Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe

I just nailed a Big Chewy Sugar Cookies recipe that stays soft days later and tastes like buttered vanilla, and the simplicity is almost criminal.

I’m obsessed with these chewy sugar cookies. I love how they stay thick and soft, like Big Chewy Sugar Cookies should be, with a buttery snap from the unsalted butter and a big hit of vanilla extract.

No frosting needed. These are my go-to when I want Easy Cookie Recipes For Beginners that actually taste like something real.

But don’t expect fussy bakery vibes. They look homemade, they taste like sugar and butter and vanilla, and they make people stop talking.

Seriously. If you want a cookie that’s simple and wildly satisfying, this one nails it.

No fuss, just satisfaction.

Ingredients

• Basically gives structure and soft chew, it’s the cookie’s backbone.
• Adds gentle lift so cookies aren’t flat and heavy.
• Helps browning and spread for thin, crinkly edges.
• Just a pinch that makes sweetness pop and balances things.
• Makes them rich and tender, gives that melt-in-your-mouth feel.
• Creates crisp edges and straightforward sweetness, a little crunch.
• Plus adds chewiness and a warm, caramel-like moisture.
• Binds everything together so the dough isn’t crumbly.
• Basically adds warm aroma and that classic cookie flavor.
• Optional crunchy sparkle on top, pretty and fun to bite.

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour (about 281 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g)
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g)
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• Optional: 1/4 cup coarse or sanding sugar for rolling

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.

2. Whisk together 2 1/4 cups (about 281 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt in a bowl; set aside.

3. In a large bowl beat 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) softened unsalted butter with 3/4 cup granulated sugar (150 g) and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar (100 g) until the mixture is light and a bit fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes; scrape the bowl down once or twice. Room temp butter is key, or you’ll get lumpy dough.

4. Add 1 large egg and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix until combined, just don’t overbeat.

5. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined; the dough should be soft and slightly sticky. Overmixing will make the cookies tough.

6. Scoop tablespoon-size portions of dough with a cookie scoop or spoon, roll lightly into balls and, if using, roll each ball in 1/4 cup coarse or sanding sugar to coat. If dough is too sticky to handle chill for 10 minutes, but this recipe usually needs no chill.

7. Place the dough balls 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets and gently flatten each ball with the palm of your hand or the bottom of a glass to about 1/2 inch thickness.

8. Bake 9 to 11 minutes, rotating pans halfway, until edges are set and bottoms are just turning golden but centers still look slightly soft. They finish firming up as they cool.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. Two baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Large mixing bowl and a medium bowl for dry ingredients
4. Whisk for dry ingredients and measuring, and a rubber spatula for scraping the bowl
5. Electric mixer or sturdy wooden spoon for creaming the butter and sugars
6. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you want accuracy
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon and a spoon for rolling the dough into balls
8. Flat-bottomed glass or your palm to gently flatten the cookies before baking
9. Wire cooling rack and a thin spatula to transfer cookies without breaking them

FAQ

Chewy Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap with a 1 to 1 gluten free baking blend (use same weight, about 281 g). Cookies will be a little more crumbly but still chewy if you chill the dough first.
• Unsalted butter: use solid coconut oil at 90% of the butter weight (about 203 g). Flavor will be slightly coconutty, and dough may spread more so chill before baking.
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar: make a quick substitute by mixing 1/2 cup granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses, pack it like brown sugar. Gives almost the same moisture and flavor.
• 1 large egg: use 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit 5 minutes to gel. Cookies will be a touch denser but still tasty and vegan friendly.

Pro Tips

1) Chill the dough briefly if it feels too sticky to handle. Even 10 minutes in the fridge makes it way easier to roll and gives cleaner edges, but don’t let it get rock hard or the cookies will spread less.

2) Weigh the flour if you can. Spoon it into the cup and level it off or better yet use a scale. Too much flour = dry, cakey cookies, and most cup measurements pack in extra.

3) Watch the bake time, not the clock. Pull them when edges are set and centers still look a tad soft. They’ll finish on the sheet and you won’t end up with dry, overbaked cookies.

4) Use room temp butter and don’t overmix once the flour goes in. If you overbeat you’ll develop gluten and end up with tough cookies. Mix just until combined, even if there’s a few streaks left.