Description
These Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies deliver bakery-style texture right in your own kitchen. Dense and doughy with slightly chewy edges, these cookies balance a tender interior and a light golden brown outside. Perfect for those who love a soft center with a delicate sugary crunch on top.
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups cake flour (175g)
- 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour (192g)
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking soda
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, melted (220g)
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar (250g)
- 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar (50g)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
Topping
- Sparkling sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a small bowl, whisk together the cake flour, all purpose flour, salt, and baking soda until fully blended. Set this mixture aside.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a larger bowl, using a hand or stand mixer with a paddle attachment, mix the melted butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar on medium speed until the mixture comes together completely.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the large egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture in thirds to the wet ingredients, mixing gently after each addition. Be careful not to overmix; the dough should be dense but tender.
- Chill the Dough: Line a plate or small cookie sheet with wax or parchment paper. Using a 2-ounce scoop, portion out the dough into rounded balls without flattening. Place them side by side on the lined tray and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, until dough is hard and chilled through.
- Preheat and Bake: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Arrange 4-5 chilled dough balls about 3 inches apart on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, aiming for lightly golden edges while the centers remain pale and soft. 12 minutes will yield a doughier center, and longer baking will produce a more baked cookie.
- Cool and Garnish: Transfer cookies to a cooling rack. While still warm, sprinkle with sparkling sugar for a classic bakery-style finish.
- Serve and Enjoy: Cookies can be enjoyed fresh for a very soft center, or at room temperature where they’re tender and chewy. Both ways taste delicious!
Notes
- Do not flatten the dough balls before chilling; this ensures the cookies stay thick and chewy.
- Chilling the dough for 1-2 hours is critical for cookie texture and shape during baking.
- Adjust baking time based on your preferred cookie texture—less time for softer, more doughy centers; more time for firmer cookies.
- Use sparkling sugar after baking to replicate a professional bakery appearance and add a subtle crunch.
- Cookies keep well for a day or two at room temperature and can be stored in an airtight container.
