This copycat Potbelly Sugar Cookie recipe is crazy good! It’s been awhile since I’ve been to the Potbelly Sandwich Shop so I really didn’t expect to be swooning over these no roll sugar cookies when I was testing them out!
They are light and airy and perfectly sweetened with a sugar coating on top. I also loved watching them puff up like marshmallows in the oven and then slowly deflate into beautiful wrinkled goodness after they came out of the oven.
Trust me, you are going to want to make this Potbelly Sugar Cookie recipe!
This recipe gets bonus points because it is quick and easy to make. I even adapted the recipe to be made with one bowl, and doesn’t need an electric mixer or food processor! I mean, who wants extra dishes to wash?!
I love a good copycat recipe. Are there any copycat recipes you would like to see on Whisking Up Yum? Potbelly oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipe may also be a great recipe to make soon…. right?
Alright, let’s get baking!
Watch the video to make this Potbelly Sugar Cookies Recipe
Tools & Equipment to make this copycat potbelly cookie recipe
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- Measuring cups, measuring spoons or kitchen scale
- Stand mixer or handheld mixer
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Large bowl
- Cookie pan
- Cookie spatula
- 1 1/2″ or 2″ tablespoon cookie scooper
What are drop cookies?
Drop cookies, like this drop sugar cookie recipe, are a no fuss cookie where the dough is typically scooped out of the bowl by using either a cookie scoop or spoons and dropped or heaped onto the baking sheet to bake.
When to put sugar on sugar cookies?
The best time to put sugar on your drop cookies is to roll your cookies in sugar just before baking.
Why are my sugar cookies so soft?
This sugar cookie recipe uses half melted butter to keep it soft. After the cookies completely cool down they will firm up enough to be held, but it is still soft and chewy.
How do you keep your sugar cookies soft?
Be sure to keep your cookies in an air-tight storage container.
How do you get sugar to stick to sugar cookies?
The sugar on the outside of the cookies will stick to the cookies if you roll the cookie dough ball in sugar before baking.
Can you freeze no-roll sugar cookies?
This drop sugar cookie recipe can easily be frozen. I recommend freezing them before baking so that they are at maximum freshness when you get to eat them.
Simply follow the recipe all the way through, but instead of baking them place them in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between layers.
You can bake it straight from the freezer, but you will want to add an additional minute to make sure it is baked thoroughly.
The dough will keep well in the freezer for 4-6 months.
What ingredients do you need to make drop sugar cookies?
To make these sugar-crusted sugar cookies you will need half-melted butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, baking soda, and baking powder.
How do you store drop sugar cookies?
Store your baked cookies in an airtight container. They will keep well for 4-7 days. They will still taste great after that, but not be as soft.
How to make chewy sugar cookies – Potbelly Sugar Cookie Recipes
To make this moist sugar cookie recipe you will need to preheat your oven to 375°F, and line your cookie sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Then, add a cup butter into a microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter in the microwave until it is half melted. I used 20-second increments until I got to the desired consistency. (You can even use your large mixing bowl if you want to keep this as a one-bowl recipe!)
In your large mixing bowl, cream together your half-melted butter and 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar. The butter is so soft, I didn’t need to use an electric mixer, a rubber spatula was easy enough to use.
Next, you will add the egg and three tablespoons of vanilla extract to the butter mixture and combine until just incorporated.
To save on the dishes, (no need for a separate bowl!) you can add the dry ingredients directly into the wet ingredients bowl.
Add in about half of the all purpose flour and scatter the baking soda and baking powder on top. I make sure to sprinkle the baking soda and powder around so that it has a better chance of spreading throughout the cookie dough.
Stir the flour mixture until just combined, and then add in the remaining flour and continue to mix until well combined. The dough will look light and fluffy.
Use a cookie scooper or spoon to form dough into medium size balls (golf ball sized – about 1-1/2″ to 2″ balls), and roll them in a small bowl of sugar (about 1/2 cup of sugar.)
Roll the cookie dough balls in the white sugar and place them on the baking sheet. Allow about 2″ between cookies to allow the cookies to spread.
Bake for 8-9 minutes, they will be puffed up like a marshmallow. Do NOT wait for them to have golden brown edges. They will look set, but still look a bit wet. Taking them out at this stage will ensure that you have soft cookies. If you are nervous about pulling them out too early, you can bake a few test cookies to make sure you are baking your cookies long enough.
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for about 8-9 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack. As they cool down they will shrink down.
Let the cookies cool for about 45 minutes to an hour to allow these potbelly sugar cookies to fully set. While I love eating warm cookies, these cookies will fall apart until they have had time to firm up.
If you try this cookie recipe out, can you let me know how you think this compares to the original recipe? Leave a message in the comment section at the bottom of the post!
You will also LOVE these other drop cookies recipes:
- Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies
- The Best Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Peanut Butter Blossoms
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Brownie Cookies
- Thick and Chewy Monster Cookies
- Classic Crinkle Cookies
- Trash Cookies – Everything but the Kitchen Sink!
- Birthday Cake Cookies
Potbelly Sugar Cookie Recipes – Copycat!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Total Time: 13 minutes
- Yield: 30 cookies 1x
Print RecipeDescription
Cookie recipes is crazy good! I really didn’t expect to be swooning over these no roll sugar cookies when I was testing them out! They are light and airy and perfectly sweetened with a sugar coating on top.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (225 grams) salted butter partially melted
- 1 ½ cups (296 grams) granulated sugar + ½ cup (109 grams) for rolling
- 1 egg
- 3 tablespoons vanilla
- 2 ¾ cups (328 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon (5 grams) baking soda
- ½ teaspoon (2 grams) baking powder
Instructions
- To make this moist sugar cookie recipe you will need to preheat your oven to 375°F.
- Then, in a microwave-safe bowl, melt your butter in the microwave until it is half melted. I used 20-second increments until I got to the desired consistency. (You can even use your large mixing bowl if you want to keep this as a one-bowl recipe!)
- In your large mixing bowl, cream together your half-melted butter and 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar. The butter is so soft, I didn’t need to use an electric mixer, a rubber spatula was easy enough to use.
- Next, you will add in the egg and vanilla and combine until just incorporated.
- Add in about half of the flour and scatter the baking soda and baking powder on top. I make sure to sprinkle the baking soda and powder around so that it has a better chance of spreading throughout the cookie dough.
- Stir the flour mixture until just combined, and then add in the remaining flour and continue to mix until well combined. The dough will look light and fluffy.
- Place about 1/2 cup of sugar in a small bowl for rolling your balls in. Use a cookie scooper or spoon to make dough balls about 1-1/2″ to 2″ balls. Roll the cookie dough balls in the sugar and place them on the baking sheet. Allow about 2″ between cookies to allow the cookies to spread.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes, they will be puffed up like a marshmallow. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for about 8-9 minutes before removing them and placing them on a cooling rack. As they cool down they will shrink down.
- Let the cookies cool for about 45 minutes to an hour to allow these potbelly sugar cookies to fully set.
Notes
- Let the cookies cool for about 45 minutes to an hour to allow these potbelly sugar cookies to fully set.
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: copycat recipes, potbelly sugar cookies recipes, drop sugar cookies recipe
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