This Small-Batch Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe gives you six soft, buttery cookies with a sweet buttercream icing. They’re easy to make, no chilling required, and just the right size when you don’t need a big batch. Simple, sweet, and perfect for sharing—or not!
If you are looking for more small-batch recipes, I have developed many lately I think you will enjoy. Small-batch brownies, small-batch snickerdoodles, small-batch oatmeal raisin cookies, small-batch chocolate chip cookies, and small batch no-bake cookies.
Ingredients
- Salted Butter – Adds richness and moisture.
- Granulated Sugar – Sweetens the cookies and helps create a crisp edge and tender center.
- Egg Yolk – Contributes fat for a softer texture and helps bind the dough without making the cookies too cakey.
- Vanilla Extract – Enhances the flavor.
- Cornstarch- if you haven’t made cookies with added cornstarch, it might seem like a weird ingredient to add. It softens the proteins in flour and makes the cookies so nice and soft. It won’t take much, and you can omit it if you want, but you really should give it a try!
- All-Purpose Flour – Provides the necessary structure to hold the cookies together without making them too dense.
- Baking Soda – Reacts with the ingredients to create a slight spread and a tender bite.
- Salt – Strengthens the dough and enhances all the other flavors.
- Powdered sugar- For the buttercream icing. This is optional, but for me a sugar cookie needs to have buttercream icing.
- Milk- It will only take a touch as this is such a small amount of icing.
How to make
Cream the butter and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes. The butter should be light and fluffy after this first mixing. To this, add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix this only until the mixture comes together.
Pro Tip: Be sure not to overmix once the eggs are added. This will make the cookies tough. Only mix to combine once the eggs go in.
Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Add this to the butter mixture and again, mix only until it comes together.
This batch will make 4 larger cookies, or 6 smaller cookies- this is what I made with my batch. Scoop them onto your baking sheet pan and press gently. There is not a lot of spread to these cookies, so I like to press just slightly. These were designed to be a thicker cookie, so I didn't press too much.
Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned.
Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. They can be enjoyed just like this, or you can follow my example and top them with buttercream.
For the buttercream, combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix until the icing is smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk if you want it to be more runny or more stiff. This is a personal choice.
Ice the cookies and add your sprinkles if you are using them.
Top 5 tips for making perfect sugar cookies
- Use softened butter – Too cold and it won’t mix well; too melted and the cookies will spread too much.
- Measure carefully – Small differences matter, so be precise with your ingredient amounts.
- Don’t overmix the dough – Mix just until combined to keep the cookies soft.
- If you want a chewy cookie, chill the dough for at least 1 hour – This helps the flavors develop and prevents excessive spreading.
- Watch the bake time – Bake until the edges are light golden brown. Be sure not to overbake, or the cookies will turn crispy.
More cookies recipes
If you love cookies as much as I do, there is a whole cookie section on my website highlighting these delicious desserts!
Small-Batch Soft Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons softened butter
- 5 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- dash salt
Buttercream
- 4 tablespoons softened butter
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- milk- to bring it to the desired consistency
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet pan with parchment paper and set it aside.
- Cream the butter and granulated sugar for 1-2 minutes. The butter should be light and fluffy after this first mixing. To this, add the egg yolk and vanilla. Mix this only until the mixture comes together.
- Pro Tip: Be sure not to overmix once the eggs are added. This will make the cookies tough. Only mix to combine once the eggs go in.
- Combine the flour, baking soda, and salt in a small bowl. Add this to the butter mixture and again, mix only until it comes together.
- This batch will make 4 larger cookies, or 6 smaller cookies- this is what I made with my batch. Scoop them onto your baking sheet pan. Press down gently, there is not a lot of spread to these cookies.
- Bake for 12 minutes or until the edges are very lightly browned.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on a cooling rack. They can be enjoyed just like this, or you can follow my example and top them with buttercream.
- For the buttercream, combine the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla, and milk. Mix until the icing is smooth. Add more powdered sugar or milk if you want it to be more runny or more stiff. This is a personal choice.
- Ice the cookies and add your sprinkles if you are using them.
Did you make this recipe? Let me know!