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–+ servings

The Ultimate No Chill Sugar Cookies

These no chill sugar cookies are soft in the center with crisp edges. An easy sugar cookie recipe perfect for holidays and everyday baking.
These no chill sugar cookies are soft in the center with crisp edges. An easy sugar cookie recipe perfect for holidays and everyday baking.
Heather
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 9 minutes
Total Time 19 minutes
Serving Size 24 cookies

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

  • 2 ¾ Cups cake flour
  • 1 Teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Cup 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 ½ Cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons milk

For Rolling

  • ⅓ Cup granulated sugar for coating dough balls

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven: Preheat oven to 375°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. This quick sugar cookies recipe moves fast, so have everything ready.
  • Mix dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together 2 3/4 Cups cake flour, 1 Teaspoon baking soda, 1 Teaspoon cream of tartar, and 1/2 Teaspoon salt.
  • Cream butter and sugar: Beat 1 Cup softened butter with 1 1/2 Cups granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. This is what gives you chewy sugar cookies with crisp edges instead of dense ones.
  • Add wet ingredients: Mix in 1 egg, 2 Teaspoons vanilla extract, and 3 Tablespoons milk until smooth.
  • Combine gently: Gradually add dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Overmixing kills soft sugar cookies. Don’t do it.
  • Roll and coat: Scoop into 2 Tablespoon-sized balls and roll generously in the 1/3 Cup granulated sugar. That sugar coating creates the signature crackly exterior you expect from classic sugar cookie recipes.
  • Bake (this is critical): Bake at 375°F for 9–11 minutes. Remove at 9 minutes for sugar cookies that stay soft. The centers should look slightly underdone.
  • Rest properly: Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring. They finish setting gently without overbaking.
    • *No cake flour? Use 2 3/4 Cups all-purpose flour + 2 Tablespoons cornstarch.
    *This is a sugar cookie recipe without chilling dough — no refrigerator required.
    *Use real butter for proper structure and flavor.

Notes

Tips & Tricks No One Tells You

  • You do NOT need to chill this dough. That’s the beauty of true no chill sugar cookies.
  • Use parchment paper to prevent over-browning and maintain soft bottoms.
  • Work with two baking sheets. While one rests, the other bakes.
  • Pull them at 9 minutes for the best sugar cookies for holidays and cookie trays.
  • Spoon and level your flour .. packed flour ruins texture.
  • Let cookies rest fully before transferring; they firm up as they cool.