My sugar cookie recipe without baking soda gives me soft, chewy cookies every time! I love that I can dress the cookies up for celebrations or festive occasions, but they’re just as good plain!
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My Easy Way to Make a Sugar Cookie Recipe With No Baking Soda
My sugar cookie recipe without baking soda was born out of pure stubbornness one December when I refused to make another grocery trip. I had already committed to making sugar cookies, and of course, I realized too late that I was completely out of baking soda.
I remembered my grandmother mentioning that she sometimes skipped baking soda in her cookies because she preferred them soft instead of puffy. That was enough encouragement for me to give it a try!
I’ve made rolled, cut-out, extra chewy, and crispy variations of sugar cookies over the years, but my no–baking soda dough instantly became one of my favorites (and my daughter Leah’s). It’s so simple and actually more consistent.
Now I make my sugar cookies without baking soda, even when I have baking soda in the pantry. Grandma had the right idea for how to make an amazing sugar cookie!
For more delicious sugar cookie recipes, check out my Christmas sugar cookies, pink sugar cookies, sugar cookies with Hershey kisses, and Grinch sugar cookies!
Homemade Sugar Cookies Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Gives structure to the dough and keeps the cookies soft but sturdy.
- Baking powder – Since I don’t use baking soda in my sugar cookie recipe, baking powder provides the light lift the cookies need.
- Salt – This balances sweetness and makes the vanilla flavor pop.
- Unsalted butter – Softened butter is much easier to cream properly with the sugar for a tender texture.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cookies and helps create that classic sugar cookie bite.
- Egg and egg yolk – Eggs are great for binding dough, and an extra yolk adds richness and softness.
- Vanilla extract – Gives the cookies their signature flavor. I sometimes double it for extra warmth.
- Holiday nonpareil sprinkles – Optional, but I add these when I want the cookies to feel festive or colorful.
How to Make a Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and line several baking sheets with parchment paper.Â
STEP TWO: Use a medium bowl to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter and granulated sugar to the bowl of the stand mixer. Cream them together thoroughly, about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
STEP THREE: Turn the mixer down to low and add the eggs and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Keep the speed on low and slowly add in the flour. Scrape the bowl and then mix for another 30 seconds. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
STEP FOUR: Put some sugar in a bowl to coat the cookies. Scoop out enough dough to make 1-inch balls, roll them in the sugar (and sprinkles if using them), and place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Flatten each cookie into a â…“ to ½ inch thick discs.Â
STEP FIVE Bake the cookies for 9-11 minutes. The centers should be just set, and the edges should be slightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Tips for the Best Sugar Cookies Without Baking Soda
- Cream the butter and sugar fully so the cookies stay soft and tender. I use my stand mixer and cream on high until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- I chill the dough for at least an hour to keep the mixture from getting too sticky and to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- To keep the bottoms of the cookies from browning too quickly, I line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- For evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate, I use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough.
- I bake the cookies until the centers are just set and the edges are slightly golden, about 9-11 minutes, and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Sugar Cookies with No Baking Soda Variations and Substitutions
- I sometimes swap the vanilla extract for almond extract when I want a bakery-style flavor.
- For an easy and delicious snickerdoodle twist, I roll the dough balls in a combination of cinnamon and sugar.
- To tint the cookies, I’ll add a little bit of food coloring to the sugar before creaming it with the butter.
- When I want a deeper, caramel-like flavor, I’ll swap out half of the white sugar for brown sugar.
- For a thumbprint style cookie, I make a small divot in each cookie before baking and add a spoonful of jam.
Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda FAQs
How Do I Keep Homemade Sugar Cookies Soft?
I always chill my dough for at least an hour before baking, which helps some of the water content to evaporate so I’m left with a higher concentration of sugar. This prevents the dough from spreading too much in the oven and keeps the cookies soft.
What happens if I make sugar cookies without baking soda?
Baking soda is a leavening agent that helps cookies rise. Cookies with no leavening agent will come out quite dense, which is why I use baking powder in my recipe to give them just enough lift without changing the shape of the cookies too much.
Why are the bottoms of my sugar cookies so dark?
Cookies baked directly on a cookie sheet can end up with overcooked bottoms that come out too dark. I use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to keep the bottoms from getting overly crispy.
How to store leftovers
I store my leftover sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. To keep them nice and soft, I like to keep a piece of bread in the container with the cookies, which will slow down moisture loss.
More Easy Cookie Recipes
- Peanut butter kiss cookies
- Peppermint white chocolate cookies
- Raspberry thumbprint cookies
- Turtle cookies
- Iced thumbprint cookies
- Saltine cracker toffee
Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional
- Holiday nonpareil sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer. Cream the butter and sugar together on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. Then turn the mixer on low and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat again for 30 seconds. Chill the dough for at least an hour.
- Pour some extra sugar into a bowl to coat the cookies (and sprinkles if using). Scoop the dough out and roll into 1-inch balls. Shake each ball in the sugar bowl to coat, then place on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down on each ball until it’s 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick.
- Bake each sheet of sugar cookies for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers are just barely set. Cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Notes
- Cream the butter and sugar fully so the cookies stay soft and tender. I use my stand mixer and cream on high until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Chill the dough for at least an hour to keep the mixture from getting too sticky and to prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- To keep the bottoms of the cookies from browning too quickly, line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- For evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate, use a cookie scoop to scoop the dough.
- Bake the cookies until the centers are just set, and the edges are slightly golden.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
What can I use instead of butter for these cookies
I highly recommend using actual butter for the best flavor, but you could try margarine in 1:1 replacement or use half as much unsweetened applesauce.