Are you still making cookies the old fashioned way? Discover the ultimate Master Cookie Recipe! This easy, foolproof recipe requires no mixer and offers endless variations, including a gluten-free version.
What makes this such an easy cookie recipe?
Cookies are small, have few ingredients, and bake quickly so there is no room for error. Use the easiest method, the best ingredients, and the right equipment. Do this and cookies become easy and perfect every time.
This recipe is awesome. The ingredients and method make it easy, accurate, and foolproof. So, this is the perfect recipe to use when you are baking with kids.
We use this recipe as our master cookie recipe. It works well as a master recipe, allowing you to make a number of different cookies with one batch of cookie dough. We created this easy sugar cookie recipe to be not only easy, but also the best tasting sugar cookies ever.
I tested this cookie recipe multiple times using grams-based measurements — a habit I developed judging baked goods for county fairs where consistency really matters.
Each ingredient in these cookies is chosen with care. They are high quality, reliable brands that are produced sustainably and help stop climate change. Organic butter from sustainable dairies, flour grown with soil health in mind, and sugar harvested without rainforest encroachment all contribute to a recipe that is as responsible as it is delicious.
There’s nothing more satisfying than a warm cookie fresh from the oven — crisp edges, soft center, and that first bite. After years of testing and measuring every variable, I created a master cookie making method that becomes the base for countless cookie variations, including a gluten-free version. This one-bowl, no-mixer recipe uses sustainable, premium ingredients and measures by weight, making it foolproof, efficient, and better for the planet.
Updated:
Estimated reading time: 14 minutes
Table of contents
What Makes this Master Recipe Different?
THIS RECIPE IS SO EASY – One… Two… Three. Just use a kitchen scale to measure the dry ingredients into one bowl … the wet ingredients into a second bowl… and then stir together and weigh out the cookies.
With this recipe you can stop:
- Reading a recipe
- Bringing all the ingredients to room temperature
- Using a mixer
- Using brown sugar
- “Creaming” the butter and sugar together
- Adding the eggs one at a time
- Measuring the flour with the “scoop and swipe” method
- Sifting the flour
- Measuring the cookies by spoonfuls
Ingredients
Using the best ingredients creates the best cookies. I name the brands I use in the recipe, so there is no guessing. There is a detailed explanation for why I use each brand on the “quality brands” page.
After decades of working in agriculture and inspecting food production, I’m especially picky about ingredients — these cookies rely on small choices that create big flavor. Using the brands we have listed will ensure that you make great cookies every time. These brands not only taste better, but production of each is tightly controlled so the product is consistent. The size of the sugar crystal, the amount of protein in the flour, the shape of the salt – all these things will affect the way the cookies bake. Cookies are so small that little differences in the ingredients can lead to a big difference in the cookies. Some of these brands cost more than other available products, but it’s worth it. For some, we include a link to their official websites so you can buy direct and in bulk and often reduce the price.
- All-Purpose Flour – King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour has a slightly higher protein amount than Gold Medal – 11.7 percent protein. It is good for baking cookies, especially those that are a little more hearty and need some substance. King Arthur is an employee-owned company that responsibly sources the wheat for their flours, and it pays off in the taste and quality. They have a “never bleached” guarantee, which means their flours don’t have an off taste or unpredictable results that can be caused by bleaching. They also carefully calibrate the protein content, which means the flour gives you the same results, every time you bake.
- Sugar – Wholesome Regenerative Organic Sugar is produced using regenerative agriculture from sugar cane fields that are green cut and are not burned or treated with herbicides or synthetic fertilizers. Burning sugar cane fields contributes to air pollution and climate change, and is a major cause of the destruction of the rainforest. Buying sugar from fields that are green cut helps prevent this destruction. The sugar also has a better taste because of how it is produced. It is more expensive than buying the standard brands, but the difference is only a few cents per recipe, so it’s worth it. We also save money by buying this in bulk direct from the company and storing it in jars in the pantry.
- Homemade Brown Sugar – If a recipe calls for brown sugar, we use white, granulated Wholesome Regenerative Organic Sugar and add a small amount of sorghum syrup to the recipe instead. Brown sugar is just white, granulated sugar with molasses added. Sorghum syrup tastes very similar to molasses. We actually prefer the milder taste of the sorghum syrup. This saves money, since brown sugar is usually more expensive than white sugar, and it saves storage. We don’t make brown sugar by mixing the sorghum syrup and sugar because they don’t mix well, and the syrup is easy to add to a recipe. Also important, sorghum does not come from sugar cane. It is grown more sustainably in colder climates without burning and without cutting down tropical rainforests.
- Homemade Superfine Sugar – Superfine sugar, also known as caster sugar or baker’s sugar, is just white, granulated sugar that has been ground fine so that it dissolves quickly. It is often much more expensive than granulated sugar, so instead of buying super fine sugar, we make it ourselves and save money. We put the Wholesome Regenerative Organic Sugar in the food processor and grind it fine, which takes about a minute, and store it in jars in the pantry.
- Powdered Sugar – Powdered sugar, or confectioner’s sugar is just white, granulated sugar ground to a fine powder with some cornstarch added to keep it from clumping. We tried to make it ourselves, but could not grind it fine enough or evenly, so we buy Wholesome Organic.
- Milk, Cream, Butter – Horizon Organics – Milk, Cream and Butter that are produced organically, sustainably, and responsibly. You can taste the difference.
- Butter – Horizon Organic Butter is not only producing organic but is produced using regenerative agriculture. Many of the recipes call for browned butter, which we make ahead of time and keep in the refrigerator.
- Sunflower Oil – La Tourangelle Organic Regenerative Sunflower Oil is a great substitute for butter. The flavor works well in cookies, and the oil gives the cookies a fudgy center and crisp edges. It is healthier and less expensive than butter, as well as better for the environment. Cold pressed or expeller pressed means that chemicals and high heat were not used to produce the oil, so the health benefits of the oil are retained.
- Salt – Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt – is a pure salt without additives or iodine taste. The weight and structure of salt varies between brands so it is important to choose a salt and stick with it to be consistent.
- Vanilla — Baker’s imitation Vanilla Flavoring – this is much less expensive than vanilla extract. It actually has better vanilla flavor in baked goods, because the flavor withstands the high heat of baking better than vanilla from vanilla beans. Additionally, no rain forests are destroyed to produce it.
- Chocolate – Valrhona Chocolate is a high quality chocolate and the taste makes a really big difference. They produce chocolate that is grown sustainably, responsibly, ethically, and using regenerative practices. Most of Valrhona’s products are also gluten free and kosher.
No Affiliates Statement
We call this our “no affiliates” statement because we accept no advertising, have no affiliates and accept no payment. We are not paid to mention brands – we just love buying the best, sharing that information and saving the planet at the same time. The effort put into writing and photographing the blog is solely based on our dedication to the cause.
Sustainability
The ingredients in this recipe were chosen not only for how they taste, but for how they are grown and produced. My background in agriculture—working with soils, water systems, and sustainable farming practices—shaped the way I think about food long before I began writing recipes.
Over time, I’ve come to see that the best cooking starts long before the kitchen, in the decisions made in the field. This section highlights those choices, offering a closer look at the ingredients and the role they play in supporting a more thoughtful and sustainable food system.
Method
This is an easy, foolproof method that requires only a few minutes of active time.
- Measure the dry ingredients by weight
- Measure the wet ingredients by weight
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing.
- Chill the mixture
- Weigh out cookies
- Bake
1. Measure the dry ingredients by weight
Use a kitchen scale and measure in grams - This is absolutely essential. If you are wondering why your cookies are dry one time and flat the next, this is probably the reason. The inaccuracies from using measuring cups can easily lead to failure when baking. Different brands of flour and sugar will be different when measured with measuring cups, and not all measuring cups are accurate. Measuring by weight is the same every time. It is also much easier – just put the mixing bowl on the scale, zero the scale, add an ingredient, zero the scale again, add the next ingredient, and so on. Measuring in grams is more accurate, and easier, than pounds and ounces. Since it is a smaller measurement, it is more precise. Also, grams are often easy numbers to remember, making it possible to make the cookies without looking at the written recipe and easy to compare recipes. Clean up is easier too, since there will be fewer bowls and no measuring cups to wash. And cooking with children is easier because they quickly learn how to add ingredients until the scale reads the correct amount. Also, use the scale to measure each cookie to make sure the cookies are exactly the same size, adding any “mix-ins” before they are weighed.
2. Measure the wet ingredients by weight
Use Melted Butter and Oil – This makes the cookies crisp on the outside and soft and fudgy in the center. No need for a mixer, and there is no “creaming” the butter, or waiting for the ingredients to come to room temperature. Just stir together the melted butter, oil and sugar. Then add the eggs and flavorings. Then the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing. That’s it.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir together without overmixing.
Overmixing will activate the cause the cookies to become tough.
4. Chill the mixture
Refrigerate the dough for at least four hours or overnight – You can bake the cookies immediately, but they are better after refrigeration. This allows the flour to absorb the liquid in the dough, making the cookies bake better.
5. Weigh out cookies
You can also measure and shape them into balls before refrigerating, so they are ready to bake.
6. Bake
Reshape the cookies after they are baked by swirling them with a cookie cutter – While the cookies are still hot and on the cookie sheet, use a cookie cutter that is larger than the cookie and gently swirl it around each cookie to make them perfectly round.
Vacuum pack and freeze extra dough – – After refrigerating the dough overnight, extra cookie dough can be frozen. Vacuum sealing keeps the dough fresher. First freeze the individual cookie dough balls and then vacuum seal them so they stay as individual balls.
Why this Works
- It uses melted butter and oil, both liquid, so there is no waiting until the ingredients are at room temperature. Also, no need for a mixer, no creaming butter and sugar together, and no carefully adding eggs one at a time so they don’t seize up or curdle. And this makes the cookies less dry and more chewy on the inside and crisp on the outside.
- It uses sorghum syrup, which is similar to molasses, instead of brown sugar. Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses added. This means there is also no need to buy and store brown sugar, and no need for tricks to keep it from getting hard in the package.
- It calls for many of the ingredients to be measured by weight in grams. So there is no need to sift, scoop and swipe the flour or even use measuring cups. Most problems with cookies are because the ingredients, especially the flour, are measured by volume instead of weight. Measuring by weight is easier, more accurate and foolproof.
- THE BEST TASTING INGREDIENTS – This recipe makes the best tasting cookies because it uses all the very best ingredients. The brand names are listed for a reason – brands matter. They were chosen because they are reliable and have high quality control standards, and also taste better.
- IT’S REALLY EASY – Using a kitchen scale is not just more accurate, it’s also easier. And this recipe uses amounts for the main ingredients that are easy to remember, so after you have made it a couple of times, you won’t even need to look at the recipe.
- THE RECIPE IS SUSTAINABLE – All the best tasting ingredients are also sustainable and help stop climate change. That’s because companies that care about quality also care about sustainability. They have to in order to continue to have a high quality product.
- THIS IS A GREAT RECIPE TO MAKE WITH KIDS – kids are quick to learn to use a scale and love to be able to customize the cookies.
Equipment
- digital kitchen scale
- Cookie cutter rings
- Vacuum sealer for freezing cookie dough.
- cooling rack with a gridded frame – The grid prevents the cookies from falling through.
- thin metal spatula for moving the hot cookies – the thin metal won’t break the cookies
- Vollrath Cookie sheets – Medium to heavy-weight, light-colored aluminum cookie sheets – dark or thin sheets may burn the bottom of the cookies
- Silpat silicone baking mat – much less expensive than parchment paper in the long run.
- Accurate measuring spoons – measuring spoons can be very inaccurate, and you will need a set that measures accurately.
- silicone heat resistant spatula for scraping the bowl. All one piece is easier to clean and doesn’t come apart.
- Oven Thermometer – Use an accurate oven thermometer to check the oven temperature before putting the cookies in. The temperature of ovens vary, and may not be the temperature on the dial.
- timer – baking time is only a few minutes, so there is no room for error. We love the timer on the Apple Watch.
Variations
YOU CAN MAKE AN ENDLESS VARIETY OF COOKIES WITH JUST THIS ONE RECIPE – This is a master recipe, allowing you to make a different type of cookie every time you make a batch just by changing some of the ingredients. It starts as a sugar cookie recipe. If you add the sorghum syrup, it is the base for chocolate chip cookies. Yes, it’s that easy. You can change the “mix-ins” and add different nuts, candy, candied fruit, jam, and make an endless variety. Make it yours.
YOU CAN ALSO MAKE A VARIETY OF COOKIES WITH JUST ONE BATCH – You can also make just one batch of cookie dough and make every cookie different just by adding the “mix-ins” to each cookie instead of to the whole batch. This way everyone can get their own special cookie.
Jam Cookies
Add jam as filling — Try lime marmalade or orange marmalade with ginger for different types of citrus brightness. Adding Jam will create a cookie like our Sugar Cookies with Goldenberry Jam Recipe, Easy Blueberry Sugar Cookie Recipe, Strawberry Jam Sugar Cookie, Blood Orange Marmalade Cookie, or even our Gochujang Cookie Recipe.
Spice Cookies
Add zest or spices to the dough — to change the flavor.
Gluten-Free Cookies
Just substitute the same amount by weight of the King Arthur Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour for the all-purpose flour. That’s it. The finished cookies have the same appearance, flavor, and structure as the original, with only a slightly more tender crumb.
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Sorghum Syrup – Adding sorghum syrup is like using brown sugar for some of the sugar. It makes the cookie dough into the dough used for chocolate chip cookies.
Powdered fruit and flavors
Adding a powdered flavor will create a cookie like Best Cherry Blossom Cookie.
Mix-Ins
- Mix-Ins – Adding “mix-ins” like nuts or candy will give you a cookie like our Caramel Turtle Cookie Recipe, Best Macadamia Nut Sugar Cookie Recipe, or Best Brown Butter Caramelized Milk Chocolate Chip Cookie.
Browned Butter
Adding browned butter can give the cookies a caramel flavor.
Serving
Use for ice cream sandwiches — Pair with a vanilla ice cream made with our Master Ice Cream Recipe to make ice cream sandwiches – or any of our other ice cream recipes.
RECIPE
Equipment
- Vollrath cookie sheet 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- Silpat silicone baking mat 11⅝” x 16½”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- cooling rack 11¾” x 17”; Fits a 17” x 14” cookie sheet
- round cookie cutter cookie cutter
CHOOSING BRANDS:
For certain products, the choice of brand will make a big difference in the outcome of the recipe and in your carbon footprint. So, for those products, we have listed the brand. We are not paid to mention a brand and have no affiliates.
Ingredients
- 300 grams King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 300 grams Wholesome regenerative organic sugar
- 85 grams Horizon butter melted or browned
- 85 grams La Tourangelle regenerative sunflower oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons Baker’s imitation vanilla flavoring
- 130 grams sugar sparkling sugar, Demerara sugar or turbinado sugar, or a mixture.
Instructions
MEASURE THE INGREDIENTS BY WEIGHT – place a mixing bowl on the scale and zero the scale before adding each ingredient. Measuring by weight is the secret to perfect cookies every time.
- Gather all the ingredients and equipment together to make sure you have everything you need. No need to let the ingredients come to room temperature or measure ahead of time, since each ingredient is measured directly into the bowls.
- Place a medium sized bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, Set the bowl aside.
- Place a large mixing bowl on the kitchen scale. Zero the scale and measure in the sugar, melted butter and the oil. Remove the bowl from the scale. Stir with a large spoon until completely mixed.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Stir until completely mixed.
- Add the flour mixture. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Do not overwork the batter.
- Using a kitchen scale, measure out 80 grams of cookie dough for each cookie and roll into a ball. The cookies can be baked immediately, but they will have better flavor and texture and will spread less if they are refrigerated for at least four hours or overnight.
BAKE THE COOKIES
- Preheat the oven to 350° F for at least 20 minutes. Use an oven thermometer to check the temperature.
- Put the baking mat on the cookie sheet. Put the sparkling sugar in a bowl and roll each ball in the sugar. Place the cookies on the mat, leaving a two inch space between each ball.
- Bake one sheet of cookies at a time, in the center of the oven. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the cookie sheet halfway through baking. Bake until cookies are just starting to brown, but still puffy, and the centers are still soft, about 10 to 15 minutes.
- Test for doneness by lifting a cookie with the thin metal spatula half way under the cookie to see if it is browned on the bottom and stays flat instead of bending or liquid in the middle. When they are done, remove the cookie sheet from the oven.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 1 minute on the baking sheet. Shape the cookies while they are cooling on the cookie sheet by using a round cookie cutter that is a little bigger than the cookies to make them perfectly round. Place the cookie cutter over each cookie and use a slow, careful swirling motion to push the edges into a round shape. Be careful not to cause the cookies to crack.
- Use the thin metal spatula to transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Allow the cookie sheet to cool before putting another batch of cookies on it.
Notes
Nutrition
WHY THIS RECIPE IS A GAME CHANGER:
This recipe is a total game-changer — crafted with the finest [brand name] ingredients, simplified using a master recipe with pro-tested techniques from top chefs and bakers, and designed for deliciously sustainable cooking made easy.”
Bakers use a method of comparing recipes known as the baker’s percentage. This method makes it is easy to see how one recipe differs from another. The flour is represented as 100 percent and the other ingredient are a ration of the flour. This recipe has the following baker’s percentage:
Cookies Made from this Master Cookie Recipe
True to The Master Pantry philosophy, this recipe combines the best seasonal ingredients and quality brands with homemade methods to maximize both flavor and sustainability. It was inspired by our travels and works well as a holiday recipe.
Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography
Recipes created by Lisa LeCoump — Food Photographer, Agricultural Expert, and Home Baker. Sharing master recipes, chef secrets, and sustainable baking for every kitchen. Featured on various publications.
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