This is truly the best sugar cookies recipe - I know because I tried so many variations of sugar cookies, making them time and time again until I lost track of how many cookies I had baked BUT! I achieved the ABSOLUTE PERFECT result. Sugar cookies which rise evenly, have a completely smooth surface (fantastic for presenting as they are and for icing) and consistent colouration with a beautiful, soft golden hue. A nice crunch on the outside while soft, buttery and sweet on the inside.

So now that I’ve done the hard part, you can swoop in, grab this recipe and have yourself the best sugar cookies with just 6 ingredients and 10 minutes bake time! You’re welcome :)

Two things I need to mention:

When you bake this recipe, your kitchen will be filled with the most wonderful scent of buttery, fresh cookies
There are so many ways that you can decorate sugar cookies - especially for holidays like Easter and Christmas. Check out this How To Decorate Christmas Sugar Cookies post for an easy and fun method that uses ready rolled fondant as.a base for edible pearls and sprinkles to create stunning designs without a piping bag in sight! :) It’s super convenient and kids love it!

CONTENTS OF THIS RECIPE POST

I always recommend reading the entire post to get the best understanding of the recipe, helpful tips, information about ingredients, storage advice etc. Here’s a look at what topics are included in this recipe post :)

NO BAKING POWDER?!

Don’t freak out!

I’m sure you’re used to putting baking powder in pretty much everything that you…well…bake. But not this recipe. Unlike most sugar cookies, these DO NOT use baking powder as an ingredient!

*This perfectly smooth surface is what you want!*

Hear me out…

The cookies rise just fine without it and when I did try using baking powder in the recipe I found it was actually the culprit of the little air bubbles and lumpy uneven surface that is commonly seen on sugar cookies. I realised it was doing more harm than good, so I gave it the boot! :)

Now you don’t have to spend a minute tracking down the baking powder you know is somewhere and measuring out a tiny teaspoons worth. When it comes to baking, one less unnecessary ingredient, the better!

Cookie made with baking powder on the left vs. cookie made without baking powder on the right

DO I NEED TO CHILL THE DOUGH?

You don’t need to chill the cookie dough and if you’re in a hurry (or just can’t wait to dig in) you can pop these cookies in to bake right after cutting out your shapes. However I definitely recommend chilling the dough for 30 minutes - 1 hour. I do this after the dough has been rolled out, but before the shapes have been cut. I roll the dough - not on the counter - but on a piece of parchment paper, until it is the right thickness, then I place another piece of parchment paper over the top and wrap in cling wrap, before placing in the fridge to chill.

But you’re probably wondering why?

Allow me to explain:

When you bake the cookies without chilling first, they are still going to turn out great and taste delicious. But if you’re a super perfectionist like me, you’ll notice that…

When the dough is chilled the cookies will be a bit smoother and hold their shape a bit better because chilled butter is firmer than butter that has been brought to room temperature, beaten and rolled out.
This means when baked the cookies will retain the exact perfect shape of the cutter whereas you may notice the cookies will spread a slight bit more in the oven when the dough isn’t chilled first.
You may find the dough easier to work with when it is firmer from chilling, especially if you are in a hot climate like I am here in Australia and working with a big batch that will take time to roll out and cut.
Also if you skip chilling the dough, the cookies may finish baking in less than 10 minutes but that isn’t exactly a negative! Just remember to keep an eye on them.

A cookie baked from unchilled dough on the left, vs. a cookie baked from chilled dough on the right

Overall it’s not a significant difference but you will achieve better results (in terms of how the cookies look - flavour will be the same) when the dough has been chilled first. Ultimately the decision is up to you :)

If you are serving the cookies without any icing or decorations I would definitely recommend chilling the dough first for your cookies to look their absolute best!

PRO TIP! Instead of rolling your dough on the counter…roll it on a piece of parchment paper! Then when you cut out your shapes, you don’t have to go through the process of trying to lift and transfer your cookies from the counter and onto parchment paper without stretching/tearing them. They are already on the paper so you simply transfer the parchment paper with your cookies onto a baking tray and place in the oven :)

HOW TO STORE FRESHLY BAKED SUGAR COOKIES

Freshly baked sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight, such as in a pantry.

If you are storing sugar cookies that have been decorated with royal icing, you must allow the icing to completely dry and set, before storing your cookies in the airtight container. If you must layer your decorated cookies on top of each other when storing, place parchment paper inbetween the layers to stop the cookies from sticking to each other.

VIDEO

RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

1 cup (230g) butter, softened to room temp
1 cup caster sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 3/4 cups plain flour
1/4 cup cornflour a.k.a cornstarch
1 tsp salt

METHOD

Cream the butter and sugar: Place the butter and the sugar in a large mixing bowl and using an electric beater, start on low speed and then after the ingredients have started to come together, increase to medium speed and then continue beating until the mixture is light, fluffy and has paled in colour (see video).
Add the egg and vanilla extract, then beat until combined.
Sift together the dry ingredients, then add to the wet ingredients and use a spatula to combine and bring the dough together.
Place the dough on a piece of parchment paper and lightly dust a rolling pin with flour or icing sugar. Then roll out the dough on the parchment paper to about 1/4 inch thickness (1/2 cm).
OPTIONAL STEP BUT RECOMMENDED: Place another piece of parchment paper on top of the dough, wrap in cling wrap and chill for 30 minutes - 1 hour.
Preheat oven to 165°C (330°F).
Cut out your desired cookie shapes. Since your dough was already rolled out on parchment paper you don’t have to go through the process of trying to lift and transfer your cookies from the counter and onto parchment paper without stretching/tearing them. They are already on the paper so you simply transfer the parchment paper with your cookies onto a baking tray and place in the oven to bake for about 10 minutes or until the bottom edges turn brown.
Then remove from the oven and allow to cool (preferably on a cooling rack, if you have one) then you can either serve the cookies right away, ice and decorate with various designs or store them in an airtight container at room temperature, for up to 2 weeks.

STORAGE:

Freshly baked sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks. They should be stored in a cool place away from direct sunlight, such as in a pantry.

If you are storing sugar cookies that have been decorated with royal icing, you must allow the icing to completely dry and set, before storing your cookies in the airtight container. If you must layer your decorated cookies on top of each other when storing, place parchment paper inbetween the layers to stop the cookies from sticking to each other.