Go Back

Soft Sugar Cookies – Thick, Pillowy & Melt-in-Your-Mouth Sweet

These Soft Sugar Cookies are everything you dream of in a classic bakery-style treat: thick, super soft, fluffy, buttery, and lightly sweet with a creamy vanilla finish. They’re the kind of cookies that stay tender for days, with a melt-in-your-mouth bite and a gorgeous pale golden appearance. Perfect for holidays, birthdays, cookie boxes, or anytime you want a dependable, comforting, old-fashioned sugar cookie that’s soft—not crisp. Optional frosting takes them from delicious to irresistible, but they’re just as good plain.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings: 20 Cookies
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes
Jacky's Kitchen Icon

Get Our Best App for Daily Great Recipes 🍽️

Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Download on the App Store
Google Play Coming Soon

Ingredients
  

Soft Sugar Cookie Dough
  • 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
  • ½ tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 2 tbsp sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 1 tbsp milk optional for extra softness
Optional Frosting
  • ½ cup unsalted butter softened
  • 1 ¾ cups powdered sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1 –2 tbsp milk
Food coloring (optional)
  • Sprinkles optional
Jacky's Kitchen Icon

Get Our Best App for Daily Great Recipes 🍽️

Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Download on the App Store
Google Play Coming Soon

Equipment

  • Mixing bowls
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • Baking sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Cookie scoop
  • Cooling rack

Method
 

Step 1: Mix Dry Ingredients
  1. Whisk together:
  2. flour
  3. baking soda
  4. baking powder
  5. salt
  6. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream Butter & Sugar
  1. Beat softened butter with sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
  2. Add:
  3. egg
  4. vanilla
  5. sour cream
  6. Mix until smooth and creamy.
Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients
  1. Mix dry ingredients into wet on low speed.
  2. If dough seems too stiff, add 1 tbsp milk.
  3. Dough should be thick and soft—almost like soft playdough.
  4. Chill dough for 20–30 minutes for cleaner scooping and better puff.
Step 4: Scoop & Bake
  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
  2. Scoop 2 tbsp portions of dough.
  3. Roll into balls and flatten slightly with your palm.
  4. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets 2 inches apart.
  5. Bake 9–11 minutes, until:
  6. edges are set
  7. tops look puffy
  8. centers look slightly underdone
  9. Do NOT brown—pale = soft.
  10. Cool fully on a rack.
Step 5: Frost (Optional)
  1. Beat butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk until smooth and fluffy.
  2. Tint frosting with food coloring if desired.
  3. Spread on cooled cookies. Add sprinkles for a festive touch.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Freezing

Room Temp: 4–5 days
Fridge: 1 week
Freezer:
Frosted or unfrosted cookies: 2 months
Dough balls: 3 months
Thaw frosted cookies uncovered to keep frosting intact.

🥄 Variations

Lofthouse-Style Cookies
Add ½ tsp almond extract + thicker frosting.
Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
Brown the butter first.
Soft Lemon Sugar Cookies
Add lemon zest + lemon icing.
Almond Sugar Cookies
Add 1 tsp almond extract and sliced almonds.
Holiday Sprinkle Cookies
Add red and green sprinkles into dough.
Cinnamon Sugar Soft Cookies
Roll dough balls in cinnamon sugar.
Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
Replace ¼ cup butter with cream cheese.
Maple Frosted Sugar Cookies
Add maple syrup to frosting.
Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies
Add sprinkles + cake batter extract.
Gluten-Free Version
Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend.

❓ 10 FAQs

Why are my sugar cookies flat?
Dough too warm or butter too soft—chill longer.
Why aren’t they soft?
Overbaked—remove when pale and puffy.
Can I make dough ahead?
Yes—refrigerate up to 48 hours.
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely.
Can I freeze them with frosting?
Yes—flash-freeze uncovered first.
Why use sour cream?
It makes the cookies thick and pillowy.
Can I make them thicker?
Don’t flatten before baking.
Do I need baking powder AND soda?
Yes—for softness and lift.
What icing works best?
Buttercream or simple vanilla glaze.
Can I skip chilling?
You can, but cookies may spread more.

🏁 Conclusion

These Soft Sugar Cookies are buttery, thick, fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and wonderfully simple to make. Whether enjoyed plain or topped with frosting, they’re a classic crowd-pleaser and a holiday baking essential.
Perfect for Christmas, birthdays, cookie boxes, or just because — these cookies deliver bakery-style softness with zero fuss.