I finally learned the pantry secret behind Soft Sugar Cookies, and I’m excited to share why I no longer reach for the store-bought versions.

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I love how these Softest, Chewiest Sugar Cookies look like a bakery treat but feel effortless. Pretty.

Simple. Sweet.

I call it a Chewy Sugar Cookie Recipe and also a Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe because the center stays pillowy and the edge keeps a little chew. I used all purpose flour and a splash of vanilla extract so the flavor is familiar but somehow more grown up.

They bounce back when you press them, like there’s a tiny secret trick inside. Honestly I keep finding excuses to make them, and I’m betting you will too.

Ingredients

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all-purpose flour: gives structure and chewiness, mainly carbs, small amount of protein and fiber.
cornstarch: lightens dough texture, makes cookies extra soft and tender, mostly starch.
unsalted butter: rich fat that makes them tender and flavorful, adds calories and satiety.
granulated and brown sugar: supply sweetness, brown sugar adds caramel notes and chew, both are carbs.
egg plus yolk: adds protein, moisture and structure, yolk brings richness and chew.
sour cream or Greek yogurt: optional but gives pillowy crumbs, a bit tangy and extra moisture.
vanilla extract: small amount brightens flavors, makes cookies taste deeper and sweeter.
baking powder and baking soda: work together for lift and gentle spread, use precise amounts.

Ingredient Quantities

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour

2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened, room temp

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar

1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 tablespoons plain sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temp (optional but makes them extra pillowy)

1/2 cup powdered sugar or extra granulated sugar for rolling

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; measure everything first so you dont miss the cornstarch or baking soda.

2. In a bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly mixed; cornstarch is the secret to extra tender, pillowy cookies.

3. In the bowl of a mixer beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice.

4. Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk (both room temp), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons plain sour cream or Greek yogurt if using; mix just until combined so you keep the dough tender.

5. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry flour mixture in about two additions; mix until just incorporated, dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.

6. Cover bowl and chill dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour so the cookies spread less and stay thicker; if youre short on time 20 minutes in the freezer helps too.

7. Scoop dough into roughly
1.5 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon balls (use a cookie scoop for uniform cookies), then roll each ball in 1/2 cup powdered sugar or in extra granulated sugar; powdered sugar gives a softer, crinkled look, granulated gives a little sparkle and crunch.

8. Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and gently press each slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass so they flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.

9. Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look matte and puffy but centers still slightly soft; rotate the pan halfway if your oven runs hot. Dont overbake, they finish setting as they cool.

10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them chewy, or warm briefly in the microwave for that just-baked feel.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C), ready to go.
2. 2 baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer for creaming the butter.
4. Mixing bowls, at least two (one for dry ingredients, one for wet).
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you want gram accuracy, measure everything first especially cornstarch and baking soda so you dont miss them.
6. Whisk and a rubber spatula for scraping and gentle folding.
7. Cookie scoop about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons or two spoons for shaping uniform balls.
8. Wire cooling rack to let cookies finish setting and stay crisp where needed.
9. Refrigerator or freezer for chilling the dough and a flat bottom glass to gently press the dough balls before baking.

FAQ

Q: Why is there cornstarch and an extra egg yolk in these cookies? A: Cornstarch gives a tender, soft crumb and the extra yolk adds fat so the cookies stay chewy and rich. Together they make the texture pillowy instead of cakey.

Q: Can I skip the sour cream or Greek yogurt? A: Yes you can skip it, but if you add 1 to 2 tablespoons it makes them extra soft and a little tangy. If you dont have either, the cookies will still be great thanks to the yolk and cornstarch.

Q: Powdered sugar or granulated for rolling, which is better? A: Powdered sugar gives a pretty crackled look and melts slightly into the cookie for softness. Granulated gives more crunch on the outside. Either works, use powdered for the classic soft look.

Q: How do I keep these cookies soft for days? A: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp with a slice of bread or a damp paper towel (not touching cookies) to lock in moisture. They should stay soft 3 to 4 days, sometimes longer.

Q: Do I need to chill the dough and can I freeze it? A: Chilling 20 to 30 minutes helps the cookies spread less and gives a slightly thicker, chewier edge but you can bake right away. For freezing, scoop dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then bag them. Bake from frozen, add 1 to 2 minutes to the time.

Q: Oven temp, bake time, and tips to avoid overbaking? A: Bake at 350F for about 9 to 12 minutes for medium cookies, until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone. They keep cooking on the hot sheet so let them sit 2 minutes before moving to a rack. Overbaking is the main reason cookies get dry, so pull them when they still look a bit soft.

Softest, Chewiest Sugar Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour (2 1/4 cups / 280 g): Cake flour works great for even softer cookies, use the same weight (280 g) — cookies may spread a bit more. If you need gluten free use a 1:1 GF flour blend (280 g) and add 1/4 tsp xanthan gum if the blend doesn’t already have it.
Cornstarch (2 tablespoons / 16 g): Swap with arrowroot or tapioca starch 1:1 for the same tender, pillowy texture; arrowroot gives a slightly cleaner bite, tapioca can make them a touch chewier.
Unsalted butter (1 cup / 226 g): Salted butter is fine, use same weight and skip the 1/2 tsp sea salt. You can also use solid coconut oil 1:1 (works but adds coconut flavor and may spread more), or vegetable shortening 1:1 for thicker, chewier results with less butter taste.
2 tablespoons sour cream or Greek yogurt (optional): Use 2 tbsp buttermilk or milk + 1 tsp lemon juice as an easy swap for the tang and moisture. For extra richness without tang, use an extra egg yolk instead.

Pro Tips

– Measure flour properly; spoon it into the cup and level it or better yet use a scale. Too much flour makes the cookies dry and cakey, and thats by far the most common oops.

– Dont skip the cornstarch — it really is the little trick that gives these cookies that pillowy, tender crumb. Even a small amount changes the texture more than you’d expect.

– Chill the dough before baking to keep them from spreading into pancakes. If you forget, a short time in the freezer will help, but dont freeze so long they go rock hard; let them warm up a touch before scooping.

– Decide on your sugar coating based on texture: powdered sugar gives that soft, crinkled look while granulated adds a bit of sparkle and crunch. Roll just before baking so the coating stays pretty.

Softest, Chewiest Sugar Cookies Recipe

Recipe by Samantha Dalling

0.0 from 0 votes

I finally learned the pantry secret behind Soft Sugar Cookies, and I'm excited to share why I no longer reach for the store-bought versions.

Servings

servings

Calories

161

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven preheated to 350°F (175°C), ready to go.
2. 2 baking sheets plus parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
3. Stand mixer with paddle attachment or a hand mixer for creaming the butter.
4. Mixing bowls, at least two (one for dry ingredients, one for wet).
5. Measuring cups and spoons and a kitchen scale if you want gram accuracy, measure everything first especially cornstarch and baking soda so you dont miss them.
6. Whisk and a rubber spatula for scraping and gentle folding.
7. Cookie scoop about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons or two spoons for shaping uniform balls.
8. Wire cooling rack to let cookies finish setting and stay crisp where needed.
9. Refrigerator or freezer for chilling the dough and a flat bottom glass to gently press the dough balls before baking.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cups (280 g) all purpose flour
2 tablespoons (16 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened, room temp
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar
1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk, room temp
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons plain sour cream or Greek yogurt, room temp (optional but makes them extra pillowy)
1/2 cup powdered sugar or extra granulated sugar for rolling

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; measure everything first so you dont miss the cornstarch or baking soda.
In a bowl whisk together 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt until evenly mixed; cornstarch is the secret to extra tender, pillowy cookies.
In the bowl of a mixer beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar on medium-high until pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes, scraping the sides once or twice.
Add 1 large egg plus 1 large egg yolk (both room temp), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons plain sour cream or Greek yogurt if using; mix just until combined so you keep the dough tender.
Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry flour mixture in about two additions; mix until just incorporated, dont overmix or the cookies will get tough.
Cover bowl and chill dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes up to 1 hour so the cookies spread less and stay thicker; if youre short on time 20 minutes in the freezer helps too.
Scoop dough into roughly
5 tablespoon to 2 tablespoon balls (use a cookie scoop for uniform cookies), then roll each ball in 1/2 cup powdered sugar or in extra granulated sugar; powdered sugar gives a softer, crinkled look, granulated gives a little sparkle and crunch.
Place dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets and gently press each slightly with your palm or the bottom of a glass so they flatten to about 1/2 inch thick.
Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 8 to 11 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look matte and puffy but centers still slightly soft; rotate the pan halfway if your oven runs hot. Dont overbake, they finish setting as they cool.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely; store in an airtight container with a slice of bread to keep them chewy, or warm briefly in the microwave for that just-baked feel.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.