Recipe

Fresh Sugar Cookies Recipe

Soft centers, crisp edges, and a buttery vanilla bite that stays sweet and simple. No fancy ingredients, just reliable cookies you will want to bake on repeat.

By Matt Campbell

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4.9

A tray of freshly baked sugar cookies with lightly golden edges cooling on a wire rack in a bright home kitchen

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Some recipes are a whole production, and some are a calm little win you can bake on a random Tuesday. These fresh sugar cookies live in the second category. They are buttery, vanilla-forward, and just structured enough to hold their shape while still staying soft in the middle with those crisp, golden edges that make you reach for “just one more.”

I kept this recipe straightforward on purpose. No specialty extracts. No complicated chilling schedule. Just a dependable dough that you can roll, portion, bake, and immediately feel like the kitchen smells better and life is slightly more under control.

Cookie dough being scooped with a cookie scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet on a wooden counter

Why It Works

Balanced texture: This dough is relatively high in sugar, which encourages spread and crisp edges, while the egg and a touch of cornstarch help keep the centers tender.
No drama mixing: Creaming butter and sugar properly builds the base so you get lift without needing complicated techniques.
Consistent bake: A quick chill firms the dough so cookies spread just enough, not into one giant cookie pancake.
Big flavor with basics: Vanilla, salt, and browned edges do the heavy lifting. Simple ingredients, maximum payoff.

Pairs Well With

Storage Tips

Keep Them Fresh

Room temperature (best for texture): Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Add a slice of sandwich bread to the container if you want to keep them extra soft. The cookies should not taste like bread; it just helps regulate moisture.

Freeze baked cookies: Layer with parchment in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.

Freeze the dough: Scoop dough into balls, freeze on a sheet pan until firm, then bag. Freeze for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.

Total time note: Total time includes a short chill and cooling on the pan.

Common Questions

Do I really need to chill the dough?

You do not have to, but chilling for 20 to 30 minutes helps the butter firm up so the cookies spread less and bake thicker with cleaner edges. If your kitchen is warm, chilling is a huge help.

Why both baking powder and baking soda?

Baking powder gives the cookies dependable lift, while a small amount of baking soda helps with browning and spread so you get crisp edges without turning cakey.

Can I make these as cut-out sugar cookies?

This dough is designed for scoop-and-bake cookies. For sharp cut-outs that hold intricate shapes, you typically want a slightly firmer dough with less spread. That said, you can roll and cut simple shapes if you chill the dough well and keep the cut-outs thick, about 1/4 inch.

Why did my cookies come out flat?

Common culprits: butter too warm, dough not chilled, baking sheet still hot from a previous batch, or over-beating long enough that the butter warms up and the dough loosens. Chill the dough, use cool pans, and bake until the edges are set and lightly golden.

Can I reduce the sugar?

A little, yes, but sugar is not just sweetness here. It affects spread, crispness, and browning. If you reduce it too much, the texture changes. If you want less sweetness, try adding a touch more salt or serving with unsweetened coffee or tea.

How do I know when they are done?

Look for set edges with light golden color and centers that look just barely underdone. They will finish setting on the pan as they cool.

Matt Campbell

I have always had a huge passion for the culinary arts, people, working as a team, and so on. I wanted to pursue my love for cooking initially at Virginia Commonwealth University with a culinary arts degree; however, I instead decided to apply myself and acquire more practical skills. My end goal is to eventually open my own restaurant or similar establishment.

Kitchen Essentials

Mixing bowls
Hand mixer or stand mixer
Measuring cups and spoons
Rubber spatula
Cookie scoop (2 tablespoon size) or tablespoon
Sheet pans
Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
Wire cooling rack

I started making sugar cookies the way I make a lot of “simple” recipes: I assumed they would be easy, then got humbled by a tray of buttery puddles. The fix was not fancy. It was learning the small stuff, like chilling the dough when the kitchen is warm, salting the dough enough to make the vanilla pop, and pulling the cookies when they look slightly underdone. Now these are my default comfort bake, the kind I make when I want the house to smell like a win and I do not feel like fighting with a complicated dessert.