Soft Sugar Cookies

These incredibly soft sugar cookies are pure comfort food magic that will make your whole family smile! Everyone from kids to grandparents absolutely loves these tender, melt-in-your-mouth treats. The best part is they’re made with wholesome white whole-wheat flour for extra fiber and nutrients without sacrificing that amazing taste.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 25 minutes, Additional Time: 35 minutes, Total Time: 1 hour, Serves: 48 cookies (4 dozen)

Nutrition Profile: Low-Carb, Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Soy-Free, Vegetarian, Low-Calorie

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 73 Calories, 3g Fat, 11g Carbs, 1g Protein

Ingredients You’ll Need

Butter: You’ll need ½ cup of softened butter, which creates that perfect tender texture we all love. Make sure to take it out about an hour before baking so it’s nice and soft.

Cream cheese: 4 ounces of softened cream cheese is the secret to these super soft cookies! This ingredient makes them stay tender for days.

Sugar: 1¾ cups of regular sugar gives these cookies their classic sweet taste. You can also use sugar substitutes if you prefer – check the tips section below!

Baking soda: 1 teaspoon helps these cookies rise just the right amount for that perfect soft texture.

Cream of tartar: 1 teaspoon works with the baking soda to make these cookies extra tender and gives them that classic sugar cookie tang.

Salt: Just ⅛ teaspoon brings out all the flavors beautifully.

Egg yolks: 3 egg yolks make these cookies rich and help bind everything together perfectly.

Vanilla: ½ teaspoon of pure vanilla extract adds that warm, cozy flavor we all love.

All-purpose flour: 1¼ cups provides the base structure for your cookies.

White whole-wheat flour: ½ cup adds extra fiber and nutrients while keeping the mild flavor kids love.

How to Make Soft Sugar Cookies

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 300°F. In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and cream cheese with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the sugar, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat everything until well combined, scraping the sides of the bowl now and then. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until smooth.

Step 2: Gradually beat in as much of both flours as you can with the mixer. The dough will get pretty thick! Use a wooden spoon to stir in any remaining flour that won’t mix in.

Step 3: Shape the dough into 1-inch balls using your hands. Place them about 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheets. They’ll spread just a little bit as they bake.

Step 4: Bake for 14 to 16 minutes until the edges are set but not brown. Don’t let them get golden – you want them pale and soft! Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 1 minute, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Easy and Quick Soft Sugar Cookies Version

Want to make these even faster? You can use a cookie scoop to make perfectly sized balls in half the time! A medium cookie scoop (about 1 tablespoon) works perfectly. Just scoop, drop on the pan, and bake. No rolling needed and they’ll all be the same size!

Serving Ideas

These soft sugar cookies are perfect all by themselves with a cold glass of milk. They also taste amazing with a cup of hot coffee or tea for the adults. Try serving them with fresh berries and whipped cream for a simple but elegant dessert that looks fancy but is super easy!

Storage

Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week. They’ll stay soft and delicious the whole time! You can also freeze them for up to 3 months. Just thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before serving.

Substitutions

No cream cheese? You can use an extra ½ cup of softened butter instead. Want to make them even healthier? Replace all the flour with whole wheat pastry flour. You can also use sugar substitutes like Splenda Sugar Blend – just follow the package directions and reduce baking time to 12-14 minutes.

Pro Tips

Perfect Texture: Don’t overbake these cookies! They should look set but still pale when you take them out.

Soft Butter Trick: Forgot to soften your butter? Cut it into small pieces and it’ll soften much faster.

Even Baking: Rotate your cookie sheets halfway through baking for perfectly even cookies every time.

Storage Secret: Add a slice of bread to your storage container to keep cookies extra soft!

FAQs

Can I make these cookies ahead of time?

You bet! These cookies actually taste even better the next day. You can also make the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Just let it come to room temperature before shaping and baking.

Why are my cookies spreading too much?

Make sure your butter and cream cheese aren’t too warm when you start mixing. If your dough seems too soft, chill it in the fridge for 30 minutes before shaping the cookies.

Can I use regular whole wheat flour instead of white whole wheat?

Sure! Regular whole wheat flour will work, but it might make the cookies a little denser and give them a slightly nuttier flavor. Your family will still love them!

How do I know when the cookies are done?

The edges should look set but the cookies should still be very pale. They might look a little underdone, but that’s exactly what you want for soft cookies!

I hope you and your family love these soft sugar cookies as much as mine does! They’re perfect for any occasion and always disappear fast. Let me know how yours turn out – I love hearing about your baking adventures!