The Easiest Sugar Cookies Recipe! These Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies are soft in the center and crispy on the outside - absolutely delicious!
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I don't think there is anything more classic than a traditional Homemade Sugar Cookie!
They are perfect any time of year and are the best recipe when you want a sweet sugar cookie, but don't want to pull out the cookie cutters for Cut Out Sugar Cookies.
I can't wait for you to experience pure nostalgia when you make this recipe!
Why You will love these Homemade Sugar Cookies
- Delicious: These cookies are buttery and sweet! Soft in the center and crispy on the edges.
- Easy to make: You only need 7 ingredients for these delicious cookies!
- Total Comfort Food: When you need something comforting, this is the ultimate recipe!
Basic Sugar Cookie Recipe ingredients
For these classic sugar cookies, you'll need:
- all purpose flour
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- granulated sugar
- vanilla extract
- egg
Do you use powdered sugar or granulated sugar for cookies?
Different cookies call for different types of sugar. Most cookie recipes call for granulated sugar, but some use powdered sugar. These old fashioned sugar cookies use granulated sugar.
How to make Sugar Cookies
- Beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Stir in dry ingredients until just combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, preheat the oven to 350º F. Scoop dough into one tablespoon balls. Roll into balls, and roll in granulated sugar until coated. Place on a parchment lined baking sheet with about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set, but center is still soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Should you chill sugar cookie dough?
Yes, you should chill sugar cookie dough. Chilling the dough helps you get those perfectly crispy edges and soft chewy center.
How to store Homemade Sugar Cookies
Storing: You can store these homemade sugar cookies for up to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature.
Freezing: You can freeze baked sugar cookies for up to 3 months in an airtight container. Thaw completely before enjoying.
Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze this sugar cookie dough. Scoop into balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet or use these cookie dough freezing trays. Freeze without rolling in sugar.
When ready to bake, thaw for 20 minutes, roll in sugar and then bake. Check out this post for How to Freeze Cookie Dough for tips on saving cookie dough for later.
Tips & Substitutions for Sugar Cookies:
All Purpose Flour: We don't recommend substituting the flour, but you can check out this article on Substitutions for All-Purpose Flour.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is essential for this recipe. Do not substitute with baking powder.
Butter: Butter is essential to this recipe. We haven't tried it with dairy free butter but it might work!
Sugar: We don't recommend substituting white sugar.
Eggs: We don't recommend substituting eggs, but you can read this article on Egg Substitutions for Baking if you need to substitute. Try it at your own risk!
Vanilla Extract: Is essential for the flavor of the cookies! You can add lemon extract and lemon zest or orange extract/orange zest to change the flavor of the cookies! You could also try our Lemon Sugar Cookies.
Short on time? Scoop the cookie dough and freeze in balls for 10 minutes on a parchment lined baking sheet rather than chilling the whole bowl for 30 minutes!
Best Sugar Cookies FAQs
There can be a lot of reasons your cookies are flat. If the butter is too soft or the oven is too hot, your cookies may get very flat.
We have a whole post with our favorite Tips for the Best Soft and Chewy Cookies!
Rolling the cookies in sugar helps create the crackly tops on sugar cookies.
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Funfetti Cookies With Cake Mix
- Monster Cookies
- M&M Cookies
- Brownie Cookies
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
- Best Spritz Cookie Recipe
- Raspberry Linzer Cookies
Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 ⅔ cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 egg
For Rolling the Dough:
- ½ cup granulated sugar do not add to the batter! This is just for rolling the dough in.
Instructions
- Combine flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Stir in dry ingredients until just combined.
- Cover bowl, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Once dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350º F and prepare a parchment lined baking sheet.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator, and scoop dough into one tablespoon balls.
- Roll into balls, and roll balls in granulated sugar until coated.
- Place on a parchment lined baking sheet with about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set, but center is still soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
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