Vanilla Sugar Cookies are simple, chewy sugar cookies with double the vanilla of the classic sugar cookie. They are so simple to make they can be an everyday treat or they can be dressed up in sparkling and shimmer sugars for holidays and celebrations.
Some people will say a vanilla cookie is a perfect blank canvas for favorite nuts, candies, or sprinkles and others will be happiest with a plain, unadorned, chewy sugar cookie. Whichever camp you are in, you will love these vanilla sugar cookies.
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They have the perfect chew and sweetness to be anything you would like them to be. But I think they are at their best just being a delightfully sweet vanilla cookie.
These cookies have a sugary crinkled top and bake up soft and chewy. You can make them plain or roll them in some lovely sparkling sugar. And for me, a pinch or two of nutmeg makes the best cookies for the holidays.
Seriously, this is the only vanilla cookie you need... So, let's bake!
Ingredients
Here's What You Need For Vanilla Sugar Cookies:
- Salted Butter - Salted butter is fine for this recipe. If you use unsalted, increase the salt in this recipe from ½ teaspoon to 1 teaspoon.
- White Granulated Sugar - Perfect for this cookie, white granulated sugar will provide the right sweetness without too much moisture.
- Eggs - This recipe requires large eggs. Do not substitute extra-large as they will change the ingredient ratios.
- Vanilla Extract - My favorite is Madagascar vanilla. But you can use any you have on hand and can afford to buy. Even clear imitation vanilla extract is delicious.
- All-Purpose Flour - Simple all-purpose flour is the best to use for this bake.
- Baking Powder - Baking powder will give a lift to the cough as it bakes which makes the cookie less dense.
- Baking Soda - Baking soda will assist in getting the right spread and texture to this cookie when used with the baking powder.
- Freshly Ground Nutmeg - Optional - Freshly ground nutmeg is amazing. It has a flowery aroma underlying that famous nutmeg scent.
- Salt - Just a small amount of salt brings out the sweetness in everything.
You will need additional white granulated sugar or sparkling white sugar. My favorite is Wilton's Sparkling White Sugar.
Please see the recipe card for the exact quantities.
Step-by-Step Instructions for Vanilla Sugar Cookies
In a large bowl beat the butter with the sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.
Add the eggs and the vanilla and continue to beat for 4 minutes.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients and mix well.
Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill it for at least two hours.
Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C. Take teaspoons of the dough and roll it into balls about 1-¼” in diameter (20 grams each). Dip the balls into sparkling white sugar or roll them in white granulated sugar. Place them sugar side up and 2 ½” apart on an ungreased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are just barely beginning to brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool for 1 minute on the sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
My Top Tips
Rolling the entire ball of cookie dough in white granulated sugar will make the cookie sweeter and the top of the cookie will have a more crackled look.
When using colored sprinkles and sugars dip and roll only the top and sides of the balls of dough to get good coverage of color on only the top of the cookie. Colored decorative sugar is more expensive so this will save you money.
A scale is very helpful in portioning out the dough. I found that 20 grams of dough will make a 3" cookie.
Substitutions & Variations
- SUBSTITUTE SHORTENING - you can use shortening for part of the butter.
- NUTMEG - ground nutmeg is optional and can be omitted.
- USE COLORED DECORATIVE SUGARS - make these sugar cookies festive with colored sugars to match a holiday or celebration. You can use red for Christmas and Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's, and celebrate your favorite team with their colors.
Equipment
This recipe mixes very easily with the help of a stand mixer. However, if you don't have a stand mixer you can use a hand mixer.
If you use a hand mixer, mix the dry ingredients into the creamed ingredients by adding ¼ of the dry ingredients at a time until the mixer slows. Then mix in the remaining dry ingredients by hand using a wooden spoon.
Make-Ahead & Storage
You can make the dough in advance, roll it into balls for individual cookies and freeze the balls on a parchment line baking sheet. Once frozen, the balls can be transferred to a sealed freezer container or plastic freezer storage bag.
The frozen cookie dough balls will keep for one month and a few cookies can be baked as needed. Thaw the frozen cookie dough balls, roll them in sugar, place them on a parchment line baking sheet, and then bake.
Baked cookies will stay chewy when stored in a sealed container:
- at room temperature for 3 to 4 days
- frozen for one month
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📖 Recipe
Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand Mixer
- Large Mixing Bowl
- Large Sifter
- Silicone Spatula
- Teaspoon
- Parchment Paper
Ingredients
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 Cup Salted Butter
- 1 ½ Cups White Granulated Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ Teaspoon Salt
- ⅛ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg, Optional
Sugar Topping:
- ¼ Cup Sparkling White Sugar or White Granulated Sugar
Instructions
Make the Cookies:
- In a large bowl beat the butter with the sugar until light in color and fluffy in texture.1 Cup Salted Butter, 1 ½ Cups White Granulated Sugar
- Add the eggs and the vanilla and continue to beat for 4 minutes.2 Large Eggs, 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground nutmeg.2 ¾ Cups All-Purpose Flour, 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder, 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda, ⅛ Teaspoon Freshly Ground Nutmeg, ½ Teaspoon Salt
- Add the dry ingredients to the creamed ingredients and mix well.
- Wrap the dough in cling wrap and chill it for at least two hours.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F/204°C. Take teaspoons of the dough and roll it into balls about 1-¼” in diameter (20 grams each). Dip the balls into sparkling white sugar or roll them in white granulated sugar. Place them sugar side up and 2 ½” apart on an ungreased or parchment paper lined cookie sheet.¼ Cup Sparkling White Sugar or White Granulated Sugar
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes or until the edges are just barely beginning to brown. Remove from oven and let them cool for 1 minute on the sheet, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- SUBSTITUTE SHORTENING - you can use shortening for part of the butter.
- NUTMEG - ground nutmeg is optional and can be omitted.
- USE COLORED DECORATIVE SUGARS - make these sugar cookies festive with colored sugars to match a holiday or celebration. You can use red for Christmas and Valentine's Day, green for St. Patrick's, and celebrate your favorite team with their colors.
- at room temperature for 3 to 4 days
- frozen for one month
Nutrition Per Serving
All nutritional information on this site is an estimate. Your results may vary.
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