Soft Sugar Cookies
Buttery, tender sugar cookies with a delicate crumb and slightly caramelized edges. These classic treats are simple to make and endlessly customizable with toppings and decorations.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Servings
- 24
- Calories
- 145
- Protein
- 1g
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 whole large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 tablespoons sanding sugar or coarse sugar, for topping
Instructions
- 1
Position two racks in your oven — one in the upper third and one in the lower third. Preheat to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. You want the oven fully preheated so the cookies puff up and set quickly rather than spreading too thin.
- 2
In a small bowl, whisk together 2 cups of all-purpose flour, 0.25 teaspoon of baking soda, and 0.5 teaspoon of fine sea salt. Set this dry mixture aside — you'll use it to combine with your wet ingredients without overmixing.
- 3
Add 0.75 cup of room-temperature unsalted butter to a large mixing bowl. It should be soft enough that your finger leaves a dent, but not greasy — if it's too warm, the cookies will spread too much during baking. Using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter for about 1 minute until it's pale and creamy.
- 4
Gradually add 0.75 cup of granulated sugar to the butter, pouring it in slowly while the mixer runs. Beat on medium speed for 2-3 minutes until the mixture is noticeably lighter in color and fluffy — this incorporates air, which helps the cookies rise gently in the oven.
- 5
Crack 1 large egg into the bowl and add 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until the egg is fully incorporated and the mixture looks pale and smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula to make sure everything is evenly combined.
- 6
Pour the reserved flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using the mixer on low speed, stir just until the dough comes together — stop as soon as you don't see streaks of flour. Overmixing develops gluten, which toughens the cookies. The dough should look soft, slightly moist, and uniform.
- 7
Using a 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop (or a heaping tablespoon), portion the dough onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing the mounds about 2 inches apart. You should get about 12 cookies per sheet. Lightly sprinkle a pinch of sanding sugar on top of each cookie — this creates a beautiful crystallized crust and adds subtle crunch.
- 8
Place one baking sheet on the upper oven rack and one on the lower rack. Bake for 11-13 minutes, watching carefully as they cook. The cookies are done when the edges are just barely set and a light golden brown, but the centers still look slightly underbaked and tender — they should jiggle very slightly if you gently shake the pan. The edges should smell nutty and caramelized.
- 9
Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies rest on the hot pan for 2 minutes — they continue to set during this time. Then use a fish spatula or thin metal spatula to gently transfer each cookie to a wire cooling rack. Let them cool completely before serving — they'll firm up as they cool and develop the perfect soft, tender crumb.
Tools you’ll need
- two baking sheets
- parchment paper
- small mixing bowl
- whisk
- large mixing bowl
- electric mixer
- rubber spatula
- 1.5-tablespoon cookie scoop
- fish spatula
- wire cooling rack
- instant-read thermometer (optional)
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