Soft Sugar Cookies
These soft sugar cookies bake up tender in the center with lightly crisp, sparkly edges every single time, thanks to a sugar coating that creates a signature crackle and shine.
Equipment
- Stand mixer - or a sturdy bowl and spoon for creaming the butter and sugar
- Glass mixing bowls - one large for the dough, one small for the rolling sugar
- Measuring cups and spoons - for accurate portions
- Parchment paper - to line the sheets and prevent sticking
- Silicone Baking Mat - as a reusable alternative to parchment (optional)
- Wire cooling rack - so the bottoms do not steam and turn soggy
- Oven thermometer - to confirm your oven runs at the true temperature (optional)
- Cookie scoop - 1.5 tablespoon size, for even portions (optional)
- Baking sheets - two sheets, heavy natural aluminum recommended
Ingredients
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour - 345 g, spooned and leveled or weighed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder - check that it is fresh
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter - 226 g, softened to room temperature, soft enough to dent but not greasy
- 1½ cups granulated sugar - 300 g, for the dough
- 1 large egg - at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract - avoid imitation if possible
- ½ teaspoon pure almond extract - optional, adds a subtle bakery-style note
- ¼ cup granulated sugar - 50 g, for rolling the dough balls before baking
Instructions
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Pour the ¼ cup (50 g) of granulated sugar for rolling into a small shallow bowl and set it near your work area.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt for a full 20 to 30 seconds so the leaveners and salt are evenly distributed.
- Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to a large bowl or stand mixer. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes until pale, light, and noticeably fluffy, scraping down the sides at least once.
- Add the room-temperature egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract if using. Beat on medium just until smooth and uniform, about 30 to 45 seconds, then scrape down the bowl.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions. Mix on low speed or fold by hand just until no dry flour streaks remain, stopping as soon as the dough comes together.
- Scoop the dough into balls of about 1.5 tablespoons each, roughly 24 total. Roll each ball smooth between your palms, then roll through the granulated sugar to coat.
- Place the sugared balls on the lined sheets, spacing them about 2 inches (5 cm) apart to allow for spread.
- Bake one sheet at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look puffed with faint cracks. The centers should still look slightly soft and underdone.
- Let the cookies rest on the hot baking sheet for 5 minutes so they finish setting, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with the second sheet, re-sugaring any dough balls that have sat long enough to absorb their coating.
Notes
- Measure flour correctly. Spoon it into the cup and level it off, or weigh it. Weighing the flour makes a bigger difference in this recipe than in almost any other cookie, because there are no chips or oats to hide a heavy hand.
- Get the butter temperature right. It should be cool room temperature, soft enough to dent with a finger but not shiny or melty.
- Do not skip the creaming time. Beating the butter and sugar for a few minutes traps air, which is what lifts the cookies.
- Keep a bowl of sugar handy for re-rolling. Dough balls that wait their turn soak up their first coat and need a quick second roll.
- Bake one sheet at a time. A single sheet on the center rack browns more evenly than two sheets fighting for heat.
- Pull them early. They will look underdone in the center, and that is correct. Carryover heat on the pan finishes them.
- Tap the pan for crackly tops. Gently rapping the sheet on the counter halfway through baking encourages that pretty crinkled surface.
- Rotate if needed. If your oven has hot spots, turn the pan front to back at the halfway mark.
- Storage: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. A slice of sandwich bread tucked into the container helps them stay soft. Do not refrigerate, as it dries them out.
- Freezing: Baked cookies freeze well for up to 3 months layered between parchment. Scooped dough balls can be frozen solid on a tray, then bagged and baked from frozen with 1 to 2 extra minutes.
- Make-ahead: The dough can be covered and refrigerated for up to 3 days. Let it sit out for 15 to 20 minutes before scooping if it is too firm.
- Reheating: Warm a cookie in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds to bring back that fresh-from-the-oven softness.
Nutrition
Serving: 1CookieCalories: 145kcalCarbohydrates: 22gProtein: 1.5gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3.5gCholesterol: 22mgSodium: 95mgSugar: 13g
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