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Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

August 25, 2019

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Overhead view of Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies on a grey baking sheet.

Oh heavens, these are some really, really good cookies! I can’t (nor do I want to) even tell you how many “test bites” I’ve taken of these Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies. You know it’s a good recipe when you just can’t stop!

Close up view of a stack of Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies.

Good thing we are meeting up for dinner and swimming with friends tonight so I can share these cookies and get them out of the house!

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies have always been a favorite of mine, and these have the perfect texture and the perfect mix of flavors from the butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, and just a bit of cream of tartar.

If you’ve never had cream of tartar in cookies before, it has the magical power of adding just a bit of tang and making something that could be overly sweet balanced.

Three Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies leaning against a glass of milk on a white background.

I baked mine for about 13 minutes, and those beautifully rolled edges were just crisp, and the crackled center absolute chewy and soft. Absolute perfection!

Stack of Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies on a white and grey background.

Tips for Making Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

Use a cookie scoop to keep cookie size consistent and get an even bake on all your cookies. I used a #50, which is just over 1 1/4 tablespoons.

Be careful how you measure flour. I find it very helpful to keep my flour in a large glass canister on the kitchen counter. Pouring the flour bag into the canister when I refill the jar is like sifting it gently, and then fluffing it a few times before I scoop it out with my measuring cup ensures that it isn’t packed in but stays nice and fluffed!

It’s important not to over-mix the dough. Always mix on low speed as soon as you add the flour, and maybe just use a rubber spatula to mix by hand as your scrape down the sides at the very end. Over-mixed cookies can be tough, rather than soft and chewy.

You don’t need to chill the dough at all. But if you’d like to save some for later, just scoop them onto a paper plate, slide it into a gallon size Ziplock, and place them into the freezer until they call your name. (EAT ME!) To bake frozen dough balls, just let them thaw on the cookie sheet while the oven preheats.

Overhead view of Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies on a metal baking sheet.

I can’t wait to hear how much you all love these Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies. Your kitchen will smell amazingly cozy and sweet, and don’t be surprised if your cookies disappear quickly!

Did you make this recipe?

Please let me know how it turned out for you! Leave a comment below and share a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #lovelylittlekitchen

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Overhead view of Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies on a grey baking sheet.

Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star 4.5 from 6 reviews
  • Author: Julie
  • Prep Time: 30 minutes
  • Cook Time: 14
  • Total Time: 44 minutes
  • Yield: 2 1/2 dozen 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Bake
  • Cuisine: American
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Description

These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies are my new favorite. They have perfectly crisp edges with wonderfully chewy, crackled centers!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 3 egg yolks
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar.  Set aside.
  3. In the bowl of an electric mixer with the paddle attachment, cream butter and sugar together on medium speed until pale and fluffy.  Add egg yolks one at a time and mix.  Add vanilla and almond extracts and mix until incorporated.
  4. Mixing on low speed, add the flour mixture slowly, and mix until a dough forms.  Do not overmix.  Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the sides and mix by hand.
  5. Scoop the dough into one-inch balls (I use a #50 scoop) and roll in sugar.  Place on a baking sheet, evenly spaced apart (12 per sheet) and bake for 12-14 minutes.
  6. Allow the cookies to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to a cooling rack.  Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

This recipe is adapted from Deliciously Sprinkled’s Soft Sugar Cookies.  


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Cookie
  • Calories: 137
  • Sugar: 10g
  • Sodium: 115mg
  • Fat: 6.7g
  • Saturated Fat: 4.1g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 2.1g
  • Trans Fat: 0.3g
  • Carbohydrates: 18g
  • Fiber: 0.3g
  • Protein: 1.4g
  • Cholesterol: 35mg

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Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert

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Comments

  1. MrsSW says

    August 27, 2019 at 3:57 am

    Hi Julie – your cookies are so pretty! Who could resist having 1 or 2 or…?

    Would you please explain the picture above with the mini-muffin tin. Is it part of the recipe – is that how you got those perfect edges?

    Thanks,
    Sheila

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 27, 2019 at 8:33 am

      Hi Sheila,
      Thank you! I hope you get the chance to make these sugar cookies. Good question – the mini muffin tin is for another recipe, my mini pumpkin cheesecake muffins. Sorry if that is confusing. You can just use a regular baking sheet for the cookies, and the edges will turn out beautifully.

      Reply
      • MrsSW says

        August 27, 2019 at 6:52 pm

        Thank you. 🙂

        Sheila

        Reply
    • Amanda says

      July 6, 2024 at 1:09 pm

      These are yummy, but I think I did something wrong they were crunchy and flat. But still so good

      Reply
  2. Sharon Murawski says

    August 27, 2019 at 8:29 am

    Baked them, love them! They were exactly as you described and just how I like my cookies. 5 stars from me.

    Reply
    • Julie says

      August 27, 2019 at 8:34 am

      Hi Sharon, I’m so glad you like them too! Thank you for making my recipes. You are always such an encouragement to me.

      Reply
  3. Stephanie says

    September 1, 2019 at 10:00 am

    They were a hit in our house!!!

    Reply
    • Julie says

      September 2, 2019 at 7:57 am

      Oh yay! So glad everyone enjoyed!

      Reply
  4. Peggy says

    October 24, 2020 at 1:03 pm

    Just made these today & it’s the best sugar cookie I’ve made so far & I’m no spring chicken! 😉 my parents are loving the taste of these cookies & my brother, well let’s just say he ate more than a grown man should in one setting. Suffice it to say my family thinks these are wonderful! & so do I. Thanks for a great cookie recipe.
    Peggy

    Reply
  5. Connie says

    February 12, 2022 at 12:00 pm

    Yum. Went together easily. I used red and white sugar to roll them in since it’s close to Valentines Day. Thanks for good recipe.

    Reply
  6. Shirley says

    December 8, 2022 at 5:56 pm

    I definitely messed up somewhere because my cookies are very puffy. But the flavor is AMAZING! I’m a novice baker, so I will be trying this again and hopefully get it just right next time! ☺️

    Reply
    • Julie says

      December 8, 2022 at 5:59 pm

      I’m glad you like them. Maybe just a bit too much flour if they didn’t spread out when baked. Happy to hear you will try again!

      Reply
    • Emily says

      January 16, 2024 at 12:38 pm

      Use the spoon method for the flour, that’s where you use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup to prevent it packing in, then a butter knife to scrape the excess off.

      Reply
  7. sheryl says

    December 26, 2022 at 8:52 pm

    These are delicious. And this is the first sugar cookie recipe I’ve made that doesn’t require rolling the cookie in sugar and then pressing it flat with a glass; they flattened beautifully on their own.

    Reply
  8. Kelly Lindman says

    December 21, 2023 at 8:58 pm

    I tried several sugar cookie recipes and this one was the winner! These cookies are divine. The egg yolks, almond extract, and cream of tartar make the difference. Great recipe, thank you!!

    Reply
  9. Diane says

    October 11, 2024 at 8:07 pm

    Can I use this recipe for cut out cookies?

    Reply
  10. Ruth says

    March 30, 2025 at 9:27 am

    These cookies are so good!!!!!! I made a batch a couple weeks ago..and my husband is asking for more. A bit unusual for him as his favorite cookies has always been oatmeal!!!

    Reply

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Hi I'm Julie, and I spend a lot of time in my lovely little kitchen. I love gathering my family around simple delicious food. This is how I do it. Learn more →

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