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Vanessa's Soft Sugar Cookie Base

This recipe was originally inspired by Adriana from TikTok (@adrianassweetlife). Be sure to follow her for more amazing cookie inspiration! This is Vanessa’s personal adaptation of her snickerdoodle base, transformed into a soft sugar cookie.
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 11 minutes
Servings: 16
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Dry Ingredients
  • 3 cups 360g all-purpose flour
  • 3 teaspoons cornstarch
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • optional: ¼ cup extra flour if you prefer a thicker cookie
  • Wet Ingredients
  • 1 cup 2 sticks / 226g unsalted butter, softened
  • ½ cup 100g granulated sugar
  • ½ cup 100g light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • optional: ¼ teaspoon almond extract for a bakery-style note

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
  2. Line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
  3. Cream butter and sugars together until light and fluffy about 2 minutes on medium speed.
  4. Add egg and vanilla.
  5. Beat until fully combined and smooth.
  6. In a separate bowl, whisk dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt).
  7. Combine dry and wet ingredients gradually.
  8. Mix until a soft, uniform dough forms it should be slightly sticky but hold shape.
  9. Chill dough for 15–30 minutes for best texture (optional but helps prevent spreading).
  10. Scoop dough balls (about 2 tablespoons each) and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet
  11. Flatten slightly with your fingers or the bottom of a glass for even baking
  12. Bake 9–11 minutes, just until edges are set and tops look pale and puffy (they’ll finish baking on the sheet).
  13. Cool on the pan 5 minutes before transferring to a rack.

Notes

Texture Notes
  • Cornstarch keeps them tender and soft.
  • Baking soda + powder gives light lift without puffing too much.
  • For chewier cookies, replace ¼ cup of granulated sugar with more brown sugar.
  • For cakier cookies, add 1 extra tablespoon of flour and chill dough longer
Optional Finishes
  • Roll tops in coarse sugar before baking for sparkle.
  • Frost with vanilla buttercream (1 cup butter, 2½ cups powdered sugar, 1½ tsp vanilla, 1–2 tbsp milk).
  • Add sprinkles, lemon zest, or dip half in white chocolate for variations.