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Home » Dessert » Cookies » Soft Sugar Cookies

Soft Sugar Cookies

Created: March 19, 2019 Updated: November 4, 2020 by Lyuba Brooke 9 Comments

4.5K shares
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Sugar cookies are soft, chewy, light cookies that are so easy to make, you will have a large batch is about 30 minutes. These are the best cookies to make for every holiday because they are so versatile. Decorate them specially for each holiday or frost with some easy frosting. This sugar cookie recipe does not need to be chilled and can easily be frozen for later. 

If you love making easy cookies, check out my Nutella Cookies and of course, loaded Peanut Butter Cookies.

Sugar Cookies stacked up on a wood cutting board

SOFT SUGAR COOKIES

Soft sugar cookies are the best simple cookies and so easy to make. It’s a simple mix of ingredients that most people always have on hand and all you need is a mixer. 

I prefer soft and chewy cookies to the crunchy ones every time so these are my go-to cookies. These sugar cookies and my cream cheese cookies are the cookies that I make most often. Both types of cookie dough is very simple to make and my favorite part is that it does not have to be chilled. 

These cookies are also very easy to change flavors as well. Sugar cookies out-beat cream cheese cookies here because they can be frosted, decorated with different sprinkles, or iced. 

Making cookies is my favorite family activity. I love it when my kids help me make cookies and the older one even takes over and does most of the steps himself. It’s a great family tradition for us to make gingerbread men cookies in the fall and to make sugar cookies for Easter. 

Of course, making cookies is not just for holidays. Since sugar cookies take about 30-45 minutes to make from start to end, we often make cookies on Sunday mornings just for fun.

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Soft Sugar Cookies on wax paper on a baking sheet

HOW TO DECORATE SUGAR COOKIES

Simple sugar cookies are rolled in granulated white sugar before baking. You can change sugar for other decorative coating to suit different occasions.  

Whether you are making sugar cookies for Easter or for Christmas, different kinds of sprinkles or colored sugar can be used to roll the cookies. There are also many decorations to choose that can be simply added to the top of the cookie.

Add little sugar carrots for Easter, sugar snowflakes and ugly sweaters for Christmas, sugar turkeys for Thanksgiving. All these baking decorations are often found in the baking isle. 

Sugar cookie can also be iced or frosted. 

Cookie Icing:

To make simple cookie icing, all you need is 1/2 cup powdered sugar and 1 1/2 tbsp heavy whipping cream. 

Warm up heavy cream but not too hot. Add powdered sugar to a shallow bowl and whisk in warm heavy cream slowly, until all smooth. Icing can either be spooked over each cookie or drizzled.

Cookie Frosting:

Buttercream frosting is usually used to frost sugar cookies. To make a simple buttercream, you will need 1 cup of softened unsalted butter, 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 1 tsp vanilla extract, and 3 Tbsp heavy whipping cream.

Beat butter on medium-high speed for a couple of minutes and then switch to a whisk attachment. Add powdered sugar and vanilla on low speed and then start increasing the speed as it’s combined.

Pour in heavy whipping cream, mix it in and scrape sides and bottom of the bowl. Turn the speed back to medium-high and beat for a few more minutes. 

Soft Sugar Cookies stacked up on each other

HOW TO STORE SUGAR COOKIES

Always make sure you you are storing cooled cookies, so let them cool to room temperature before putting away into the container.

Un-frosted sugar cookies can easily be stored on the counter, in an air-tight container. You can use a cookie jar for storing if the jar has an air-tight lid. A simple plastic storage container with a lid can also be used.

Just make sure to keep the container away from direct sunlight, oven, or stove. 

At room temperature, stored in an air-tight container, sugar cookies can last up to a weeks. After that, the cookies will start to harden or get stale.

If you’ve added icing or frosting to the cookies, store them in an air-tight container, in the refrigerator. Line some waxed parchment paper between the frosted cookies.

Sugar Cookies are stacked up and one cut in half on wax paper on a wood cutting board

HOW TO FREEZE BAKED COOKIES

Freeze baked cookies un-frosted.

To freeze baked cookies, lay them in one single layer of a wire rack and let them cool to room temperature. Once cooled, place the wire rack in the freezer and let cookies freeze for about 2 hours. (Set the timer so you remember the cookies.)

Once frozen, transfer cookie into a large zip-lock freezer bag. You can either store all cookies at once, or portion them into smaller bags. 

Make sure to label, seal, and place back into the freezer. Frozen cookies will last up to 6 months. 

Frozen baked cookies thaw very fast. You can simply leave a few on a wire rack and they will be thawed in about 30 minutes. If you have an immediate craving for a cookie, heat it in a microwave for 10-15 seconds. 

Soft Sugar Cookies stacked up on wax paper

SOME MORE RECIPES YOU WILL LIKE:

Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies

Vanilla Bean Orange Sugar Cookies

Brown Butter Chocolate Cookies

Cappuccino Biscotti

Apple Pie with Cookie Crust

sugar cookies on a cooling rack

If you made any of my recipes and shared them on Instagram, make sure to tag me @willcookforsmiles and #willcookforsmiles so I can see all the things you tried!

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Soft Sugar Cookies

Sugar cookies are soft, chewy, light cookies that are so easy to make, you will have a large batch is about 30 minutes.
4.60 from 5 votes
Print SaveSaved! Rate
Course: Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 27 minutes minutes
Servings: 24 (Makes 24-26 cookies)
Calories: 178kcal
Author: Lyuba Brooke

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
  • 1 egg room temperature
  • 1/2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:

  • 1/2 cup white granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350 and line a cookie sheet with parchment paper. (You can make 2 batches at the same time if more baking sheets are available.)
  • Beat butter and sugar together for two minutes in an electric mixer on medium-high speed.
  • Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and beat for another minute.
  • Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl again and beat in egg and vanilla extract on medium speed. 
  • Lower speed to low and add flour and baking powder. Beat just until combined.
  • Scrape sides and bottom of the bowl and make sure all ingredients are evenly mixed.
  • Scoop cookie dough with a cookie scoop (you can use #50 or #40 cookie scoop). Quickly but gently roll it into a ball and gently press to flatter it only slightly. 
  • Roll each cookie ball in white granulated sugar.
  • Place cookie dough balls on prepared cookie sheet, about 2 inches apart. 
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on the size of the cookie.
  • Cool cookies on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have a slight variation.

Nutrition

Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 4mg | Potassium: 27mg | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 0.6mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @willcookforsmiles and tag #willcookforsmiles

Soft Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy, light cookies that are so easy to make, you will have a large batch is about 30 minutes. Learn how to easily freeze sugar cookies. #cookies #dessert #sugarcookies #softcookies

LYUBA

ABOUT LYUBA

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read more...

4.5K shares

Filed Under: Christmas Baking, Cookies, Dessert

All images and text ©Lyubov Brooke for ©Will Cook For Smiles. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If using my posts in collections and features, please link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate as most ingredients and brands have variations.

Comments

  1. Rebecca says

    November 21, 2020 at 5:00 pm

    Does this recipe work well for rolled (cookie cutter) cookies?

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      November 25, 2020 at 11:11 pm

      Hi Rebecca,

      Sorry because these are soft they won’t do well with cookie cutters but you could use my shortbread recipe. You can find it at this link https://www.willcookforsmiles.com/shortbread-cookies-3-ways/

      Reply
  2. Shirley says

    January 15, 2020 at 12:47 am

    I made these cookies they were awesome wonderful I’ll make them again
    thanks Shirley✝️

    Reply
    • LyubaB says

      January 17, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Thanks, Shirley! I am so glad you liked them!

      Reply
  3. Jasmine Purvis says

    November 17, 2019 at 10:34 pm

    What happened the liquid part🤔

    Reply
  4. LyubaB says

    April 24, 2019 at 4:07 pm

    Thanks, Natalie!

    Reply
    • Abby says

      May 4, 2020 at 3:09 pm

      5 stars
      These cookies were soooooo goood

      Reply
      • LyubaB says

        May 6, 2020 at 3:22 pm

        Hi Abby,

        Thank you for taking the time to rate my recipe and let me know you liked it!

        Reply
  5. Natalie says

    April 5, 2019 at 7:13 am

    5 stars
    I love sugar cookies! They look so delicious!

    Reply

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Well, hey there!

I’m Lyuba Brooke, mother of 2, the cook, recipe developer, photographer, and author behind willcookforsmiles.com. I share many classic and original recipes, cooking tips, and tutorials. My passion is sharing delicious meals for everyone to try. Read More.

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