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3-Ingredient Easy Sugar Cookies

Quick and easy sugar cookies made with just three pantry ingredients—no eggs required! These sweet, buttery cookies are simple to make and perfect for any occasion.
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Cooling time15 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 34 cookies
Calories: 90kcal

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
  • 2/3 cup + 3 tablespoons granulated sugar divided
  • 2 cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional, but recommended
  • Rainbow sprinkles or nonpareils optional, but recommended

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a medium bowl, use a handheld electric mixer to beat the butter and 2/3 cup sugar until combined. The mixture will be slightly gritty—this is normal.
  • Add in the flour and mix until well combined. If using vanilla, blend it in.
  • Roll the dough into 1-inch balls using a cookie scoop or your hands.
  • Roll each ball in the remaining 3 tablespoons of sugar to lightly coat, then place them on the baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
  • Flatten each dough ball slightly with the bottom of a measuring cup or glass. If using sprinkles, add them on top and press lightly so they stick. The dough should be about 3/16-inch thick.
  • Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms are just slightly golden.
  • Remove from the oven and let the cookies rest on the baking sheets for at least 10-15 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
  • Enjoy!

Notes

These cookies have a slightly crunchy texture but should not be dry or crumbly.
If the cookies turn out too dry, check that you didn’t:
Use too much flour
Make the dough balls too small
Flatten them too much
Bake them at 350°F instead of 325°F
Bake them for too long
For more tips, troubleshooting, and storage instructions, refer to the full article or watch the recipe video.