Chewy, soft sugar cookies are full of sweet flavor and taste just like the ones at your favorite bakery. These easy drop cookies are perfect for decorating, too!
In the bowl of your stand mixer add the softened butter and the sugar.
Mix until light and fluffy with the paddle attachment.
Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until well mixed.
In a medium bowl add the flour, salt, baking soda and baking powder.
Blend together with a whisk, then add to the butter mixture with the mixer on low.
Once ingredients are blended in don’t mix any more - you don’t want to over blend this dough. It develops gluten and the cookies will be tough.
Line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper then drop the dough with a cookie scoop, 2” apart. Use a bigger scoop for larger cookies.
Bake for 8- 10 minutes, remove from oven, allow to sit for 5 minutes then move to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
Notes
Storage:Store undecorated cookies in an airtight container for up to one week at room temperature.Freeze cookies baked or unbaked for up to 3 months.Tips:
Cookie recipes like this one use basic ingredients, so the quality of those ingredients makes a world of a difference! Splurge on good unsalted butter—the best one you can buy. You'll thank me, later!
The recipe says "room temperature butter" not "soft butter" for a reason! Be careful that your butter doesn't get too melty.
Don't be afraid to beat the creamed mixture really well. This incorporates air into the butter and sugar, creating lighter, fluffier sugar cookies—just like they're from the bakery.
On the other hand, once you add the flour mixture, just combine it with a rubber spatula or the paddle until it all comes together. Any more than that and you'll have tough cookies.
I like to line baking sheets with parchment paper when making classic sugar cookies so that the subtle flavors aren't affected by the patina of the pan. You can also use a silicone mat if you have one!
If your kitchen is really warm, pop the baking sheet with sugar cookie dough balls into the fridge for a few minutes while your oven heats. Warm dough spreads more quickly in the oven, so the cookies will be a bit thicker if you chill them a little before baking.
For a chewy, but soft cookie, bake just until they're golden brown all over. They'll continue to set up and harden a little after removing them from the oven, so don't be nervous if they seem a little bit soft at first.
Cookie decorating bars make birthday parties so much more exciting! Bake and cool these sugar cookies, then set out frosting and lots of different sprinkles so the kids can decorate their own desserts!
Remember, if you decorate your cookies with icing that requires refrigeration (like cream cheese frosting) you'll have to refrigerate the cookie leftovers, rather than storing them at room temperature.