The Best Thick and Chewy Sugar Cookies

If you love soft and chewy sugar cookies, this bakery-style recipe is exactly what you need. These cookies are buttery, tender, and perfectly sweet with thick, chewy centers and lightly crisp edges. A touch of cornstarch keeps them ultra-soft, while chilling the sugar cookie dough helps them bake up thick and puffy—not thin or flat.

Roll each cookie in sugar before baking for that classic sparkle and golden, sugary finish.

Why This Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookie Recipe Works

• Thick, soft centers from the perfect ratio of butter, sugar, and flour
• Chewy texture from brown sugar
• Cornstarch keeps cookies soft and prevents spreading
• Chilling the dough makes them tall, thick, and bakery-style
• Pantry ingredients and no fancy tools required
• Foolproof recipe for beginners and experienced bakers alike

Whether you’re making holiday sugar cookies, freezer-friendly treats, or a simple everyday dessert, these soft and chewy cookies always deliver.

InIngredients

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

• 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
  (or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour)
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

How to Make Thick Sugar Cookies

Step 1 — Cream Butter & Sugars

In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy.

Step 2 — Add Egg, Yolk & Vanilla

Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and creamy.

Step 3 — Combine Dry Ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Step 4 — Mix Dough

Add dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Do not overmix.

If using gluten-free flour, let the dough rest for 10–15 minutes before chilling so the flour can hydrate.

Step 5 — Chill

Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Overnight is even better for thick cookies.

Step 6 — Scoop

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Using a large cookie scoop, place dough about 2 ” apart on a prepared cookie sheet

Step 7 — Bake

Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet with room between cookies.

Bake for 12–14 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underdone.

Do not overbake.

Tips for Thick, Chewy, Bakery-Style Sugar Cookies

Chill the Dough

Chilling solidifies the butter and prevents spreading, giving you thicker cookies.

Don’t Overmix

Too much mixing adds gluten, which makes cookies tough and flat.

Use Room-Temperature Butter

Softened—not melted—creates the best texture.

Shape Tall Cookie Dough Balls

Form them higher rather than round to help them bake thick.

Cornstarch Helps Cookies Stay Soft

It keeps the dough tender and reduces spreading.

Gluten-Free Tips for Thick & Chewy Sugar Cookies

If you’re making these cookies gluten free, I highly recommend using a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend like Bob’s Red Mill since it already contains binders like xanthan gum for structure and chew.

If you’re using a regular gluten-free flour blend that does not contain xanthan gum, here are a few adjustments that help keep the cookies soft, thick, and chewy instead of dry or crumbly:

• Add xanthan gum:
  Add ½ teaspoon xanthan gum to the dry ingredients if your blend doesn’t already include it. This helps replace the structure gluten normally provides.
• Let the dough rest:
  Gluten-free flour absorbs moisture more slowly. After mixing, let the dough sit for 10–15 minutes before chilling so the flour can fully hydrate.
• The dough may feel softer:
  Gluten-free dough is often stickier than regular dough. If needed, chill an extra 20–30 minutes before scooping.
• Do not overbake:
  Gluten-free cookies can dry out quickly. Remove them when the centers still look slightly underdone. They’ll continue setting on the baking sheet as they cool.
• Measure flour carefully:
  Too much gluten-free flour can make cookies dense or gritty. Spoon and level the flour instead of scooping directly from the bag.
• For extra softness:
  Add 1–2 teaspoons milk if the dough seems dry or crumbly after mixing. Some gluten-free blends absorb more moisture than others.
• Cornstarch is especially important in gluten-free cookies:
  It helps create a softer texture and keeps the cookies tender instead of sandy or

Storing Thick & Chewy Sugar Cookies

Store cookies in an airtight container for 3–4 days.

To freeze:
Place in a freezer bag with parchment between layers. They keep for 2–3 months and taste freshly baked when thawed.

More Sugar Cookie recipes

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Crunch almond-topped sugar cookies

The Best Thick and Chewy Sugar Cookies

Thick golden brown sugar cookies with an extra chewy center covered in festive rainbow sprinkles

5 from 2 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 16 minutes mins

Course Dessert

Servings 12

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• ½ cup Unsalted butter
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup white sugar
• 1 large Egg
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups all Purpose Flour
• ½ tsp Sea salt optional
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cornstarch

Instructions

 

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees
• In the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or an electric mixer, beat on medium-high speed; cream the butter, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 cup brown sugar until light and fluffy (2 minutes)
• Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined (about 1 minute)
• Whisk flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt in a medium bowl.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until the dough comes away from the side of the bowl and is well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
• Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the sugar cookie dough in the refrigerator for 1-2 hours (the longer, the better, as the flavor will absorb more). This also helps to make the cookies taller.
• Using a large cookie scooper, place cookie dough 2" inches apart on a greased baking sheet or use a silicone mat
• Bake cookies in the oven at 375 degrees for 14-16 minutes. Remove when the center still seems slightly underdone. Leave them on the baking sheet for 15 minutes. They will continue cooking, remove them from the pan and transfer them to a cooling rack.

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