Name: Vanilla Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 24 cookies
Cuisine: Mediterranean-American
Ingredients: 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1 cup unsalted butter, softened; 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar; 1 large egg; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1/4 cup coarse sugar for rolling

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

By Chef Elena Rossi Founder, Culinary Director & Recipe Developer (@recipestokitchen) · Tested & Updated November 5, 2026

Step Guide 3 of 4

3. Step-by-Step Visual Guide

In Part 3 of making Vanilla Sugar Cookies, let’s walk through the hands-on cooking technique so your texture turns out restaurant-worthy at home.

Vanilla Sugar Cookies — Step-by-Step Visual Guide (Page 3) — Step-by-Step Kitchen Technique: Cooking Vanilla Sugar Cookies · @recipestokitchen
📌 Pin Recipe

Visual Cues & Timing Secrets

Start by creaming the butter and sugar until they’re pale and fluffy—this is where the air gets in, making your cookies tender. Add the egg and vanilla, then gently fold in the dry ingredients until no streaks remain.

Rolling the dough balls in coarse sugar before baking gives that beautiful crackly top. I use a cookie scoop for even sizes, so they all bake at the same rate. Watch them closely—the moment the edges turn golden, they’re done.

Head to Page 4 for my Make-Ahead, Storage & Reheating Tips plus what to serve alongside this dish!

👩🍳 RECIPESTO KITCHEN · OFFICIAL TESTED RECIPE CARD

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

These vanilla sugar cookies are crisp at the edges, soft in the middle, and bursting with real vanilla flavor. They're simple enough for a weeknight treat but pretty enough for a cookie swap.

📌 Pin Recipe to Board★★★★★ 4.9 from Kitchen Testers

Prep Time15 mins

Cook Time10 mins

Total Time25 mins

Servings24 cookies

CourseDessert

Calories150 kcal

🛒 Ingredients (Check Off As You Measure)

🍳 Step-by-Step Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla extract, and beat until well combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Scoop tablespoon-sized dough balls, roll them in coarse sugar, and place them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. Let cool on the sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

👩🍳 Chef Elena’s Kitchen Notes & Storage

In my test kitchen, I always chill the dough for 15 minutes before baking—it keeps the cookies from spreading too much. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months.

Pinterest Kitchen Tip: Save this recipe to your @recipestokitchen board so you can pull up the ingredient checklist at the grocery store!

Estimated Nutrition (Per Serving):

Calories: 150 kcalProtein: 2gCarbs: 20gFat: 7gFiber: 0g

Recipe Developed & Tested By

Chef Elena Rossi

Ciao, I'm Elena! Trained in Florence and based in Chicago, I founded RecipesTo Kitchen (and our @recipestokitchen Pinterest community of 296,580+ monthly home cooks) to share foolproof weeknight dinners, cozy one-pot pastas, and bakery-style desserts that work on the very first try.

Read My Kitchen Story → 📌 Follow @recipestokitchen on Pinterest →