Easy Sugar Cookies
Updated September 11, 2026
Quick Summary
These Easy Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy, buttery, and perfectly sweet. This is a simple drop-style sugar cookie recipe that requires no chilling and no cookie cutters, so you can have homemade sugar cookies in about 25 minutes. Roll the dough in sugar before baking for pretty crackly tops and a deliciously sweet finish.
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Pin ItThe Best Easy Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are one of those classic cookies that are perfect for just about any occasion, and these Easy Sugar Cookies are one of my favorite versions. They are soft, chewy, buttery, and rolled in sugar before baking for lightly crisp edges and pretty crackly tops.
And the best part? This is a drop sugar cookie recipe, not a cut-out sugar cookie, so there is no rolling, chilling, or cookie cutters required. Mix the dough, roll it into balls, coat them in sugar, and bake. You can have a batch of homemade sugar cookies ready in about 25 minutes.
I love making these for holidays, cookie trays, parties, bake sales, or whenever we need a simple homemade treat. They use basic pantry ingredients, but the texture and vanilla flavor make them anything but boring.
Why You’ll Love These Sugar Cookies
- No chilling required: Mix, roll, and bake, no waiting for the dough to chill.
- No cookie cutters: These are easy drop-style sugar cookies.
- Soft and chewy: The extra egg yolk helps give the cookies their chewy texture.
- Simple ingredients: You probably have everything you need in your kitchen.
- Perfectly sweet: Rolling the dough in sugar gives the cookies a delicate crispness on the outside.
- Great for any occasion: Change the color of the rolling sugar for different holidays.
Ingredients You Need (with Helpful Notes)
I love this recipe because I always have the ingredients in my kitchen.
- All-purpose flour: Use regular all-purpose flour and measure it correctly so you don’t accidentally add too much.
- Baking soda + baking powder: Both help give the cookies their soft, tender texture.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter so I can control the salt. Make sure it is cool room temperature, not warm or greasy.
- Granulated sugar: You’ll use sugar in the dough and for rolling the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Egg + egg yolk: The extra yolk helps make these sugar cookies soft and chewy.
- Vanilla extract: I use a full tablespoon of pure vanilla extract for plenty of vanilla flavor.
Tips for Making the Best Sugar Cookies
Measure the flour correctly. Too much flour can make the cookies dry and cakey. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife.
Use softened butter. The butter should be soft enough to mix easily, but not melted or greasy. This helps give the cookies the right texture. If the butter is too warm, the cookies can spread too much.
Use a large egg and large egg yolk. Adding a yolk will make the cookies extra chewy.
Don’t overmix the dough. Once the flour is incorporated, stop mixing. Overmixing can make the cookies less tender.
Roll the dough in sugar. Don’t skip this step! It gives the cookies a lightly crisp, sweet exterior and those pretty crackly tops.
Keep the cookies the same size. Use a cookie scoop so they bake evenly. I use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie.
Use a light-colored baking sheet. It helps the cookies bake more evenly and keeps the bottoms from getting too dark.
Don’t overbake. The centers should still look slightly soft when you take the cookies out of the oven. They will set up as they cool.
Let them cool on the baking sheet. Give the cookies a few minutes to set before transferring them to a wire rack.
How to Store and Freeze
- Store the cookies in airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 3 days. Pro tip, if you want to keep the cookies super soft, you can put a piece of bread in the container with the cookies. The bread will get rock hard but the cookies will stay super soft. It’s magic!
- You can also freeze the baked cookies. Once they have cooled completely, place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper if needed. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let the cookies thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Want to freeze the dough? You can! Roll the sugar cookies into balls and place on a baking sheet. Freeze the balls for 30 minutes or until firm. Transfer the balls to a freezer bag or freezer container and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and bake! You don’t have to thaw first, just add a couple of minutes to the baking time.
Easy Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet (LOVE these pretty gold ones)
- Stand Mixer (I LOVE my KitchenAid mixer)
- Silpat Baking Mat (cookies NEVER stick to this)
- Cookie Scoop (this is my favorite!)
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup unsalted butter, at cool room temperature
- 1 3/4 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar, for rolling cookies in
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat baking mat or parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar (1 ¾ cups) and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. I always stop once and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue mixing.
- Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. The dough might look a little crumbly at first, but it will come together and be just fine.
- Put the remaining sugar in a small bowl. Form the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Roll each ball in the sugar until well coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are light golden brown and the cookies start to crack. Check early, every oven is different. Don’t over bake or the cookies won’t be soft and chewy.
- Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is softened but not warm or melted. Butter that is too soft can cause the cookies to spread.
- Measure the flour by spooning it into a measuring cup and leveling it off. Adding too much flour can make the cookies dry.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. The centers should still look slightly soft when you take them out of the oven; they will set as they cool.
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
- To freeze the dough, scoop and roll into balls but don’t coat in sugar. Freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, roll the frozen dough in sugar and bake as directed, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Nutrition
Have you tried this recipe?
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Variations
- Add almond extract: For a slightly different flavor, replace 1 teaspoon of the vanilla with almond extract, or add ¼ teaspoon almond extract along with the vanilla.
- Frost them: These cookies are delicious on their own, but you can also frost them with your favorite sugar cookie frosting and add sprinkles for a festive treat.
- Use colored sugar: Roll the dough balls in colored sanding sugar for holidays, birthdays, or special occasions.
- Add citrus: Add a little lemon or orange zest to the dough for a fresh citrus flavor.
- Add chocolate: Stir in mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chips for a fun twist.
- Make them festive: Use different colors of sanding sugar to match the holiday or celebration.
Serving Suggestions
These sugar cookies are perfect for cookie trays, holiday baking, bake sales, parties, or anytime you need an easy homemade treat. They are delicious with a cold glass of milk, a cup of coffee, or hot chocolate.
For holidays and special occasions, roll the cookies in colored sugar or add a simple frosting and sprinkles. They are a very popular Christmas cookie because everyone loves them and they are so easy to make!
More Cookie Recipes
- Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Snickerdoodles
- Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
- Soft Peanut Butter Cookies
- Oatmeal Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies
Check out all of my COOKIE RECIPES! I have so many good recipes to choose from!
These turned out so good! I’m not a big sugar cookie fan either but these are by far the best I’ve ever had and are so yummy!
I am thrilled you loved my sugar cookie recipe! Thanks for reporting back!
Can’t wait to try these with my granddaughter. Do you think we could roll them in colored granulated sugar…to make them even more festive? 🙂
Yes, absolutely! They will be so pretty and festive! Have fun!
Can I roll the dough out to make Christmas cutout cookies?
This isn’t a roll out, cutout sugar cookie recipe.
So yummy! I added some ground anise seed and rolled in sugar and cinnamon to make a soft and chewy biscochito style cookie too!
We Loved These! Best sugar cookie recipe! We rolled them in colored sugar for Christmas. They were delicious! Adding them to our cookie favorites list!
I must share that these are the absolutely BEST sugar cookies ever! I’m 65 years old and raised 5 children and have 6 grandchildren! I feel like I’ve struck gold!!!
These will be a regular treat in my household!
I made these cookies for part of my holiday baking and my husband said they were the best sugar cookies he’s ever had! Thank you for the great recipe!
Oh good! I am thrilled you loved my sugar cookie recipe!
These cookies are perfect! They are crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I only had 3/4 cup of butter, so the dough was a little tough, but I added a splash of milk and it turned out great!
I am thrilled you loved the sugar cookies! Thanks for sharing!
So good exactly as written! I’ve made these a dozen times in the last few months.
Which leads to a shortage of vanilla ….
I ran out of vanilla yesterday but I already had started my dough. I switched the vanilla for pure maple syrup. You can switch out vanilla and maple syrup 1:1 but… I added an extra 2 tbsp of the maple syrup and it’s incredible. I may do that on purpose next time!!!!!
There’s no measurements for the ingredients? If there is I can’t find them
Scroll down to the bottom of the post and see the recipe card. All of the ingredients and instructions are there:)
Just made these today and followed your recipe just as instructed. They taste delicious, they’re not flat, and this will be my go to sugar cookie from now on. I kept the butter cool and mixed the flour as told, just enough, and turned out perfectly. Thank you!
My sister does not like sugar cookies I made her try one of these the first time I cooked them I have had to bring them to her birthday ever since this is a 10 out of 10 recipe thank you so much for sharing with us
Yay! I am glad they got a 10/10!
So good! Especially for my daughter who is anti- anything chocolate and only eats sugar cookies or snickerdoodles. These turned out exactly as pictured. Make sure your butter and eggs are fully room temp. Cream the butter, add the sugar and mix together, add egg, mix, yolk, mix, and vanilla. We did add 1/4 cup less of flour because of a different recipe we tried yesterday that was an utter fail. You can’t go wrong with these. We will always use this recipe now.
Glad you loved the cookies!
Can this be made if I don’t have a mixer? I do have a electric wand mixer but no paddle attachment.
Thank you
Yes, that is fine.
Easy and delicious
They are the best!
Wow! Wow! Wow! This is my first time making sugar cookies that didn’t come from the store refrigerated section, lol! Followed the recipe to the “T”! These came out fantastic! Little crunchy around the ridge and soft and chewy, I also rolled some in red and green sugar sprinkles! My students love these! Now they all want me to print out this recipe! Ha! Thank you!
They are my favorite sugar cookies! I am glad you loved them!
I can’t find the amounts for each ingredient in your recipe. Perhaps I am missing something. They look so easy and fun, so I want to make sure I have the amounts correct. How much flour, sugar, butter?
Thank you. Nancy Miller
Scroll down to the bottom of the post to see the recipe card.
Absolutely loved these cookies!!
I added dried cranberries and chopped walnuts!
Fun!!
Can you make these as thumbprint cookies?
I am eighty seven save all these recipes, just wondering if I wii live long enough to try them.
Young lady you definitely have to try these delicious cookies! God bless..❤️
such easy cookies to bake, simple ingredients, and very yummy! Def making these again
easy, low effort, and delish! thank you!
Glad you loved the cookies!
I LOVE these cookies, they are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever tasted. Thank you so much for making this recipe because it has changed my life! I will suggest this website and these cookies to everyone I know. Again thank you so much!
Thanks so much!! I am so glad you loved the cookies and I appreciate you sharing!
Is this 2 full cups and a 3/4 cup of flour or is it 2 of the 3/4 cups of flour and is the sure 1 full cup and a 3/4 cup or just a 3/4 cup
You need 2 full cups and 3/4 cup of flour.
Are these good for cookie cutter cookies?
No, you don’t need to roll them out and use cookie cutters.
Amazing, velvety fluffy and absolutely addicting cookies. Sugary, but not overwhemlingly sweet; I added a few dashes of nutmeg and lemon rasp for variation – they were still delicious. Love this recipe!!!
We made these today for our 3 soccer teams. They stay moist and soft. They are easy to throw together when you need a quick cookie that’s yummy.
Glad they were enjoyed!
This is a wonderful sugar cookie recipe. Nice butter flavor! Thank you
I am glad you enjoyed the cookies.
I have tried several recipes and never made a good batch of cookies. This recipe is the secret I needed today. I crashed my WW diet but it will work itself out!
So glad you love the cookies!
This is SO easy and sooo good!! Made this on a whim and we ate them up within a couple days. Will definitely make again!
So glad you loved the cookies.
cut back on the salt. I could taste the salt in baked cookies.
This is the best sugar cookie recipe! Sometimes I cut the sugar back 1/4 cup to add white baking chips which is delicious! Thank you very Maria!
They are so easy and SO good!
If freezing- do you go ahead and roll sugar before the freezing? Thank you
Yes, you can! When you bake you can always add more if necessary!
I don’t have a stand mixer , can I use a hand mixer?
Yes!
I like your sugar cookie receipe.Thanks for Sharing such Yummy Receipe.
You are welcome!
This creamy tortellini soup sounds so cozy, especially with the cooler weather rolling in! Soup season is definitely my favorite, and just like hunting for the best donut shop in Columbus, finding that perfect bowl of soup is pure comfort. I love how flexible this recipe is—you can throw in all kinds of veggies and really make it your own, just like the endless variety of donuts at the local Columbus donut shops!
I made these cookies for my friends and they said they were some of the best sugar cookies they’ve had. very easy to make too
Yay! I love how soft and chewy they are!
I love all of your recipes, and this one holds true. So easy and so delicious!!
Thank you!
Followed the recipe exactly.
Cookies did not flatten in the oven, and I ended up overcooking them because I thought they needed more time to do so.
Second batch came out cooked right but still mostly in the original ball shape.
Definitely needs adjusting
Best no chill sugar cookies! for a twist, i roll the dough balls, then dipped the tops only in rainbow sprinkles.
i’m taking them to my local veterans center. they’ll love them.
thank you for the recipe.
They are so easy and so good! So nice of you!