These soft, thick, and pillowy no roll sugar cookies are perfect for when you need to whip up cookies in a pinch. No rolling pin or cookie cutters needed! Enjoy them plain or top with my delicious cream cheese frosting for cookies and then decorate with colored frosting and sprinkles for any occasion!
Ever since making my soft & thick lemon sugar cookies, I've been itching to try a vanilla version. So when I impulsed purchased a bottle of fancy vanilla extract, I decided it was time to give them a try.
Made using real butter and an extra egg yolk for softness, these no roll sugar cookies are melt-in-your-mouth delicious. While I believe there's a time and a place for cut out sugar cookies, nothing can beat a warm fluffy sugar cookie straight out of the oven. Even my sister who isn't a big fan of sweets said, "I don't even usually like sugar cookies, but these are the best ones I've had".
What You Need to Make No Roll Sugar Cookies
- Butter
- Granulated Sugar & Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Eggs
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda
- Salt
- Flour
- Optional: Cream Cheese Frosting for Sugar Cookies
How to Make No Roll Sugar Cookies
Step 1: Mix Dough
Mix dough according to instructions in recipe card (below). The dough should be soft, yet hold its form.
Step 2: Scoop Dough
Immediately after mixing, scoop dough into 3-tablespoon sized balls using a measuring spoon or cookie scoop. Lightly flatten each ball before placing on cookie sheet.
Important: Because this contains melted butter, do not let the dough sit out before rolling into balls & baking or your dough will become dry and crumbly. For this reason, scoop and roll all the cookies at one time. If you only have one baking tray, simply set the rolled balls to the side until the first batch finishes baking.
Step 3: Bake & Cool
Bake cookies then allow to cool on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. This will help them finish baking through.
Step 4: (If you are adding frosting)
Once the cookies are completely cooled, top with cream cheese frosting and finish off with sprinkles, if desired.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Can you freeze these sugar cookies?
Yes! Simply place the cooled cookies in a gallon-sized freezer bag or plastic container and freeze for up to 1 month. Learn how to freeze sugar cookies for the best freshness.
Any ideas to gift these cookies?
These roll out sugar cookies (unfrosted) would be perfect for gifting in my printable cookie pouches! Before slipping the cookies in the paper pouches, wrap each cookie with plastic wrap.
No Roll Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ cup unsalted butter (i.e. 1 ½ sticks)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 egg + 1 egg yolk
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 recipe cream cheese frosting
Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a small glass bowl, microwave unsalted butter (¾ cup, i.e., 1 ½ sticks) until melted. Pour into large mixing bowl.
- Add in granulated sugar (½ cup) and powdered sugar (½ cup) and mix for 10 seconds.
- Add eggs (1 whole and 1 egg yolk) and vanilla extract (2 teaspoons) then mix on medium speed for 20 seconds.
- Turn mixer to low speed, and add baking powder (1 ½ teaspoons), baking soda (½ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon). Mix for 10 seconds.
- Half cup at a time, add all-purpose flour (2 ½ cups) and mix until flour is just incorporated (about 10-20 seconds). Do not overmix.
- Immediately after mixing, scoop dough into (3 tablespoon sized) balls. Lightly flatten each ball before placing on cookie sheet. (Because this has melted butter, do not let the dough sit out before rolling into balls & baking, or your dough will become dry and crumbly.)
- Bake at 350°F for 8-10 minutes. (The magic number in my oven is 9 minutes) They may look underdone, but they will finish baking on the hot cookie sheet after you take it out of the oven. (Of course, because ovens bake differently use your best judgment to keep them in a minute longer if they look severely under baked.)
- After removing from oven, allow the cookies to cool on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing them from cookie sheet.
- Enjoy plain or spread or pipe cream cheese frosting on cooled cookies and top with sprinkles!
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Nutrition
The great thing about these cookies is that you can customize them to any occasion! Dye the frosting pink or blue for a baby shower, top with rainbow sprinkles for birthday cookies, or holiday sprinkles for Christmas cookies! Or for a different variety perfect for celebrations, make my sprinkle sugar cookies (a variation of this recipe), top with cream cheese frosting, then top with more sprinkles!
Priscilla says
Loved the simple quick recipes like this! Cookies turned out exactly how they’re supposed to & I decorated with buttercream frosting!
Melissa says
I'm so glad you enjoyed the No Roll Sugar Cookie recipe, Priscilla! Thanks so much for taking time to leave a review!
Honey says
Amazing cookies. Made them for my residents and they loved them
Melissa says
So happy to hear everyone loved the recipe! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Melissa says
Such a great recipe! It’s likely that you have all the ingredients in your pantry. I have made these before and they always disappear quickly! I actually measured out 3 Tablespoons dough and got exactly 12 cookies.
Shirley says
We made these for Christmas Eve. They turned out light and fluffy, with good buttery and vanilla flavor. This is the sugar cookie recipe I've been waiting for!
Candas says
Can you use this receipe/ingredients and still roll and use cookie cutters, or you don’t recommend it? I wanted to try the powdered sugar and regular sugar in the receipe but still neeeded to use cookie cutter for Christmas cookies for the kids to decorate
Melissa says
Hi! This dough won’t be great for cutting but my favorite cut out recipe is this one! https://www.designeatrepeat.com/cut-out-sugar-cookies/
K says
Very delightful soft cookie
elizabeth says
very good
eli says
good
Steph says
I followed the recipe exactly. This is ridiculously easy. It’s my new go to when my kid wants frosted sugar cookies. Super delicious.
Melissa says
So glad that you and your kids enjoyed these cookies Steph!
Thank you for leaving your review, I appreciate it!
camberley says
so good and delicious and yummy
Melissa says
Glad you enjoyed these cookies!
Thanks for leaving a review.