These 3 ingredient sugar cookies are made with only 1 cup softened unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, and 2¼ cups all-purpose flour, with no eggs, no baking powder, and no chilling. The dough takes about 10 minutes, the cookies bake at 325°F for 14 to 16 minutes, and one batch makes about 20 buttery cookies with crisp golden edges and tender centers.
I have baked these on days when I had less than half an hour to spare, and they always taste like more effort than they are. If you are looking for easy cookie recipes with few ingredients, this is the one I would hand you first, because it teaches you how butter, sugar, and flour behave on their own.
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- Ingredients: 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar, 2¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour, plus optional sugar for sprinkling
- Yield: about 20 cookies from 1 to 1½ inch dough balls
- Time: 10 minutes prep, 14 to 16 minutes baking, about 25 minutes total
- Oven: 325°F (165°C) on a parchment lined baking sheet
- Left out on purpose: no eggs, no baking powder or soda, no chilling
- Texture: crisp at the edges, tender in the middle, close to shortbread
- Storage: airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or freeze for later
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies: The Butter, Sugar and Flour Ratio
By weight, this recipe uses 227g butter, 100g sugar, and 270g flour. That works out to roughly 2¼ parts butter to 1 part sugar to 2¾ parts flour. Written as cups, it is simply 1 cup butter, ½ cup sugar, and 2¼ cups flour. Weighing is the most reliable way to get it right, because scooped flour can easily end up heavier than it should be and make the dough dry.
Each ingredient has a clear job. Butter sets the tone: it brings the richness, carries the flavor, and gives the cookies their melt in the mouth texture, so I always start with good quality unsalted butter. Granulated sugar sweetens and gives structure, crisping the edges while the crumb stays tender. Without eggs or baking powder, sugar becomes the backbone that makes these taste like classic sugar cookies.
Flour pulls everything together. With no leavening, flour and butter decide the final texture. In my own notes I found that all-purpose flour works best; pastry flour made the cookies too delicate to hold together.
Sugar Cookies vs Shortbread vs Butter Cookies
People often ask whether a 3 ingredient sugar cookie is really just shortbread. It is close, and the differences come down to the ratio and what else goes in the bowl.
- Classic shortbread: usually 1 part sugar, 2 parts butter, 3 parts flour by weight. More flour makes it dense and sandy. My brown sugar maple shortbread cookies are a good example of that style.
- These 3 ingredient sugar cookies: a little less flour for the amount of butter, so the dough is softer, the cookies spread slightly, and the edges turn crisp and golden while the centers stay tender.
- Butter cookies with egg: an egg, vanilla, and salt make the dough richer and easier to pipe or cut. My classic Christmas butter cookies use 1 egg and powdered sugar for that reason.
I have also baked this recipe both plain and with a splash of vanilla. Without vanilla, the butter flavor stands at the front and the cookie tastes more old fashioned, closer to shortbread. With vanilla, the sweetness sharpens into that familiar bakery sugar cookie flavor. When I bake a batch for gifting, I often make half of each.
Creaming the Dough by Hand or With a Mixer
Soft butter mixes best with sugar. I use a hand mixer when I want speed, but I have also creamed these by hand with a sturdy spoon. Either way, beat until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Proper creaming builds tiny air pockets that lift the cookies slightly, so skipping it leaves them heavy.
Add the flour gradually and keep mixing. At first the dough looks crumbly, then it pulls together into a soft, pliable ball that does not stick to your fingers. Stop as soon as it comes together. I once let the mixer run too long, and the dough turned tough.
Shaping and Baking at 325°F
Roll the dough into 1 to 1½ inch balls and set them on a parchment lined sheet with a couple of inches between them. Press each one down lightly with the bottom of a glass or your fingers so they bake evenly. A sprinkle of granulated sugar on top adds sparkle and a little crunch.
The low 325°F oven lets the butter spread gently before the edges brown; a hotter oven gives uneven results. Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the edges are just starting to turn golden. Overbaking is the enemy here, so pull them when they look almost done. Let them rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Common Mistakes and Fixes
- Dough stays crumbly: keep mixing a little longer, or press it together with your hands. If the butter was too cold to cream, let it soften and start again.
- Cookies crack while shaping: this is normal for an egg free dough. Press the cracks together gently before baking.
- Tough, dense cookies: the dough was overmixed after the flour went in, or the flour was packed into the cup. Mix only until it comes together and spoon the flour lightly into the cup.
- Dry or too brown: they baked too long. Take them out as soon as the edges begin to color.
- Too fragile to pick up: they were moved while hot, or pastry flour was used. Let them sit on the sheet for the full 5 minutes and use all-purpose flour.
- Flavor tastes flat: add a pinch of salt or a little vanilla extract to the butter and sugar.
Frosting, Gifting and Storing Your Cookies
The plain cookie is a clean canvas. For holidays, spread on a soft sugar cookie frosting, or use a sugar cookie icing that hardens if you want to stack them. For fine piped details, royal icing sets firm and glossy.
They hold their shape and flavor better than more delicate cookies, so I tuck them into gift boxes with parchment between the layers. My Christmas cookie packaging ideas have more ways to wrap them, and a bowl of sugar cookie dip makes a fun partner on a party tray.
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. I also freeze half the batch when I bake ahead for the holidays. A short warm up in the oven brings them back to life. They are lovely with a cup of coffee, which balances the sweetness.
Readers Often Ask
Can you make sugar cookies without eggs?
Yes. These 3 ingredient sugar cookies use no eggs at all; the creamed butter binds the flour and sugar into a soft dough that bakes into a crisp, tender cookie.
What are the 3 ingredients in 3 ingredient sugar cookies?
Butter, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour: 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, ½ cup (100g) sugar, and 2¼ cups (270g) flour.
Do you have to chill the dough?
No. The dough goes straight from the bowl to the baking sheet, and the low 325°F oven keeps the cookies from spreading too far.
How many cookies does this recipe make?
About 20 cookies from 1 to 1½ inch dough balls. For about 10 cookies, halve it to ½ cup butter, ¼ cup sugar, and 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour.
Can I use self-rising flour?
I use all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour already contains baking powder and salt, so the cookies would puff and spread more and taste saltier.
Can I make 3 ingredient sugar cookies without flour?
Not this recipe, because the flour is its whole structure. For a flourless 3 ingredient cookie, try my 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies made with peanut butter, sugar, and an egg.
Make It Your Own
Once you trust the formula, small changes are easy. Add a little vanilla or a pinch of salt, roll the tops in sparkling sugar, or turn the same buttery flavor into a pan of Christmas sugar cookie bars. On very busy days, 3 ingredient cake mix cookies save even more time, and if you want cinnamon sugar instead, bake a batch of snickerdoodle cookies.
Save this 3 ingredient sugar cookie recipe to your Pinterest board so it is ready the next time you need a few ingredient cookie. Tell me in the comments if you added vanilla, sprinkled sugar on top, or tried your own twist.
Easy Sugar Cookies Recipe 3 ingredients
These 3 ingredient sugar cookies are simple butter cookies made with just unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour, with no eggs, no baking powder, and no chilling. The dough takes 10 minutes, the cookies bake at 325°F for 14 to 16 minutes, and one batch makes about 20 cookies that are crisp at the edges and tender in the center. The key is the ratio of 1 cup butter to ½ cup sugar and 2¼ cups flour, creamed until fluffy so this easy 3 ingredient sugar cookie recipe holds together without an egg. Use them for cookie trays, holiday gift boxes, or decorating with frosting or icing. Add vanilla or a pinch of salt for a bakery flavor, and keep them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227g) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- Optional: Extra sugar for sprinkling on top before baking
Instructions
- PREHEAT THE OVEN: Set the oven to 325°F (165°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- CREAM BUTTER AND SUGAR: In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Use a hand mixer for ease or mix by hand with a sturdy spoon if preferred.
- ADD FLOUR: Gradually add the flour to the creamed mixture, mixing continuously. The dough will appear crumbly at first, but it should come together into a soft, pliable dough as you keep mixing.
- SHAPE DOUGH: Scoop out dough and roll into 1 to 1½-inch balls. Arrange them on the prepared baking sheet, leaving a couple of inches between each cookie for spreading.
- FLATTEN AND SPRINKLE: Gently press each dough ball down with the bottom of a glass or your fingers to slightly flatten. If desired, sprinkle a bit of granulated sugar on top of each cookie for added texture and sparkle.
- BAKE: Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are just starting to turn golden. Avoid overbaking to maintain a soft texture.
- COOL: Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Weigh the flour if you can, or spoon it lightly into the cup, so the dough does not turn dry. Mix only until the dough comes together after adding the flour; overmixing makes the cookies tough. If the dough cracks while shaping, press it back together gently. Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are just starting to turn golden and let them rest on the sheet for 5 minutes before moving them. These cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For a variation, add a touch of vanilla extract or a pinch of salt to enhance the flavor.
Nutrition Information
Yield
20Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 58Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 2mgSodium 5mgCarbohydrates 11gFiber 0gSugar 0gProtein 1g
