The Best Small Batch Sugar Cookies
I'm here to prove to you that sugar cookies don't have to be flavorless and boring. These small batch sugar cookies are super chewy, buttery, and have a nice pop of vanilla bean. Even better, they're made with melted butter so you don't even need a mixer. Just whisk, scoop, & bake for 6 amazing cookies!
Equipment
- 1 sheet pan
- Parchment paper
- #20 cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 42 grams unsalted butter, melted and cooled (3 Tablespoons)
- 90 grams granulated sugar, divided (⅓ cup + 2 Tablespoons)
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla bean paste or extract
- 60 grams all-purpose flour (½ cup)
- 5 grams cornstarch (½ Tablespoon)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Combine the cooled, melted butter and 66 grams (⅓ cup) of granulated sugar in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until the mixture is thick and lightened in color, 1-2 minutes. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla bean paste or extract until smooth.
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and Kosher salt to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the cookie dough just until it comes together and there are no more streaks of flour. The dough will be a little soft.
- Add the remaining 24 grams (2 Tablespoons) of granulated sugar to a small, shallow bowl. Using a #20 cookie scoop (3 Tablespoons), scoop the cookie dough into 6 balls. Carefully roll the cookie dough balls in the granulated sugar and place them 2-3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pan.
- Bake the cookies for 8-9 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are still a bit under-done. Let the cookies cool on the sheet pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely and enjoy!
Notes
For small-batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. If you don't have a scale, here's how to measure the flour. First, whisk the flour until it's light and fluffy. Then, spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup until it's overflowing. Lastly, use a straight edge to level it off without packing the flour into the cup.
Don't over-bake the cookies or they will come out crispy instead of chewy. Unless that's what you're going for, of course!
For extra-thick cookies, use the 'scoot' method. Pick a round object that's just a little bigger than your cookies - I use a biscuit cutter or ramekin! Right when the pan comes out of the oven, place the round object over each cookie and move your wrist in a fast circular motion to round out the cookies and make them thicker.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 159kcalCarbohydrates: 23gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 45mgSodium: 145mgPotassium: 40mgFiber: 0.3gSugar: 15gCalcium: 11mgIron: 0.6mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!