Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
These soft and chewy sugar cookies have crisp edges and buttery, tender centers. One bowl, no mixer, and no chilling needed.
They bake up in about 12 minutes with a crackly sugar top and a flavor that reminds you of old fashioned snickerdoodles, just without the cinnamon.
Why These Cookies Stay So Chewy
Melted butter keeps the crumb extra soft while a touch of cream of tartar adds that classic tang and helps them hold moisture for days. Rolling the balls in sugar before baking gives them that signature crackle with every bite.
The dough comes together quickly by hand. You can have a warm batch on the table in under half an hour.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly: melted but no longer hot so it doesn’t cook the egg
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, plus more for rolling: gives the cookie its crisp edges
- 1 large egg: pulls the dough together
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract: use pure vanilla if you have it
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour: spooned and leveled, not scooped
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar: the secret to a chewy, tangy cookie
- ½ teaspoon baking soda: helps the cookies spread and rise just enough
- ½ teaspoon salt: balances the sweetness
Variations / Substitutions
- Add citrus zest: 1 teaspoon lemon or orange zest folded in with the wet ingredients brightens the whole cookie.
- Make them almond: swap the vanilla for 1 teaspoon almond extract and press a sliced almond into the top of each dough ball.
- Go full snickerdoodle: roll the balls in a mix of ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon instead of plain sugar.
- Use brown sugar: replace half the granulated sugar with light brown sugar for an even chewier, deeper flavored cookie. The texture stays soft with a hint of caramel.
For a classic cinnamon version, try my Snickerdoodle recipe.
How to Make Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Mix the Wet Ingredients
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter and 1 ½ cups sugar. You’ll see the mixture lighten and become smooth after about 1 minute of whisking.
Whisk in the egg and vanilla until the whole thing looks glossy and uniform. The butter warmth will thin the batter just enough to make it easy to work with.
Step 2: Stir in the Dry Ingredients
Add the 2 ½ cups flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt right into the wet bowl. Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to stir everything together until no streaks of flour remain, which takes about 1 minute.
The dough will be soft and a little sticky. Stop mixing as soon as it comes together, overworking it can make the cookies tough instead of tender.
Step 3: Scoop and Roll the Dough
Pour a few tablespoons of extra sugar into a shallow bowl. Using a medium cookie scoop or a spoon, portion out rounded tablespoons of dough (a generous 1 ½ tablespoon each). Roll each into a ball with your hands, then tumble it in the sugar to coat.
Place the sugar coated balls at least 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. The dough doesn’t spread aggressively, but giving them room helps the edges crisp evenly.
Step 4: Bake Until Pale Gold
Slide the sheets into the oven and bake for 11 to 13 minutes. Rotate the pans halfway through so the cookies color evenly. The cookies are done when the edges are set and lightly golden, while the centers look puffed and crackled but still pale.
Don’t wait for the whole cookie to turn golden, the tops will stay soft and light. Overbaking even by a minute can push them from chewy to crisp.
Step 5: Cool and Serve the Cookies
Leave the cookies on the hot baking sheets for 5 minutes, then use a spatula to transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. They will firm up as they cool while the insides stay tender.
Pile them onto a plate while they’re still slightly warm. The sugar coating will glisten and the first bite melts into a soft, chewy center.
A Few Notes Before You Start
- Weigh your flour if you can (2 ½ cups equals about 315g). Using too much flour is the quickest way to a dry, cakey cookie.
- A cookie scoop makes portioning fast and keeps the cookies the same size so they bake evenly.
- If your kitchen is very hot and the dough feels greasy, pop the bowl in the fridge for 10 minutes before scooping. This is not required but helps if the butter was extra warm.
- Store the cookies with a slice of plain bread in the container to keep them soft longer. Replace the bread after a day.
Make more for a crowd:
| For a batch of | Cookies | Butter | Sugar | Flour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Single | 24 | 1 cup (2 sticks) | 1 ½ cups | 2 ½ cups |
| Double | 48 | 2 cups (4 sticks) | 3 cups | 5 cups |
For the double batch, simply double the egg, vanilla, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt as well.
Storing Leftover Cookies
Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they’ll stay soft and chewy for up to 5 days. The texture is best within the first 3 days.
To freeze the dough, scoop the balls onto a tray without rolling in sugar and freeze until solid. Transfer to a zip top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, roll the frozen balls in sugar and bake straight from the freezer, adding 2 to 3 extra minutes to the bake time.
What to Serve With Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
A cold glass of milk is the classic choice, the fat cuts the sweetness and the cool sip feels just right with a warm cookie. Vanilla ice cream makes a quick ice cream sandwich if you’re feeling indulgent. A mug of black coffee or hot chocolate in the afternoon turns a simple cookie into a little moment of comfort.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to chill the dough?
No. This dough is designed to bake right away without chilling. The melted butter and the ratio of flour keep the cookies from spreading too thin.
Can I use brown sugar?
Yes. Replacing half of the granulated sugar with light brown sugar gives you a chewier, slightly caramelly cookie. The flavor will be deeper and the centers even softer.
Can I freeze these cookies after baking?
Yes. Let them cool completely, then layer them between sheets of wax paper in an airtight container. They freeze well for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Why didn’t my cookies get crackly tops?
Rolling the dough balls in granulated sugar before baking is what creates that crackled surface. If you skip the sugar coating, the tops will be smooth but the cookie will still taste great.
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter and 1 ½ cups sugar until smooth, then whisk in the egg and vanilla.
- Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Stir just until no streaks of flour remain.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough. Roll into balls, coat in the extra sugar, and place 2 inches apart on the sheets.
- Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, rotating the pans halfway, until the edges are set and tops are crackled.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve.
