You are going to love this sugar cookie recipe without baking soda. These cookies are soft, chewy, and perfect for any occasion.
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This sugar cookie recipe without baking soda is a great versatile recipe to have in your collection.
It’s easy enough for your toddler to help you, and these treats can be dressed up to fit any occasion. What a great combination!
Whether you are celebrating a birthday, a holiday, or just a Tuesday, this recipe for sugar cookies without baking soda is just the one you are looking for.
Throw in some chocolate chips, frost the tops, adorn with holiday sprinkles — or maybe do all three.
Your sugar cookie is your canvas. The possibilities are endless!
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- Everything you need to make this easy sugar cookie recipe.
- Step by step instructions for making sugar cookies without baking soda.
- Fun ideas to jazz up your sugar cookie recipe without baking soda to fit any occasion.
No baking soda, no problem! We got you covered. All you need is a few simple ingredients and half an hour to make this easy sugar cookie recipe.
How to Make Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F and line several baking sheets with parchment paper.
STEP TWO: Use a medium bowl to combine the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the softened butter and granulated sugar in the bowl of your stand mixer. Cream together thoroughly, about 3-5 minutes, or until the mixture is light and fluffy.
STEP THREE: Turn the mixer down to low and add the eggs and vanilla extract, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Keep the speed on low and slowly add in the flour. Scrape the bowl and then mix for another 30 seconds. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
STEP FOUR: Put some sugar in a bowl to coat your cookies. Scoop out enough dough to make 1 inch balls that you roll in the prepared sugar before placing 2 inches apart on the baking sheets.
STEP FIVE: Use a drinking glass or other flat object to flatten each ball into a ⅓ to ½ inch thick discs.
STEP SIX: Bake cookies for 9-11 minutes. You want the centers to be just set and the edges to be slightly golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on the cookie sheets. Serve and enjoy!
How Do I Keep Homemade Sugar Cookies Soft?
If you want your sugar cookies without baking soda to come out of the oven soft and chewy, be sure to chill your dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour.
The longer you chill your dough, the better your results will be.
This baker’s trick, also known as “resting” the dough, allows some of the water content to evaporate, leaving behind a higher concentration of sugar.
It also prevents the dough from spreading too much in the oven. The resulting sugar cookies are soft, chewy and divinely delicious.
To keep your cookies soft after they are baked, be sure to store them in an airtight container.
One common trick is to store a piece of bread in the container with your sugar cookies.
This will slow down any moisture loss and help keep your cookies soft and yummy for a few days.
How Can I Customize This Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda?
This easy sugar cookie recipe is tempting all by itself, and it is also extremely versatile.
With a little bit of creativity, you can transform this sugar cookie recipe without baking soda to fit any holiday or occasion perfectly.
A few tools to get you started include:
- Food coloring
- Frosting
- Sprinkles
- Add-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.)
What Happens If You Make Sugar Cookies Without Baking Soda?
Baking soda is used in recipes as a leavening agent, which helps cookies to rise. If no other leavening agent is present, your cookies will come out quite dense.
Luckily, baking soda is not the only option for leavening. For example, this recipe uses self-rising flour and baking powder which both help to accomplish the same goal.
What Can I Use If I Don’t Have Baking Soda For Sugar Cookies?
Have no fear! There are plenty of leavening agents you can rely on instead.
Try out these options to make sure your sugar cookies without baking soda come out soft, chewy, and airy every time:
- Self-rising flour
- Baking powder
- Potassium bicarbonate and salt
- Baker’s ammonia
The correct ratios and effects on flavor will differ with each different ingredient so be sure to do your research.
Adapt, conquer, and have fun expanding your baking skills.
And, if you want to bake something different, try our chocolate chip cookie recipe without baking soda, banana bread with no baking soda, or three ingredient peanut butter cookies too.
Other Sugar Cookie Recipes You’ll Love:
- Edible Sugar Cookie Dough
- No Spread Sugar Cookies
- Pink Sugar Cookies
- Soft Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Grinch Sugar Cookies
- Sugar Cookies with Hershey Kisses
Sugar Cookie Recipe Without Baking Soda
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for rolling
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Holiday nonpareil sprinkles optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line several baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Place the softened butter and sugar in the bowl of your electric mixer. Cream the butter and sugar together on high until light and fluffy, 3-5 minutes. (Don’t skimp on the time here.) Then turn the mixer on low and add the eggs and vanilla extract. Scrape the bowl.
- With the mixer running on low, slowly add the flour mixture. Scrape the bowl and beat again for 30 seconds. CHILL
- Pour some extra sugar into a bowl to coat the cookies. Scoop the dough out and roll into 1-inch balls. The dough should be soft and delicate – don’t over-handle. Shake each ball in the sugar bowl to coat, then place on the cookie sheets 2 inches apart. Use the bottom of a drinking glass to press down on each ball, until it’s 1/3- to 1/2-inch thick.
- Bake each sheet of sugar cookies for 9-11 minutes, until the edges are slightly golden and the centers are just barely set. Cool completely on the cookie sheets.
Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
What can I use instead of butter for these cookies
I highly recommend using actual butter for the best flavor, but you could try margarine in 1:1 replacement or use half as much unsweetened applesauce.