Soft sugar cookies are classical sugar cookies that are rolled in colorful sanding sugar making it look incredibly festive! It’s soft, crumbly, and chewy in the center and a great addition to a holiday cookie exchange.
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Why you’ll love this colorful Christmas cookie sparkles
- With the holiday season approaching, most of us find joy in baking something utterly delicious and looks incredibly festive. These cookies are super fun to bake, sets the perfect holiday mood.
- The recipe to make these cookies sparkle is very similar to classic sugar cookies, which is easy and simple to make.
- Classic sugar cookies get a festive makeover with sparkling sugar rolled on them. Cookies get coated in holiday-colored sanding sugar for a festive look. Red, green, and white color cookies make the holiday cookie platter pretty!
- The flavors and texture are spot-on.
- It’s a great addition to a holiday cookie exchange.
- A definite crowd-pleaser! Be sure to make a big batch, this flies fast.
- What makes sugar cookies so absolutely amazing is their texture. It has a soft chewy cakey texture with a crispy outer.
- Easy to customize. You can even them thin and crispy and it’ll still taste incredibly delicious! Change the color of the sanding sugar depending on the celebration.
- These are no-chill sugar cookies, which means you can bake these right away.
Ingredients
Readily available pantry ingredients are all you need for these classic cookies. 7 main ingredients and colored sanding sugar.
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Egg yolks
- Vanilla extract
- Sanding sugar (or sparkling sugar)
All the ingredient’s exact measurements are mentioned in the recipe card below.
Ingredients notes
- Flour – use all-purpose flour. Be sure to measure the exact amount of flour while baking cookies. Too much flour will make cookies hard, and too little will make it difficult to work with the dough.
- Sugar – Use sanding sugar or sparkling sugar. You can use colored sugar to roll in the end or use plain white granulated sugar. Note sanding sugar and sparkling sugar are almost the same except for the texture. The crystals of sparkling sugar are slightly larger than sanding sugar.
- Butter – make sure butter is at room temperature. In case you use unsalted butter, you can add ½ teaspoon salt to the dry flour mix. A pinch of salt always enhances the taste of sweet cookies.
- Baking powder – use a fresh batch of baking powder. Old baking powder will make the cookies spread and turn flat. Using too much baking powder leaves a bitter aftertaste in the cookies. Use the right amount of fresh/new baking powder.
- Baking soda – helps the cookies rise. Do not use expired or old batches of baking soda.
- Egg yolks – I used only egg yolks in this recipe. Egg yolks give a rich taste to the cookie.
- Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract.
- Sparkling sugar or sanding sugar – if you can’t get sanding sugar, you can use white granulated sugar for sprinkling or rolling cookie dough before baking. Or use sprinkles to make sprinkle cookies that would be perfect for the holiday season.
How to make soft sugar cookies recipe
Softened butter is used in the recipe. Butter is softened by leaving it on the counter for at least an hour.
Preheat oven tat 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a baking tray with parchment paper or silicon mat.
Step 1: sieve all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a big bowl. Set aside.
Step 2: Into another bowl add softened butter and sugar.
Step 3: Using a stand mixer or hand blender beat softened butter and granulated sugar until well combined.
Step 4: Add egg yolks and pure vanilla extract. Beat until combined.
Step 5: Add dry ingredients in parts and beat until flour is incorporated with wet ingredients.
Step 6: Repeat until all dry ingredients are incorporated with wet ingredients. Make sure not to overbeat the dough, you want the dough to be just combined.
Step 7: Using a scoop, portion cookie dough and lightly roll it with your palm to give it a round shape.
Step 8: Roll cookie dough in sanding or sparkling sugar. I used red, green, and a mix of red-green-white sugar to make Christmas cookies.
Step 9: Place cookie dough on a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 9 to 11 minutes.
Note: Baking time can vary. If you are after soft chewy cakey cookies bake until just cookies start to brown. If you want crumbly cookies, bake a bit longer. Baking time will also differ depending on the size of the cookie.
Once baked, remove the baking tray from the oven. Allow cookies to rest on the baking tray for about 5 minutes until it’s safe to handle without burning the fingers and breaking cookies.
Place cookies on a wire rack and cool completely. Store in air-tight containers sealed properly for about 5 days at room temperature.
NOTE: if not sealed properly, cookies will turn brittle.
You can freeze cookie dough for about 3 months.
Useful tips to make soft sugar cookies
- Use softened butter for soft, chewier cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough.
- If you want cookies to spread, give them a little nudge after rolling in sparkling sugar. I did not press down the cookies, as I wanted them to be cakey.
- For uniform-sized cookies, use ice cream scoop. Using an ice cream scoop will ensure all cookies are portioned evenly and they bake evenly in the oven.
- Roll-in sanding sugar (or sparkling sugar) is an optional step, but it does add a crunch on the outer. If you are worried about sugar turning too sweet (as sugar is added in two stages) don’t worry, reduce sugar added to dough, use 1 cup sugar instead of 1 ¼ cups that is mentioned in the recipe.
Variations
- Add different flavor to the cookies by using pure almond extract.
- Use 1 large egg instead of 2 egg yolks.
- Use different decorations on sugar cookies – use sprinkles to make sprinkle cookies, and decorate with cream cheese frosting.
Common questions
The secret is using softened butter and beating butter and sugar until just creamy. Don’t overdo the creaming of butter and sugar.
Don’t overdo it after adding dry flour ingredients as well, you want the flour to just get incorporated with wet creamy butter and stop beating.
If stored correctly these cookies will keep for 4-5 days at room temperature. Cool cookies completely on a wire rack, and store them in clean dry air-tight containers sealed properly for about 5 days at room temperature.
Overdoing while creaming butter and sugar and over-mixing after the flour is added will knock out all the air in the dough which will result in hard cookies.
Baking for a longer time will also lead to cookies turning hard. If you want soft cookies, bake them until the cookies are just done.
When left at room temperature, it’ll stay soft for about 5 days.
You can freeze the cookie dough in a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw cookie dough completely in the refrigerator (might take about 2 days to thaw completely), then let the dough sit at room temperature for half an hour. Then roll in sugar and bake.
Storing info
Store: Cool cookies completely on a wire rack, and store them in clean dry air-tight containers sealed properly for about 5 days at room temperature.
Freeze: You can freeze the cookie dough in a zip-lock bag for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, thaw cookie dough completely in the refrigerator (might take about 2 days to thaw completely), then let the dough sit at room temperature for half an hour. Then roll in sugar and bake.
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📋Colorful Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ stick salted butter ¾ cup , cut into small cubes and softened to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup sparkling sugar I used red, green and mix of red-green-white sugar sprinkles
Instructions
- You'll need softened butter for this recipe, leave butter on the counter for at least an hour.Preheat oven tat 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line the baking tray with parchment paper or a silicon mat.
- Sieve flour, baking powder, and baking soda in a bowl.
- Using a stand mixer or hand blender beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl. Beat until well combined.Add egg yolks and pure vanilla extract, and beat until just combined.
- Add flour in parts and mix until just combined. Do not over beat.
- Using an ice cream scoop, scoop cookie dough and roll it in sugar.Lightly roll dough in your palm into round balls.Roll dough balls in sanding or sparkling sugar.
- Place sugar-coated cookie balls onto a baking tray lined with parchment paper or silicon mat. Bake in a preheated oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 9 to 11 minutes.NOTE: Baking time can vary. If you are after soft chewy cookies bake until just cookies start to crack. If you want crumbly cookies, bake a bit longer. Baking time will also differ depending on the size of the cookie.
- Once baked, remove baking tray from the oven. Allow cookies to rest on the baking tray for about 5 minutes until it’s safe to handle. Place cookies on a wire rack and cool completely.To store cookies, first let them cool completely. Then store in air-tight containers sealed properly for about 4 days at room temperature.NOTE: if not sealed properly, cookies will turn hard.
Video
Notes
-
- Use softened butter for soft, chewier cookies.
- Do not overmix the dough.
- If you want cookies to spread, give them a little nudge after rolling in sparkling sugar. I did not press down the cookies, as I wanted them to be cakey.
- For uniform-sized cookies, use an ice cream scoop. Using an ice cream scoop will ensure all cookies are portioned evenly and they bake evenly in the oven.
- Roll-in sanding sugar (or sparkling sugar) is an optional step, but it does add a crunch on the outer. If you are worried about sugar turning too sweet (as sugar is added in two stages) don’t worry, reduce sugar added to the dough, use 1 cup sugar instead of 1 ¼ cups that is mentioned in the recipe.
Nutrition
Created by Jyothi Rajesh
Thank you for stopping by.
I’m Jyothi Rajesh (Jo for short) and i’m the founder of the food blog, Curry Trail where I share my culinary Adventures. I live in Bangalore, India. I’m a mom of two beautiful kids. My passion is creating and sharing delicious and easy recipes for the home cook. I have been blogging since 2007 and many of my recipes have appeared in both online and print publications over the years. Learn more about Jyothi Rajesh.
Comments & Reviews
Dee says
The cookies turned out great! I doubled the recipe and the dough seemed quite dry. I added a couple tablespoons of milk to moisten it and it was good to go. It also took 18-20 minutes to bake these cookies rather than 9-11 minutes. Not sure why the dough was so dry to begin with. I thought I was careful when I measured out the flour…
Karen says
How does the sugar coating come out so bright after baking? My colored sugar always fades that I cant even tell I rolled them in sugar. Thank you!
Jyothi Rajesh says
Karen, can you tell what type of sugar you used for the recipe? As mentioned in the recipe sparkling sugar is best to use, sparkling sugar are large-grained enough that it won’t melt and disappear when used as topping
Gina says
I can’t do dairy. Do you think plant based margarine would work?
Jyothi Rajesh says
Sorry, I have not tested with plant-based margarine, I can’t tell for sure! But my guess is that it would work. If you do try with plant-based margarine, please do leave a feedback here, will be helpful
Lisa says
How big are these cookies?
Jyothi Rajesh says
I used medium oxo scoop to scoop cookie dough. I would say medium sized.
Johanny says
Can i add chopped almonds to the dough for crunch and flavor.
Jyothi Rajesh says
I’m sure you can. I’d suggest almond meal can also be added and reducing the amount of flour. Please note I haven’t experimented with almond so I can’t comment of the taste and texture of the cookies for sure. If you do try, please do come back and let me know how it turns out
Aline says
Had so much fun making these over Christmas with my family and even more fun eating them watching old movies!!
jyothirajesh says
So glad you liked this cookie Aline. It’s so fun when you can get the entire family into kitchen
Eden says
These sugar cookies are soft, sweet, and super easy to make! My son loved them!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Sara says
What wonderful tips for making perfect sugar cookies! Yours look like the ones I love: thick, chewy, and delicious. I can’t wait to save these for the holidays again!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Jacqui De Bono says
We made these and the kids loved making all the different colours! We loved the texture, and you are so right – make a big batch!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Candice says
These cookies are so festive, fun, and delicious. They were easy to make, and all the neighbors loved them. Will be making these again next year!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Veena Azmanov says
These cookies look festive and colorful. Definitely delicious too. Love to gift them to my loved ones.
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Ben says
Yes! Those look amazing! I usually don’t go in for soft cookies, but sugar cookies are an exception for me. There’s nothing like a soft, chewy sugar cookie. I can’t wait to make this!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you Ben
kita says
I havent made sugar cookies in years! These sound so much like my childhood. I cant wait for them to come out of the oven!
jyothirajesh says
Thank you
Analida Braeger says
These were so fun to make with my kids! Thanks for all the great tips to make them!
jyothirajesh says
Glad you liked it