Description
Grandma’s Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies deliver sweet nostalgia with classic American comfort. Buttery dough creates melt-in-mouth treats perfect for family gatherings and holiday celebrations. You’ll savor each tender bite of childhood memories.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ¾ cups (340 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ cups (300 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 cup (230 grams) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp almond extract (optional, for extra flavor)
Instructions
- Oven Preparation: Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper, creating an optimal baking environment.
- Dry Ingredient Fusion: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl to create a consistent dry foundation for the cookies.
- Butter Transformation: Cream butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, developing a smooth, aerated base that ensures soft cookie texture.
- Flavor Integration: Blend egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the butter mixture, ensuring complete incorporation and depth of flavor.
- Dough Development: Fold dry ingredients into wet mixture, gently combining until just mixed to preserve the cookie’s delicate structure. Roll dough into uniform balls, coating each generously with granulated sugar for a sparkling, sweet exterior.
- Baking Precision: Arrange sugar-coated dough balls on prepared sheets, spacing to allow gentle spreading. Bake for 8-10 minutes, watching for delicate golden edges while maintaining a soft, tender center.
- Cooling Technique: Rest cookies on baking sheet for 5 minutes to stabilize, then transfer to a wire rack for complete cooling, locking in their signature soft and chewy consistency.
Notes
- Prevent Tough Cookies: Avoid overmixing the dough, which can develop gluten and lead to hard, dense cookies. Mix ingredients just until combined for a soft, tender result.
- Temperature Matters: Use room temperature butter and egg for smoother blending and consistent cookie texture. Cold ingredients can create uneven mixing and affect the final outcome.
- Sugar Coating Technique: Roll dough balls generously in granulated sugar before baking to create a delightful crisp exterior and add extra sweetness to each cookie.
- Watch Baking Time Carefully: Remove cookies when edges are slightly golden but centers appear slightly underbaked. They’ll continue setting on the baking sheet, ensuring a perfectly chewy texture.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 25
- Calories: 155
- Sugar: 12 g
- Sodium: 75 mg
- Fat: 7 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1.5 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg