Are you on the hunt for the best sugar cookie recipe for your next cookie decorating party? Lucky for you, we made 5 of the most highly reviewed sugar cookie recipes online to help you find the right one for you. After all, not all recipes are created equal and you deserve to find the right recipe for you.
Unlike our past recipe bake-off posts, we will not be ranking these recipes. Rather, we will be documenting the characteristics of each sugar cookie and recommending a recipe based on various preferences.
Sugar Cookie Bake-Off Recipe Selection
As an amateur baker, I am always looking for ways to learn new things and gain new skills as a baker. So, in order to teach myself the basics I started making 5 internet famous recipes of any bake that I wanted to learn more about. With each recipe I was able to see how different ingredients, cook time, and technique affected the way a bake turns out.
This is how the “Internet Famous Bake-Off” series started on the blog. The way that recipes are selected are based off the number of reviews a recipe receives on the internet. The five recipes with the most reviews online are selected to teach me what I need to know about that bake.
Our Other Bake-Offs
- Gingerbread Cookies
- Internet Famous Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes
- Oatmeal Cream Pie
- Pecan Pie
- Pumpkin Pie
- Traeger Desserts
- Buttermilk Biscuits
Please keep reading to see our thoughts on the five highest reviewed Sugar Cookie recipes online.
The Best Rolled Sugar Cookies from AllRecipes
With 11,206 reviews, this recipe has the most reviews of the group (and possibly on the internet). After making the recipe, I can see why they are so popular. It’s simple to make and was the easiest dough to work with straight out of the fridge, which is a big plus.
As someone who doesn’t love sugar cookies, these were my favorite. The minimal sweetness was a big win for me. However, my husband, who loves sugar cookies ranked these as one of his least favorite.
Best For: The person that loves not-so-sweet cookies.
If you’re not a fan of how sweet most traditional sugar cookies are, then this is the recipe for you. You can expect a buttery flavor with a crispy bottom, soft interior, and a rounded top. Because of their texture, these cookies are a bad choice if you are wanting to decorate them. Keep reading for that recommendation.
AllRecipes Easy Sugar Cookies
With 8,446 reviews this sugar cookie recipe is pretty popular too. I think it must be because of the simplicity of the recipe. The dough does not require any chilling or rolling. You can simply whip up the dough, scoop it onto the baking sheet, and bake. Because of the techniques used in this recipe, these cookies are the most unique out of the five we made.
Best For: Texture
Because these cookies aren’t rolled flat, they develop a unique texture compared to the other cookies. The result it a crisp, textured exterior with a soft interior. The crispness of the exterior, also translates to a nice caramelized flavor, which is an added bonus. They are also very, very sweet.
These sugar cookies are also not a great option for decorating purposes. However, these would be a great option if you want to make a batch of sugar cookies just to eat and not feel obligated to decorate them. Personally, these would be the cookies I bring to a party because of how good they look!
Preppy Kitchen Sugar Cookies
Coming in at number three with 2,289 reviews, is Preppy Kitchen. These were my second favorite out of the whole bunch! A nice crispy cookie with a buttery, almost savory flavor and minimal sweetness.
This recipe used slightly different ingredients. It is the only recipe to include cornstarch and the only recipe that did not use any baking powder. While the recipe does not specify how long to chill the dough, I left it in the fridge for about an hour and found it ready to work with. The dough was significantly less sticky than some of the others, which was better to work with.
Best For: Decorating
Because these cookies aren’t too sweet, they are the perfect cookie for decorating. Icing is usually pretty sweet, so you’ll want a less sweet cookie to work with so you don’t end up with an overly sweet cookie and icing combination.
They are also baked pretty crisp and hold their shape well, making them the perfect companion for a cookie decorating party.
Two Sisters Crafting Best Sugar Cookies
With 2,178 reviews, this recipe is the fourth highest reviewed sugar cookie recipe online. If you’re a lover of traditional sugar cookies, then this is the recipe for you! This recipe produces soft, sweet sugar cookies that hold their shape perfectly for icing and decorating.
Best For: Lovers of the iconic store-bought sugar cookies
My husband, who loves sugar cookies, said this cookie reminds him of the grocery store bakery sugar cookies. If that is the kind of sugar cookie that you like, made sure you bake this recipe.
This recipe is fairly easy to complete and requires no chilling in the fridge! If you’re an impatient baker, that’s a big win. Besides, with everything going on during the holiday season it’s always a win to shave some time off the many activities we have to complete.
Sugar Spun Run Easy Sugar Cookies with Icing
Coming in last place with 799 reviews, is this recipe from Sugar Spun Run. And when we say last place, we only mean in terms of the number of reviews. Because this recipe is an excellent choice if you’re a fan of a traditional sugar cookie.
Best For: Traditional Sugar Cookie Lovers
These cookies are sweet, but not too sweet. They have the perfect texture for decorating, flat and sturdy to hold all of the royal icing designs that your heart desires.
This recipe does require chilling in the fridge and the dough must be rolled out and shaped before baking. This makes them the perfect cookie recipe for an activity with your kids! Between the rolling, shaping, and decorating, these cookies will fill an afternoon with the Christmas spirit and sweet memories made.
And there you have it! That’s the 5 highest reviewed sugar cookie recipes done and dusted. We hope you were able to find this post helpful and select a recipe that works for you.
Let us know what you think of our findings down in the comments below! We’d also love to hear what your favorite sugar cookie recipe is. Happy Baking!