How to Make Sugar Cookies Without Baking Soda

Co-authored by Ross Canter

Last Updated: March 23, 2023

There are few things better than the smell of soft, buttery sugar cookies baking in the oven. If you’re looking for a sugar cookie with a crispy edge and a warm chewy center, make sure to leave out the baking soda. Instead, add more sugar and increase the temperature of your oven to get that extra-chewy vanilla goodness. Read on to learn more about using eggs to create light, fluffy sugar cookies, or using cookie cutters to create neat cookie edges. You’ll make a perfect bakery-style cookie in no time!

Ingredients

Basic Baking Soda-Free Sugar Cookie Dough

2 ½ cups (350 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
¼ teaspoon (1 g) salt
1 cup (227 g) butter, softened to room temperature
1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 ½ teaspoons (7 ½ ml) vanilla extract

Makes 2 to 3 dozen cookies

Baking Soda-Free and Eggless Sugar Cookie Dough

1 ¾ cup (219 g) all-purpose flour, sifted
1 cup (200 g) sugar
1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

Makes 2 dozen cookies

Part 1

Part 1 of 4:

Mixing Basic Baking Soda-Free Sugar Cookie Dough

1
Combine the flour and salt. Add 2 ½ cups (350 g) of all-purpose flour that’s been sifted and ¼ teaspoon (1 g) of salt to a medium. Whisk them together until they’re blended, and then set the bowl aside.^{[1]
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2
Cream the butter and sugar together. Add 1 cup (227 g) of butter that’s been softened to room temperature and a cup (200 g) of granulated sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat the two together on medium-low for 1 minute if you want cookies that hold their shape very well or 3 to 4 minutes if you prefer light, fluffy cookies that don’t hold their shape quite as well.^{[2]
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- You can also cream the butter and sugar with a handheld electric mixer.
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3
Blend in the egg and vanilla. Add 1 large egg and 1 ½ teaspoons (7 ½ ml) of vanilla extract to the butter and sugar. Mix until they’re just combined.^{[3]
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4
Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Reduce the mixer’s speed to low, and slowly add the flour mixture to the bowl. Blend together until the flour is just incorporated -- don’t overmix the dough or your cookies may turn out tough.^{[4]
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5
Shape the dough into a ball and flatten it. Use clean hands to gently give the dough a round shape. Next, use the palm of your hand to flatten it to form a disc.^{[5]
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6
Cover the dough and chill it for a couple of hours. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and place it in the refrigerator. Allow it to chill for at 1 to 2 hours so it has time to firm up.^{[6]
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- If you don’t want to bake the cookies right away, keep the dough in the fridge for up to 3 days or store in the freezer for up to a month. Frozen dough should be defrosted overnight in the refrigerator.
- When you’re ready to roll out the dough and cut the cookies, let the dough sit out for 5 minutes at room temperature so it softens slightly.

Part 2

Part 2 of 4:

Preparing Baking Soda-Free and Eggless Sugar Cookie Dough

1
Beat the butter. Add 1 cup (227 g) of unsalted butter that’s softened to room temperature to the bowl of a stand mixer. Blend the butter on medium-low speed for 10 to 20 seconds to cream it.^{[7]
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- You can also mix the cookie dough with a handheld electric mixer.
2
Blend in the sugar and vanilla. Add 1 cup (200 g) of sugar and 1 teaspoon (5 ml) of vanilla extract to the butter. Mix the ingredients in on medium-low until they’re fully combined.^{[8]
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3
Gradually mix the flour in. Reduce the mixer’s speed to low. Slowly pour 1 ¾ cup (219 g) of all-purpose flour that’s been sifted into the bowl, and blend until it is just combined and a stiff dough forms.^{[9]
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- This dough doesn’t need to be refrigerated before rolling it out. However, if you aren’t going to bake the cookies right away, you should store it in the fridge. Take it out about 5 minutes before you plan to make the cookies to soften it slightly.

Part 3

Part 3 of 4:

Shaping the Cookies

1
Line a baking sheet. To keep the cookies from sticking to the pan, you should place a piece of parchment paper or a silicone baking mat on it. Set the pan aside for the moment.^{[10]
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- If you prefer, you can grease the baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
2
Flour your work surface. The cookie dough will slightly sticky, so it’s important to prepare your work surface. Sprinkle some flour over your countertop or cutting board to lightly cut it so the dough won’t stick as you roll it out.^{[11]
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3
Roll the dough out. Place your dough on your floured work surface, and use a rolling pin to smooth and flatten the dough. Aim to roll it out to a ¼- to ½-inch (6- to 12-mm) thickness.^{[12]
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- If you don’t have a rolling pin, you can use any heavy, cylindrical item you have, such as a wine bottle or thermos.
- If you find that the dough is sticking to the rolling pin, you can dust it with flour or place a piece of parchment paper between the dough and rolling pin.
4
Cut out the cookies. Once the dough is rolled out, use cookie cutters to cut it into the shapes of your choice. Gather up the dough scraps as you go, and roll them out so you can continue to cut out cookies.^{[13]
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- If the dough is sticking to the cookie cutters, dust them with flour.
- If the dough seems to be getting too warm, stick it back in the fridge for about 5 minutes to firm up.
5
Place the cookies on the lined baking sheet. Arrange them on parchment paper or baking mat so there’s at least an inch (2.5-cm) between them. If you’d like, you can add colored sprinkles or sugar to decorate the cookies once they’re on the baking sheet.^{[14]
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6
Chill the cookies for about 15 minutes in the fridge. When the cookies are on the baking sheet, place them in the refrigerator. Let them set up for about 15 minutes or until they’re firm so they won’t spread as much as they bake.^{[15]
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- You can also place the cookies in the freezer for about 5 minutes if you’re in a hurry.

Part 4

Part 4 of 4:

Baking the Cookies

1
Preheat the oven. While the cookies are setting, turn the oven on and set it to 350°F (180°C). Allow it to heat fully, so it’s hot enough to bake the cookies when they’re ready.^{[16]
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2
Bake the cookies until the edges are golden brown. When the cookies are set, place the baking sheet in the preheated oven. Let the cookies bake for approximately 8 to 12 minutes, or until they become golden brown at the edges.^{[17]
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- Depending on the size of the cookie cutters you used, the cookies may need to bake longer. Large cookies may take up to 15 minutes.
3
Cool the cookies on the pan for several minutes. When the cookies are finished baking, remove the baking sheet from the oven. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for about 10 minutes. If you try to move them when they’re still hot, they’re likely to break.^{[18]
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4
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to finish cooling. Once they’re partially cooled, use a spatula to move them to a cooling rack. Leave them on the rack for another 10 to 15 minutes, or until they’re cooled completely.^{[19]
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- If you didn’t decorate your cookies with sugar and sprinkles, you can ice them once they’re completely cooled.
- Store the cookies in airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
- You can also freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months.

Expert Q&A

Question

Can I leave baking soda out of sugar cookies?

Ross Canter
Professional Baker
Ross Canter is a Professional Baker and the Co-Founder of Cookie Good in Santa Monica, California. Originally a screenwriter, Ross decided to pursue his passion for baking and opened Cookie Good in 2007 with his wife, Melanie. Ross and Melanie opened their brick and mortar bakery in 2014. With over 15 years of experience, Ross specializes in creating high quality cookies with unique flavor options and helping people feel “cookie good” one cookie at a time.

Ross Canter

Professional Baker

Expert Answer

Absolutely! Baking soda typically needs something acidic to react to in order to create the "bubbles" that help baked goods rise. In cookies, that acid is often brown sugar since the molasses in brown sugar makes it acidic. There's nothing for the baking soda to react with when you use white sugar, so you're fine just using baking powder in that case.
Question

The eggless, baking powder-free cookies were good, but they got pretty tough and weren't as chewy as I wanted them to be. Any suggestions?

Ann Hupe

Community Answer

Eggs lend themselves to a more cake-like texture, depending on the amount of flour, baking powder, and baking soda being used. Removing eggs as well as leavening these agents will produce a tough cookie. Sugar and butter will only cause the cookie dough to spread and be crispy/crunchy.
Question

Can I use ghee butter instead of regular?

Kane s. Furthersford

Community Answer

Yes, there is not a noticeable difference; the only thing that will change is the fat content.