Brown Sugar Cookies
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These brown sugar cookies are soft and chewy with a crunchy sugar coating. They have with a delicious brown sugar flavor with hints of cinnamon and vanilla. The perfect variation on rolled sugar cookies.
These sugar cookies are a delicious brown sugar version of classic rolled sugar cookies. Using exclusively brown sugar instead of granulated sugar in the dough adds a depth of flavor and makes the cookies extra chewy. We’re also adding a hint of cinnamon and a little extra vanilla extract to really complement the caramel undertone of the brown sugar.
While they look similar to ginger molasses cookies – the recipe doesn’t use any molasses and they aren’t as heavily spiced. I find these delicious with a cup of coffee, tea or hot chocolate on a cold day. I don’t reserve this sugar cookie recipe exclusively for the holidays – but they definitely are delicious on your Christmas cookie tray.
Making Brown Sugar Cookies
This recipe is very simple. Chilling the dough isn’t required, but if you want thicker cookies, give the dough at least 1 hour to chill in the fridge.
- Star by preheating the oven to 350F (180C) and lining your cookie sheets. This allows for easier clean up afterwards because your cookie sheets won’t get greasy and keeps the cookie bottoms softer.
- In a medium bowl you’ll whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. You can adjust the amount of cinnamon to your liking.
- Then in a separate large bowl you’ll beat together the softened butter and brown sugar until creamy. You’ll still see crystals of brown sugar, but you shouldn’t see lumps.
- This recipe can be made with either dark brown sugar or light brown sugar. I used dark brown sugar for a slightly deeper caramel flavor and cookie color (as pictured).
- Beat the egg, additional egg yolk and vanilla extract into the butter mixture.
- The additional egg yolk helps to make these cookies chewier.
- Then slowly mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. You want to avoid the dry ingredients flying everywhere when you turn on the mixer. I therefore recommend doing a few stirs by hand first, then starting with the mixer on a low speed.
- If you’d like to chill the dough, after mixing the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, cover the bowl with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour or up to 48 hours before forming into balls.
- Scoop the dough into balls with about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each, then roll in granulated sugar or raw sugar.
- Note that the cookie dough balls are rolled in granulated sugar or raw sugar, but not brown sugar. That’s because brown sugar has too much moisture and will melt into the cookies instead of creating the delicious crunchy coating.
- Place the rolled cookie dough balls 2 inches (about 5 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- You’ll bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the preheated oven. The cookies should take about 8-10 minutes to bake, or until the tops look just set.
Make Ahead Tips
After making the cookie dough, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, preheat the oven, line your cookie sheets and form the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Bake as directed.
To freeze the cookie dough, form the dough into balls and roll in sugar. Place cookie dough balls into a freezer bag, squeezing out excess air. Freeze cookie dough balls for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and line cookie sheets. You’ll bake the cookies as directed in the recipe. Do not thaw the cookie dough first!
Soft, chewy and perfectly flavorful – these brown sugar cookies are a delicious twist on classic rolled sugar cookies.
If you love these sugar cookies made with brown sugar, then be sure to try these other favorites:
Brown Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (344 grams) , measured correctly
- 1/2 – 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter (226 grams), softened but not starting to melt
- 1 1/2 cups brown sugar (315 grams), I used dark, light works too
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk, discard the white, in addition the the other egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar (67 grams), or raw sugar, for rolling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C) degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment of silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar until creamy (sugar granules are fine – but there shouldn't be lumps of sugar).
- Beat the egg, additional egg yolk and vanilla extract into butter mixture.
- Mix the dry ingredients into the butter mixture. I typically do this about 1/2 at a time, starting with the mixer on a low speed.
- Form the dough into balls with about 1.5 tablespoons of dough each (I use a medium cookie scoop. Roll the dough into a ball, then roll each cookie dough ball in the granulated or raw sugar. To do this, I pour the sugar onto a small plate then roll the cookie dough ball in the sugar.
- Place the cookie dough balls about 2 inches (5 cm) apart on the lined cookie sheets.
- Bake 1 sheet at a time in the middle of the preheated oven. The cookies will bake for about 8-11 minutes, or until the tops look just set.
- Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to continue cooling.
Notes
- Flour: Be sure to whisk the flour first. Then spoon into dry measuring cups and level off the top. For the most accurate results, measure in grams using a scale.
- Freezing: Cookie dough balls (rolled in sugar) can be frozen for up to 2 months. When ready to bake, preheat the oven and line cookie sheets. Bake cookies as directed. Do not thaw the dough first.
- Storage: Store baked and cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Nutrition: Details provided are an estimate only and based on 1 cookie, assuming the recipe yields 32 uniform cookies.
Delicious cookies. But i had to flatten them slightly. Thank you for the recipe. Will be making again
These came out exactly like the pictures. An awesome recipe for an occasion.
Mine are not as flat as the picture but it tastes really good , very easy to make , it took longer to bake about 15 min
Thanks for trying the recipe and reporting back!