Easy Drop Sugar Cookies

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

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

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