Bake

Chewy Sugar Cookies

by:
June  8, 2021
4.6
49 Ratings
Photo by James Ransom
  • Prep time 10 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Makes about 2 dozen
Author Notes

I created this sugar cookie recipe for a Food52 recipe contest in 2010. (Spoiler alert: It won!) One of the things I like best about this sugar cookie is that it’s not tooth-achingly sweet. It’s got a nice proportion of crunch-to-chew. And it’s so sparkly from the turbinado sugar! The inspiration behind this cookie came from The New York Times’ chocolate chip cookie recipe, printed on March 1, 2000, one of the best chewy cookies I’ve ever tasted.

These days I’ve been adding a pinch of nutmeg to my sugar cookies because Stella Parks once said it enhances their butteriness. I also like to bake them all different sizes, most recently: one HUGE cookie as big as my face! I've so enjoyed reading the comments section on this recipe page. Everyone's ideas are great, additions like: lemon zest, coconut extract and shredded coconut, more flour so you can roll-and-cut, and jam for thumbprints. Thank you all for making this sugar cookie recipe yours. —mrslarkin

Test Kitchen Notes

What makes a perfect sugar cookie? More than 150 rave reviews and nearly 3,000 saves is what. All of you agreed that this was it: Voted "Your Best Chewy Sugar Cookie," this recipe has been a Food52 favorite since 2010, not least because they're so easy to make. There's no rolling nor cutting involved—just scooping and baking. And for such a short ingredient list, their flavor is incomparable.

Mrslarkin’s classic sugar cookies make use of three sugars: granulated, light brown, and turbinado. The granulated gives the cookie a foundation of sweetness, the light brown adds caramel notes, and the turbinado is in there for a little snap. These sugar cookies are crisp and buttery on the edges and chewy through the center. Perfect for dunking and ice cream sandwiches, we think, and for the holidays.

Note: If baking them on a dark, nonstick baking sheet, reduce the oven temperature by 25 degrees (this is a good general rule for all baking). —A&M

Featured in: The Sugar Cookie Recipe That Won Contests, Changed Lives. —Food52

What You'll Need
Watch This Recipe
Chewy Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
  • 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup (99 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (52 grams) light brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 cups (180 grams) all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt (I use Diamond Crystal)
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup turbinado sugar
Directions
  1. Heat oven to 375°F. Line two large sheet pans with parchment paper.
  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream butter and sugars for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl. Continue beating for another minute. Scrape bowl again. Add vanilla. Beat for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl. Add egg. Beat for 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl.
  3. Add flour, salt, and baking soda. Beat 1 minute. Scrape sides of bowl and beat for 1 minute, or until combined and no flour pockets remain.
  4. Place turbinado sugar in small, shallow bowl. Using a small cookie/ice cream scoop (mine is 1 1/2 inches in diameter), scoop balls of dough and drop a few at a time in the coarse sugar and gently roll around. Place balls of dough on parchment, leaving about 1 1/2 inches of space around each. Do not press the balls down. This will ensure a chewy middle.
  5. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, turning pans halfway through baking, until cookies have spread into rounds and the edges look set. Resist the urge to bake your cookies longer, or they won’t be chewy. The tops don’t get much color, but the bottoms will be nicely golden.
  6. Place pans on cooling racks. When cool, store cookies in air-tight containers.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

  • Alix Augustine
    Alix Augustine
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  • Rachael Moss
    Rachael Moss
  • Samantha Daly
    Samantha Daly

180 Reviews

riceball December 28, 2023
Platonic ideal of a sugar cookie that never gets boring to eat — warning: highly addictive! Crisp buttery edges, with crunchy tops, and slightly cakey center. Added a pinch of nutmeg and a few drops of almond extract to give it a bit of a cake batter taste and turned it into a “birthday cake” cookie with nonpareil rainbow sprinkles. Non pareil Sprinkles makes it taste a bit less sweet than turbinado sugar and adds a hint of vanilla flavor on top.
 
Alix A. August 29, 2023
Mine are flat pancakes (could be old baking soda) but taste DELICIOUS. Recipe is definitely a keeper. So easy!
 
doubleboiler June 4, 2023
Yet another recipe that says "kosher salt" but doesn't specify which kind. For those who aren't aware Morton Kosher Salt is twice as salty as Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt, so you'll have wildly different results depending on the brand you have on hand.
 
mrslarkin June 4, 2023
Excellent point! I updated the recipe.
 
doubleboiler June 5, 2023
Thank you! I had a feeling you must have used Diamond Crystal because I used Mortons (all I really see at the grocery stores around me) and the cookies turned out pretty salty. They're still good - my wife actually commented that she loves the extra saltiness! - but I would have definitely used less had I known in advance.
 
Parker February 7, 2023
Perfectly level of sweetness, chewiness, with a thin layer of crunch! Not floury like every other sugar cookie recipe I’ve tried. You don’t even have to refrigerate them before baking, just bake straight away! 😋
 
runnerfemme February 1, 2023
I made these for my boyfriend who loves soft sugar cookies. To make them a little softer, I added a 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar to the dough (with the flour, salt, and baking soda). I also added 1/4 teaspoon of LoRann Princess Cake and Cookie dough emulsion (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00794GZ4K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1) to amp up the flavor a little (I still added the vanilla called for in the recipe). I let covered the dough let it sit in the fridge for 24 hours to let flavors develop as recommended by the article on this website: https://food52.com/blog/27724-the-absolute-best-way-to-make-sugar-cookies. Used this cookie scoop: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0000CCY1E?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details&th=1
And the bake time was perfect for me: 5 minutes; turned the pan; 5 more minutes. Then let them cool on the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. He remarked that these cookies are "wicked." He loved them. (Oh - I also rolled some of the dough balls in a cinnamon sugar mix to make them snickerdoodles.) This recipe has so many possibilities! Next time, might add some lemon zest and a drop or two of lemon oil... or almond extract... or maple extract.. I love how easy it was. Def making again.
 
mazie January 16, 2023
I made these following the recipe exactly and they are delicioius!
Soft, tender and stay that way for one day only because by then they were all gone.
This recipe is a keeper!
 
Susan January 16, 2023
These are SO GOOD. Added 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom because I want cardamom in everything, plus just a tiny sprinkle of freshly ground nutmeg. Used a 2 inch cookie scoop and got exactly one dozen cookies. Be sure not to crowd the baking sheet, because these cookies obviously spread. You can also get by with way less turbinado sugar.
 
lforrest122 January 14, 2023
going straight by your recipe...but the write-up mentioned adding nutmeg, but none in the ingredient list
 
heidi F. January 13, 2023
The hype is true! These are the best damn cookies! I used half vanilla puree & half Anise extract, SO GOOD!!
 
Maggie January 13, 2023
Absolutely the best!
 
GAYMAN69420 November 7, 2022
oh my gosh best this is the best my family is coming over in 2o minuets and ths resepie is the Slay recipe and my brother died due to me putting chocolate in this and my dog died too! :D https://www.kindpng.com/imgv/ioxbm_super-saiyan-4-goku-black-hd-png-download/
 
samslo23 January 9, 2022
Used sprinkles instead of turbinado sugar and it was a huge hit. My entire family ate the entire batch in a day.
 
nahrissarush December 24, 2021
I love this recipe! I couldn't find any turbinado or coarse sugar so for rolling I used brown sugar for one batch and cinnamon sugar for another batch. This made the cookies crunchy on the outside but still soft on the inside. This will definitely be added to my holiday cookie recipe box, but they're easy enough to make any time of the year!
 
Rachael M. October 16, 2021
I make these every year. I follow the recipe to a “T,” but I do have 2 “tweaks”:

1.) you can roll the dough in nonpareil sprinkles, and you get sprinkle sugar cookies. Just make sure they are NONPARIEL sprinkles—ones that look like tiny dots—not “jimmies” or any other type of sprinkle. Other sprinkles will melt in the oven, and then you will cry.

2.) you can roll them in colored or clear sparkling sugar. I buy tubs from the bakery department of my grocery store. Then, you can make them colored, like for a baby shower.
 
indiagateflours July 10, 2021
Delicious Recipe. Made a slight change, used whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour, the cookie came out much crispier and I found it to be healthier.
 
BettyH December 8, 2020
For some reason my cookies didn't go flat, more like haystacks. I don't believe I over -rolled them. But something went askew. They have nice colouring and are chewy. Any suggestions?
I love this site - thank you.
 
alisonia September 26, 2020
Thank you for this recipe. These cookies are delicious! I rolled them in turbinado sugar and sprinkled Maldon sea salt on top in the middle. I used two different cookie sheets to see how they would differ. My oven thermometer registered 375 degrees, and I used a 1.5 teaspoon cookie scoop, as recommended. On an insulated sheet I had to bake them 13 min to get a golden brown bottom. They flattened nicely and the chewiness stayed intact! Baked separately as a second batch, the cookies on a non-insulated aluminum sheet pan baked for 10 minutes and didn’t flatten as much as the first batch. Same dough, prepared with slightly less than one minute of beating the egg to make sure I didn’t whip in too much air. I’m thinking the results do have something to do with the pan you use.
 
SusieI September 24, 2020
Hi, wondering if anyone has tried making these with gluten free flour, and if the recipe would need to be adjusted at all.
Thanks!
 
Dee A. January 13, 2023
I haven’t tried it, but check out King Arthur’s baking for gluten-free tips. I believe they do not recommend using GF flour for cookies. I would substitute nut flour if avoiding wheat.
 
Kelliok1 January 13, 2023
Actually, GF flour is PERFECT for these cookies and my FAVORITE is CUP for CUP even though quite expensive it’s worth it. I don’t tell anyone they’re GF and they taste like regular cookies.
 
Dee A. January 13, 2023
Thanks- good to know!
 
SPark0101 September 22, 2020
Whoa delicious! Made this with salted butter and skipped the turbinado. It was the perfect balance of crunch and chew, sweet and salt. Also the perfect size batch.
 
Samantha D. August 19, 2020
These are amazing and so easy to make—almost TOO easy! Onto making my third batch as these disappear from my house within a day.
 
Therese April 10, 2020
Perfect sugar cookie!. Super easy.
 
Lauren M. April 6, 2020
Everything you want in a cookie- simple, easy and wonderfully delicious.
 
AngieGH December 14, 2019
Easy recipe. Very good sugar cookie. Nice and chewy and love them rolled in the turbinado sugar.
 
Eric K. December 2, 2019
I adore this cookie.
 
angievb254 December 30, 2018
I found this recipe just a few weeks ago and they came out amazing! When I did it the second time I tried adding the zest of one lemon, and it worked really well, so if you want a type of lemon sugar cookie than add the zest of one lemon in before the eggs. Have fun baking!
 
zoemetro U. February 1, 2018
Hi mrslarkin! Cooked your eggs tonight and also made these cookies. We had a reject result from the recent chocolate chip cookies from Smitten Kitchen(usually her recipes are spot on and I am probably to blame for the less than stellar result)--so I turned to your recipe and WOW!--it is heaven in a bite. As well, I added 1/2 cup puree of mango/butternut squash puree to help my son get some veg/fruit in his body.
 
margaret December 23, 2017
Have been looking for YEARS for an exceptional sugar cookie recipe. These are it! Turned out PERFECT. I like that they're a substantial cookie and not thin. I didn't have turbinado sugar. so i rolled them in demera. I'll definitely be making these again! Thank you!
 
tanteilonka August 14, 2017
To save time I melted the butter before blending with sugar - this creates a batter rather than a dough, so impossible to scoop and role in sugar. I baked as a standard sugar cookie (6 min at 350 degrees). Decent but that's all. Next day the leftover batter had firmed up (I refrigeratorated then brought to room temp) and the scoop & roll method worked with much better results.
 
Kerry G. December 15, 2016
I was in a rush to make these, so just melted the butter and mixed in the sugar, and proceeded from there. The cookies were EXCELLENT.
 
debbykc December 13, 2016
***** Just finished making these cookies for cookie exchange tomorrow. Easy and quick....didn't look like much BUT THEY TASTE GREAT! The turbinado sugar gives them crunch...a bit cakey, but got a "really good---almost addictive" from my husband. Doubled the recipe expecting to get 4 dozen cookies---unfortunately only 3 dozen--used a scoop that had 1 3/4" diameter--extended baking time to 12 minutes
 
Sahra February 24, 2016
Oh my goodness, these were fabulous!! Bad weather led to my school closing and so my family was treated to your delightful recipe. Thank you for sharing.
 
mrslarkin February 24, 2016
Yay!! So glad you like them!
 
Madelien February 17, 2016
These cookies are the best I have ever made according to my husband and 2 kids. They are crunchy, chewy, buttery, vanilla -y and just a tad salty ... SUBLIME! I have made them 3x in the past 2 weeks (double batches!!) Thank you for the recipe!! My husband's quote sums it up, " It's like a pepperidge farm sugar cookie had sex with a shortbread cookie and the fat baby cookie is sprinkled with crack"LOL We can't stop eating them!!
 
mrslarkin February 18, 2016
Ha! I love it! So glad you all like these. Next time I might sprinkle a little Maldon sea salt ON TOP, I am crazy.
 
Den January 24, 2016
These cookies are so, so good. I used salted butter (didn't have any unsalted on hand) and otherwise followed the recipe. They were still somehow a little too sweet for my taste -- next time I'll try putting a little less sugar and maybe roll only the tops of the cookies in the turbinado (maybe this is what is supposed to be done anyway?). Overall: great cookie!
 
ifjuly December 20, 2015
I was afraid there was no way these could live up to the hype simply because there's so much (nearly 2500 hearts and over a hundred effusive, dazed with delight comments!), but wow, they did. I followed the comment about adding 1/2 cup flour to the dough and chilling the dough a long time (mine actually sat in the back of the fridge, the coldest part, for 2 or 3 days) to be able to roll the dough out and make cut outs. I'm sure something of a magical chewiness gets lost that way but the flavor, as everyone says, is impeccable, subtly perfect but not busy/showy, just sort of platonic ideal sugar cookie taste. The turbinado "sprinkles" were excellent too, as many have already noted. And I loved that they were relatively durable--some years I get to party destinations and half my cut out sugar cookies have edges that have crumbled off, so sad, but these were wonderfully textured while being noticeably sturdier, where not a single cookie wound up mangled--and the dough was very forgiving to work with--I kept doing that no no where you cut out what you can, grab the leftover scrap, knead a second, then reroll...sometimes that leads to the later batches being sad, but not these! They are my go-to now, as everyone else in comments has already said. Thanks for giving me a holiday cookie recipe I can rely on and always look forward to in the future! :D
 
mrslarkin December 20, 2015
That is awesome, ifjuly! Thanks for your feedback, and I'm glad the cookies worked out. Merry Christmas!
 
Melanie September 13, 2015
This is my go-to sugar cookie recipe, and today I changed it up a little. I added 1/2 t. organic coconut extract w/ the vanilla, and stirred in 1/2 c. unsweetened desiccated coconut with the flour. Delicous!
 
byker B. December 16, 2014
Love the taste of these, but my cookies did not flatten out. What did I do wrong?
 
mrslarkin December 16, 2014
Hmmm...I think that happens when too much air is beaten into the dough. I'm glad they taste good!
 
NotTooSweet December 15, 2014
Oh my mrslarkin, these are so delicious! They have replaced my decades old recipe that I thought could not be beat. Mailed some to my sugar cookie- loving daughter and she called to say they are hands down the best she ever had. Thanks for the great recipe!
 
mrslarkin December 16, 2014
You're welcome, NTS!
 
Liz P. December 4, 2014
I was wondering whether I couple freeze these at the "ball" stage, and then bake them straight out of the freezer as needed?
 
mrslarkin December 4, 2014
Yes!
 
Señora H. September 22, 2014
I'm pregnant, had a craving made the easiest quickest batch and devoured it over night!! haha... These are amazing
 
dotcalm9 January 2, 2014
by far the best sugar cookies i have ever made for christmas. thought i had turbinado sugar at home, but didn't, it was demarara and wasn't sure i could substitute... so i just used large grain and fine grain sanding sugars in red and green. Loved the results!
 
Dana S. December 27, 2013
These cookies are one of my favorites - perfectly chewy, and with the right hit of saltiness to accompany all that sugar. These were specifically requested for Christmas again this year, and I was all too happy to whip up a batch.
 
chrissiebakes December 22, 2013
hmm...eleventh hour epiphany on possible reasons why my chewy sugar cookies are not coming out right: Insulated. Cookie. Sheets. I just dragged the last tray out of the oven, whipped out an old stained jelly roll pan, and slid the parchment paper with cookies onto it. This should give a clue as to whether I am on the right track, but still wondering about the flour measurement (sifting vs. not)..
 
mrslarkin December 22, 2013
Hi Chrissie! Sorry you're having problems with this recipe.

I do NOT sift my flour, but I do aerate it very well with a whisk or fork before spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off with the straight edge of a knife.

I don't beat the eggs for more than a minute. Any longer, and the dough is too fluffy, resulting in a cakier cookie.

You can try refrigerating the dough for a half hour - i have never tried it so don't know what effect it might have on the cookies.

Make sure the oven thermometer reads 375, and the lesser baking time will ensure a chewy cookie.

Good luck!
 
chrissiebakes December 23, 2013
Thanks for your tips. Next time you are making these, it would be interesting to know the weight of your whisked and spooned flour. I weighed by dipping and leveling, straight from the bag (7.5 ounces= 1.5 cups) and then by whisking/spooning/leveling (this time, 1.5 cups weighed 5.6 ounces). The dough was fairly sticky, so I made some tests with it that way and then stirred in a little of the extra flour till the sought was less sticky. I used non-insulated pans, reduced the size of the cookies from 1.2 ounces to .6-.8 ounce (since they were coming out raw in the middle), and used the oven thermometer temperature as guide. Definitely improved the result.
 
chrissiebakes December 22, 2013
I am so disappointed. I have made these tce and neith time did they come out as shown. The first time I did not have an oven thermometer and beat according to instructions, but used a paddle on my beater that is not the standard for the mixer -- it is advertised as being more effective than the manufacturer's. I think the cookies were over beaten. I used demerara sugar and swapped out the vanilla with cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, mixing a little cinnamon into the demerqrq sugar for coating. that part worked fine, but the cookies did not flatten and were not too chewy. This time, I got the oven thermometer and it showed the oven as being too cool. the cookies started to spread but came out cakey, not at all even as goodas the first effort. The second time I used one half cup of unbleached and one cup of bleached flour and did not beat aw much, using the standard paddle.

The only other thingsI can think of is that I have measured using the dip and scoop method, wince sifting is not mentioned in the rcipe. Do you sift your flour? I also do not have a 1.5" scoop so mesured out 1.2 ounces per cookie.

I sure like the idea of the cookies, but am at a loss on how to get something that looks like the picture. I have one more tray to go, so am turning down the heqat on the possibility thqt both the oven and the thermometer are unreliable, butit should not be this hard.

First time, I also deliberately beought th butter to 63 degrees, which is supposed to be grat for creaming it. Tis time, I left the butter out overnight, found it was 60 degrees, and left the eff just a little cool to compensate for the warming butter. Maybe starting with a. cold stick of butter or chilling dough first would help?
 
Grace B. June 23, 2013
What happens if i used salted butter?
 
mrslarkin June 24, 2013
They'd be a little saltier.
 
Anubha February 17, 2013
Can I make these without eggs
 
mrslarkin February 17, 2013
yes, but they probably won't be very chewy. Let us know if you try it!
 
Vickie February 5, 2013
I just baked these today, after making them before Christmas! After scooping them onto a baking sheet, popped them into freezer until chilled and then into a freezer bag. I thawed these little gems, then rolled in the sugar - wow- these are wonderful!
 
mrslarkin February 5, 2013
That is great to hear, Vickie! So glad you enjoyed them.
 
DBDubs January 1, 2013
Yum! These were easy and delicious.
 
mrslarkin January 1, 2013
Yay! So glad you liked them!
 
ChefCatou December 12, 2012
Au contraire! You totally can do it with these. I have now done so three times. I bump the flour up by about a half cup...maybe a bit more. And I cook them til golden (just keep an eye on them). I always add a little extra salt since that sweet-savory thing is so good. Chill well and roll 'em out just like any sugar cookie recipe for cut outs. I have also made them the regular way over a dozen times. Everyone loves these. Definitely try them with cookie cutters.
 
mrslarkin December 12, 2012
That is great to know, CC! Thanks for letting us know!

There you go, kitchenqween, it CAN be done!
 
kitchenqween December 12, 2012
I would love to make therse but I want to do cookie cutouts. Not sure if the recipe matters but could I do this with this particualar recipe??
 
mrslarkin December 12, 2012
I don't think so. Cut out cookies should be thin and crispy, like Amanda's recipe for cut-out cookies: http://www.food52.com/recipes/19858_holiday_cutout_cookies
 
CultureVulture July 22, 2012
Just made these! I divided the batch and made one half "plain" and one half with a bit of jam on top.
 
mrslarkin July 22, 2012
So glad you made these, CultureVulture! The jam version sound delicious! Hope you liked them!
 
Lucky S. May 27, 2012
I finally made these and I have to say - no damn mystery why these won the prize - they are superb in every way! Irv and I had to beat each other away from them so there was some left to share. I do have a question - for larger quantities, do you make many small batches or if you do double or triple the amount, are there any adjustments you make in the doubling or tripling of ingredients? Thank you and see you around the hood!
 
mrslarkin May 27, 2012
Hello Sweeney! So very glad you and Irv enjoyed the #2s. I've successfully doubled (and probably tripled) this recipe. I have a 7 qt mixer, so it can accommodate quite a bit of dough. No adjustments necessary. See you soon!
 
triplip May 14, 2012
why did mine come out so puffy? they are tasty, but didn't flatten out like yours!
 
mrslarkin May 14, 2012
Hi triplip, sometimes mine come out puffier than I'd like when I've overbeaten the dough and/or baked in a too hot oven. I always suggest getting an oven thermometer, just to make sure the oven temperature is accurate. My oven is so inaccurate, it's not funny, so I always keep an oven thermometer inside to make sure it bakes at the temp I need.
 
karnow May 7, 2012
Yummy, Mrs. L! XO
 
mrslarkin May 14, 2012
yummy, indeed. thanks karnow!
 
ChefCatou April 2, 2012
Fun adaptation: add a scant 1/2 cup of flour to come up with dough that you can roll out for cookie cutter cookies. I refrigerated mine overnight. The cookies, of course, lose their chew but the flavor in a nice crisp cookie is scrumptious! These were gobbled up.
 
mrslarkin April 11, 2012
Really great to hear, ChefCatou. Thanks for letting me know.
 
greekmiss February 26, 2012
I just made these and they are exactly what I was looking for! I have been looking for chewy sugar cookies for about a year now and finally I have success. Thank you thank you thank you!
 
mrslarkin February 26, 2012
you're welcome, greekmiss! So glad you liked these.
 
[email protected] February 15, 2012
Hi. I had the same problem as mohones. My cookies baked up puffy. I will check the oven temp, but was also wondering if there is too much air getting beaten into the dough. I followed the directions and it seemed like a lot of beating. That said, they were still delicious and were gone in one day!
 
mrslarkin February 17, 2012
Hello k! Glad you enjoyed these cookies. Yeah, I think it could also be too much air in the dough, depending on what speed you are using. I generally use a medium/low speed for the whole recipe. But at step 4, when the eggs go in, I use a low speed, especially since I upgraded to a bigger/stronger/faster mixer. Let us know if you try these again.
 
Cindgem December 18, 2011
These cookies look like what I have been looking for. Can't wait to make them. How long will they store in an airtight tin? Does anyone know? I am bringing them someplace next weekend, and have lots to do this week. Would like to make them as far ahead as possible.
 
mrslarkin December 18, 2011
Hi Cindgem, Thanks for trying these cookies! They store very well airtight for several days. I have a bunch I made 2 days ago. They're still perfectly chewy. I think they'll freeze well, too. I'll stick some in the freezer tonight to see how they taste defrosted tomorrow.
 
Blissful B. December 18, 2011
I bake & freeze these all the time & they defrost very well. Synchronicity: I just made a batch tonight!
 
growinggourmand October 5, 2011
I feel so honored to get a comment from you on my mock vodka sauce!! Thank you!!! I absolutely LOVE this recipe!!! We made them in our baking class and this summer my sister and my best friend and I created a beautiful memory baking these together at my family summer home! My sister raved about these cookies, but the funniest moment had to be when we gave one to my two year old nephew. His eyes were so huge, because he got one with special sprinkles...( there was no turbinado sugar to be found in that country town ha ha). My sister couldn't wait so she sneaked a bite of his cookie before giving it to him. He started to burst out in tears. We tried to give him another cookie, but he was so distressed that his Mom had stolen a piece of his precious cookie! I felt so bad, but it makes for a great story. All of my family enjoyed it, but especially my little nephew. He eventually calmed down and i think had a few more :)! Well heres the recipe for the chicken... it calls for prosciutto but i used bacon! http://www.finecooking.com/recipes/stuffed-chicken-breast-prosciutto.aspx ENJOY!
 
mrslarkin October 11, 2011
Thank you so much gg! Very glad you enjoyed these cookies. And what a cute story about your nephew!!

Thanks for the link to the chicken recipe as well.

Looking forward to more of your recipe submissions.
 
mohnoes September 3, 2011
i just made these cookies and they were truly delicious! perfect texture. however, on my first tray, i followed your instruction not to flatten the cookies and they came out dome-shaped. no idea what i could have done wrong, we followed the directions to a tee! so we flattened the rest and they came out just right. =)
 
mrslarkin September 4, 2011
hi mohnoes! The dome shape could be due to a too hot oven - it's happened to me before. An oven thermometer is really helpful for making sure your oven is accurate. Too much baking soda might also be the cause. Glad you got them to work out!!
 
mohnoes September 3, 2011
i just made these cookies and they are delicious! however, when i followed your instruction not to flatten them, they came out dome-shaped. i followed the recipe to a tee so i'm not sure what happened. but i did flatten the rest of the cookies and they came out perfectly. =)
 
mohnoes September 3, 2011
oops, sorry for the double comment!
 
mohnoes September 3, 2011
i just made these cookies and they are delicious! however, when i followed your instruction not to flatten them, they came out dome-shaped. i followed the recipe to a tee so i'm not sure what happened. but i did flatten the rest of the cookies and they came out perfectly. =)
 
borntobeworn April 8, 2011
I made these to take to work and they are Great! I couldn't find turbinado sugar so I used a combination of Demerara sugar and blonde coconut palm sugar which made them very pretty! The only thing I did differently is I let the dough sit in the refrigerator for 48 hours before baking them. I do this regularly now since reading this 2008 NYT article about the benefits of chilling the dough for
cookie recipe that talks about letting the dough chill 36 hours before baking: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/dining/09chip.html?scp=1&sq=best%20chocolate%20chip%20cookie&st=cse . My son has asked me to make more this weekend. I'll buy the stuff and supervise HIM doing it (he's 16).
 
Blissful B. April 10, 2011
Have you seen this reply to that article? I love the NYT, but I also love Joy the Baker:
http://www.joythebaker.com/blog/2008/07/the-chocolate-chip-cookie-debate-forth-and-final-edition/
 
mrslarkin April 10, 2011
That's great, borntobeworn! Thanks for letting me know! and BB, that's so funny! Not sure I'd be patient enough to wait more than a couple hours for my cookie fix!!
 
boulangere April 10, 2011
I agree - heck of a long time to wait for a cookie! I get the logic and science of it, but when I want a cookie, I tend to want it sooner rather than later.
 
MHardison79 April 3, 2011
These just came out of the oven, and I dont know what to say other than, these are the best sugar cookies that I have ever made. I recommend to anyone reading this recipe, just go ahead and make it already. Its simple, quick, and easy, and the results are beyond delicious. Thanks for such a great recipe mrslarkin, its obvious why you won the Best Chewy Sugar Cookie contest.
 
mrslarkin April 3, 2011
Yay! Thanks, MHardison79!! So very glad you enjoyed them!!
 
Blissful B. March 13, 2011
This weekend was Sugar Cookie Test Kitchen at my house. We tried lots of recipes. For some, we didn't like the flavor. For others, we didn't like the texture. When we got to yours we smiled. Everything was just right. You should rename these Goldilocks Sugar Cookies! Thanks for sharing this recipe - it was a well-deserved win.
 
mrslarkin April 3, 2011
Thanks, BB, for letting me know!! I'm so glad your gang enjoyed these!!
 
STEsker January 14, 2011
Magnificent cookie! My two-year old and I have been gobbling these golden treats up. We love the delicate crunch of the turbinado sugar on the outside. Thank you for sharing the recipe. I think it's going to be my new go-to for tea snacks.
 
mrslarkin January 14, 2011
Yay, STEsker! So happy you are enjoying the cookies! I, too, love the crunch factor.
 
mcs3000 January 7, 2011
Made these again - can't thank you enough. The turbinado sugar is like icing on the cake. Your recipe actually replaced an old family recipe as my fave.
 
mrslarkin January 7, 2011
You're very welcome!! So happy you like it!!
 
gingerroot December 20, 2010
Made these today with my two little ones and they are SO GOOD! Like others have mentioned, not too sweet, with a lovely vanilla flavor, and both chewy and crunchy. One of my favorite things about your recipes is that they make me feel like I CAN bake - they taste amazing and look like your photos (or at least something close). Thank you so much!!
 
mrslarkin December 20, 2010
Yay! So glad to hear that, gingerroot! You are very welcome.
 
mdm October 26, 2010
YUM! My 3-year old, Simone, and I had such fun making and eating these together over the weekend -- thank you! I don't have much of a sweet tooth but I have gobbled these up -- perfect level of sweetness for my taste.
 
mrslarkin October 27, 2010
So glad you and Simone liked these, mdm! Thanks.
 
cheese1227 September 16, 2010
Due to a certain set of college seminar classes held on Thursday afternoon which all of my friends seem to teach, I typically have 3-4 extra kids after school in addition to my own two. Complete unanimous vote today (no secret corporate donations for false advertising allowed) electing these the best sugar cookies they'd ever eaten -- OK, if you added their ages together you don't quite get a 50-year-old, but still, that's really high praise. They requested them for next week. So now I must ask myself, when does a mom's treat become an unrealistic childhood expectation?
 
mrslarkin September 18, 2010
Wow! So great to hear, cheese1227! Please thank the gang for me. Good luck with your after school snacking dilemma. Careful, it's a slippery slope once you make these. Thank goodness it's an easy recipe.
 
cheese1227 September 19, 2010
Made them again for my daughter's Irish step dance bake sale (red and black sugar as that is the troupe's color combination) and she made little tags for the bags of cookies the said "Reel chewy sugar cookies".
 
mrslarkin September 19, 2010
oh my god, that is so cute!
 
CathyB July 22, 2010
This is a great recipe. I made them for a picnic. I rolled a few in the turbinado sugar for us adults, and the rest in colored sugar for the kids. They were a big hit—sophisticated for the adults, but simple enough to be enjoyed by the kids. I bet they would make great ice-cream sandwiches...
 
mrslarkin July 22, 2010
Thanks, CathyB! Great idea using the colored sugar for the kids! I've made these into ice cream sandwiches using coffee ice cream, and rolling the sides in more turbinado - so good!
 
mrslarkin July 4, 2010
COOK'S NOTE: I recently saw a cookie recipe that used cold butter. So I made these again the other day and instead of room temperature butter, I took it straight out of the fridge and beat it in my kitchenaid mixer for a few minutes until soft-ish. I'd have to do a side-by-side comparison to see if there's any real difference, but I thought this method produced a slightly chewier cookie. Most importantly, don't over-bake these.
 
marytarry June 29, 2010
Just tried these and they are YUMMY! I did substitute 1/2 the vanilla for orange extract to give it a little citrus taste. But the texture of these is spot on. Thanks for sharing
 
mrslarkin July 4, 2010
You're welcome, marytarry! I am so glad you enjoyed them. Love your addition of orange extract.
 
johnray June 19, 2010
Are all THREE sugars creamed, or just the first 2?
A cup seems an awful lot for rolling, but 1 3/4 c seems alot for creaming...

The instructions say cream butter and "sugars"...

 
mrslarkin June 19, 2010
Sorry for the confusion, johnray! Step 2 should read "Cream butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar..." The turbinado is just for rolling. Let me know how they turn out for you!
 
johnray June 19, 2010
That was going to be first guess based on proportions, but A&Ms comments were enough to keep me wondering.

Can't wait. I grew up with my mom searching to duplicate some sugar recipe my dad had tasted somewhere. Soft with a crisp exterior is my best recollection... So this jumped out at me.

It may not meet the "dad test" (he's gonna get some though) but they sure look great.
 
johnray June 19, 2010
Oh - do you have a pointer to that NYT chocolate chip cookie recipe?
 
mrslarkin June 19, 2010
yup - here's the link: http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/01/dining/see-jane-dunk-dunk-jane-dunk.html?scp=3&sq=chocolate chip cookie
I just made a batch of these today. I love them. Good luck with the cookies, hope dad likes them, and report back!
 
mrslarkin June 19, 2010
sorry, I was blabbering on and on. The link for New York Times’ chocolate chip cookie recipe is http://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/01/dining/see-jane-dunk-dunk-jane-dunk.html?scp=3&sq=chocolate chip cookie
 
dbscandy June 27, 2010
As always, reading a recipe through before starting can often answer any question one may encounter about the ingredient use.
Happy baking!!
 
johnray July 4, 2010
Well, I finally made them today. OUT-Standing!
Also got to use my newly acquired Silpat sheets (oh WHY did I wait so long?)

The dad-test will be end of summer, but they passed any test of MINE with flying colors!
 
mrslarkin July 4, 2010
Johnray, that's great! Curious to know what dad will think. Do let me know. I think I used my silpat once and never really liked it. I love using parchment paper.
 
mrslarkin June 11, 2010
Here's an informative NYT article explaining butter's role in cookies: www.nytimes.com/2008/12/17/dining/17bake.html
 
Brenna May 27, 2010
This is such a great sugar cookie recipe to keep in your back pocket. Easy to memorize parts and measurements, and the modest yield of 2 dozen is perfect. I didn't have any brown sugar or turbinado (and made these on the fly due to a serious sweet craving), or vanilla extract (which is completely silly), so I used the what I had that I considered 'closest' to the vanilla--Grand Marnier (but only one teaspoon). I can't wait to make these again as written; while mine turned out completely wonderful I'm sure they have a nice, deep flavor with the proper sugars.
 
mrslarkin May 27, 2010
So glad you liked these, Brenna! Love the idea of the Grand Marnier! FYI, I was playing around with this recipe last week - added more vanilla just to see how they'd turn out - did NOT like them. Also, the butter was REALLY soft, which produced a cookie that spread way too much. Stuck it in the fridge overnight because something came up - I was not happy with them the next day. I used Demerara instead of Turbinado, which I ran out of. Way too strong molasses flavor for me.
 
monkeymom April 14, 2010
A big congratulations mrslarkin! You are the perfect representative for food52!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Thank you so much monkeymom!
 
Helenthenanny April 14, 2010
I second that!
 
arielleclementine April 14, 2010
so true! mrslarkin, you're a dream! just like your lovely cookies! congratulations :)
 
mrslarkin April 15, 2010
oh my gosh! Thank you too, sisters.
 
kaykay April 16, 2010
Mr. Kimball's got some stiff competition!! Go get 'em!
 
TheWimpyVegetarian April 14, 2010
Congratulations! Great recipe! And now let the games begin.
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Thanks so much ChezSuzanne!!
 
Maefly April 14, 2010
Hi Mrs. Larkin, LiztheChef's computer is kapoot for an indefinite period - she asked me to give you her compliments.
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Hi Maefly! Tell Meyer Lemon Liz I said thanks a bunch (and I hope her computer gets fixed soon!)
 
Sonia April 14, 2010
Congratulations Mrs. Larkin!
those cookies were great! (my daughter just wrote this)
Sonia (computer class student)
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Thanks a lot, Sonia (and daughter!!)
 
Helenthenanny April 14, 2010
mrslarkin hooray hooray!!! congratulations!!! so well deserved!!!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
HooWee! Thank you Helen!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Holy Smokes! Thanks so much everybody! Let the battle begin!
 
Aliwaks April 14, 2010
WoooooooHooooooo!! Congrats Mrs.L!!!!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
YeeeHaaaa! Thanks aliwaks!
 
thirschfeld April 14, 2010
Congratulations mrslarkin, your the best
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Thanks so much, thirschfeld!
 
Culinista A. April 14, 2010
Congrats!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
Thank you CA!!
 
nannydeb April 14, 2010
Congrats mrslarkin! You rock!
 
mrslarkin April 14, 2010
thanks, nannydeb!!
 
Sonia April 12, 2010
Just got 2 cookies for my children and they could not wait until past dinner time to have them. They loved it! No crumbs left! They screamed: "Delicious!!!"
Thank You!
Sonia (computer class student)
 
Helenthenanny April 11, 2010
mrslarkin you are amazing! these sugar cookies look wonderful : )
 
mrslarkin April 11, 2010
oh my goodness, thank you Helen!!!
 
mamarocks April 9, 2010
mrslarkin, you've done it again. FABULOUS cookies! FYI for everyone out there - I am mrslarkin's neighbor and have the joy of being one of her taste testers. Good for my soul, bad for my thighs. Oh well, there's a price to be paid for everything!
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
thank you, mamarocks! No goods or services were exchanged for this positive review - well, aside from a few cookie samples. (just so you know, mamarocks is brutally honest when she tests my stuff!)
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
I'm in the midst of making a quadruple batch of these. Just an observation in my kitchen, when I'm baking one tray at a time, 10 minutes is too long.
 
monkeymom April 9, 2010
Hi mrslarkin. You are a such a perfectionist! I made these last night....we couldn't stop eating the batter straight out of the bowl, it was so delicious!. My cookies turned out fluffier than I expected and after some thought and discussion with kaykay we determined that I used an extra large egg instead of a large egg. I also realized after I watched the A+M video that I probably creamed the batter too much at the end as well. So, just a head's up to others to follow mrslarkin's expert directions EXACTLY (including the decrease in baking time)! We liked the vanilla flavor and turbinado crunch - the kids loved them!
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
Oh, good observation, monkeymom! Baking can be a real pain in the butt with the exact measurements. Also, when I say "beat", my kitchen aid mixer goes no higher than the #2 setting. Lastly, my oven has bipolar disorder, so I have to watch my cookies like a hawk. I'm glad you and the kids liked the cookies! :-)
 
mrslarkin April 10, 2010
P.S. I looked at my mixer again, because now i am paranoid - no higher than 3-4 should suffice for this recipe. More importantly, don't overbake the cookies.
 
wanderash April 9, 2010
congrats, mrslarkin! i like your style!
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
Woo Hoo! Thank you, wanderash!!
 
arielleclementine April 8, 2010
yahoo mrslarkin!! congrats!
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
Thanks!!! and yippeeeee!
 
monkeymom April 8, 2010
Yay mrslarkin! Thank goodness the oven is back!
 
mrslarkin April 9, 2010
Thanks, monkeymom!
 
thirschfeld April 8, 2010
Congratulations mrslarkin!
 
mrslarkin April 8, 2010
Thank you so much, thirschfeld. Right back at ya.
 
Lizthechef April 8, 2010
Brava,brava!!
 
mrslarkin April 8, 2010
Grazie, Liz!!
 
Loves F. April 8, 2010
These sound really delish... and, I've tried your recipes before, I have full faith that you could bring us the big win with these!
 
mrslarkin April 8, 2010
Thank you LFL2E! Fingers crossed...
 
Furey A. April 1, 2010
Three different sugars! My kinda cookie :)
 
mrslarkin April 1, 2010
Thanks! Me too!!
 
mrslarkin March 31, 2010
P.S. Day 2....still chewy!
 
testkitchenette March 31, 2010
I love the sugar sparkles too!
 
mrslarkin March 31, 2010
Thanks, TK!
 
mrslarkin March 31, 2010
Thanks, aargersi!!
 
aargersi March 31, 2010
Yum, not to sweet and sparkely to boot - awesome cookie!