Quick Sugar Cookies with Powdered Sugar

If you ask me, sugar cookies are always worth making from scratch.

These soft, bakery-style cookies are loaded with colorful sprinkles and rolled in sugar before baking. They’re sweet without being too much, and they have a tender crumb that melts in your mouth.

The secret is using both powdered sugar and granulated sugar in the dough—it gives them that soft texture while keeping their shape. A good amount of vanilla and a sprinkle coating before baking add extra flavor and a bit of crunch.

They’re perfect for parties, lunchboxes, or just because you want something sweet with your afternoon coffee.

SAVE NOW

What Kind of Butter Should I Use?

For these sugar cookies, you’ll want to use salted butter that’s been softened to room temperature – this means it should be soft enough to leave an indent when you press it, but not melted or greasy. While the recipe calls for salted butter, you can absolutely use unsalted butter if that’s what you have on hand, just know your cookies might taste slightly less rich. The key is making sure your butter is properly softened before you start, as this helps it cream together smoothly with the sugar and creates that perfect cookie texture. If you’re in a pinch and forgot to take your butter out ahead of time, you can cut it into small cubes and let it sit for about 15-20 minutes to speed up the softening process.

SAVE NOW

Options for Substitutions

While these cookies are pretty straightforward, here are some swaps you can make if needed:

• All-purpose flour: Stick with all-purpose flour for these cookies – it’s really what makes them work. You can try a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour if needed, but the texture might be slightly different.
• Salted butter: If you only have unsalted butter, that’s fine. Just add an extra 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough to make up for it.
• Vanilla extract: Try almond extract for a different flavor (use only 1 teaspoon as it’s stronger), or swap in lemon or peppermint extract depending on the season.
• Sprinkles: You can leave these out entirely for plain sugar cookies, or swap them with mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or colored sugar for a different look.
• Powdered sugar: This ingredient is key to the soft, tender texture of these cookies, so it’s best not to substitute it. The combination of powdered and granulated sugar is what makes them special.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making sugar cookies is skipping the chilling step after forming the dough – warm dough spreads too much in the oven, leaving you with flat, thin cookies instead of thick, chewy ones.

Make sure your butter is softened but not melted, as butter that’s too warm will also cause excessive spreading and affect the texture.

Another common error is overbaking these cookies, so pull them from the oven when the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone – they’ll continue cooking on the baking sheet and firm up as they cool.

If you want your sprinkles to stay bright and colorful, add them after baking rather than before, since high heat can cause some sprinkles to fade or bleed their colors into the dough.

SAVE NOW

What to Serve With Sugar Cookies?

Sugar cookies are perfect alongside a cold glass of milk, which is honestly the best way to enjoy them. If you’re serving these at a party or gathering, they pair really well with hot chocolate, coffee, or even a scoop of vanilla ice cream for an extra sweet treat. I love setting out a platter of these cookies with some fresh fruit like strawberries or orange slices to balance out the sweetness. They’re also great for cookie exchanges, birthday parties, or just keeping in a jar on the counter for whenever you need a little pick-me-up with your afternoon tea.

Storage Instructions

Store: Keep your sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature and they’ll stay soft for up to 5 days. If you stack them, just put a piece of parchment paper between the layers so they don’t stick together or lose their sprinkles.

Freeze: These cookies freeze really well for up to 3 months. Just layer them with parchment paper in a freezer-safe container, and when you’re ready to eat them, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes. You can also freeze the dough in balls for up to 2 months and bake fresh cookies whenever you want.

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3200-3400
• Protein: 28-32 g
• Fat: 150-160 g
• Carbohydrates: 420-440 g

Ingredients

For the dry ingredients:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the dough:

• 2/3 cup sprinkles
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1 cup salted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for best flavor)

For rolling:

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for coating before baking)

Step 1: Prepare Your Workspace and Mise en Place

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar

Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

While the oven heats, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl to remove any lumps—this ensures a smooth dough without grittiness.

Measure out all your ingredients and place them in separate bowls or on a clean workspace so everything is ready to go.

Pour the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar for coating into a shallow plate and set aside.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients Together

• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined.

This distributes the leavening agents throughout the flour so your cookies will rise evenly and have a consistent crumb.

Set this bowl aside—you’ll use it in just a moment.

Step 3: Cream Butter, Sugar, and Sifted Powdered Sugar

• 1 cup salted butter
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy—this creates air pockets that give the cookies their tender texture.

Add the sifted powdered sugar and continue beating for another 30 seconds until fully incorporated.

I like to scrape down the bowl midway through mixing to ensure everything combines evenly.

Step 4: Add Egg and Vanilla to Create the Wet Base

• 1 egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Add the room-temperature egg to the creamed butter mixture and beat for 30 seconds until incorporated.

Pour in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds.

The room-temperature egg combines more smoothly and won’t cause the butter mixture to seize or separate.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients and Add Sprinkles

• dry ingredient mixture from Step 2
• 2/3 cup sprinkles

Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet mixture from Step 4 and mix on low speed until just combined—stop as soon as you don’t see any white flour streaks.

Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cookies tough.

Fold in the sprinkles by hand using a spatula, being gentle to distribute them evenly without crushing them.

Step 6: Shape and Sugar-Coat the Dough

• cookie dough from Step 5
• sugar coating from Step 1

Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and roll them between your hands until smooth.

Working with 3-4 balls at a time, gently roll each ball in the sugar on the plate from Step 1 to coat all sides, then place it on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

The sugar coating creates a sparkly, slightly crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.

Step 7: Bake and Cool

Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone—they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan.

Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

This resting period on the sheet is crucial because it prevents the warm cookies from breaking apart.

Quick Sugar Cookies with Powdered Sugar

Delicious Quick Sugar Cookies with Powdered Sugar recipe with step-by-step instructions.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 7 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Servings 4

Calories 3300 kcal

Ingredients

  

For the dry ingredients:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar (sifted to remove lumps)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2.25 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur all-purpose)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder

For the dough:

• 2/3 cup sprinkles
• 1 egg (room temperature)
• 1 cup salted butter (softened to room temperature)
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla for best flavor)

For rolling:

• 2 tbsp granulated sugar (for coating before baking)

Instructions

 

• Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. While the oven heats, sift the powdered sugar into a bowl to remove any lumps—this ensures a smooth dough without grittiness. Measure out all your ingredients and place them in separate bowls or on a clean workspace so everything is ready to go. Pour the 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar for coating into a shallow plate and set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until evenly combined. This distributes the leavening agents throughout the flour so your cookies will rise evenly and have a consistent crumb. Set this bowl aside—you'll use it in just a moment.
• In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together for 2 minutes until light and fluffy—this creates air pockets that give the cookies their tender texture. Add the sifted powdered sugar and continue beating for another 30 seconds until fully incorporated. I like to scrape down the bowl midway through mixing to ensure everything combines evenly.
• Add the room-temperature egg to the creamed butter mixture and beat for 30 seconds until incorporated. Pour in the vanilla extract and beat for another 30 seconds. The room-temperature egg combines more smoothly and won't cause the butter mixture to seize or separate.
• Add the dry ingredient mixture from Step 2 to the wet mixture from Step 4 and mix on low speed until just combined—stop as soon as you don't see any white flour streaks. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes cookies tough. Fold in the sprinkles by hand using a spatula, being gentle to distribute them evenly without crushing them.
• Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon-sized balls and roll them between your hands until smooth. Working with 3-4 balls at a time, gently roll each ball in the sugar on the plate from Step 1 to coat all sides, then place it on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. The sugar coating creates a sparkly, slightly crispy exterior that contrasts beautifully with the soft interior.
• Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone—they'll continue cooking on the hot pan. Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to set up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. This resting period on the sheet is crucial because it prevents the warm cookies from breaking apart.