This is the BEST sugar cookie recipe you'll ever make. In all the years that I've been making cookies, I've never had any better. With or without the sprinkles 🎉, you decide.
These homemade sugar cookies are so light and butter with a perfectly crisp edge and a melt in your mouth center. This is one Christmas cookie that I make every single year, but this cookie recipe is perfect for any time of the year.
Most of the time, I'm not really a sugar cookie person. Chocolate chip cookies are really more of my jam. But, let me tell you...THESE sugar cookies are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G!!! In all honesty, they are the world's best sugar cookies.
These sugar cookies are super light and crispy. They practically melt in your mouth.
This cookie recipe is my Grandma's recipe, it's made with simple ingredients. Sometimes I jazz it up a little bit with rainbow sprinkles. The nonpareils add a crunchy colorful bite to this simple cookie.
What You’ll Love About This Recipe
- Light and delicate. Seriously, these are melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies.
- Sweet vanilla flavor.
- Super fast and easy to make. These cookies are easy to make, they're a no-chill sugar cookie recipe so you can bake them as soon as you mix them up.
Recipe Notes
I make these easy sugar cookies for Christmas every single year. I don't usually use rainbow sprinkles when I make these as Christmas sugar cookies.
You can leave the sprinkles out entirely or use white or red and green sprinkles. Mix sprinkles into the cookie dough or simply sprinkle them on top.
Ingredients For Sugar Cookies
- Flour. I use all-purpose flour for this cookie recipe. Gluten-free flour works really well in this recipe.
- Sugar. Both granulated white sugar and powdered sugar are used in this recipe. You'll need an extra cup of sugar to roll the cookie dough balls in before baking.
- Unsalted butter and oil. Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature. The oil in the recipe is one of the things that makes these cookies so light.
- Egg. Just one egg at room temperature.
- Salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar.
- Vanilla extract. A half teaspoon of vanilla extract.
- Sprinkles. Totally optional. I used one bottle of rainbow nonpareils in the recipe. I was in a festive mood. You can buy nonpareils in a million different colors and they are a fun addition to this cookie recipe.
Special Equipment
- Cookie press. A cookie press is a super fun way to add a fancy top to these cookies. Nordic ware has the cutest designs.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350℉
While the oven is preheating prepare two baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients
Combine flour with baking soda, salt, and cream of tartar.
Step 3: Combine the sugars with the butter and oil
In a medium bowl combine the sugar mixture with the butter and oil. Beat on medium speed until they are combined. Turn the mixer up to medium-high speed and beat until the sugar mixture is light a fluffy.
Step 4: Add the vanilla and eggs, beat again
Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until the batter is light and fluffy.
Step 5: Add the flour mixture
Combine the flour mixture with the wet ingredients. Beat on medium speed until the cookie dough is combined.
If you're using sprinkles you can add them at this time.
Step 6: Drop the cookies
These are drop sugar cookies. Use a #60 cookie scoop to scoop out evenly-sized balls of dough.
Add about one cup of sugar to a bowl and drop the cookies into a bowl of sugar, toss to coat the cookie dough balls, and then place them onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.
I like to use a cookie press to give them a fun texture.
Step 5: Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes
Bake the cookies until the edges are lightly browned and crisp.
Step 6: Cool the cookies.
Recipe Variations
- With or without sprinkles. Make these sugar cookies with or without sprinkles.
- Snickerdoodles. Roll the sugar cookie dough in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar to make snickerdoodles.
- Frosted sugar cookies. Frost the sugar cookies with cream cheese frosting.
FAQs and Expert Tips
Yes, these cookies come out really well with King Arthur's gluten-free flour.
This cookie dough is too delicate to roll out. I don't recommend using it for cut-out sugar cookies.
This recipe is perfect for making Snickerdoodles. Traditional sugar cookies are rolled in sugar. To make Snickerdoodles add cinnamon to granulated sugar and roll the cookies in the cinnamon-sugar mixture before baking.
Yes, these cookies can be frozen before or after baking.
To freeze baked cookies, simply place the cookies on a baking sheet, freeze, and then store them in a freezer bag or an airtight container.
Frozen cookie dough and frozen cookies will keep several months in the freezer.
1. Scoop out each cookie with a cookie scoop and roll it in sugar.
2. Place the cookie balls on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper.
3. Freeze the cookie dough balls in a single layer on the baking sheet.
4. Once the cookie dough is frozen store them in a zip-top plastic bag until you are ready to bake them.
5. When you're ready to bake them simply let them thaw at room temperature. You can also place a few of the frozen cookie dough balls in the fridge and let them thaw overnight.
6. Bake the cookies according to the recipe card.
More Amazing Sugar Cookie Recipes
More of my Best Cookie Recipes
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie
- Chocolate Dipped Shortbread Cookies
- Double Dark Chocolate Chip Shortbread
- Peppermint Meringue Cookies
- The World's Best Chocolate Chip Cookies
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Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 egg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
Extras
- sugar for rolling
- nonpariels Optional but highly recommended
Optional Cream Cheese Frosting
- 3 ounces cream cheese softened to room temperature
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups confectioners sugar more if needed
- food coloring if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F
How To Make Sugar Cookie Dough
- Combine the dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking soda, cream of tartar) in a medium bowl and whisk together.
- Combine the sugars, the butter, and the oil. Beat until this mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and the vanilla. Beat them into the sugar and butter mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter and sugar and mix until the flour is just incorperated. Don't overmix.
- Optional: Add Sprinkles and mix in.
- Add a half cup to a cup of sugar to a bowl.
- Use a cookie scoop to form cookie dough balls. Roll each ball of dough in the granulared sugar before placing them on a lined cookie sheet.
- Gently press the cookies flat. You can use your fingers or a cookie stamp.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes.
How to Make Cream Cheese Frosting (Optional)
- Combine the cream cheese and powdered sugar in a medium bowl.
- Using a hand mixer, on low at first, blend together until the cream cheese and sugar are relateively smooth.
- Add the milk and the vanilla. Mix until they are incorporated.
- Add a few drops of food coloring if desired, mix the food coloring in.
Lisa Hatfield
My goodness, these cookies are so good! Thanks for another great baking recipe Laura.
Laura Reigel
Thank you Lisa for the awesome review.
Seanna Borrows
These cookies are the best! Super tasty!