With this recipe, you can whip up bakery-quality sugar cookies in just 30 minutes. No chilling or rolling out dough—these cookies are ready to bake as soon as you mix them. Whether you’re baking for the holidays, a birthday party, or just a sweet treat, these cookies are quick and easy and oh-so delicious!

For traditional cut-out style cookies, check out our perfectly soft sugar cookie recipe.

Why Our Recipe

  • No chilling, no rolling, just perfect sugar cookies in 30 minutes or less.
  • The secret ingredients of cream cheese and corn syrup keep them soft and chewy every time.
A stack of drop-style sugar cookies on a counter.

Cream cheese and corn syrup are the secrets to create soft cookies with just the right amount of chewiness. They stay that way for several days making them a go-to recipe whenever you need sugar cookies. Keep them plain or frost them. Trust us, you’ll want to keep this one handy!

Ingredient Notes

Raw ingredients spread out on a counter to make drop-style sugar cookies.
  • Butter: Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature for easier mixing. If using unsalted butter, add an additional 1/4 teaspoon of salt.
  • Granulated Sugar: Stick with granulated sugar for the best texture.
  • Cream Cheese: Use full-fat cream cheese for the best results and like the butter, make sure it’s softened to room temperature.
  • Light Corn Syrup: Keeps the cookies soft and chewy. If you don’t have corn syrup, you can substitute it with an equal amount of honey.
  • Vanilla Extract: For the best flavor, use pure vanilla extract rather than imitation.
  • Almond Extract: Adds a subtle, nutty aroma that elevates the overall flavor. You can omit this if you prefer, or substitute with an equal amount of vanilla extract.
  • Egg: Just the regular large AA eggs will do.
  • All-Purpose Flour: Stick with standard all-purpose flour.
  • Baking Powder and Soda: Make sure they aren’t expired so they give the cookies a little fluff and lift.

Add Some Fun

This sugar cookie recipe is a great base for getting creative. Feel free to have fun with them!

Add Sprinkles: Stir 1/2 cup of sprinkles into the dough to add fun color.

Add Color: Add 4-6 drops of food coloring to match your holiday theme. Think red and green for Christmas or pastel shades for Easter.

Add Sparkle: For a sparkly touch, roll the dough balls in granulated sugar or larger sugar crystals before baking.

Add a Glaze: Mix 1 cup powdered sugar, a splash of milk (2-3 tablespoons), and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract for an easy glaze. Drizzle it over the cookies or dip the tops,

Add a Topping: While the glaze or icing is still wet, add 2-3 teaspoons of sprinkles, edible glitter, or colored sugar.

Process shot image compilation to show how to make sugar cookies at a glance.

Tips for Perfect Cookies

Softened Butter and Cream Cheese: These ingredients mix better when softened, creating a smooth dough. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before baking.

Don’t Over-Bake: The cookies should look slightly underdone in the center when you pull them out of the oven. They’ll finish setting as they cool, leaving you with perfectly soft centers.

Use a Cookie Scoop: For evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate, a cookie scoop is your best friend.

Space Them Out: These cookies spread a little while baking, so keep at least 2 inches between each one.

A white plate filled with drop-style sugar cookies.

Pro Tip: Perfectly Round Cookies

Want picture-perfect round cookies? Here’s a quick trick: As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, grab a round drinking glass that’s slightly larger than the cookies. Place it over a cookie, and gently swirl the glass in a circular motion. This will nudge the edges into a perfectly round shape while the cookies are still warm and pliable. Repeat with the remaining cookies for bakery-worthy results!

Freezing Instructions

Freezing Dough Balls: Scoop the dough into balls, place them on a lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. When ready to bake, pop them on a tray and bake directly from frozen—just add 1–2 extra minutes to the bake time.

Freezing Baked Cookies: Let cookies cool completely, then layer them in an airtight container with parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months.

Storage Instructions

Cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.