Easy Drop Sugar Cookies

Prep: 10 mins

Cook: 11 mins

Chill: 30 mins

Total: 51 mins

Servings: 24 servings

Yield: 24 cookies

Whenever the mood strikes and you want to make sugar cookies, pull out this recipe. Because they are drop cookies, there’s no need to roll out and cut the dough, making them fast and easy to enjoy. They’re delicious as-is, or you can roll them in sprinkles or colored sugar before baking for a colorful cookie.

This recipe makes super soft, chewy, buttery, and sweet sugar cookies. A quick chill in the fridge will help keep them from spreading too much. Be sure not to overbake them to maintain their signature texture. If you'd prefer to bake up a small batch, simply freeze the remaining dough for later. You can bake directly from frozen—no need to defrost.

Make these drop sugar cookies for the holidays, Easter, Halloween, or any old day. They’re easy to customize and decorate for any occasion and are a welcome contribution to a bake sale or potluck.

«There’s something wonderfully nostalgic about these sugar cookies—they’re sweet and perfectly soft. I especially liked them rolled in sprinkles or colored sugar for a little crunch. Add a quarter teaspoon of almond extract for a little extra flavor.» —Laurel Randolph

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Multi-colored sprinkles or colored sugar, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until creamy and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.
On low speed, beat in the flour mixture, mixing until all of it is incorporated. Do not overmix or the cookies will turn out tough.
Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes, preferably 1 to 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
Scoop the dough using a heaping tablespoon or 2-tablespoon cookie scoop. Roll into a ball and, if desired, roll in colored sugar or sprinkles.
Place onto prepared cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart. Flatten slightly with your fingers.
Bake for 8 to 11 minutes, rotating the pans midway, or until cookies are puffed, no longer shiny, and lightly golden brown on the bottom.
Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.

Tips

Make sure your butter is at room temperature before making these cookies.
Don't skip chilling the dough. Even just 30 minutes will help keep the cookies from spreading too much.
You can make the dough ahead of time and leave it in the fridge, covered, for up to two days before baking.

Recipe Variations

The sugar cookie dough is a good base for other flavors. Try replacing some or all of the vanilla extract with a different extract, such as almond, coconut, lemon or mint. Some extracts are very strong, so start with a small amount first.
Add some finely grated lemon zest when creaming the butter and sugar for a light citrus note.
Add some food gel or coloring with the vanilla extract and turn your cookies into whatever color you desire.

How to Store and Freeze

Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for up to three days at room temperature.
The dough freezes nicely for baking later. Roll into balls (and sugar or sprinkles, if using) and spread out on a lined baking sheet. Freeze for at least an hour before transferring to a zip-top freezer bag. Store for up to three months. Bake directly from frozen (no need to defrost), adding a minute or two to the bake time.
You can also freeze baked cookies. Separate with small squares of parchment or wax paper and store in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Freeze for up to three months and defrost in the fridge or on the countertop before enjoying.

Why Are My Drop Sugar Cookies Flat?

There are a couple of factors that can cause cookies to flatten out in the oven. One is not using enough leavening (like baking soda or baking powder) or using expired leavening. Another is not chilling the dough long enough. If the dough is too warm, it will quickly spread in the oven and become flat.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 24
Amount per serving
Calories	159
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 5g	24%
Cholesterol 28mg	9%
Sodium 69mg	3%
Total Carbohydrate 20g	7%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 10g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 17mg	1%
Iron 1mg	4%
Potassium 20mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.