Best Sugar Cookies Recipe (2024)

Ratings

5

out of 5

2,814

user ratings

Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Note on this recipe and see it here.

Cooking Notes

Jane Curran

Are these cookies crisp or soft. I prefer the traditional crisp ones.

Susanne

How many days ahead can you make the dough to store in the fridge?

Cookie

The amount of salt in sugar cookies affects their taste. I have read that the measure of kosher salt depends on the brand used because of the difference in density. For example, Diamond Chrystal Kosher is 3/4 as dense as Morton Kosher. So, if this recipe is referring to Morton’s density, but you have Diamond, you’d up the measure to 2/3 tsp., or a rounded 1/2 tsp. Does anyone think this matters?

Bea

@Jane The cookies are crisp!

Susan Spungen

@janecurran- it depends how thin you roll them and how long you bake them. Roll thinner and bake until golden for a crisp cookie, and roll thicker for a softer cookie

Meg

I would assume so. Freezing cookies after cutting out shapes make them more likely to keep the shape once they are baked. Without a square cookie cutter, I plan to form the dough into a square log, chill, then slice and chilling again once the individual square cookies are on the baking sheet; in the past I’ve found they lose their crisp angles if baked without chilling.

Linda

Fantastic dough. Great for small hands rolling and eye-rolling did not seem to make the cookie tough. Found it a tad salty therefore would 1/2 the amount of salt.

Rachel Horoschak

Made these with King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour. Measured by weight - not volume. Taste delicious and do not crumble!

catherine

I substitute Crisco for the butter to make them for my dairy-allergic daughter

ColomboCook

you will probably get the same shortbread-like result - that's a pretty high proportion of butter for sugar cookies.

allison

You can adjust crispness by rolling the dough thinner or thicker. One-quarter inch (as instructed in the recipe) will result in a *slightly* soft texture in the middle. If rolled to 1/8-inch, they will be crisper and edges will brown a bit more. At 3/16, the texture will fall right in between those two textures.

Susan Spungen

up to 3- any longer, freeze it

D

I've not tried it in this recipe, but Earth Balance is probably your best bet for taste and texture.

LK

Not a huge fan of sugar cookies, but made these with my preschooler to decorate for Halloween and they are pretty good! As we are relatively novice cookie makers, would have appreciated more details (like, how thick should this disc be?), but we used the NYT Alison Roman Basic Sugar Cookies recipe with its overview, and that was pretty helpful. Agree with other commenters that these lean a little salty (in a good way, though-- we used Morton's Kosher) and a little shortbread-y.

judofthebrood

use confectioners sugar for more crispy outcome

margbrant

Perfect for cookie cutter cookies. I make them for every holiday. I prefer sprinkles to frosting though.

grandma carol

Best cookie this Grandma has ever made!!!

Jen

Fantastic recipe. Made this with my preschooler. Easy to assemble and super tasty.

chrishpl

Good, but not sure we liked them as much as my usual recipe (wanted to try a new one out). My husband likes his sugar cookies crisp, and these didn't seem to crisp up as much as we are used to--I may try one more time just to make sure it wasn't something I did.

DJ Lo Mack

Simple cookie recipe. Tastes more like shortbread than sugar cookies, though, not that I minded. We decorated them for Xmas with royal icing, and they had a nice, balanced sweetness to them. If you don’t ice them though, expect shortbread, not sugar cookies. This was my first time rolling and cutting dough for cookies, and I was a little surprised at how easy it was. I used parchment paper - didn’t even flour it for 2 of 3 rounds - and it all went really well bc I kept the dough chilled.

Calx

This does not work with any other flour, so if you have no substitutes I do NOT recommend for an easy experience. Side note, it takes two hours, so if short on time not a good recipe. Very yummy and enjoyable, and fun to decorate! Merry Christmas!

JulieW

Too floury. I weighed everything, and dough was crumbly and cookie tasted very floury. Not for me.

Nicole

Can I freeze the dough to roll out later?

patsy

EAsy as -made as directed- First time making Christmas cookies in 40 years! Worked out very well!

kate

Perfect!

Sugar girl

The best chewy sugar cookies I’ve made are from an old James Beard recipe: 1/2 c butter, 1.5 c sugar, 2 eggs, 1 t vanilla, 2.5 c sifted all purpose flour, 1.5 t salt, 2 t baking powder. Cream butter and sugar, add eggs and vanilla. Mix in sifted flour, baking powder and salt. Chill. Roll 1/2 portion at a time— not too thin if you want chewy — and bake at 325 degrees for 10 minutes until slightly browned at the edges. Then decorate. Simple and delicious!

Julia

A lovely rolled sugar cookie. Very easy and not too much time chilling.

Butter

Any changes if Euro style butter used?

Cass

Add 1 tsp of almond extract and 1 tsp of lemon extract to the vanilla extract. They add an extra very pleasant note to the taste of the cookies.

Susan Kaiser

I chilled the dough for one hour and then rolled it out and made my cut out. They went right into the oven and kept their shape. I lost an old recipe I have been using since 1988 and had to substitute this one instead. It is nearly as good as the one I lost. The dough came together perfectly with some hand mixing.

Private notes are only visible to you.

Best Sugar Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make sugar cookie dough taste better? ›

Almond Extract: For a twist on the traditional sugar cookie flavor, try adding a small amount of almond extract. Start with 1/2 teaspoon and adjust according to your preference. Citrus Zest: Incorporate the zest of citrus fruits like lemon, orange, or lime into the dough.

Should sugar cookies be hard or soft? ›

The very best sugar cookies are soft and tender. → Follow this tip: One of the keys to great sugar cookies is mixing the dry ingredients only until they're just incorporated, and not a second longer. Once the dry ingredients are added, less mixing equals more tender cookies.

What is are some key tips in ensuring a successful sugar cookie? ›

Sugar Cookie Tips for the Best-Ever Treats
  • Add an Egg Yolk. This is one of those sugar cookie tips you may have heard of before: Add an extra egg yolk to your cookies. ...
  • Use Brown Sugar. ...
  • Chill the Dough. ...
  • Add a Secret Ingredient. ...
  • Keep an Eye on the Clock. ...
  • Store Cookies the Right Way.
Jun 20, 2018

What is the secret to making the best cookies? ›

The key is to always use top-quality ingredients as they'll result in a better cookie; it really is that simple.
  1. Always use butter.
  2. Choose the right sugar.
  3. Choose the right flour.
  4. Check your flour is in date.
  5. Choose the right kind of chocolate.
  6. Cream the butter and sugar.
  7. Beat in the eggs.
  8. Fold in the flour.

Should you cool sugar cookie dough before baking? ›

Popping your dough in the fridge allows the fats to cool. As a result, the cookies will expand more slowly, holding onto their texture. If you skip the chilling step, you're more likely to wind up with flat, sad disks instead of lovely, chewy cookies.

How to jazz up sugar cookie dough? ›

This is another really easy store-bought sugar cookie dough hack. Take a lined baking sheet and dump out sprinkles--a lot of them. Roll your cookie dough log in the sprinkles, slice, and bake as directed. For extra color, you can mix in jell food coloring.

Are sugar cookies better with butter or shortening? ›

Which One Should I Use in Cookies? Basically, cookies made with butter spread more and are flatter and crisper if baked long enough. However, they are more flavorful than cookies made with shortening. Cookies made with shortening bake up taller and are more tender, but aren't as flavorful.

What is the best thickness to roll sugar cookies? ›

Place each portion onto a piece of lightly floured parchment paper or a lightly floured silicone baking mat. With a lightly floured rolling pin, roll the dough out to about 1/4-inch thickness. Use more flour if the dough seems too sticky. The rolled-out dough can be any shape, as long as it is evenly 1/4-inch thick.

What is the secret to making cookies soft? ›

Baking cookies quickly in a hot oven – at 375 degrees F as opposed to a lower temperature – will make for soft results. They'll bake fast instead of sitting and drying out in the oven's hot air. Ever so slightly underbaking your cookies will give you softer results than cooking them the full amount the recipe says.

Can you over mix sugar cookie dough? ›

Dry – “Dry” or “Crumbly” dough is a product of over-mixing or using too much of any ingredient during the mixing process. This can be reversed by adding one to two tablespoons of liquid (water, milk or softened butter) to your mix.

How long do you chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Immediately baking after mixing will result in absolutely delicious cookies; however, if time permits, chilling the dough for 24-72 hours does result in cookies that are thicker, chewier, and more flavorful. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap before refrigerating.

Can you roll out sugar cookie dough before chilling? ›

So, roll out the dough while it's still soft (right after mixing it together), and then chill the rolled-out dough.

Do you flatten cookie dough before baking? ›

Flattening the cookie dough provides more surface area that comes into contact with the ice bath, shortening the time it takes to chill. Then submerge the dough in the ice water and let it chill. After 20 minutes the dough will be completely chilled and ready for baking.

What is the most important thing in cookies? ›

Fat is a very important ingredient in cookies – it tenderizes, crisps and browns, adds color and a wonderful flavor that is impossible to duplicate. Butter, our fat of choice, ensures good baking results and adds the most desirable taste, texture and appearance.

What can I add to cookie dough to make it better? ›

Flavored Sweeteners: Use flavored sugars or syrups, such as maple syrup, honey, or molasses, to add a distinct sweetness and richness to the cookie dough. Nuts and Seeds: Chopped nuts like pecans, walnuts, or almonds can provide a crunchy texture and nutty flavor.

How do you fix bland cookie dough? ›

Add more sugar or sweetener: If your cookies are too bland, adding more sugar or a natural sweetener like honey or maple syrup can help.

Is it best to chill sugar cookie dough? ›

Chilling the dough also improves the way your cookies taste. "In terms of flavor, you'll notice more depth of flavor from the vanilla and the sugar will taste sweeter," says Haught Brown. "In terms of texture, chilled cookie dough produces a more evenly golden-brown cookie with a crisper edge and chewier center."

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Last Updated:

Views: 5728

Rating: 4.9 / 5 (49 voted)

Reviews: 80% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Lakeisha Bayer VM

Birthday: 1997-10-17

Address: Suite 835 34136 Adrian Mountains, Floydton, UT 81036

Phone: +3571527672278

Job: Manufacturing Agent

Hobby: Skimboarding, Photography, Roller skating, Knife making, Paintball, Embroidery, Gunsmithing

Introduction: My name is Lakeisha Bayer VM, I am a brainy, kind, enchanting, healthy, lovely, clean, witty person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.