3 ingredient sugar cookies are classic sugar cookies made with only three simple ingredients. These no egg sugar cookies have soft and tender centers with lightly crisp edges and a crunchy sugar coating. Add sprinkles or icing to make these simple sugar cookies even more festive.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I love a simple recipes that use just a few ingredients. It’s nice to just throw a few ingredients together and bake something that tastes like it came from a bakery. My 2 Ingredient Biscuits, 3 Ingredient Brownies, 3 Ingredient Mug Cake, 3 Ingredient Oatmeal Cookies, and 4 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies are some of my favorite minimal ingredient recipes I love to make.These three ingredient cookies are another recipe I know you will love.
- They have the perfect sugar cookie texture. These 3 ingredient cookies have soft and tender centers with lightly crisp edges, with a crunchy sugar coating.
- Easy to make with simple ingredients. All you need to make these classic sugar cookies is flour, butter and sugar. Simply mix the dough, scoop, roll and bake.
Ingredients
This recipe for three ingredient sugar cookies require only a 3 simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
Gather all purpose flour, butter and sugar.
Substitutions
Here are my recommended substitutions to make these melt in your mouth scones using Bisquick.
- All purpose flour: Make these cookies, gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure the flour based off weight (240 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Unsalted Butter: I recommend using a good quality butter such as Kerry Gold for the best sugar cookies. Vegan or plant based butter can be used to make these easy sugar cookies vegan or dairy free.
- Granulated Sugar: Light brown sugar or maple sugar would also work well. Use vanilla sugar for even more flavorful 3 ingredient cookies.
Variations
- Mix-ins: For a more classic sugar cookie taste, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste. Add ½ teaspoon almond extract along with vanilla extract. For a festive and colorful sugar cookie, add ¼ cup sprinkles.
- Sugar Cookie Icing: Follow the icing recipe in my Marbled Sugar Cookies.
- 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookie Bars: Line an 8 x 8 pan with parchment paper along the bottom and 2 sides. Prepare the recipe as written. Press the egg free sugar cookie dough into the prepared pan. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 25 - 30 minutes or until the edges of the cookie bars are light golden brown and are pulling slightly away from the edges of the pan. Cool the cookie bars in the pan for 30 minutes. Remove the three ingredient cookie bars from the pan to cool to room temperature.
How To Make
Learn how to make 3 ingredient sugar cookies in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment cream together the butter and sugar on low to combine. Once combined, increase the speed of the mixer to medium speed for 3 - 4 minutes or until the butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy. On low, mix in the flour until just combined. If needed, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate any stray pieces of flour. If needed add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time up to ¼ cup (30 g). The final texture should be tacky, but not overly sticky. The cookie dough should easily roll into a ball shape. If you would like to add sprinkles to the dough, gently fold sprinkles into the cookie dough now.
- If you’d like to roll the sugar cookies in sugar, add sugar to a small bowl. Using a small tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the sugar cookie dough into cookie dough balls. Roll the balls in the sugar until the cookie dough ball is fully coated in sugar. Place the sugar cookie balls onto a lined baking sheet.
3. Bake the three ingredient cookies for 12 - 14 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 -15 minutes. Transfer the sugar cookies to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve
- Store: Place the 3 ingredient sugar cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 5 - 7 days.
- Make Ahead: Although this few ingredient sugar cookie recipe comes together quickly, the cookie dough can easily be made ahead of time. To do this simply prepare the cookies according to the recipe directions up to mixing the flour into the butter and sugar and decide which storage method meets your needs.
- Freeze Dough: Prepare the simple sugar cookies then scoop the dough into balls onto small lined baking sheet or large plate. Freeze the balls for 20 minutes then transfer them to a freezer proof container for up to 2 months. Thaw the cookie dough balls in the fridge overnight and proceed with the cookie recipe as written starting with rolling in the sugar and baking.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: To freeze, place each of the cookies in a freezer proof container in a single layer. If more than one layer is needed, line parchment paper between each layer. Freeze for up to three months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the sugar cookies is to let them sit out at room temperature. Heat them in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for a “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Don’t overmix the cookie dough. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the flour into the butter and sugar until just combined.
- Add a couple of ingredient for more flavor. To stay true to the “three ingredient” part of these easy sugar cookies, vanilla extract and sprinkles are not included in the formal recipe. However, adding vanilla extract and a pinch of salt really makes these cookies shine.
- Use a cookie scoop. Use a small 1 tablespoon sized cookie scoop ensures the cookies bake evenly and look uniformed after baking.
- Space the cookie dough on the baking sheet. Cookie dough should be placed on the cookie sheet 2 inches apart. The cookie spread a bit while baking.
- Cool the cookies. After baking, these cookies need to remain on the cookie sheet for 10 - 15 minutes before moving them to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first minute of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
No, the cookie will puff a bit and will spread while baking. These cookies are best as drop sugar cookies or as sugar cookie bars.
These three ingredient sugar cookies taste great with frosting, a glaze or royal icing.
Use a vegan or plant based butter to make these no egg sugar cookies vegan.
Shortbread cookies are typically made with just flour, sugar and butter. In that sense these three ingredient sugar cookies are like a shortbread cookie. A true sugar cookie uses an egg or yolk, as well as leaveners such as baking soda or baking powder.
Other Flavorful Sugar Cookie Recipes To Try
If you try this 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
- 1 stand mixer with paddle attachment or electric hand mixer with beaters
- 1 small cookie scoop (1 tbsp, 15 ml)
- 1 small bowl
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but cool to touch
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided use ¾ cup (150 g) for the cookie dough and ¼ cup (50 g) for rolling
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl fitted with paddle attachment cream together the butter and ¾ cup (150 g) sugar on low to combine. Once combined, increase the speed of the mixer to medium speed for 3 - 4 minutes or until the butter and sugar mixture is light and fluffy.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter, softened but cool to touch, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, divided
- On low, mix in the flour until just combined. If needed, scrape the bottom and sides of the bowl to incorporate any stray pieces of flour.If needed add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time up to ¼ cup (30 g). The final texture should be tacky, but not overly sticky. The cookie dough should easily roll into a ball shape. If you would like to add sprinkles to the dough, gently fold sprinkles into the cookie dough now.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- If you’d like to roll the sugar cookies in sugar, add the remaining ¼ cup (50 g) sugar to a small bowl. Using a small tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop the sugar cookie dough into cookie dough balls. Roll the balls in the sugar until the cookie dough ball is fully coated in sugar. Place the sugar cookie balls onto a lined baking sheet. If you would like, top each cookie with sprinkles.
- Bake the three ingredient cookies for 12 - 14 minutes or until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. Cool the cookies on the cookie sheet for 10 -15 minutes. Transfer the sugar cookies to a cooling rack to cool to room temperature.
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