Here’s a classic, soft, buttery sugar cookie recipe — perfect for rolling, cutting, frosting, or enjoying plain. Easy, reliable, and delicious every time.
🍪 Classic Soft Sugar Cookies
Makes: 24–30 cookies
Prep: 10 minutes
Chill: 1 hour
Bake: 8–10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract (or ½ vanilla + ½ almond for bakery flavor)
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
(Optional: 2–3 tbsp milk if dough is too dry)
🥣 Instructions
1. Cream Butter & Sugar
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy (2–3 minutes).
2. Add Egg & Vanilla
- Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
3. Add Dry Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add to the butter mixture gradually.
- Mix until a soft dough forms.
- If crumbly, add 1 tbsp milk at a time.
4. Chill
- Wrap dough in plastic and chill 1 hour (important for shape + texture).
To Roll & Cut (Traditional Sugar Cookies):
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface.
- Cut using cookie cutters.
- Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
- Bake 8–10 minutes (edges JUST turning pale golden).
- Cool on a wire rack.
To Make Soft Drop-Style Sugar Cookies:
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls onto baking sheet.
- Bake 9–11 minutes until soft and puffy.
🎨 Optional Frosting
Easy Sugar Cookie Icing (Dries Hard)
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- ½ tsp vanilla
- Food coloring if desired
Mix to a thick, smooth glaze.
Buttercream Frosting (Soft, Creamy)
- ½ cup softened butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp vanilla
⭐ Tips
- Underbake slightly for soft cookies.
- Add ½ tsp almond extract for that classic bakery flavor.
- Chill the dough so cookies keep their shape.
- For sparkly edges, roll dough balls in sugar before baking.
If you want, I can give you:
✨ Lofthouse-style soft sugar cookies
🎄 Holiday cut-out sugar cookies
🍋 Lemon sugar cookies
🍫 Chocolate sugar cookies
Which one would you like?
