This a totally perfected, super simple, and very classic sugar cookie recipe with the option to substitute the cane sugar for coconut sugar and keeping that traditional texture and flavor.
Classic Sugar Cookie
Prep time: 20 minutes
Chill time: 1 hour
Bake time: 8–10 minutes
Yield: ~24 cookies (depending on size)
INGREDIENTS
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup cane sugar
- See notes below for substituting with coconut sugar.
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1½ teaspoon vanilla extract
DIRECTIONS
- Whisk dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Cream butter & sugar
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together until light, pale, and fluffy — about 2–3 minutes. This step builds structure and tenderness.
- Add egg & vanilla
- Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated and smooth.
- Combine
- Add dry ingredients in two additions, mixing just until the dough comes together. Do not overmix.
- Chill
- Divide dough in half, flatten into disks, wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (up to 48 hours).
- Roll & cut
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Roll dough on lightly floured parchment to about ¼-inch thick. Cut into shapes and place on lined baking sheets.
- Bake
- Bake 8–10 minutes, just until edges are set and bottoms are lightly golden. Centers should still look pale.
- Cool
- Let cookies rest on the sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
NOTES
- Coconut Sugar Substitution: Coconut sugar makes a delicious cookie, but it’s a different cookie. If you want nostalgic, bakery-style sugar cookies — stick with white sugar. This is one of the only things I make all year with white sugar. But if you don’t mind warmer, deeper flavor — coconut sugar works beautifully.
- Replace granulated sugar 1:1 by weight or volume with coconut sugar
- Cookies will be darker in color
- Flavor will be more caramel-like, less “classic bakery”
- Dough will be slightly softer
- Final cookies will be a bit more tender and less crisp
- Best Adjustment When Using Coconut Sugar
- Chill dough at least 2 hours
- Roll slightly thicker (¼–⅓ inch)
- Bake on the lower end of the time range
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