This simple vanilla cookie will be your new go-to easy cookie recipe. A soft and chewy classic vanilla cookie, it comes together in less than 10 minutes and is a super versatile base cookie recipe. Read my post for more information on how to make homemade cookies!
Hi hi! I am just popping in to share the recipe for these classic vanilla cookies! They are a super simple drop cookie recipe (meaning that they are scooped out then baked on the pan, rather than a cut-out cookie). Full of vanilla flavor and the perfect texture, these are a go-to cookie recipe in our house!
These are going on my site as part of my holiday cookie recipes, but they truly are perfect any time of the year, not just as christmas cookies! You can finish them any way that you like - I rolled most of mine in granulated sugar, but also finished some with sprinkles similar to my sprinkle sugar cookies for a little festive touch. They are a great easy cookie recipe for kids too!
Grab your ingredients and meet me in the kitchen.
How to make homemade cookies
These soft vanilla cookies are super quick and simple to make with no chill time - they are a classic vanilla cookie and follow the standard format:
- Preheat your oven. Don't skip this step. Preheating makes sure that the oven is at a constant temperature (I like to give it an extra 10 min after it beeps to make sure it is ready)
- Cream together the butter and sugar. This step helps provide aeration in the mixture, to give a light, fluffy vanilla cookie. Make sure your butter is properly room temperature, and scrape down the sides of the bowl a few times during the process to catch any stray unmixed bits. I like to add in the vanilla at this point too. I make my vanilla cookies in the stand mixer but it will work just as well with an electric mixer too!
- Add the egg. These classic vanilla cookies just have one egg to help hold everything together.
- Add dry ingredients. Sift together the all purpose flour, baking soda, and salt, add to the mixture, and mix until only just combined. Finish this step off by hand if you need to to ensure that you do not over mix the cookie batter.
- Scoop and roll. Scoop the cookies out onto your parchment paper lined baking sheet (I like to use a #40 or 2 Tbsp cookie scoop), then roll into balls and toss in granulated sugar or your finish of choice
- Bake. Bake the vanilla cookies in a preheated oven until they are just set around the edges and beginning to go golden brown. They will deflate a little when you remove them from the oven. If you would like them perfectly round, you can 'scoot' them into shape with a round cookie cutter hot from the oven. Cool on wire racks and then enjoy!
Can Vanilla Cookies be made ahead of time?
This cookie dough can be made ahead and frozen until you are ready to bake - check out my post on how to freeze cookie dough. Do not roll in sugar before freezing, do this just before you bake them.
I like to bring the cookie dough out 10 minutes or so before I bake it to help it defrost slightly and give the sugar something to stick to. To bake dough from frozen, drop the oven temperature a little and bake for a few more minutes than written in the recipe - you can find all the information on this in my post on how to freeze cookie dough.
How to make thick vanilla cookies
When I was recipe testing this vanilla cookie recipe, I was tweaking the flour quantity within the recipe to make it slightly thicker. I usually only alter the flour content by about 15 or 20 grams - you can see in the image below what a difference just 15g flour in a recipe makes (and bear in mind this is spread across 22 cookies)
Please use a scale when you are baking. It is truly the only correct way to accurately measure flour, and truly makes such a big difference.
If you would like these vanilla cookies to be a little thicker, you can increase the flour by 15 grams. This makes the cookie a tiny bit less chewy, and a little softer.
Alternatively you can make my vanilla cream cheese cookies which are a little thicker and have a delicious tang from the cream cheese!
Fun ways I have finished these vanilla cookies
I rolled these soft vanilla cookies in regular granulated sugar before I baked them, but you can switch this up as you like! Here are a few ideas:
- Kids coming over? Roll in sprinkles. This is perfect for making these holiday themed or to fit any other colour scheme - instead of rolling in the granulated sugar, roll in nonpareils or hundreds and thousands before baking. The sprinkles I used for the cookies in this post are from Layer Cake Shop.
- Want a spicy variation? Roll in cinnamon sugar. You can use my cinnamon sugar recipe to roll the cookies in before baking.
- Want them a little fruity? Freeze dried fruit powder. Mix some freeze dried fruit powder of your choice with granulated sugar, then roll the cookies in the sugar and bake as normal.
❤️ Made this recipe and love it? ❤️
I would LOVE for you to leave me a review and star rating below to let me know how you liked it! Also, please make sure to tag me on Instagram!
Answers to your baking questions
Over the years, many of you have asked me questions about:
- baking in grams
- adjusting oven temperatures
- what kind of salt to use
- and many more!
I've curated and answered them all for your easy reference in this frequently asked questions post!
Soft and Chewy Classic Vanilla Cookies
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutews
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 22 cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This simple vanilla cookie will be your new go-to easy cookie recipe. A soft and chewy classic vanilla cookie, it comes together in less than 10 minutes and is a super versatile base cookie recipe. Read my post for more information on how to make homemade cookies!
Ingredients
- 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 300g granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 320g all-purpose flour, sifted
- 1 tsp (3g) kosher salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- Granulated sugar for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°f / 180°c. Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper (you may have to bake these in several batches depending on how many trays your oven can tolerate).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, sugar, and vanilla together on high speed until light and fluffy (this step can also be done with an electric hand mixer). Add the egg and mix to combine. Sift together the flour, salt, and baking soda in a small bowl. Add to the mixer, and mix until just combined.
- Place the granulated sugar for rolling in a small bowl.
- Using a 2 Tbsp cookie scoop, scoop balls of dough (about 45g each) onto the prepared baking sheets. I like to do 6-8 on each sheet - start with 6 to make sure that they will not join together, and then move to 8 on the next sheet once you know how much they spread.
- Roll each ball of dough between your hands to form a ball, then roll in the sugar before placing on the baking sheet. Leave any mixture that you are not baking off just yet in the bowl and scoop just before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 11-12 minutes or until puffy and set around the edges. Remove from the oven and cool on the pan for 10 minutes - the cookies will deflate as they cool. Transfer to a wire rack and allow to cool completely. Repeat the baking process with the remaining cookie dough.
- Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature
Notes
The importance of checking the expiry date on baking soda
Another thing that is very important and will affect the outcome of your cookies is how old your baking soda is. I was caught out by this recently - I had added new baking soda to my container a few times without discarding the stuff at the bottom, which was older and had expired. My cookies came out super flat and a few other things I made also didn't work as well as they could have, so I threw the whole lot away and replaced it, and it made a huge difference! Make sure that you check the expiry on your baking powder and baking soda if you aren't sure!
What is a good frosting for vanilla cookies?
My Brownie Frosting Recipe (aka shitty chocolate icing) would be amazing on these vanilla cookies!
Comments
Jacqueline says
I left a comment yesterday saying the cookies came out too flat. I was mistaken, they are wonderful! I made the cookies more than 2 tbs in size before putting them in the oven so they kind of spread out more than I expected, but they taste delicious and are just slightly larger cookies. They are still soft and chewy the next day. Will definitely make again.
Erin Clarkson says
Oh good! Ahhh yes if you do make them bigger then they do spread out a little more because more dough is heavier so they spread more. So happy to hear that they worked out for you! Enjoy!
Crystal M Wend says
These are so easy to make they whip up in no time. What a great base for your favorite add ins. I did put sprinkles in it for the kids and they loved them. I had no baking soda on hand so I used a teaspoon and a half of baking powder. Such a soft cookie. Definitely my new go to.
Kai says
I made these and they are delicious! the only problem is after I made them they went hard... even after keeping them in a container that was covered with ceran wrap and a lid... I don't know if it was the ingredients or..
Sandy says
Your photo shows a cookie with 335g vs 370g of flour which is a difference of 35g flour, not 15g difference for the bigger cookies. But your recipe calls for only 320g flour so I’m a bit confused. Would you please clarify?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! The text says 320 and 335 🙂
LisA says
I've always been horrible at baking and now I see I actually just need a solid recipe and measurements in wt not cups! These turned out PERFECT. Thank you for the recipe!
Erin Clarkson says
Yayyy I love this so much!
Simona says
Amazing recipe! The cookies turned out perfect and delicious highly recommend this recipe!
Christine Battersby says
Hi:) I can see in your notes that you can freeze the cookie dough but wondering if you have ever frozen the already cooked ones and if so how they turned out, please?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, I haven't tried it sorry but it should be fine!
Melanie says
I recently tried Erin from Cloudy Kitchen's vanilla sugar cookie recipe, and they turned out fantastic! The cookies were incredibly soft and flavorful, with a perfect balance of sweetness. Although I didn't expect them to spread so much, it make them perfectly chewy. The sprinkles added a fun touch, and they were a hit with everyone who tried them. This recipe is definitely a keeper!
Lauren says
Tried to double recipe, did everything as said, turned out no completely melted somehow.
Erin Clarkson says
Something must have gone wrong... did you make the recipe by weight?
Hiba says
Hi! I can't wait to try this recipe out! Do you think I could use 300g of brown sugar? Will that affect the cookies?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! No you can't use white and brown sugar interchangeably sorry so it will have a big affect on the texture
Calahan says
So do I use the whole cup and a a third in mix or save the 1/3 for rolling in sugar?
Erin Clarkson says
Use the full 300g in the recipe!
Zana says
I loved the results a lot, I followed all the instructions and my family loved them! Thanks a lot for such helpful tips and steps!
Kayla says
This recipe turns out perfectly every time for me! I'm convinced this is THE best cookie texture possible - crunchy outside and soft and chewy inside - heavenly. Added a little cinnamon to the sugar I rolled it in and they're divine! I only trust recipes using weight measurements because of how reliably they turn out every time! Erin's recipes are tried and true (and delicious).
Oh my god my cookies says
What happened to my cookies 😭 (don’t add milk).
They seemed great though, thanks 🙏
Erin Clarkson says
Did you add milk?! because that's probably what happened haha there's no milk in the recipe
Linda Lewis says
Hi. I made the cookies yesterday and they were delicious. I added peanut butter chips to half the recipe which was a hit. Only thing was we found them very sweet. Would they work with less sugar? Maybe 250gm instead of 300g? I guess this might change the consistency? They are a great cookie though!!
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! I haven't tried adjusting it sorry - it may change the texture a little but you're welcome to try changing it. Make sure the cookies are properly salted too as this can help.
Andrew Kavros says
I made these for my wife and family - absolutely spot on perfect cookie. Its simplicity is why it's so delicious, and also why I'll be going back to it again and again.
K says
Where's the mesure mentsssssss!!!!!!!!
Erin Clarkson says
Right above the comments section you managed to find....
Megan says
I love these cookies! They are the perfect amount of sweet with the sugar coating 😊
Issie says
What's the nutritional value, like calories, protein, fats and all those stuff? 🙂
Erin Clarkson says
I don't list those but you're welcome to calculate them yourself!
Jacq says
Hi! What do you think I could possibly adjust the sugar amount down to, without ruining the recipe and texture? Happy to experiment but thought I’d enquire first. Thank you!
Erin Clarkson says
I haven't tried dropping it sorry!
Sheri Dockery says
These were great; the family loved them. I had to look up the grams to cup ratios, but that was easy and they turned out fine. I added vanilla chips to half the recipe and that was good, too. They are asking me to make them again and they're not even gone yet lol
Amber Merziotis says
Can I make these gluten free using Bobs 1:1? These are already my go to sugar cookie, but I’ve had requests for a GF version.
Thank you for the great recipe!💗
Erin Clarkson says
I haven't tried making them gluten free sorry, but if you do try, please report back on how you are going!
sara says
they were delicious and super easy to make!
Julianne says
I made these with my brothers about an hour ago, and everyone in the house loves them! They're chewy and taste amazing. The only changes i made was adding a bit of cinnamon to them, love this recipie, will definetly make them again!!!
Patti says
The best tasting vanilla cookies! Problem I have had all three times I have made them is they spread out like pancakes and are very thin. Is there something I can add to made them look like those in the photos?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Either your oven is running too hot, or your baking soda is expired? Are you making the recipe by weight?
Patti Nash says
I recently bought a new thermometer for my oven. I'll check my baking soda but I just bought it a week ago. Wouldn't surprise me if it was a leftover on the shelf.
I had to convert recipe from grams using a conversion chart I found online. I am making them again today because everyone loves them. They even eat them when they are flat as pancakes because the aftertaste is so great! I'll let you know when I finish baking the first batch.
Thank you for responding so quickly!
Patti
Erin Clarkson says
Ah ok the conversion is likely the issue - highly recommend getting a scale, they are inexpensive and a great thing to have in your kitchen!
Ashlee says
I don’t have a kitchen scale. Do you have the recipe available in cups?
Erin Clarkson says
I don't sorry! I don't test in cups as they aren't accurate. A scale is a great (super affordable) kitchen investment!
Summer Berry says
Hi! I swore off cookies bc I thought I was horrible at baking but I invested in a scale from Amazon for ten bucks. It’s completely different the consistency is incredible and turned over a new leaf for me
Erin Clarkson says
Yayyyyy! It's the best!
SHERRELL MASSEY says
They were so good but my dough was really sticky and not easy to work with. Any tips?
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! Did you make the recipe by weight? Otherwise your butter may have been a little warm
Leonor Martinez says
Can I add sprinkles and when do I add them before baking or after baking
Can I make ahead and freeze them
Erin Clarkson says
Hi! both of these things are covered in the blog post 🙂
Liz says
DELICIOUS! EVERY.TIME
Joel Tilling says
Love these cookies so soft and chewy perfect for Christmas.
Any tips on freezing and cooking etc so I can do big batches.
Erin Clarkson says
They look great! yep there are tips in the blog post on freezing 🙂
Teri says
These are the best sugar cookies. I just made these cookies for probably the tenth time (no kidding!). This time I rolled them in holiday colored sugar instead of sugar in the raw. Very festive!
Jodi says
I want to express how good these are with so many swear words like WOW so dam tasty! Super easy recipe
LOVE these theyre my go to cookie now when I want something sweet!
Chrissie Moore says
I made 5 dozen of these 2 days before Christmas Eve. By Christmas Day there were 8 left!! I used a small scoop instead of rolling them into balls. They were simple to make yet absolutely delicious 😋
virginia hilderbrand says
I reduce the sugar to one cup. Change all purpose flour for whole flour. 1/2 spoon of baking soda and baking powder. The result is wonderful ! Great taste, fluffy, crusty crunchy.
S Dickson-Johansen says
Honestly the best cookie recipe - I came here after being directed from the snickerdoodle recipe (who knew cream of tartar had a genuine purpose). These biscuits are bloody brilliant.
Also, as an aside, I now only weigh my ingredients. I’ve seen the light - measuring cups be damned.
Yvonne Heinser says
Please put recipe in English form
Erin Clarkson says
The recipe is in english.
Centaine Moke says
The most fantastic cookie recipe! I didn't quite make 22 but weren't far off! Can not wait to make again.
Raewyn says
I made these spontaneously this afternoon, and I love that all the ingredients are things I usually have in my kitchen. I couldn’t have been happier with the recipe , they turned out perfectly!
I did have the scale the ingredients - I only had a medium egg, so I weighted it and scaled everything else accordingly. But the recipe still worked flawlessly.
I’ll definitely be making these again!
jared says
these cookies came out really great and I plan on making them again soon
Baking lover here! says
This is one of the best vanilla cookie recipe I have ever tried!
Like all Baking Lovers it's always a goal to make the BEST cookie!
For me my goal was to make the best vanilla cookie ever! A little bit crunchy on the outside and chewy and soft on the inside. This recipe definitely was a wonderful guide to creating it!
Christine Battersby says
Hi:) I can see in your notes that you can freeze the cookie dough but wondering if you have ever frozen the already cooked ones and if so how they turned out, please?
Erin Clarkson says
I haven't sorry but it should be fine 🙂
KeeKee says
Not to be rude, but why are the measurements in grams only when we don't use that measurement in America? I don't have a kitchen scale so I can't use this recipe. Most of us won't be able to use this recipe.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, you can easily get scales in America - I lived there for a very long time and they aren't hard to get. A lot of US bakers use them now.
Katie says
I loved these so much! I didn't have any kosher salt on hand so I used sea salt and they turned out great!!! Definitely using this recipe again.
sienna says
these were so good i cant wait to see other recipes i made these with 17 cubes of chocolate and 50 grams of desicated coconut this was so yummy
sienna says
these are the best things ever yes girl you heard me AMAZING
sienna says
these are the best things ever yes girl you heard me AMAZING
Sienna
Bob says
I made them just like the recipe said but they came out quite big and haden't flatened enough. They also had a cacky kind of texture.
Erin Clarkson says
Hi, sounds like your ball sizing may have been off a little if they were big and didn't flatten - also oven temperature can affect this.
Amy Croot says
Wow! These cookies are delicious! Made them with my eight year old daughter and they turned out perfectly. Simple recipe and as you can see we decorated them like paint pallets! I will be saving this recipe to use over and over again!
Erin Clarkson says
Oh these are so cute!
Bella says
This recipe make such good cookies oh my god I dont think ive ever tasted anything like it they are fantastic