Description
These Best Chewy Sugar Cookies deliver a perfectly soft and chewy texture with a sweet vanilla flavor, rolled in sugar for a delightful crunchy exterior. Simple to make with common pantry ingredients, they’re the perfect treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and prepare baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt to ensure even distribution.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter with 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, which helps create a tender cookie texture.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Incorporate the large egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, and mix until well combined for flavor and structure.
- Mix Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing gently just until combined to avoid overworking the dough which can make cookies tough.
- Shape Dough Balls: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of dough, roll them into balls, then coat each ball evenly with the remaining 1/4 cup granulated sugar to form a delightful sweet crust.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow room for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underbaked to maintain chewiness.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely and set their shape.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough once the dry ingredients are added to prevent tough cookies.
- For extra flavor, try adding a pinch of cinnamon or substituting vanilla extract with almond extract.
- Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
- Rolling the dough balls in sugar contributes to a slightly crisp exterior complementing the chewy inside.
