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    You are here: Home / Seasonal / Cozy Winter/Holiday Treats / Christmas Cookies / Easy Drop Sugar Cookies

    Easy Drop Sugar Cookies

    December 2, 2020 Updated March 16, 2021 BySam 50 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    An easy recipe for Drop Sugar Cookies. No rolling/cutting out required, no chilling, just flawless, festive, soft and chewy cookies. Recipe includes a how-to video!

    overhead of many cookies on marble

    The Easiest Sugar Cookies, Period.

    I love a good, classic sugar cookie recipe, especially around the holidays! I look forward to making the dough, enjoy the anticipation of waiting for it to chill, embrace the floured counters and ritualistic rolling out and cookie-cutting and careful decorating with colored sugar or royal icing….

    But darn it sometimes I just want a sugar cookie, fast.

    This is the recipe you need when you don’t have time, or when you don’t have patience. For when you forgot about that holiday party you need to bring a dessert to (not that many of those are happening this year), or when you need to whip up something quick for Santa on Christmas Eve.

    It’s absolutely, remarkably, simple. There’s no chilling, no rolling pin needed… just no patience required at all, really. These drop sugar cookies are ever-so-slightly crisp around the edges and so soft and chewy at their centers. Are you ready for this?

    What You Need

    Ingredients

    Just a couple of notes on a few of the ingredients…

    • Butter. Yes, that’s not a typo, this recipe uses quite a bit of butter (even more than my butter cookies!).
    • Sugar. We’re using all granulated sugar for an authentic sugar cookie taste.
    • Flour. Use all-purpose flour (often referred to as “plain” flour outside of the US).
    • Baking soda. A little bit of baking soda helps the sugar cookies to spread just the right amount and keeps them from staying in round balls.
    • Colored sugar/sanding sugar. I prefer to use coarser sugar (I like the subtle crunch the larger grains add!) but regular colored sanding sugar will work just as well.

    Tip: This time of year you should be able to easily find colored sugar in the baking aisle, but I often buy fun colors from Country Kitchen Sweet Art (I get most of my sprinkles from there, too).

    For the full recipe with ingredient amounts please scroll down to the recipe card!

    How to Make Drop Sugar Cookies

    cookie dough rolled in bowls of colored sugar

    You’re going to love how easy this one is, I haven’t shared such a simple cookie in a while:

    1. Cream together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla.
    2. Separately, whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt.
    3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in 3-4 parts, stirring until combined after each addition.
    4. Scoop dough, roll it into a ball between your palms, roll through some festive colored sugar (or try nonpareils for fun texture!) and bake.

    That’s it. I told you this one was easy.

    Tip: Roll each cookie dough ball through the sugar immediately after rolling into balls. The warmth from your hands warms the surface of the cookie dough and makes it easier for the sugar to adhere.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Why did my cookies spread too much?

    There are many reasons this could happen, but the most likely reasons include:
    1) Butter that is too soft/melty (or substituting margarine). The butter should not be melty/greasy!
    2) Accidentally over-measuring the baking soda (you aren’t using cute ceramic measuring spoons, are you? They’re adorable but so inaccurate)
    3) Placing the cookie dough on a hot cookie sheet from the previous batch.

    Why didn’t my cookies spread?

    1) Could you have accidentally over-measured your flour? Make sure to check out my post on the right way to measure flour!
    2) Did you add your flour too quickly? Add it to the butter mixture gradually so it has time to be absorbed into the dough, otherwise you could be left with a dry, crumbly dough.

    Can I make the cookie dough in advance?

    You can prepare this dough up to 5 days in advance. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

    How to store baked drop sugar cookies:

    Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll keep for at least a week.

    soft interior of drop sugar cookie

    More Recipes You Might Like

    • Brown Sugar Cookies
    • Sugar Cookie Bars
    • Cookie Sticks
    • Cinnamon Roll Cookies

    Enjoy!

    Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card! 

    drop sugar cookies on marble surrounded by ornaments

    Easy Drop Sugar Cookies

    An easy recipe for Sugar Cookies. No rolling/cutting out required, no chilling, just flawless, festive, soft and chewy cookies. Be sure to check out the how-to video!
    5 from 21 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 15 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 25 minutes
    Servings: 26 cookies
    Calories: 192kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 20 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened (282g)
    • 1 ½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 3 cups all purpose flour (375g)
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • Colored sugar for decorating

    Recommended Equipment

    • Mixing bowls
    • Baking sheet
    • Cookie scoop
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 350F (175C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper². Set aside.
    • In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until creamy and well-combined.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda.
    • Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, stirring until completely combined.
    • Scoop dough by rounded 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls and roll between your palms until smooth. Roll through colored sugar and place on prepared baking sheet, spacing cookies at least 2” apart.
    • Transfer to 350F (175C) oven and bake for 10-11 minutes. Allow to cool completely on baking sheet before enjoying!

    Notes

    ¹Unsalted butter:

    If using salted, reduce the salt in the recipe to ½ teaspoon

    ²Parchment paper:

    If you don’t have parchment paper, bake cookies directly on an ungreased baking sheet.

    Storing:

    Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for at least a week.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 115mg | Potassium: 20mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 278IU | Calcium: 6mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Amanda

      January 01, 2023 at 10:43 pm

      5 stars
      I’m not a baker, at all, but wanted to try an easy cookie recipe with my 7 y/o daughter. I love this recipe’s simplicity and our cookies looked just like the ones in your pictures. My family loves them and these cookies will be our perennial favorite.

      Reply
      • Sam

        January 02, 2023 at 9:51 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Amanda! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Lauren

      December 31, 2022 at 12:28 pm

      5 stars
      My family loves these cookies and asks for them over chocolate chip cookies which are usually the favorite.

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 31, 2022 at 10:20 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Lauren! 🙂

        Reply
    3. kellie

      November 22, 2022 at 5:54 pm

      Can I make shapes with this dough? Like cookie cutter cookies?

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 22, 2022 at 8:58 pm

        Hi Kellie! They won’t hold their shape when baking.

        Reply
    4. Stacey

      July 04, 2022 at 4:59 pm

      5 stars
      Awesome sugar cookies! Perfect texture, and just all around lovely. Super easy to whip up too, my husband and I ate 7 cookies within 30 min of taking them out of the oven 😂

      Reply
    5. Tina

      April 20, 2022 at 11:20 am

      Hi are these cookies the kind you can make really large like your chocolate chip cookies? I don’t want them too flat or could I use your chocolate chip cookie dough recipe with more white sugar instead of brown?? Thank you, and I love all of your recipes!!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        April 21, 2022 at 8:56 am

        Hi Tina! I honestly haven’t tried making them really large but I would be afraid that they wouldn’t cook evenly and would end up with edges too brown and centers underdone. You could replace the brown sugar with white sugar in the chocolate chip cookies though! 🙂

        Reply
        • Eva

          December 23, 2022 at 1:02 pm

          5 stars
          Just made them for the first but definitely not the last time. They are a big hit with my whole family. Delicious!

      • Jada

        December 01, 2022 at 12:02 pm

        5 stars
        Hi, Thanks For Sharing This Recipe. Do You Have The Link Or The Name Of The Cookie Scoop You Used In This Recipe?
        Do You Greased The Parchment Paper With Crisco Before Adding Cookies ?

        Reply
        • Sam

          December 08, 2022 at 9:44 pm

          Hi Jada! Sorry for the delayed response! I have added a link in the recommended equipment section. I do not grease the parchment paper before adding cookies. Enjoy! 🙂

    6. Melissa

      February 10, 2022 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      These are the most delicious sugar cookies! BONUS, they are quick and easy to make. I added your cream cheese frosting A+

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 10, 2022 at 11:18 am

        We’re so happy you like them, Melissa! Thanks so much for trying our recipe and coming back to leave a review ❤

        Reply
    7. Pam Hinzman

      December 22, 2021 at 6:40 pm

      This is the easier and best tasting sugar cookie.
      Thank you so much for sharing.

      Reply
    8. Maggie

      November 27, 2021 at 4:39 am

      5 stars
      Thank you for sharing this fantastic recipe! These cookies couldn’t be any easier. I made them exactly as written and the results were better than I expected. Something about a simple sugar cookie just takes me back to my childhood and tastes like perfection. I only rolled about have of my dough in sprinkles and the rest I left completely plain for a more original feel. I ate at least 6 of them the first day. This is now my go-to sugar cookie recipe, thank you! 🙂

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 27, 2021 at 9:07 am

        I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed, Maggie! Thank you so much for trying my recipe, and for letting me know how it turned out for you, I appreciate it!

        Reply
    9. Nyaziah

      July 06, 2021 at 1:31 pm

      I want to make these but cut the recipe in half. How do I measure Half an egg. Usually when I want to cut recipes in half and it asks for half an egg I usually give up and make the whole recipe

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 08, 2021 at 11:15 am

        Hi Nyaziah! If I need half of an egg I will typically mix it in a dish and then use half of it. 🙂

        Reply
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    The author (Sam) in blue shirt holding donut Hi, I'm Sam! I'm dedicated to bringing you sweet, simple, and from-scratch dessert recipes. My life may or may not be controlled by my sweet tooth. Send help (or chocolate). Read more about me.

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