Soft, Moist Sugar Cookies
When you’re looking forward to a batch of soft, moist sugar cookies - perfectly shaped into hearts and stars - a pull out a single, giant, blob-like sheet cookie from the oven, you know how disappointing this can be.
At high altitude, dough rises too quickly and the structure collapses before it sets because we have lower atmospheric pressure. Combine this with the dry air, you can end up with cookies that are either crumbly or utterly shapeless.
Below is an elevated sugar cookie recipe that has crisp edges, keeps its shape, and remains soft in the center.
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The High-Altitude Science
To get these results, we made three key shifts:
Reduced Baking Powder: The lower amount of baking powder prevents the cookies from over-inflating.
Moisture Control High altitude is dry. The amount of flour used gives a firm cookie that will hold its’ shape while not being too dry.
Chilling Time: Keeping the butter cold as long as possible is your best defense against spreading in a dry climate.
PREP TIME: 20 mins (+1 hr chill) COOK TIME: 7-9 minutes SERVINGS: 6 dozen
Baking Powder: Reduced to 3/4 tsp to prevent over-expansion.
Flour: Adjusted to 3 1/4 cups (plus up to 1/4 cup more if your kitchen is humid) to provide structure.
Liquid: Added 3 Tablespoons of milk for added moisture.
Chilling: 1-hour to stabilize the fats in the thin air.
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 Tablespoon milk
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 1/4 cups flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Directions
2. Incorporate Wet Ingredients: Add the egg and vanilla extract. Beat until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
4. Combine: Turn the mixer to low and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet. Mix until the dough just comes together and pulls away from the sides of the bowl.
If the dough is too sticky to handle, or will not pull away from the mixing bowl, add 1-2 more tablespoons of flour.
5. The Chill: Divide the dough into two disks and wrap tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Don't skip it - It's essential for holding the shape when baking
6. Prep: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
7. Roll & Cut: Working with dough disk at a time, roll out to 1/4 inch On a lightly floured surface. Cut into shapes and place 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake: Bake for 8–10 minutes. The cookies are done when the centers look set and the edges are just barely browned.
9. Set & Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Simply Altitude Pro-Tips
Measuring Flour: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level off with a knife. Scooping flour by putting the cup directly into the flour bag packs the flour down, and may lead to too much flour in your cookies.
Kitchen Humidity: At elevation, humidity varies wildly. On a very dry winter day, you may need to add 1 teaspoon of milk to get the dough to come together. If it's more humid, you might need an extra 1/4 cup of flour.
Explore More High-Altitude Baking
If you enjoyed this recipe, head over to our High Altitude Baking Made Simple page. It’s our combined resource for mastering the science of elevated baking, featuring helpful adjustment charts and troubleshooting tips for different altitudes.
Looking for more mountain-tested treats? Try these next:
Chocolatey and chewy, take a look at our High Altitude Chocolate Brownies.
A savory classic that won't fall or crumble, our High Altitude Cornbread Muffins are perfect for dinner.
