How to Make Sugar Cookies

Co-authored by Mathew Rice

Sugar cookies are a true classic in the cookie world, popular for both their simplicity and adaptability for any occasion. There are two main types of sugar cookies. There is the soft, chewy kind that you drop onto a baking sheet. Then there are the harder, crunchy kind that you roll out into a flat sheet and cut out with a cookie cutter. Both kinds are equally delicious, but they get prepared in slightly different ways.

Ingredients

Soft Drop Cookies^{[1]
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½ cup (115 grams) butter, softened
½ cup (115 grams) shortening
1 cup (225 grams) white sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2¼ cups (225 grams) all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt (optional)
Additional sugar

Makes about 5 dozen cookies

Crunchy Shaped Cookies^{[3]
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1 cup (225 grams) butter, softened at room temperature for 1 hour
1 cup (225 grams) white sugar
1 egg
1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Making Soft Drop Cookies

1
Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and prepare your baking sheet. You will need 1 to 2 baking sheets. Lightly grease the sheet(s) with cooking spray, cover them with parchment paper.
2
Cream the butter, shortening, and sugar until the mixture turns light and fluffy. Place the butter, shortening, and sugar into an electric mixer or food processor. Beat the ingredients together on a medium speed setting until they turn light and fluffy. This will take about 3 minutes.^{[5]
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- If you cannot find shortening, you can use another ½ cup (115 grams) of butter instead.
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3
Beat in the egg and vanilla extract. While the mixer is turning, add in the egg and vanilla extract. Keep beating until everything is evenly combined and no streaks of egg yolk remain.
4
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a separate bowl. Pour the flour into a separate bowl. Add the baking powder and baking soda, then whisk everything together.
- If you'd like your sugar cookies to be less sweet, add ½ teaspoon of salt
5
Slowly beat the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Set your mixer to the lowest possible speed setting. While the mixer is turning, add the flour mixture into the butter mixture 1 cup (100 grams) at a time.
6
Form the dough into small balls and roll them in sugar. Use your hands or a cookie scoop to form the dough into 1-inch (2.5-cm) balls. Next, fill a bowl with sugar, then rolls the balls in the sugar 1 at a time.^{[6]
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- Do not roll the dough out with a rolling pin; this recipe is not meant for roll-and-cut cookies
- You don't have to roll the balls in sugar, but the sugar will give the cookies a nice texture after they are baked.
7
Transfer the balls to a baking sheet and flatten them with a glass. Space the cookies 1½ to 2 inches (3.81 to 5.08 centimeters) apart. Next, gently press a glass against each cookie to flatten it slightly. Do not flatten the cookies so much that they stick together. They will flatten a little while you bake them.
- If you can't fit all of the cookies on 1 baking sheet, set them aside for later or use a second baking sheet.
8
Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to cool. While the first batch of cookies baking, you can start rolling out the next batch. Then, when the first batch is cooling, you can start baking the second batch.
9
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them if desired. You can leave them plain, or you can spread some colored buttercream on top and add some sprinkles.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Making Crunchy Shaped Cookies

1
Cream the butter and sugar until it turns light and fluffy. Place the butter and sugar into an electric mixer. Beat the 2 together until they turn light and fluffy. This will take about 2 minutes.
- If you don't have an electric mixer, use a food processor fitted with whisks.
- The butter 'must be at room temperature.
2
Add in the egg and vanilla extract and mix until evenly combined. While the mixer is turning, add in the egg and vanilla extract. Continue mixing until no streaks remain.^{[7]
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Research source} When you are done, set the mixture aside.
3
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl. Place the flour into a separate bowl. Add the baking powder and the salt, then whisk everything together.^{[8]
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- Use a spoon to scoop the flour into a measuring cup, then level the flour with a knife. This will prevent the cookies from turning out too dry.
4
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and blend until evenly combined. Set your mixer to the slowest speed possible, then add the flour mixture 1 cup (100 grams) at a time. Keep adding the flour and mixing until everything is mixed together.
5
Divide the dough into 2 balls and roll it out between 2 pieces of parchment paper. Cover a baking sheet with a sheet of parchment paper. Roll out a ball of dough into ⅛ to ¼-inch (3 to 6-mm) thickness, then cover it with another sheet of parchment paper. Repeat this step for the second ball of dough, using another baking sheet if necessary.^{[9]
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- You won't be baking the dough right away.
6
Refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour and start preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). You need to refrigerate the dough so that it will be nice and firm when you go to cut it. Once the hour is almost up, start preheating your oven so that it will be ready by the time you finish cutting your cookies.
7
Cut the cookies using 2 to 3-inch (5.1 to 7.6-cm) cookie cutters. When you are ready to start baking your cookies, take the baking sheets out of the fridge, and transfer the rolled out dough to a cutting board. Cut the cookies out as closely together as possible.
- Ball up the scraps and roll them out to make more cookies. If the dough gets too warm, place a cold baking sheet on top of it for 10 minutes before continuing.^{[10]
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8
Place the cookies 1-inch (2.5-cm) apart on a prepared baking sheet.^{[11]
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- Even though this dough does not spread as much as the other recipe, you still want to leave some space between the cookies. This will help them bake evenly.
9
Bake the cookies for 8 to 12 minutes. The longer you bake them, the crispier they will become. If you prefer your cookies to be softer, bake them for 8 to 9 minutes. If you want them to be crispier, bake them for 10 to 12 minutes instead.^{[12]
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- If you have any leftover dough, you can start rolling and cutting it now while the first batch of cookies is baking.
10
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating them. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes first, then transfer them to a wire cooling rack. Let them finish cooling for for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack. Make sure they cool completely before decorating them.
- If you are making more cookies, bake them while the first batch is cooling off.
- Decorate the cookies with Royal icing, glacé icing, or melted chocolate.

Expert Q&A

Question

Why do I keep burning my cookies?

Mathew Rice
Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer
Mathew Rice has worked in restaurant pastry kitchens across the country since the late 1990's, and currently owns Pink Door Cookies in Nashville. His creations have been featured in Food & Wine, Bon Appetit, and Martha Stewart Weddings. In 2016, Eater named Mathew one of the top 18 chefs to follow on Instagram. In 2018, he appeared in season 18 of the Food Network's Beat Bobby Flay and won his episode.

Mathew Rice

Professional Baker & Dessert Influencer

Expert Answer

It's easy to leave cookies in the oven for too long because you have to pull them out before they're totally done baking. Remember that your cookies continue to bake after they come out of the oven because they’re still hot. So, pull your cookies before they look like what you want them to look like, and they'll cook for a few more minutes when they’re sitting out.
Question

Can I use a manual whisk instead of an electric mixer?

Community Answer

Of course! It just takes a little more time and effort.
Question

If you don't have butter what can I substitute it with?

Qamar

Top Answerer

You could use margarine, olive oil, or coconut oil as a substitute.

Warnings

Do not leave the cookies unattended. They can brown and burn quickly.

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Remember that the cookies and pan will be hot when they come out of the oven.

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