A one-bowl scoop and bake cookie, these drop sugar cookies are the best speedy cookie. No chilling, no icing, just cookies! Almost as fast as pre-made cookie dough but tastes so much better. You can jazz them up with frosting, sprinkles, or coarse sugar, or have them as is for a chewy, sweet cookie.
For some more easy drop cookie recipes, try our oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, holiday-ready mincemeat cookies, and walnut chocolate chip cookies.
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Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Butter: it should be at room temperature or slightly soft, but not so soft as to be melting. Think easy to imprint with a fingertip but not greasy.
- Egg: this should be at room temperature, so set it out in advance or bring it to room temp with warm water (see Top Tips).
- Almond extract: sub vanilla if preferred.
Method
Step 1: Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl.
Step 2: Mix on high speed until the ingredients come together. They won't cream fully.
Step 3: Add the egg and almond extract and beat again to combine.
Step 4: Mix in the flour, salt, and baking soda until just combined.
Step 5: Use a spatula to mix in any stray bits of flour to form a smooth dough.
Step 6: Scoop the dough onto a baking sheet and bake.
Top Tips
1. Warm the egg in a bowl of hot tap water to bring it to room temperature faster.
2. The cookies will deflate after coming out of the oven. This is normal.
3. Dip one half of each cookie in melted white or dark chocolate and decorate with festive sprinkles to suit any holiday.
Recipe Notes
This recipe doubles well. Make lots and freeze them for later to have on hand for holiday visitors!
You can make the recipe by hand if you don’t own a mixer.
Because of the higher ratio of sugar to butter, the two will not mix up light and fluffy at the beginning of the recipe like you'd usually see when creaming.
If you like a cookie with crisp edges and soft middles, bake the cookies for 2 to 4 minutes longer.
Dip the cookies in chocolate, roll in sprinkles or coarse sugar before baking, or top cooled cookies off with a swish of frosting to make them your own. The sky is the limit.
How to Store
Storage: keep in a sealed container at room temperature for up to a week.
Freezing: transfer to an airtight container or large zipper-top freezer bag once cool. The cookies can be frozen for up to a month and thawed at room temperature.
Recipe FAQ
What makes a drop cookie a drop cookie?
This is simply a cookie where the dough is dropped onto the baking sheet directly, rather than rolled out or shaped in some way first. Think chocolate chip cookies.
How do I keep my drop cookies soft?
These cookies are slightly under baked, taken out of the oven before the edges colour at all. This makes for a soft, perfectly chewy cookie.
Should you flatten drop cookies?
Typically not, as the cookies will contain enough sugar to spread effectively during baking. Some cookies with a lower sugar or fat content will call for flattening before baking, but if it's not specified, don't worry about it.
If you make these Easy Sugar Cookies or any other cookie recipes on the Baked Collective, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more baking, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.
Drop Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Hand or stand mixer
- Large mixing bowl
- Cookie scoop or ice cream scoop
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter room temperature to soft
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose white flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to mix the butter and sugar together on medium-high speed until well combined.½ cup butter, 1 cup white sugar
- Add the egg and almond extract to the bowl and mix until smooth and creamy.1 large egg, 1 ½ teaspoons almond extract
- Use a fine mesh sieve to sift in the flour. Add the baking soda and salt. Mix everything together on low speed until the flour is just combined. Switch to a spatula or wooden spoon to finish mixing the dough by hand, ensuring all dry bits from the bottom of the bowl are incorporated.1 ½ cups all-purpose white flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- Use a medium cookie scoop (approximately 2 tablespoons) to scoop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between the cookies for spreading.
- Place the sheets in the oven and bake the cookies for 12 to 14 minutes. The cookies should be pale and just barely set, with no gold on the edges. Transfer the baking sheets to wire racks and let the cookies cool directly on the baking sheets.