Why do my soft sugar cookies not crack on top?

The most common reason soft sugar cookies do not crack is omitting or having expired baking soda. Baking soda is the specific leavening agent that produces the surface cracking during baking. Test your baking soda by combining half a teaspoon with hot water and a splash of vinegar. It should bubble immediately. If it does not, replace the baking soda before baking.

Can I use butter instead of vegetable shortening?

Yes. Use equal amounts of room-temperature unsalted butter in place of the shortening. The cookies will have a slightly more buttery flavor and may be slightly crispier at the edges than the shortening version, but the overall soft and chewy quality will be maintained with just a small difference in final texture.

How do I know when these cookies are done?

Remove them when the tops have visibly cracked and the edges look just barely set. The centers may still look slightly underdone and that is completely correct. The residual heat of the baking sheet during the 5-minute rest finishes setting the centers to the perfect soft and chewy texture.

Soft Sugar Cookies Easy No Chill Chewy Classic Recipe

Description

The most easy no-chill Soft Sugar Cookies made with vegetable shortening creamed with granulated sugar egg vanilla flour baking powder and baking soda rolled into balls coated in extra sugar and baked until the tops crack for the most perfectly chewy and tender crumb. A completely simple and irresistible no-chill soft sugar cookie recipe.

Ingredients

Scale

2 cups All-Purpose Flour

1 tsp Baking Powder

1/2 tsp Baking Soda

1/4 tsp Coarse Salt

1 cup Vegetable Shortening or Vegan Butter or unsalted butter

1 cup Granulated Sugar

1 large Egg

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract

Extra Granulated Sugar for rolling

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

3. Cream shortening and sugar with electric mixer 1 minute until light and fluffy.

4. Add egg and vanilla. Beat until just combined. Do not overbeat.

5. Add flour mixture in 1/2 cup increments mixing after each addition until dough forms and pulls from bowl walls.

6. Pour extra sugar into a shallow bowl.

7. Scoop dough into 2-tbsp portions and roll smooth between palms.

8. Roll each ball generously in sugar until fully coated.

9. Place 2 inches apart on prepared sheets.

10. Bake 10 to 11 minutes until tops have cracked. Edges just barely set. Centers may look underdone.

11. Rest on baking sheet 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: Dessert, Cookies
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 cookie
Calories: 149
Sugar: 8g
Sodium: 68mg
Fat: 9g
Saturated Fat: 2g
Unsaturated Fat: 6g
Trans Fat: 1g
Carbohydrates: 16g
Fiber: 0g
Protein: 1g
Cholesterol: 7mg

Keywords: soft sugar cookies, easy soft chewy sugar cookies no chill, best soft sugar cookies recipe, simple sugar cookies with cracked tops