Sugar Cookies
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These sugar cookies are the ultimate simple treat—rich, buttery, and perfectly balanced with a crisp edge and soft, tender center. A few secret ingredients take them from classic to unforgettable!
These sugar cookies are truly crave-worthy: buttery and rich in flavor with a crisp exterior and soft interior. I discovered this recipe years ago on King Arthur Flour, and it’s been my go-to sugar cookie recipe ever since. What makes them so special? Unlike many sugar cookie recipes that rely on shortening, these are made with cream cheese and butter for a tender texture and perfect flavor. A touch of almond extract also adds a subtle, unmistakable flavor that really sets them apart.
If you’re feeling festive and want to pull out your cookie cutters and icing, check out my recipe for cut-out sugar cookies—perfect for shaping and decorating.
“Absolutely wonderful! The only thing stopping me from baking these cookies every week is that I wouldn’t be able to stop eating them!”
What You’ll Need To Make Crave-Worthy Sugar Cookies
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure and stability to the cookies. Measure by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
- Baking Powder And Baking Soda: Help the cookies rise.
- Butter: Add a rich flavor to the cookies.
- Cream Cheese: Contributes to a soft, tender texture.
- Sugar: The majority of the sugar sweetens the dough; a small portion creates a sweet, subtly crunchy coating for the cookie’s exterior.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the cookies with its warm aromatic richness.
- Almond Extract: Adds a subtle, nutty flavor.
- Egg: Binds the ingredients together and adds moisture.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-By-Step Instructions
Begin by whisking the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda together in a bowl. Set aside.
Next, cream the butter, cream cheese, and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or use a hand mixer with beaters).
Add the vanilla and almond extracts.
Beat to combine, then add the egg.
Add the flour mixture to the batter.
Mix on low until the dough forms a cohesive mass. It will be a little sticky.
Pinch off tablespoons of dough and roll in a bowl of sugar.
Place the balls on a cookie sheet, then press them flat with a flat-bottomed glass.
Bake for about ten minutes, until lightly golden on the bottom but still very pale on top. Cool the cookies for a few minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies are best enjoyed fresh on the day they are made, but they will keep in an airtight container for a few days; freeze for longer storage.
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Sugar Cookies
These sugar cookies are the ultimate simple treat—rich, buttery, and perfectly balanced with a crisp edge and soft, tender center. A few secret ingredients take them from classic to unforgettable!
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off with back edge of knife
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 oz (¼ cup) cream cheese
- 1¼ cup sugar, plus ½ cup more for rolling cookies
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 large egg
Instructions
- Set racks in middle of oven and preheat to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar until light and fluffy, a few minutes. Beat in the vanilla and almond extracts. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula and beat in the egg. Scrape down the bowl again, then add the flour mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough comes together into a cohesive mass. It will be a little sticky.
- Place the remaining ½ cup cup sugar in a shallow bowl. Moisten your hands so the dough doesn't stick to them. Pinch off the dough by tablespoonfuls, shape into rough balls (see note below), roll in the sugar to coat, and place 2-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Using a flat-bottomed glass, flatten the cookies to ¼-inch thick. Bake for 10 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back midway through to ensure even cooking. The cookies will turn golden on the bottom but remain pale on top. Cool on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. (Cover the bowl with a damp dish towel to keep the dough moist between batches.)
- Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Roll it into balls, freeze on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a sealable bag with the air pressed out. Thaw in the fridge until soft enough to flatten, then bake as directed. The baked cookies can also be frozen. Cool completely and store in an airtight container with parchment or foil between layers. Let them come to room temperature before serving.
Nutrition Information
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- Serving size: 2 cookies
- Calories: 193
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated fat: 5 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Sugar: 15 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Sodium: 104 mg
- Cholesterol: 31 mg
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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I was searching for a lemon sugar cookie recipe, specifically, but these look really good. If I were to add a little lemon juice and/or zest, could you suggest appropriate quantities? Thank you.
I’d avoid lemon juice, but you could add 1 to 2 teaspoons zest. (I’d rub it into the sugar with your fingertips before creaming it with the butter.) And if you want to boost the lemon flavor a bit, you could also add a small amount (¼ to ½ teaspoon) of lemon extract. I’d love to hear how they turn out!
Could you add some pieces of pecan to these snowball cookies and so probably omitting the almond extract?
Thank you for your Jen.
Sure, as long as they’re finely chopped, that should be fine.