Soft-Baked Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Tender and soft sugar cookies with a delicate vanilla flavor, perfect for enjoying fresh from the oven or decorating. This American recipe, ready in about 26 minutes, layers unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and large egg into a dessert worth slowing down for — great for weekend baking, holiday tables, or any time you want a sweet payoff at the end of a meal. Each serving lands at about 120 calories and feeds 24, so it slots into a weekend bake or a special-occasion dessert tray. Tap "Add this recipe to your weekly plan" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups (315g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). In a large bowl, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Step 2: Add 1 large egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture, and beat until fully combined and smooth.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well mixed.
- Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms and no streaks of flour remain.
- Step 5: Scoop dough by rounded tablespoons onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Step 6: Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes until the edges are set and the tops look slightly cracked but still soft to the touch.
- Step 7: Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.









