This is the BEST sugar cookie recipe. The cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet. They are made with basic ingredients but taste incredible! They are the perfect cookies for any occasion.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed for 1 minute. Add the granulated sugar (1 3/4 cups) and beat until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. I always stop once and scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula and continue mixing.
Add the egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract and mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low until just combined. The dough might look a little crumbly at first, but it will come together and be just fine.
Put the remaining sugar in a small bowl. Form the dough into balls, about 2 tablespoons per cookie. Roll each ball in the sugar until well coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet, about 2-inches apart.
Bake for 10 to 14 minutes or until the bottoms are light golden brown and the cookies start to crack. Check early, every oven is different. Don’t over bake or the cookies won’t be soft and chewy.
Remove the pan from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and cool completely.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or container.