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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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Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies

★★★★★ 5 from 2 reviews

Author: Julie
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 14
Total Time: 44 minutes
Yield: 2 1/2 dozen 1x

Scale

Ingredients

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

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar. Set aside.
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.
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.
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.
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