The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Hands down, this is the Best Sugar Cookie Recipe we’ve ever tested! Learn How to Make Sugar Cookies that everyone will love. These little guys are light, pillowy, and packed with flavor.
Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
We’ve got a theme going on this week… Called The Best.
I’m sharing tried-and-true recipes I’ve made dozens (even hundreds) of times, because I’ve never tasted anything better. Monday I posted the absolute best yeast roll recipe I’ve ever made, and today I’m sharing The BEST Sugar Cookie Recipe.
Learn how to make the BEST Sugar Cookies with this fun recipe!
This is the end-all of sugar cookies, friends.
Better than your mom’s.
Better than your grandma’s, may she rest in peace.
Better than that fancy bakery down the street.
MY OTHER RECIPESAnd sure as heck, better than any grocery store sugar cookies you’ve ever tasted.
World’s Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe is ultra light, ever so crispy around the edges, glistening with sugar crystals, and packed with a sweet vanilla-wheat flavor.
These cookies put all other sugar cookies to shame.
There’s something spectacular about a simple, yet perfect, sugar cookie. Today I’m going to show you how to make sugar cookies that will make your head spin. I bake The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe for holidays and parties regularly, and have used this recipe as a base for all sorts of sugar cookie variations.
I’ve been asked for The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe more times than I can count, always with a statement like, “These are just sugar cookies, right? OMGeeeeee. I’ve got to have the recipe.”
I found the base-recipe at least a decade ago in an old version of Cook’s Illustrated’s Best Recipe Cookbook. Over the years, I’ve tweaked it just a tad, so that now I have the absolute best sugar cookie recipe around.
Interested?
Watch the Video & Check the recipe card to learn how to make the Best Sugar Cookies!
How To Make Sugar Cookies from Scratch
- Perfect sugar cookies should always have equal parts butter and sugar. The butter and sugar should be creamed together (beat on high) until the butter is lighter in color and ultra fluffy. You should be able to tell that the sugar is broken down into the butter, because it will no longer look granular. This usually takes several minutes to achieve.
- For extra light and delicate sugar cookies, sift your dry ingredients. Measure first, then sift.
- You need to use a generous amount of good quality sea salt and pure vanilla extract to bring out the best flavor in the cookies.
- Do not over beat the cookie dough. Think gentle thoughts.
- Roll the dough into balls, coat in extra sugar, and press flat with the bottom of a drinking glass. This creates a crispy glistening exterior and a uniform shape.
- Do not over-bake. The moment the edges look remotely golden, take the cookies out of the oven and cool.
That’s pretty much it!
Please note, The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe is NOT a roll-out cookie recipe for cookie cutters. It’s just too darn delicate for that. If you’re looking for a roll-and-cut cookie recipe, use this one. The extra egg yolk and flour make the cookies slightly sturdier, so they can handle the abuse.
However, these sugar cookies are marvelous with glaze and sprinkles.
Looking for more of the BEST cookie recipes? Try these:
- Best Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Pillow Cookies
- Low-Carb Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Chewy Molasses Cookies
- Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies
The Best Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 cups all purpose flour measured then sifted
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 sticks unsalted butter softened (1 1/2 cups)
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar + extra for rolling
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer. Cream the butter and sugar together on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. (Don't skimp on the time here.) Then turn the mixer on low and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat again for 30 seconds.
- Pour some extra sugar into a bowl to coat the cookies. Scoop the dough out and roll into 1 inch balls. The dough should be soft and delicate - Don't over-handle. Shake each ball in the sugar bowl to coat, then place on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down on each ball, until it's 1/3 - 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake each sheet of sugar cookies for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers are just barely set. Cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Recipe Video
Recipe Notes
BOURBON GLAZE: Once the cookies are cool, whisk 1 tablespoon of cream, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 teaspoon bourbon together. Then whisk in 1 cup powdered sugar until smooth. Dip the face of each cookie into the glaze. Allow the excess to dip off, then place them back on the parchment paper to dry.
Those are some nice looking sugar cookies!
Pillowy perfection!
Beautiful Sommer! Love the new bright look here too! Happy Wednesday to you!
Looks fabulous here, Sommer. Both the new site + recipe! Happy Easter, friend!
I have the old cooks illustrated recipe–I’m going to have to try your tweaks. These look fabulous!
You can never say no to a sugar cookie! These look amazing, Sommer!
These sound perfect!! and I LOVE the new design Sommer!
These absolutely do look like THE BEST!
I can’t take your word for it … I MUST try these myself! They do look like the best! :) Pinned to make later!
these look sooooo good Sommer! and love the new site!
Love the new layout!!!! So chic!!! Beautiful new pic as well.
These look amaz-balls!!!
What a gorgeous new look! And your cookies look top notch, too :)
Love your new look! I’m a cookie lover so these are gonna be baking in our kitchen soon!!
You have to love a good sugar cookie! These are going on my to do list.
The Old Fat Guy
What a great idea to roll them in sugar. I’ll have to give these cookies a try.
love these and the new site!!
These look perfect, love the glaze!!!
Well who doesn’t love a sugar cookie!?! These look scrumptious!
That glaze is drool worthy!!! Yum!
Really beautiful looking sugar cookies! also, loving the simple glaze!
The recipe that I have and use is almost the same besides the eggs. I tried it once or twice with a single one but didn’t notice a difference. I guess this is going to be mu next experiment ;D
Yummy! Just made them, kids approve. Saving this recipe! Thank you!
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These look delicious … especially with the bourbon glaze. My question: How do I “dip” the face of the cookie in the glaze without making a mess? Is there a secret?
Hi Debi,
Oh, I never said you wouldn’t make a mess. LOL! But it’s worth it. :)
These are very tasty, but I couldn’t get them to flatten. They just stuck to the bottom of the glass. Am I doing something wrong?
This really is the best sugar cookie recipe everyone who ate them loved them. I need to make them again!
These cookies were fantastic! Everyone in my house couldn’t stop raving about them. I don’t think I used enough flour because they were a little moist so I ended up making them drop sugar cookies. I also added 1/2 tbsp of almond extract just to tweak it & they were awesome. I just made a second batch today & I highly recommend letting the dough chill overnight so the flavors can really blend. & best of all they stay soft & fluffy even the next day. Thanks a million!!
Wow these do look like the best sugar cookies!! I’m including these cookies in a Lifehack round-up if that’s okay!
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Is it OK to use sugar substitute? I have to watch my sugar intake but I’ve been craving a good sugar cookie. Thanks
I don’t know what I am doing wrong with this recipe, but after following the directions I keep ending up with a pasty batter as opposed to a bakeable dough. Please help!!!
Hi Natashia! It’s hard to say without watching your process, but it may be an issue with the brand of flour you are using or your method of measuring.
Please check out our 100 Best Baking Tips article for some general guidelines: http://www.aspicyperspective.com/100-best-baking-tips-and-tricks/
I had the same issue. I spoon my flour into the measuring cup because I read on an expert baking site that that is the most accurate way to measure as opposed to scooping. If you scoop you get more flour packed into the cup. I added more flour and still had a batter but I stopped adding once it reached a consistency that I could drop into the sugar and flatten without it sticking. They still came out great and fluffy.
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Can you freeze these ahead?
Yes.
I’m sure you’ve already figured this out, it has been so long since you commented. I did a little experiment, because no one had answered the question here.
I formed them, rolled them in the sugar and then flash froze them on a platter until they were hard enough to place in a bag without sticking to each other. When I was ready to bake, a week later, I thawed them on that same platter until they came to room temp; which didn’t take long because of all that butter. And then I just proceeded to flatten and bake according to the recipe. I will note that the bake time on these was a bit shorter for me when baking from frozen, they started browning at around 9 -9min 30 secs compared to 10 – 10 min and 30secs when I bake right after mixing.
These are fantastic! Everyone who tasted them said that they are hands down the best cookie they’ve ever had! Thank you for this recipe!
Holy mackerel! Just made these and sampled a hot one off the pan… EXQUISITE! Won’t be using any other recipe from now on! Thanks! :)
I just made the cookies last night and they were a success! Only problem i came across was when i was flattening the dough balls with a glass the dough stuck to the glass. Any suggestions on how to fix that?
Hi Diane, Did you roll them in sugar first? The sugar should have kept them from sticking.
I rolled them in sugar first and they still stuck so I also coated the bottom of the glass with sugar (after pressing the first cookie, the sugar will stick to the glass)
👍
Love this recipe!!!
These are so wonderful tasting. I highly recommend this recipe. I did everything she says to do and they were perfect and soft and tasted great.
The batter came out the same constancy as cake batter. Chilling it in hopes it’ll come out ok.
Going to try making these Christmas eve with my mom! Can’t wait! :)
These turned out perfectly: an incredibly tender and delicate texture combined with sweet vanilla flavor. Perfect with a cup of strong black coffee. I must say, though, these cookies seem like they would do well to have additional flavors added. I could imagine drizzling them with dark chocolate, or maybe adding orange zest to the dough (or both) to add a pop of bright flavor. Might be great with lavender or a hint of cardamom, too.
For those having trouble with the dough sticking to the cup, I think that chilling the dough a few moments or making sure to thoroughly roll them in sugar would help. My cup stuck to a few of the cookies, and so I began adding more sugar to the tops of the cookies and dipping the bottom of my cup in sugar, too.
Thanks for a “keeper” recipe!
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can I roll them out and use a cookie cutter for them? Or make the balls larger and flatten until they fit until my cookie cutter shape?
Alaina, this isn’t really a cut-out cookie recipe… It’s too delicate. Try this one for roll out cookies: http://www.aspicyperspective.com/sugar-cookie-icing-and-cut-out-cookie-recipe/
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Hello Sommer ! Thank you for sharing this sugary sweet sugar cookies recipe, I tried this and came out very well. I was thinking if we can add some dry fruits in it ? TIA
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For those of you that are having trouble with
the glass sticking to the dough, dip the bottom of the
glass in the sugar you used to roll your cookies in
This should prevent sticking –
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My oven must run hot. I almost burned the first batch. So temp. down to 350 and time down to 8 minutes. Perfect. They taste wonderful, and so light.
I’ve tried this recipe twice and I still get runny batter every time! Has anyone found the issue with this and how to resolve it? Adding more flour to get the right consistency makes a bland tasting cookie.
I tried the recipe, tweak it a bit by putting part almond extract. It was wonderful!
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Wow, wow, wow! In love with this recipe! My son had some cinnamon/sugar concoction I used instead of plain sugar, and they were great that way. BUT, I did my final batch with Just sugar coating, and it’s Amazing!!! What an AWESOME recipe! 5-star, for Sure! Definite Keeper! ?
Hi Tara,
We’re so very glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for reporting back! :) :)
Best sugar cookie recipe ever! None stop compliments! ♥️
Hi Rebecca,
YES! That’s exactly how we feel about them. Thanks for reporting back. :)
Are these sturdy enough for kids to decorate?
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These were delicious!!
Really good sugar cookies. Directions say 9-11 minutes so I put mine for 10 and some got a little burned. Will do less time for the next batch.
Delicious!
Delicious!!!! My 5 year old and I frosted them. 😁
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My cookies were thin, delicate and wafer-like, not exactly what I expected. The taste was delicious, light and buttery. I will definitely make these cookies again.
These are the Sugar cookies I grew up with. My mom maid them when we were very young. We children got to help by smashing the sugared glass on the ball of cookie dough to make a flat, pretty cookie. I have been looking for this recipe for years (since we lost our recipe while moving). I am so glad to find this delicious sugar cookie recipe! Thank you!
Freaking delicious. Everyone loved it. I made them thick, too!
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If I don’t have sea salt and just use kosher will it still turn out okay? I’m moving in two weeks and have so much baking stuff that needs used due to not having a kitchen to where I’m moving too.
Hi Chess,
Yes, you can use kosher or table salt. Happy Baking! :)
Making these cookies was an absolute nightmare. I was looking for an easy and relatively quick recipe for cookies and thought this one would be perfect. Making the dough went fairly smoothly, I believe it turned out great but a little on the sticky side. I then rolled the balls in sugar and tried pressing them with a cup as recommended. This was impossible! No matter how much sugar I coated them in they still stuck to either the cup or the plate. After this dilemma, I put the dough on a greased cookie sheet, without parchment paper since I didn’t have any at the moment. During baking, I checked on the cookies and to my horror, they just about doubled in size! They all completely flattened out and ran into each other. Trying to get them off the tray was next to impossible. They kept crumbling and breaking, not to mention they really don’t taste good at all in my opinion. I don’t know if I made a major mistake or what, but this recipe just did not work for me.
Hi Sarah,
So sorry you had trouble! I would guess your kitchen was a bit warm and your oven runs hot. If you live in warm climates it’s best to keep your kitchen as cool as possible when baking. If you can’t control the temperature, placing the dough in the refrigerator for a few minutes before rolling and baking, helps regulate the temperature a bit. You can purchase an inexpensive oven thermometer that hangs from the rack to check you oven temperature. It’s normal for ovens to run a little too hot or cool. Also, greasing bare cookie sheets is definitely what made them spread so thin. Parchment paper actually prevents cookies from spreading too much.
I put the dough into the frig to cool it for rolling into balls and to get your glass to come off of the cookie, spray some baking spray on it before dipping into the sugar for the first cookie. Dip into sugar for every cookie after that. I always use parchment paper.
These cookies came out great.
I made the recipe.. and it was delicious!! Maybe it help with all ingredients being organic 👍🏼👍🏼
I have made these cookies more time then I want to admit, but have a question. Can I make the recipe and then freeze it before I bake or should I bake cookies and then freeze.
This is great! I tried it over the week and very happy with the outcome. bookmarked it as the best
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I just made these sugar cookies last night and they are amazing. So soft & chewy. Since the kids loved them I’ll have to make mare later on. This will be the only recipe I’ll use.
My teenage daughter is making these for the second time this week! They are so delish and easy to make. Thanks for a great recipe.
O.M.G. these really are the BEST sugar cookies EVER! Seriously!
I used a medium sized cookie dough scoop and the dough was so soft I worried something was wrong but nope! It was perfect!
Definitely saving this recipe!
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These cookies are delicious!!