a drinking glass
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Cooling racks

Tips & Tricks

• Soften butter to cool room temperature; it should dent easily but not look shiny or greasy.
• Measure flour by fluffing it, spooning it into the cup, and leveling it, or use a scale for accuracy.
• Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes so the cookies hold their shape.
• Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment to avoid extra flour and tough cookies.
• Keep dough thickness around ¼ inch for soft centers and clean edges.
• Dip cookie cutters in flour between cuts so they release easily.
• Gather scraps gently and reroll only once or twice to avoid tough cookies.
• Bake one test cookie to check spread and timing in your specific oven.
• Pull cookies from the oven when the edges look set and just barely golden; the centers continue to cook on the sheet.
• Cool cookies fully before frosting so the icing does not melt and slide off.

How to Make Sugar Cookies

Mix the dry ingredients

1. Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a medium bowl.
2. Whisk until the mixture looks uniform and no streaks of baking powder remain.
3. Set the bowl aside near your mixer so you reach it easily.

Cream butter and sugar

1. Place softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl.
2. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture looks light and fluffy.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through to catch any stubborn bits of butter.

Add egg, vanilla, and milk

1. Crack the egg into the butter mixture and pour in the vanilla and milk.
2. Beat on medium speed until everything blends and the mixture looks smooth and creamy.
3. Scrape the bowl again so no egg hides at the bottom.

Add dry ingredients

1. Turn the mixer to low speed and add the dry ingredients in two additions.
2. Mix just until the flour disappears and the dough clumps together.
3. Stop mixing as soon as the dough forms; you want a soft, slightly sticky dough that holds together.

Chill the dough

1. Divide the dough into two equal portions.
2. Shape each portion into a flat disc and wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or cover it in a reusable bag.
3. Chill the dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes and up to 48 hours for deeper flavor.

Preheat and prep pans

1. Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Clear a space on your counter for rolling and cutting the dough.

Roll out the dough

1. Remove one disc of dough from the fridge and let it sit for 5 minutes if it feels rock hard.
2. Place the dough between two sheets of parchment and roll it to about ¼ inch thickness.
3. Peel off the top parchment and lightly flour the surface if the dough feels sticky.

Cut the cookies

1. Press cookie cutters into the dough as close together as possible to use the dough efficiently.
2. Transfer cut shapes to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 to 2 inches between cookies.
3. Gather the scraps, press them together gently, reroll, and cut more cookies.

Bake the cookies

1. Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 8 to 11 minutes, depending on size and thickness.
2. Watch the edges; pull the cookies when the edges look set and just start to show a hint of golden color.
3. Leave the cookies on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a cooling rack.

Cool and decorate

1. Let cookies cool completely before you add icing or frosting.
2. Spread or pipe frosting on top, then add sprinkles or sanding sugar while the frosting still feels wet.
3. Allow decorated cookies to sit at room temperature until the icing sets, then stack or pack them.

What to Serve with Sugar Cookies

Serve How to Make Sugar Cookies with cold milk, hot chocolate, or a simple latte-style coffee for adults. Kids love them with vanilla almond milk or chocolate milk, and they also pair nicely with herbal tea. Add a bowl of fresh berries or sliced fruit on the side to balance the sweetness a bit. For parties, set up a cookie decorating station with bowls of frosting, sprinkles, and mini chocolate chips so everyone customizes their own cookie.

Storage Options

• Store plain cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 4 to 5 days.
• Keep frosted cookies in a single layer in a container in the fridge for up to 1 week.
• Freeze unfrosted cookies in a freezer bag or container for up to 3 months; place parchment between layers.
• Freeze cookie dough discs for up to 2 months; thaw in the fridge overnight, then roll and bake as usual.
• To refresh cookies, warm them on a baking sheet in a 275°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes, then cool slightly before serving.

Adaly Kandice

How to Make Sugar Cookies

Classic buttery sugar cookies with crisp edges and soft centers, perfect for decorating or enjoying plain.

Pin This Recipe Share on Facebook

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Servings: 24

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons milk
• extra granulated sugar for rolling

Instructions

 

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
4. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and milk to the butter mixture and beat until well combined.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing just until a soft dough forms.
6. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, roll into a ball, and, if desired, roll in granulated sugar to coat.
7. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten each ball with your fingers or the bottom of a glass.
8. Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the edges are set and just beginning to turn light golden. Do not overbake to keep them soft.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
10. Once cooled, enjoy as is or decorate with icing and sprinkles if desired.

Notes

Nutrition Information
Approximate per 1 cookie (1/24 of recipe): 140 calories; fat 6 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 21 g; fiber 0 g; sugars 12 g; protein 2 g; sodium 70 mg. Values will vary based on brands, add-ins, and portion size.