Let Me Tell You About the Time I Botched These Cookies (and Got Them Even Better)

You ever have a cookie so good you think about it days later? That’s what happened when my cousin brought me a Crumbl Sugar Cookie after I’d tripped (again!) in the garden and was feeling blue. The cookie was like a sweet, sugar-dusted hug. And, of course, I had to try making my own. First batch? Oh, they were chaos; flour everywhere, a little too much vanilla. But honestly, it only made me love the process more. Now every time I bake them, something weird happens—like the cat sneaking in, or me forgetting which shelf I put them on. Anyway, these are my kinda-perfect, kinda-perfectly-imperfect Crumbl Sugar Cookies, with all the honest bits left in.

Why You'll Love This Recipe (Or At Least Why I Do)

I make these whenever I want to cheer someone up (or bribe them, you know). There’s this yeasty, buttery smell that fills the kitchen and suddenly everyone remembers to come in and check if they’re done yet—my family practically camps out next to the oven. Honestly, we don't always wait for them to cool and you probably won’t either. Sometimes I wonder if their main appeal is that you don’t need fancy decorating—just slap on some icing and go. Oh—and if you leave out the almond extract, nobody complains. They disappear just as fast.

What You'll Need (With a Few Cheats and Substitutions)

1 cup (225g) unsalted butter (I’ve used salted in a pinch, just dial back the salt elsewhere)
1 ¼ cups (250g) granulated sugar (but a mix of white and brown sugar? Actually gives it a nice chew)
1 large egg (sometimes I use 2 small ones if that’s what’s left in the fridge)
2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (my grandmother’s weird about using only McCormick’s, but use what you have)
½ teaspoon almond extract (totally skip if you have nut allergies or just, you know, don’t like almonds)
2 ¾ cups (340g) all-purpose flour (I once swapped ¼ cup for cornstarch which made them a little fluffier—try it?)
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt (if you use salted butter, go easy here)

For the Frosting:

½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
2–3 tablespoon milk (I use oat milk sometimes, no one notices)
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
A pinch of salt
Food coloring (optional, but pink is classic for these!)

Here’s How I Make ‘Em (The Not-So-Secret Steps)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and toss parchment paper on your cookie sheet. Sometimes I skip this and just butter the tray. Not sure it matters much, really.
In a big bowl, beat your softened butter and sugar until it gets light and fluffy; I start slow with a hand mixer to avoid a sugar dust cloud. (By the way, this is the stage I always sneak a taste. Judge away.)
Crack in your egg, vanilla, and almond extracts. Beat again—don’t worry if it looks a bit split now. It sorts itself out once the flour’s in.
Add flour, baking powder, and salt. I do this in two batches to keep things less messy. If the dough feels sticky, add a sprinkle more flour. If it’s dry, actually just mash with your hands. It always comes together.
Use a big cookie scoop, or just grab a handful and roll into balls the size of a golf ball. Place them about 2 inches apart on the tray.
Now, here’s the weird bit: flatten each ball just a tad. Sometimes I use a glass greased with a bit of flour. Or my palm. Doesn’t matter.
Bake for 9 to 11 minutes, depending on your oven and how soft you like ‘em. They won’t look golden—don’t worry! If you see any brown, they’re probably a little over, but they’ll still taste grand.
Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (if you can stand the wait) then swap to a wire rack.
Meanwhile, whip up your frosting: cream the butter, add the powdered sugar little by little, splash in the milk and vanilla, then tint with a dab of food color. Spread on thick while cookies are just barely warm—melty frosting is basically happiness.

My Notes (Or: Where I Messed Up and You Don’t Have To)

Honestly, they taste even better the day after… if you hide them in the bread tin.
I once mixed baking soda instead of powder. Not the end of the world, but the texture was, well, odd. Use powder!
If your frosting’s too runny, just dump in more sugar. If it’s too stiff, I use a splash of coffee cream (shh, don’t tell anyone!)

You Can Switch It Up (I Tried These and...Huh)

Swap half the vanilla for orange extract. Bit unusual, but it made me think of Christmas biscuits from my mum’s hometown.
I tried glazing one batch with maple syrup instead of frosting. Tasted fine but, eh, not exactly Crumbl vibes.
Mini chocolate chips on top: don’t overdo it or you’ll lose the sugar-cookie magic.

What If I Don’t Own Half of These Gadgets?

I use my old hand mixer but once I had to cream everything with a wooden spoon when it broke mid-batch (my biceps still complain about that one). If you haven’t got a cookie scoop, just use a tablespoon and roll ‘em up yourself—it’s more satisfying anyway.

How Do You Store These? Ha, Good Luck

Supposedly, these keep in an airtight tin for up to 4 days, maybe a whole week if you live alone. But in my house, we’re lucky if they last a day. If you manage to hide any, the fridge is fine, but let them warm up a little before eating ‘cos the icing gets all weird when it’s too cold.

If You Want to Be Fancy with Serving...

I like making a mess with rainbow sprinkles or just serving these next to iced coffee in the afternoon for a proper treat. At holidays, I sometimes cut them into funny shapes—then everyone fusses about which shape tastes best (it’s always the star, for some reason).

Cringey ‘Pro Tips’ I Learned the Hard Way

I once tried chilling the dough for just 10 minutes to speed things up. Don’t! Just give it half an hour; you’ll thank me later.
Let the cookies sit on the tray a bit before moving. I’ve lost too many to the great ‘mid-air collapse.’
Use room-temperature butter. I microwaved mine once and, uh, soupy dough city.

Questions People Actually Ask Me (Yes, These Are Real)

Can I skip the almond extract? Definitely; nobody at my house has ever noticed the difference. Almond can be surprisingly polarizing!

Why do my cookies come out too flat? Couple of things here: too-soft butter, or maybe too little flour. On second thought, check if your baking powder is barely alive—that stuff does expire (I learned this the hard way after a birthday disaster!)

Can I freeze the dough? Yup, form into balls and freeze on a tray first, then dump them in a baggie. Bake a minute or two longer from frozen, and you’ll be golden!

Do you use special sprinkles? Nah, honestly the generic ones work fine. On the Sweets & Thank You blog I saw a giant sprinkles taste test, if you’re truly curious.

Is this really just like Crumbl’s sugar cookies? I think it’s close, but honestly homemade is a different sort of magic. If you want to see Crumbl’s latest topping ideas, have a peek at their official menu.

Okay, time for a random sidetrack: Ever notice how flour just floats everywhere when baking? My kitchen always looks like a winter storm hit, no matter how careful I am. Was talking to my neighbor and she says she uses one of those fancy covers. Maybe someday I’ll get around to trying one. Or maybe I’ll just embrace the mess. Anyway—hope you have fun baking, and more fun eating!

Crumbl Sugar Cookies: The Cozy Way I Bake Them at Home

Let Me Tell You About the Time I Botched These Cookies (and Got Them Even Better)

Why You'll Love This Recipe (Or At Least Why I Do)

What You'll Need (With a Few Cheats and Substitutions)

Here’s How I Make ‘Em (The Not-So-Secret Steps)

My Notes (Or: Where I Messed Up and You Don’t Have To)

You Can Switch It Up (I Tried These and...Huh)

What If I Don’t Own Half of These Gadgets?

How Do You Store These? Ha, Good Luck

If You Want to Be Fancy with Serving...

Cringey ‘Pro Tips’ I Learned the Hard Way

Questions People Actually Ask Me (Yes, These Are Real)

Crumbl Sugar Cookies

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