Easy Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies {No Rolling or Cutting Out!}
These soft and chewy sugar cookies are so easy and so delicious, you may never want to go to the work of rolling and cutting out sugar cookies again!
I love a good traditional, cutout sugar cookie. I really do. But you just can’t beat these amazing chewy and crackly drop sugar cookies.
Roll them in sprinkles to dress them up…or leave them plain. So delicious either way!
Chewy Drop Sugar Cookie Dough
The dough for these sugar cookies is really straightforward:
- butter
- granulated sugar (no brown sugar in these cookies!)
- egg + vanilla
- flour + baking powder + baking soda + salt
No need to whisk the dry ingredients together beforehand. Just mix everything up in one bowl!
The dough will be soft but not overly sticky.
And it tastes ridiculously delicious. Don’t ask me how I know. 😉
Sprinkles or Not
These easy soft and chewy sugar cookies are really yummy plain.
But if you want to make them a bit more festive, roll the dough in sprinkles before baking.
Non-pareil sprinkles work best. To get them to adhere to the cookie dough, roll the ball of cookie dough in sprinkles right after it’s been rolled into a round shape so it’s still soft from the warmth of your hands.
How to Fix Cookies That Flatten While Baking
If drop cookies often bake up too flat in your oven (or where you live), these tips might help:
- Make sure the butter is at room temperature and NOT overly warm or melty when making the cookie dough.
- Use cold eggs.
- Add 2-4 tablespoons more flour to the cookie dough.
- Bake at 375 degrees F or use convection bake (at 325 or 350 degrees F) if you have that setting on your oven.
Below you can see how the drop sugar cookies are slightly thicker when using a couple extra tablespoons flour in the dough. The puffiness means they are less chewy…but they are still soft and tasty.
Conversely, if your cookies aren’t flattening and stay too puffy, try decreasing the oven temperature to 325 degrees F and/or decrease flour by 1/4 cup.
Favorite Sugar Cookie
I can’t tell you the number of times these soft and chewy drop sugar cookies have saved me when a sugar cookie craving hits (that happens more often than I like to admit) or when I’ve needed a fast, quick, delicious cookie to save the day.
LOVE THEM.
They are reminiscent of the crackly, thin, chewy sugar cookies from Subway…but a million times better.
Tried-and-True Recipe
These soft and chewy drop sugar cookies have garnered a huge fan base over the years. Over 1,000 five-star reviews prove they are a keeper!
Kim writes: Probably the best sugar cookies I have found. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Marie says: This is an amazing recipe, Mel! Had to go gluten free due to allergies and used King Arthur measure for measure and we couldn’t believe how good it was! Thank you for giving exact measurements; takes the guessing out and so easy with a scale! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Liz writes: I love this recipe! Soft, chewy, delicious, easy. Can’t get any better than that. I highly recommend this recipe. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
One Year Ago: White Velvet Sugar Cookies
Two Years Ago: Winter Minestrone Soup with Garlic Bruschetta
Three Years Ago: Curried Lentil and Sausage Soup with Toasted Almonds
Four Years Ago: No-Bake Berry Yogurt Cheesecakes
Five Years Ago: Nutella and Strawberry Stuffed French Toast
Soft and Chewy Drop Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened to cool room temperature
- 1 ⅓ cups (283 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour (see note!)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- Additional granulated sugar or sprinkles, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (see note). Line two large, rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with cooking spray.
- In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until lightly and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix again for 1-2 minutes until the batter lightens in color. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
- Scoop the cookie dough into rounded balls (about 2 tablespoons in size; I use my #40 cookie scoop), roll in granulated sugar or sprinkles and place on the prepared baking sheets a couple inches apart (about 12 cookies per baking sheet).
- Bake for 11-13 minutes until slightly crackly on top (but not much color around the edges or bottom to keep them soft and chewy).
- Let the cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Best Ever!! And so very easy! Made them twice this Christmas.. i had to decrease flour and they turned out perfect.. I usually skip the rolling them in sugar/sprinkles option and put caramel buttercream on them.. Top with christmas sprinkles for a vintage look vibe.. thanks so much for sharing!
These Sugar cookies are by far the best I’ve ever made. They are simply delicious . My family loved them. I rolled some in sugar and some in sprinkles. Either way they are really good. Thank you for this recipe.
Honestly, the best sugar cookie I have ever made. And I’ve been baking since 1970 ! No more cut out cookies for me, these are my go to from now on.
I did chill the dough about 45 minutes as I don’t have a cookie scoop. I rolled them into walnut size balls and dipped them in vanilla bean sugar. They taste like toasted marshmallows.
I made the recipe as written, baked at 350° about 12-14 minutes.
Thank you for this amazing recipe ❤️
Can the dough be chilled and/or frozen? I want to make the dough a day ahead of time. I’m sorry if I missed this information somewhere.
Yes, the dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge or freezer – if doing so, I think it’s easiest to form the cookie into balls before refrigerating or freezing.
Can you double the ingredients? I need A LOT of cookies. These cookies are absolutely perfect, every time. I’ve never doubled the recipe, and I’d rather ask before I attempt. Thanks
Yes, this recipe doubles great!
Can you freeze these cookies?
Yes, they freeze well.
My husband doesn’t like cookies much, and sugar is his least favorite. However, he tried these when my kids and I made them together and he really, really enjoyed them. I loved how soft they turned out and still held well to all the icing and decorations my kids piled onto theirs. Best recipe I’ve found.
These are amazing and so easy! Love that you add measurements for us. Takes the guess work out. BTW, the flour measurement you use per cup (as opposed to King Arthur’s 120g) works perfect.
My daughter and I made these cookies today and they were amazing! Thank you so much for this recipe! We have tried so many but these were perfection!
my fave cookie recipie.
What can I do to make these in high altitude? We love chewy cookies
Hi Nikki – your best bet is probably to google some high altitude baking suggestions (I don’t live at high altitude so I haven’t made these at high alt). Usually adding a few tablespoons more flour can help.
Perfection ! I cooked them in convection oven at 350 (325) for 11 mins. I also added 2 tablespoons more of flour . They were soft , fluffy and delicious!
I took these cookies to work last year with Christmas sprinkles and now that it’s December 1st my coworkers are begging me to bring them again.
Just made these cookies. I fortunately they didn’t spread very much in the oven. Any tips?
Try a bit less flour next time – that should do the trick.
I make these every year at Christmastime and they are a big hit!
I’m wondering if I can add white chocolate chips and chopped cranberries to this recipe.
You could definitely try! I haven’t tried add-ins with this recipe, but I think it should work pretty well.
Is the dough too soft to actually use it for cutout shapes ? I’m elderly and looking for easier,and also softer to chew Christmas cutout recipe. Thank you, Millie
Hi there! Yes, unfortunately this dough would be too soft for rolling and cutting. This recipe produces a very soft cutout cookie if you’d like to take a look: https://www.melskitchencafe.com/white-velvet-sugar-cookies/
best cookies in the world
your sugar cookie sais to use parchment paper and grease lightly, i have never heard of doing that. What is the reason to grese the paper?
It helps prevent the cookies from sticking, but you don’t have to grease the parchment if you’ve used it before for cookies and it’s worked fine not to grease it.
Yes. Although you state to throw everything together in one bowl. Even a picture but in the directions it’s the opposite. Dry ingredients are added after wet…..just like any other cookie recipe. Regardless, they are delicious!
These are amazing! I never make sugar cookies because the are all cutouts! This recipe is super easy and delicious! The best I’ve ever had!
made these twice now, recently for my school’s open house and i gave them to each of my favorite/upcoming teachers. they loved them so much, i gave the recipe to one of them, and when she made it she said that her family devoured them by afternoon
very easy to follow and very good, i did the version without extra flour and baked for 13 min (my first time baking them i did some in sprinkles, went great as well)
First time I EVER made sugar cookies from scratch and they are delish! If you can read, you can make these (trust me, I’m no baker)!!!!!
The dough was really crumbly and it wouldn’t shape into balls. Anyone else have that problem? What went wrong and how can I fix it?
I cut the recipe in half but when it came to the large egg I beat it slightly and only added 3/4 of it but the batter was a little crumbly so I just added the rest of the egg and it was fine. With the entire recipe if that happens, try mixing up another egg and only pouring a little at a time. Just the amount you need.
They came out great!
i do not have an electric mixer so my arm got a workout lol but they turned out perfect and my gf loved them
perfect!
Would this cookie dough be good to keep in the fridge in a container to make cookies the next day?
Yes, should work great!
These cookies are the most amazing thing I have ever tasted! I recommend them for everything.
I made these with the “help” of my 3 year-old granddaughter and they are amazing. The sign of a great recipe
I have been making these for years and I get so many compliments on them. They are my fav cookie!! I highly recommend rolling them in cinnamon and sugar!
Delicious-these have become my go to! Easy, delicious and everyone loves!
Very good, I added the 2 tablespoons of flour and have a really good sugar cookie, soft on the inside.
I have made this recipe three times in the last two months. The cookies are perfect, every time. I did not use sprinkles, or roll them in sugar, and they were awesome. Simple recipe, and I froze some of the dough for later. Thanks Mel!
Given I’ve made this more times than I can count I feel I owe a review – fantastic recipe. Also used it as a base for experimentation. A couple of drops of color partially mixed makes rainbow swirl cookies, added cocoa to make chocolate cookies, chocolate chips, white chocolate and pink/purple swirls to make “unicorn cookies”. Recipe has really taken to everything so far and great as original.
The cookies taste great but bottoms are greasy. I followed the recipe exactly as stated. Use spoon and level for flour. Any suggestions?
Did you let them cool completely on the baking sheet or remove them to a cooling rack? Did they spread a lot while baking?
Exactly what I was looking for. I wanted a flat soft and chewy sugar cookie and every recipe I tried they soft but chunky like cake cookies. These are delicious!
Mel, these are DIVINE and SO easy! I don’t know how I missed this recipe when you posted it previously! Yesterday, i had not one, but TWO kind neighbors come and snow blow our driveway, sidewalks, etc., after a huge storm. I opened my email and saw this recipe and knew that’s what I wanted to make for them as a thank you! They are fortunate they got any! I could have easily eaten the whole batch!! Thank you once again for sharing your awesome recipes with the world! ❤️
This recipe is almost the same as what my mom’s recipe is except uses three eggs. I started rolling dough in balls then push a Hershey’s kiss in the bottom then rolls again. You can use any flavor of kiss. I also roll balls in raw sugar, My kids loved them and are now making their own!
These have become my go-to “The kids/grandkids are coming over and I need something sweet” recipe. The kids have deemed them much better than the ones we get from Publix bakery. For me, they are easy and a great way to use the plethora of sprinkles and decor that I end up with after baking projects.
We love these, but prefer to roll them in sugar AND sprinkles before baking. If you don’t do the sugar, they don’t taste as good! The key is to barely get them done before taking them out of the oven. Even if they look underdone.
No lie. Easiest and tastiest sugar cookie. This will forever be my go to recipe.
The flavor of these cookies is wonderful. However, these cookies were great right out of the oven, but they got crispy and hard within 30 minutes. They were NOT overbaked because the edges were not even brown when I took them out of the oven. I was hoping for crispy on the outside but still chewy on the inside, but it did not happen for me. Any suggestions?
Try taking them out of the oven a bit earlier.
Try adding some cornstarch to the dough with the baking soda and powder. A tablespoon or two might do the trick.
This is an amazing recipe, Mel! Had to go gluten free due to allergies and used King Arthur measure for measure and we couldn’t believe how good it was! Thank you for giving exact measurements; takes the guessing out and so easy with a scale!
Worst sugar cookie recipe I’ve ever used. Do NOT waste your time and ingredients. There are serious issues with the ratios here.
I’m curious about what exactly happened with your cookies since it doesn’t seem like any other reviewers have had an issue with ingredient ratios.
Really enjoyed this recipe made it once a few weeks ago and about to do it again , I added crushed up mint Oreos and Christmas sprinkles and it turned out yummy. Just wondering how they do in the freezer after being made and Unthawed when taken out if it would be the same texture soft in the middle and crispy on the sides .?
They freeze great!
These are delicious and easy to make. I used Room temperature margin instead of butter, and put the dough in the freezer for about 15 minutes. The dough was still quite soft but it was very fluffy from beating.. These are to die for
Easy and delicious! Fluffy and soft. A perfect holiday or “anytime” cookie!
Very good taste crispy outside and chewy inside. Can’t wait to share them in my cookie exchange.
I scooped them and flattened them with a small glass dipped in sanding sugars. Highly recommend.
These are fantastic! I cut the recipe in half and they still came out beautifully. Wonderful soft texture and buttery taste. My favorite sugar cookie recipe yet!
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