Soft Chewy Powdered Sugar Crinkle Cookies

Chewy sugar cookies made with powdered sugar and studded with colorful sprinkles. These cookies are soft, tender, and perfect for the holidays or any occasion when you want a pretty, satisfying treat.

Sugar Cookies Made with Powdered Sugar

Why use powdered sugar in cookies?

Powdered sugar, also called confectioners’ sugar, contains a small amount of cornstarch to prevent clumping. In dough, powdered sugar helps create a lighter, more tender texture compared with using only all-purpose flour. Flour contributes gluten, which can make baked goods firmer; replacing part of the flour with powdered sugar reduces the overall gluten content and promotes a softer crumb.

That said, powdered sugar doesn’t automatically make cookies fluffy like a cake—rather, it makes them noticeably more tender than cookies made without it. In this recipe, combining powdered sugar with standard ingredients yields cookies that are soft in the center, slightly chewy throughout, and crisp at the edges when baked properly.

No-Chill Sugar Cookies

This dough does not require chilling. The recipe uses only a small amount of baking soda and baking powder—1/2 teaspoon of each—so the dough can be scooped and baked right away. The cookies spread enough to develop a chewy texture but should not run together if spaced properly on the baking sheet. Be sure to leave room between each dough ball to allow for even spreading.

The ingredients you’ll need:

All are common pantry items:

• All-purpose flour
• Powdered (confectioners’) sugar
• Baking soda and baking powder
• Vanilla extract and salt
• Salted butter, softened to room temperature (add 1/2 teaspoon salt if using unsalted butter)
• Granulated sugar for mixing into the dough and lightly coating the dough balls
• An egg
• Sprinkles for color and fun

This recipe does not rely on cream of tartar or shortening.

Chewy Sugar Cookies with Sprinkles

Use any sprinkles you like: rainbow nonpareils, holiday-themed sprinkles, or sugar crystals. The sprinkles give these cookies a festive, cheerful appearance and a little extra crunch.

How to make Chewy Powdered Sugar Cookies

This is a straightforward recipe. Follow these steps for consistent results.

Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).

Step 2. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a nonstick baking mat. Baking directly on the sheet can cause overly brown or crisp bottoms.

Step 3. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, powdered sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mixing the dry ingredients separately helps disperse the powdered sugar and leavening evenly and prevents lumps.

Step 4. In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Creaming incorporates air into the dough, preventing dense cookies. By hand this can take about two minutes; a mixer will be faster.

Step 5. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until evenly combined.

Step 6. Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the sprinkles by hand so they distribute evenly without bleeding too much color into the dough.

Step 7. Pour about 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar onto a small plate for rolling the dough balls.

Step 8. Shape the dough into 2-tablespoon portions. If you don’t have a 2-tablespoon scoop, scoop a 1/4-cup portion (4 tablespoons) and split it in half to form two balls. The dough should be soft but not sticky.

Step 9. Lightly roll each dough ball in the granulated sugar to coat.

Step 10. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly (about 12 cookies per full sheet).

Step 11. Bake for 9–10 minutes, until the edges are set. The centers may look underbaked when you remove the cookies from the oven, but they will sink slightly and firm up as they cool on the sheet.

How to tell when they’re done

I tested baking times at 11, 10, and 9 minutes. At 11 minutes the cookies became too crisp after cooling. Ten minutes produced a very chewy cookie, and nine minutes produced the ideal texture for my preference: set edges, soft centers that firm slightly as they cool, with a pleasant chew and a slight crisp around the edges. Choose the time that matches your preferred level of chewiness.

Step 12. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage, freezing, and reheating

Step 13. Store fully cooled cookies immediately in an airtight container to keep them from drying out. These cookies can dry out faster than other varieties if left exposed. To maintain softness, place a slice of plain white sandwich bread in the container; the cookies will absorb moisture from the bread and stay soft. Alternatively, line the container’s bottom with a lightly damp paper towel, ensuring it does not touch the cookies directly.

Cookies freeze well. Place cooled cookies in a freezer bag or airtight container with as much air removed as possible. They usually don’t stick together and reheat quickly: 10–15 seconds per side in the microwave for a single cookie usually works. To thaw, spread cookies in a single layer at room temperature until warmed through.

Follow Beat Bake Eat for more easy, approachable baking recipes and tips.