These giant sugar cookies are inspired by my favorite sugar cookies from the Potbelly Sandwich Shop. Soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges and rolled in sugar, I couldn’t stop myself from devouring the entire batch. I’ve tested it over and over and can confidently say it’s the best.
If my family’s favorite cookies are my fully loaded M&M Cookies, then these Potbelly-inspired sugar cookies are mine. When I finally nailed the recipe, I did the same thing that happened when I made my grandma’s Sicilian S Cookies: I ate them all.
Potbelly Copycat Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookies are a classic Christmas cookie. They’re almost always soft and chewy, with subtle vanilla and sometimes almond flavors. My sugar cookie recipe is a little different than what you’d find in a Christmas cookie box, though. In fact, they might even be a little better.
Something you should know about me is that my favorite sugar cookie on earth is from a sandwich shop called Potbelly’s. If you’ve had one, then you know what I’m talking about: huge cookies that are pillowy soft in the middle with slightly crisp edges and large sugar crystals sprinkled on top for good measure.
I wanted—no, I needed—to recreate these perfect cookies, so I came up with a recipe and tested it over 10 times just to come close to what Potbelly’s does. And I think I nailed it.
Just like with my perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies, all of those hours spent in the kitchen were sooo worth it. My recipe bakes 12 huge sugar-coated sugar cookies that are as decadent and delicious as Potbelly’s. And now, I can get my cookie fix without even having to leave the house.
Ingredients and Substitutions
This is what you’ll need to make these small-batch sugar cookies. There are some substitutions that would work; however, sticking with what’s in the recipe will give you the best results.
- Unsalted butter is always my first choice when baking.
- Sugar – Just white granulated sugar. Cane sugar should work as a substitute.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking Soda helps the cookies rise slightly.
- Salt – Just a pinch, for flavor.
- Vanilla – I love the subtle kiss of vanilla in these cookies.
- Eggs, room temperature works best
- Turbinado Sugar – The cookie dough balls are rolled in turbinado sugar before baking, giving them a sweet, almost crispy coating. Feel free to use sparkling sugar or another large crystal sugar instead.
How to Make Sugar Cookies
Cream the butter and sugar: Start by adding the butter and sugar to a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat them together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
Combine the dry ingredients: Meanwhile, sift the flour, baking soda, and salt together in a separate bowl.
Finish wet mixture: Mix the vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture.
Add the eggs: Beat one egg at a time into the wet ingredients, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gently mix a third of the flour mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Scrape the bowl, then repeat until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.
Incorporate: To finish, crank up the mixer speed for a few seconds, just to make sure everything is combined. Then, refrigerate the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
Shape: Use a cookie scoop to scoop out some of the chilled dough and gently roll it into a ball. Roll the ball in the sparkling sugar and then place it on a sheet tray. Keep doing that process until you’re out of cookie dough. Then, chill the cookie dough balls again until it’s time to bake.
Baking Time: Bake the sugar cookies until they’re set around the edges. Set them aside to cool before serving.
Chef Tip + Notes
Chilling the cookie dough takes time, but it’s crucial. We want puffy and soft cookies, and that comes from chilling the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes before baking. This will cool down the warm butter in the dough and prevent the cookies from spreading in the oven.
- Room temperature ingredients: Taking butter and eggs out of the fridge at least 30 minutes before mixing the dough is perfect. Room-temperature ingredients are so much easier to work with and always result in evenly baked desserts.
- Don’t overmix: Mixing the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients in 3 separate batches prevents the cookie dough from being overworked and keeps the baked cookies soft and tender.
- 12 Big Cookies, we’re staying true to the humongous Potbelly’s cookies. Use a 2- to 2 1/2-ounce cookie scoop to shape the dough into large cookie dough balls.
- For smaller cookies, roll the cookie dough balls with a 1 to 1 1/2-ounce cookie scoop
Serving Suggestions
I like to treat myself to a sugar cookie after devouring a chicken cutlet sandwich, but there’s really no bad time to have one. Dessert, during an afternoon slump, or the middle of the night… No matter when, they always hit the spot.
I usually make a batch of these sugar cookies around Christmas, too. When I’m not gifting them to my neighbors, I’m serving them to my friends and family at our holiday parties. They’re a simple dessert I love putting out alongside the pumpkin pie once we’re done with the classics, like this easy glazed ham and brown sugar-dusted roasted acorn squash.
Make-Ahead and Storage
Make-Ahead: These cookies are the absolute best the same day they’re baked, while they’re still extra soft. To prep ahead, refrigerate the dough or freeze the shaped cookie dough balls in a sealed container until ready to bake.
How to Store: Keep the baked cookies covered at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. To store them even longer, refrigerate for up to 5 days. They freeze well for up to 3 months.
More Dessert Recipes
Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup softened unsalted butter
- 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sparkling or turbinado sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325° F.
- In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, add in the butter and 1 ¼ cups of sugar. Mix on low to medium speed for 3 to 4 minutes. The sugar should be mixed in, and it should start to look creamy. Stop and scrape the bowl halfway through the process with a rubber scraper.
- In the meantime, sift together the flour, baking soda, and salt into a medium-sized bowl and set it aside.
- Return to the mixer. Once the butter and sugar are creamed, add in the vanilla extract and mix until fully incorporated.
- Next, add 1 egg and mix it in. Stop and scrape the bowl. Mix in the last egg. Stop and scrape the bowl.
- Now add in the dry ingredients that you sifted together in 3 batches. Don’t add the next batch until the last batch is mixed. I usually stop and scrape the bowl again after adding the second batch.
- Once the last batch is added and just mixed in, set the speed to medium and let it mix for 20 to 30 seconds to ensure everything is incorporated.
- Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes.
- Next, use a 2 to 2½-ounce scoop to portion the chilled dough. Gently shape each scoop without packing it too tightly — this is key — then roll in sparkling sugar and place on a baking sheet tray lined with parchment paper. You will get 6 per sheet tray. These are big cookies. Place the remaining cookie dough in the fridge until the first batch is done baking.
- Bake on a middle rack at 325° F with no fan for 15 minutes. Cool on a rack completely before eating.
Sugar Cookies Recipe