Amazing soft sugar cookies: 160 Calorie Joy

Oh, I know the struggle, friend. You spend all that time mixing and rolling, only for your beautiful holiday shapes to spread into sad, thin pancakes when they hit the heat. It’s the absolute worst, right? Well, toss out those flat-cookie recipes! My goal here at Carla’s Cooking is to bring you comfort, and nothing is cozier than a perfect batch of **soft sugar cookies**. I developed this particular recipe after years of trying to get my grandmother’s classic tenderness while still needing shapes that held up for decorating. Trust me, this version gives you those wonderfully thick, **melt in your mouth cookies** that stay soft for days. We’re aiming for soft centers but strong enough edges to hold all that pretty royal icing. Let’s get baking!

I remember standing on a stool watching my grandmother make her simple treats; she taught me that baking is just love you can eat. These ultimate **soft sugar cookies** are my way of sharing that love right back to you, using simple ingredients for truly dependable results. If you want to see how I usually frost them, check out my guide on soft and buttery sugar cookies with icing!

Why This is the Ultimate Recipe for Soft Sugar Cookies

So, what makes these the only version you’ll ever need? It all comes down to balancing two things everyone wants: incredible, **melt in your mouth cookies** texture, and shapes that actually stay put for decorating. We’ve cracked the code on both!

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Achieving That Perfect Melt in Your Mouth Texture

The secret to that incredible softness that lasts is all in the creaming. When you beat the butter and sugar together until they’re perfectly light and fluffy, you’re actually trapping tiny air pockets in there. Those pockets expand in the oven, giving you a tender cookie instead of a hard, flat disc. It’s simple, but it makes all the difference in the world!

The Secret to Decorate Ready Soft Sugar Cookies

Here’s the deal: you can have soft cookies, or you can have perfect cutouts, but usually, you can’t have both without a little planning. That’s why chilling your dough is non-negotiable here. If you skip chilling, you get spreading, and those beautiful shapes turn into blobs. Chilling creates **no spread sugar cookies**, giving you those thick, satisfying **soft sugar cookies** you see in bakeries, ready for your art!

If you want to get started on perfect icing once these are cooled down, I have a great tutorial on making my easy royal icing recipe.

Ingredients for Perfect Soft Sugar Cookies

Okay, now that we know why these cookies work their magic, let’s talk about what you need to pull them together. I’ve kept this recipe using only pantry staples—nothing fancy, I promise! Getting the balance right in these **buttery vanilla cookies** is key to that supreme softness we are chasing.

We are making two groups of ingredients here. Get everything measured out and ready before you even turn on the mixer. This prevents that frantic searching midway through the creaming process!

Dry Ingredients Clarity

For the dry stuff, it’s straightforward. You’ll need 2 1/4 cups of all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Now, seriously, measure your flour correctly! If you scoop the measuring cup straight into the bag, you end up packing it too tight, and that just leads to tough cookies. Spoon the flour into your cup gently and level it off with a knife. That little bit of effort ensures your cookie has the right structure for tenderness.

Wet Ingredients for Buttery Vanilla Cookies

This is where a lot of flavor lives! You need 1 cup of unsalted butter—and yeah, it has to be real butter, softened, not melted. We are mixing that with 1 1/2 cups of granulated sugar until it’s light. Then comes 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract, and here’s my little trick for that **bakery style sugar cookie** depth: 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.

Don’t balk at the almond extract if you’re worried it will taste like marzipan! It just rounds out the vanilla perfectly and gives you that rich, complex flavor the store-bought cookies can’t touch. It’s optional, but if you want the best flavor, throw it in!

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How to Prepare Easy Homemade Sugar Cookies

This is where the rubber meets the road! Don’t worry, since we prepped our ingredients, this whole process moves super fast. Remember, we are aiming for **easy homemade sugar cookies**, but we have to pay attention during the mixing phase to keep them tender.

Mixing the Dough for Tender Vanilla Cookies

First things first, take your dry mixture (flour, soda, salt) and whisk it up nice in a medium bowl. Set that aside for just a second. Now, grab your big bowl for the wet stuff. Beat that softened butter and all that sugar together for a good three minutes until it looks genuinely light and fluffy—don’t rush this part! Then, toss in the egg and both extracts until they’re just blended in. Once you add the dry ingredients back in, you switch to low speed and mix only until there are no white streaks left. Stop! Seriously, stop mixing right there to avoid tough **tender vanilla cookies**.

If you want a great example of another simple dough using a hand mixer, check out my recipe for easy crispy homemade cheese crackers!

The Essential Chill Time for No Spread Sugar Cookies

This is honestly the most important step for getting those clean edges and thick centers. Once the dough comes together, split it into two disks, wrap ’em tight in plastic wrap, and shove them into the fridge for at least an hour. If you try to roll it out warm, they will spread like crazy, and we won’t get those gorgeous, thick **soft sugar cookies** we deserve. Chilling stabilizes the dough structure, making them the ultimate **no spread sugar cookies** when they bake.

Rolling, Cutting, and Baking Your Soft Sugar Cookies

Once chilled, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line up your sheets with parchment paper—it saves cleanup time, trust me. Roll that dough out to about 1/4 inch thick on a lightly floured surface and start cutting! Place them about an inch apart on your sheet. Now, for the baking visual: you are looking for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should look solid, but you want the centers to still look pale and maybe just a little soft when you pull them out. They firm up as they sit!

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Tips for Success When Making Soft Sugar Cookies

We want these to be the absolute best! Since you’ve nailed the mixing and the chilling, these last few tips are just about fine-tuning that texture so your cookies are perfect straight out of the oven and stay that way for days. My grandmother always said that the difference between a good cookie and a great cookie is what you do after it comes out of the heat!

Don’t forget, if you’re looking for another fantastic moist bake with amazing vanilla notes, you have to try my moist cinnamon swirl apple bread. It’s just as comforting!

Do Not Overbake Your Soft Sugar Cookies

Listen to me on this one: these cookies need to look slightly underdone when you pull them out. I mean it! If you wait until they look perfectly golden brown across the whole surface, by the time they cool down on the sheet (which is where they actually finish cooking), you’ll end up with crunchy edges and centers that taste dried out. Pull them when the edges are just set and the centers still look pale white or slightly soft. That slight underbake is what guarantees that beautiful inner chewiness.

Maintaining Moisture for Long-Lasting Soft Sugar Cookies

You asked for **soft sugar cookies** that stay tender for days, and I have the little trick that answers that need perfectly. Once these have cooled completely on the rack, store them right away in an airtight container. If you want them to stay soft—like, truly pillowy soft—tuck a slice of fresh white bread right in there with them. The cookies will gently steal the moisture from the bread, keeping your **tender vanilla cookies** perfectly fresh all week long. You can also use a small slice of apple, but change it out every day or so.

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Storage and Reheating Instructions for Chewy Sugar Cookies

Keeping these **chewy sugar cookies** soft is easy if you follow the bread trick I mentioned earlier! For best results, store them airtight at room temperature for up to five days. Honestly, they taste best on day two, in my opinion! If you have extra and want to save them for a future weekend baking project, you absolutely can freeze them.

Just make sure they are cooled completely first. You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment layers between them for up to three months. When you want one, just let it sit on the counter for about 20 minutes, and you’ve got a perfectly soft treat!

Serving Suggestions for Tender Vanilla Cookies

Now that you’ve made the perfect batch of **tender vanilla cookies**, the real fun begins: eating them! They are honestly fantastic just plain, warm from the cooling rack, letting that rich, **buttery vanilla cookie** flavor shine through. But if you want to dress them up a little without resorting to heavy icing, I’ve got a few easy ideas that fit right into my philosophy of simple, joyful baking.

For a really cozy afternoon treat, you cannot beat pairing one of these **easy homemade sugar cookies** with a piping hot mug of something deep and chocolatey. I always love making my perfect hot cocoa when I have these on hand—the buttery flavor just melts right into the chocolatey richness.

If you’re having these mid-morning, a simple glass of cold milk works beautifully, bringing you right back to sweet childhood memories. And honestly? Sometimes these **soft sugar cookies** are the best base for just a light dusting of powdered sugar if you need something quick but elegant for company.

Frequently Asked Questions About Soft Sugar Cookies

I know you might have a few last-minute questions before you dive into your mixer! That’s totally normal when you’re trying to get the texture just right. I’ve gathered up the most common ones I get about making these **tender vanilla cookies** perfect every time. If you’re already feeling like a pro, you might want to check out my classic snickerdoodle recipe next!

Can I make these soft sugar cookies without chilling the dough?

Oh, honey, I really wish you could, but the short answer is no, you really can’t skip chilling for this specific recipe. If you jump straight to cutting them out while the dough is warm, you end up with thin, flat cookies that spread out instead of staying thick and lovely. Chilling is what locks in the fat and flour structure, ensuring you get those beautifully thick, **soft sugar cookies** that hold their shape when baked.

What is the best frosting for these buttery vanilla cookies?

Because these are such rich, **buttery vanilla cookies** on their own, you can actually keep the frosting super simple! I always go for a classic American buttercream—it’s easy and satisfying. If you plan on doing intricate designs or you need the frosting to dry hard for stacking, then my quick royal icing is your best bet. Since these cookies are perfectly shaped and ready, they shine beautifully with any type of icing you choose!

Estimating Nutrition for Your Soft Sugar Cookies

I always get asked about the nutrition facts, especially since these **soft sugar cookies** are so addictive! While my kitchen isn’t a certified lab, I’ve run the numbers using the ingredients list so you have a general idea of what a serving looks like. Remember, this is based on the recipe yielding 24 cookies, and those numbers can definitely shift if you roll your dough thicker or use a heavier hand with the frosting later on!

I believe in transparency, so here are the estimates I calculated:

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 160
• Total Fat: 8g (with 5g Saturated)
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Sugar: 15g
• Protein: 2g

As typical with most treats, the sugar and fat content is where most of those calories come from! My main advice here is to enjoy them mindfully—they are meant to be a comforting, occasional treat, not an everyday staple. If you’re keen on making them lighter, you might try swapping half the butter for applesauce, but I won’t lie, it will definitely affect that perfect **melt in your mouth cookies** texture we worked so hard to achieve!

Share Your Ultimate Cookie Texture Results

Wow, we did it! You now have the blueprint for **soft sugar cookies** that taste like they came straight from a high-end bakery, but you made them right there in your own kitchen. That’s what I love most about sharing these recipes—taking something that seems complicated and making it totally achievable!

Now, I am dying to know how they turned out for you. Did you manage to keep that amazing, pillowy center? Did your cutouts hold their shape perfectly for your holiday decorating session? I genuinely want to see what you’ve created!

When you finish baking, please hop back here to this post and leave me a quick rating right down at the bottom. Five stars if you agree these are the **best sugar cookies ever**! And if you shared your gorgeous creations on Instagram or Facebook, tag me using my handle so I can admire your work. Tagging me is the absolute best way to let me know you found success with these **tender vanilla cookies**.

If you’re looking for your next weekend baking project—maybe something with a bit more spice, or perhaps another simple dessert treat—you can always browse my full collection of recipes over on the Carla’s Cooking blog! Happy baking, friend!

The Ultimate Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookie Recipe That Holds Its Shape Perfectly

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Welcome to my kitchen! This recipe delivers the softest, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies that stay tender for days. They are easy to make and hold their shape beautifully for cutouts and decorating.

• Author: Carla Davis
• Prep Time: 20 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Total Time: 1 hour 30 min
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

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• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, for depth of flavor)

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Instructions

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this dry mixture aside.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. This step incorporates air for a tender cookie.
3. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until just combined. If using, add the almond extract now. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix the dough.
5. Divide the dough in half. Flatten each half into a disk, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Chilling is crucial for shape retention.
6. Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disk of chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out shapes.
8. Place the cut-out cookies onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
9. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The edges should look set, but the centers should still look slightly pale and soft. For thicker cookies, err on the side of 8 minutes.
10. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
11. Once cool, decorate with your favorite frosting or enjoy plain for the best soft, chewy texture.

Notes

• For the softest, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, do not overbake. They firm up as they cool.
• If you skip chilling the dough, your cookies will spread significantly. Chill for at least 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
• To keep these cookies soft for days, store them in an airtight container with a slice of bread or a small piece of apple to maintain moisture.
• Using both vanilla and almond extract gives you that classic bakery style vanilla flavor.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 160
• Sugar: 15g
• Sodium: 95mg
• Fat: 8g
• Saturated Fat: 5g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 21g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 30mg