Ingredients you’ll need
- 3 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup milk or sour cream (for extra softness)
This ingredient lineup is very similar to other soft sour‑cream and cut‑out sugar cookie recipes, which rely on a higher flour-to-fat ratio for shape and a bit of dairy for tenderness.
Step-by-step instructions
1. Mix dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside. Mixing the leavening thoroughly into the flour helps the cookies bake up with a consistent, fine crumb instead of random puffy spots.
2. Cream butter and sugar
In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar with a hand or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2–3 minutes. Proper creaming incorporates air and dissolves some of the sugar, which is essential for a soft, tender cookie rather than a dense one.
3. Add eggs and vanilla
Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth and emulsified. Add the vanilla extract and mix until fully combined. Room‑temperature eggs blend more evenly into the creamed mixture and help prevent curdling.
4. Add dry ingredients and liquid
With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients, alternating with the milk or sour cream:
- Start with a portion of the flour mixture
- Add some of the milk/sour cream
- Continue alternating, ending with the dry ingredients
Mix just until the dough comes together and no streaks of flour remain; do not overmix. Overworking the dough develops gluten, which can make cut‑out cookies tougher and less soft.
5. Chill the dough
Divide the dough into two equal portions, shape each into a flat disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Chilling firms the butter, hydrates the flour, and makes the dough easier to roll and cut while helping the cookies keep clean edges in the oven.
6. Roll and cut
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
On a lightly floured surface, roll one disc of dough at a time to about 1/4‑inch thickness—a slightly thicker roll is one of the key tricks to staying soft. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart. If the dough gets soft or sticky, place the rolled dough or cut shapes in the fridge for 5–10 minutes before baking; this is a widely recommended fix for soft sugar cookie dough.
7. Bake just until set
Bake the cookies for 8–10 minutes, rotating the pan halfway if your oven has hot spots. The edges should look set but not browned, and the centers should still appear soft and pale. Pulling them at this stage is what keeps them soft; most soft sugar cookie recipes warn against waiting for real browning.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on the sheet allows them to finish baking gently from residual heat without drying out.