If you’re looking for the best soft sugar cookie recipe, look no further! These cookies are soft, chewy, and frosted – perfect for any occasion.
These soft sugar cookies are anything but average!
My family and I love the sugar cookies at Eileen’s Cookies, a local cookie shop in town. First, they’re soft. Second, they use almond extract in their recipe, and we can all agree that it improves everything.
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Not only do my kids find this to be the best sugar cookie recipe ever, but it also happens to be my husband’s favorite. If I let him, he would eat the entire batch in one sitting! I love being able to make these for him on days when he needs them. We all have those kinds of days, don’t we? This dough is simply addictive.
You’re going to love this cookie, trust me! Beware, though. This dough is addictive, and if you are not careful, you will not even make it to placing the cookies in the oven.
how to make soft sugar cookies
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease two cookie sheets.
In a bowl, mix sugar and butter until creamy. Add in egg yolks and almond or vanilla extract.
Add flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar to the bowl. Stir until ingredients are fully mixed – the dough should be firm (unlike your normal cookie dough consistency), but this is intentional.
Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough out, then form it into walnut-sized balls. Arrange them on the cookie sheet about 2 inches apart, and don’t flatten them down.
Bake for 10 or 11 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are cracked and just barely starting to turn brown.
Cream the confectioner’s sugar and butter in a large bowl until smooth. Gradually mix the milk, almond, or vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired. The recipe makes 3 cups.
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Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
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Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 1 1/4 cups white sugar
- 1 cup butter
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or clear vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
Frosting
- 4 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 1/2 cup butter room temp
- 5 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon almond extract or clear vanilla extract
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
- Cream together sugar and butter. Beat in egg yolks and almond or vanilla extract.
- Add flour, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Stir. (Note: dough will be firm, not like your normal cookie dough. Don’t worry it is supposed to be this way.)
- Form dough into walnut size balls and place 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Don’t flatten. Bake 10 to 11 minutes, until tops are cracked and just turning color.
Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together the confectioner’s sugar and butter until smooth. Gradually mix in the milk and almond or vanilla with an electric mixer until smooth and stiff, about 5 minutes. Color with food coloring if desired. Recipe makes 3 cups.
They look very addicting. I will have to make that.
Pinned your recipe – they cookies look delicious. I am always looking for soft cookie recipes to try.
These sound so good and look so pretty….
I love soft sugar cookies — the mushier, the better!
These look fabulous! I’m saving this to try soon because we love sugar cookies around here!
I love soft cookies! Great recipe!
Sugar cookies are one of my favs and these look like they will become my new favorite recipe! Thank you so much for sharing, can’t wait to try them!
Jen – I am so excited for you to try them. Come back and let me know what you think! They are one of my fav cookies EVER! xo San
These look so good! I just love a good, soft sugar cookie!
These look like those delicious cookies I haven’t ever been able to recreate! I have GOT to make these.
Great Recipe The Girls Will Love Making These With Me!
Really? Cream of tartar… where do I find that? These sound awesome. Thanks so much
Shauna – in the seasoning section of your grocery store. Usually near the vanilla, cinnamon and etc. Just buy a small one, if you don’t use it much. xo San
I have a weakness for soft baked sugar cookies!! These look so darn good and fluffy!
love soft cookies and sugar cookies are my favorite!
G’day! I love sugar cookies Sandra! YUM!
Cheers! Joanne
Nothing better than soft cookies! I don’t like the crispy kind that get all crumby! These are much better!
Karen – we have similar taste! xo San
These sound so good! I love a good sugar cookie. Will have to try!
oh gosh. now i want a sugar cookie really bad!!
These sugar cookies look so tasty. I’ll have to try them sometime.
I love soft sugar cookies! I could never make them but I do love them! Now I’ll definitely have to try this!
Lexie you will love it, come back and let me know what you think. xo San
It is great that you can taste something and then recreate it at home. That is a wonderful skill.
Thanks Janeane! xo San
There’s really nothing better at times than a good, simple, classic soft sugar cookie! Such great comfort food, especially with icing.
I completely agree girl! xo San
Sounds like you are saving yourself a ton of money making them yourself! They sound delicious!
This is a wonderful point Lucy!!! LOL. xo San
Yay another recipe to try this week! Almond flour is also one of my faves, so been looking for some delicious things to make with it 🙂
Thanks for featuring this!
Hi Sandra,
I was just at Eileen’s and googled their sugar cookie recipe which brought me to your sight… I am in the middle of making your cookies and the frosting recipe directions say to “cream together the confectioners’ sugar and shortening until smooth” I cannot find shortening anywhere in the frosting recipe though. Do you use butter or shortening in the frosting? Please correct this on the sight. The dough is AMAZING just to eat and I will be eating one of the cookies in 8 short minutes! Thanks so much!