Large sugar cookies with a soft, dense center, a gentle chew and a delicate sparkling sugar finish.
Large sugar cookies with a soft, dense center, a gentle chew and a delicate sparkling sugar finish.
Before you begin, set out the measured ingredients, line the pans and check the portion size. Consistent thickness matters more than making every cookie look identical.
Use all-purpose flour rather than self-rising flour. Spoon it into the measuring cup and level without packing, or use the listed weight. A packed cup can turn a tender cookie into a dry one.
Bake a first tray as your guide. Home ovens and dark pans brown at different speeds, so use the surface and edges as well as the timer. Let the cookies cool before deciding whether they need a longer bake.
Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies
Per tray: 12–16 minutes · 3 trays, 8 large cookies per 13 × 18-inch pan.
Allow about 2 hours 33 minutes: 20 minutes preparation, 1 hour chilling, 48 minutes for 3 trays, and 25 minutes cooling on the final pan. Cooling includes pan rest. Butter cooling, oven preheating and earlier-tray cooling can overlap preparation and baking; optional decorating adds time.
Kitchen tools you’ll need
- Kitchen scale or US measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl and silicone spatula
- 13 × 18-inch baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Cooling rack
- 3-tablespoon cookie scoop
Large sugar cookies with a soft, dense center, a gentle chew and a delicate sparkling sugar finish.
Ingredients
Scale ingredients and US equivalents, including eggs; weigh beaten egg for fractional batches. Keep piece size, thickness, oven temperature and baking time per tray unchanged. Extra trays increase whole-batch time.
Cookie dough
Optional sugar coating
Instructions
Mixing
- Make the doughMelt butter and let it cool until warm, not hot. Stir with both sugars, then mix in eggs and vanilla. Whisk flour, cornstarch, salt and leaveners; stir into the wet mixture only until uniform.
Thermal management
- Manage the doughCover and refrigerate for 60 minutes.
Shaping
- Shape evenlyDivide into 24 portions, about 44 g each or a generous 2–3 tablespoons. Shape chilled portions into balls, coat in optional sugar, and arrange only 8 per half-sheet pan with ample spreading space.
Baking
- Bake one tray at a timePreheat to 350°F (175°C). Bake on the center rack for 12–16 minutes. Edges should be set and only lightly colored; centers must lose their wet sheen. Use cool pans for subsequent trays.
Cooling
- Let the crumb setCool fully on the baking sheet for about 25 minutes. These larger cookies are delicate when warm; moving them early can break their soft centers.
Chef’s Science & Pro Tips
Melt, then cool
Melted butter allows mixing without creaming in much air. Refrigeration afterwards firms the soft dough so the large portions spread more predictably.
Keep the portion consistent
Divide into 24 portions, about 44 g each or a generous 2–3 tablespoons. Shape chilled portions into balls, coat in optional sugar, and arrange only 8 per half-sheet pan with ample spreading space. Different thicknesses need different baking times; bake comparable pieces together.
Use the finish as your cue
Look for a set surface and lightly colored edges rather than a dark golden top. Overbaking dries the center; let the cookies finish setting on the pan.
Storage & Make-Ahead
| Method | How long | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Room temperature | 3–4 days | Cool completely and seal in an airtight container. Keep unfrosted cookies separate from moist or strongly flavored treats. |
| Refrigeration | Raw dough: up to 2 days | Cover raw dough tightly. Refrigerating plain baked cookies is unnecessary and can dry them; let chilled dough become workable before shaping. |
| Freeze raw | Up to 2 months | Freeze portioned dough balls on a tray, then seal in a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, allowing extra time and checking for a set center. |
| Freeze baked | Up to 2 months | Freeze fully cooled, plain cookies in a sealed container with parchment between layers. |
| Restore | 30–60 minutes | Thaw baked cookies in their closed container at room temperature. For a freshly warmed plain cookie, use a 300°F oven for 2–3 minutes; cool briefly before serving. |
Notes
- Use the gram weights for the most consistent dough. Small leavener weights are approximate; measure teaspoons carefully. Egg weights exclude shells. Oven temperatures refer to a conventional oven.
Nutrition
Estimated per plain cookie, calculated from ingredient weights divided by 24. Optional coating and decoration are excluded; brands and cookie size affect the estimate.
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Frequently Asked Questions
A few helpful answers before you bake.
What texture should these cookies have?
Large sugar cookies with a soft, dense center, a gentle chew and a delicate sparkling sugar finish. Judge the final texture after cooling, not while the centers are warm.
Can I skip the hour of chilling?
Not for this melted-butter formula. The soft dough needs time to firm before shaping; use the separate No-Chill recipe when you need to bake immediately.
Can I change the cookie size?
Yes, but the stated yield and baking window assume the portion size given in the shaping step. Separate smaller and larger cookies onto different trays and start checking smaller cookies earlier.
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