Soft Chewy Raspberry Sugar Cookies

My daughter walked into the kitchen on a warm Saturday morning and asked if we could bake something pink. Not strawberry, not cherry—pink with raspberries. I had a pint sitting in the fridge, a little too soft to eat plain, and suddenly we were creaming butter and folding in berries that stained our fingertips and left tiny jewel-like streaks in the dough. The house smelled like vanilla and fruit, and by noon we had two dozen cookies cooling on the counter, their sparkly sugar crusts catching the sunlight.

I brought a tin of these to a book club meeting once, thinking they might be too unconventional. Within ten minutes, someone asked if I could teach a class on them. Another friend texted me later that night asking for the recipe because her kids had declared them better than store-bought cookies. That was the moment I realized these werent just pretty—they were keepers.

Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, softened: This is the backbone of the cookies tenderness, so leave it out on the counter for an hour until your finger leaves a gentle indent when pressed.
• Granulated sugar and light brown sugar: The combination gives you sweetness from white sugar and moisture plus chew from brown sugar, which keeps these cookies soft even a day later.
• Eggs, room temperature: Cold eggs can seize up your butter, so set them out when you start gathering ingredients.
• Vanilla extract: Use pure extract if you can, it adds a warmth that fake vanilla just cant match.
• All-purpose flour: Measure by spooning it into your cup and leveling off, dont scoop directly or youll pack in too much and end up with dry cookies.
• Cornstarch: This secret ingredient makes the cookies extra tender and gives them that melt-in-your-mouth quality.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Together they give the cookies a slight lift and help them spread just enough without going flat.
• Salt: Never skip this, it brightens the raspberry flavor and keeps the sweetness in check.
• Fresh raspberries: Pat them very dry with a paper towel or they will bleed too much into the dough and make it wet.
• Crushed freeze-dried raspberries: Find these in the dried fruit aisle, they add color and concentrated berry flavor without adding moisture.

Instructions

Prep your pans:

Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies release easily and cleanup is a breeze. If you only have one sheet, bake in batches and let the pan cool between rounds.

Mix the dry ingredients:

Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a medium bowl until evenly distributed. This ensures every bite has balanced flavor and texture.

Cream the butter and sugars:

Beat the softened butter with both sugars on medium speed for three to four minutes until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, like buttercream frosting. Scrape down the sides halfway through so nothing gets left behind.

Add eggs and vanilla:

Drop in one egg at a time, mixing just until it disappears into the batter, then stir in the vanilla. Overmixing here can make the cookies tough, so keep it gentle.

Combine wet and dry:

Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture and mix on low speed until you see no more streaks of flour. Stop as soon as its combined, the dough will look thick and slightly shaggy.

Fold in the raspberries:

Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the fresh raspberries into the dough, turning the bowl as you go. Some will break and thats okay, but try to keep most of them whole so you get juicy bursts in every cookie.

Make the coating:

Stir together the granulated sugar and crushed freeze-dried raspberries in a small bowl. The pink sugar will coat the cookies and give them a sparkly, jeweled look.

Shape and coat:

Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll it between your palms into a smooth ball. Roll each ball in the raspberry sugar until fully coated, then place on the prepared baking sheet with about two inches of space around each one.

Bake:

Slide the sheets into a 350-degree oven and bake for 10 to 12 minutes, just until the edges look set and the centers still seem a little soft. They will firm up as they cool, so dont overbake or theyll lose that chewy texture.

Cool:

Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for five minutes to finish setting, then transfer them to a wire rack. This resting time keeps them from breaking apart and helps them hold their shape.

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The first time I packed these into my sons lunchbox, he came home and said three kids offered to trade their desserts for one. He told them no, which made me ridiculously proud. Now I make a double batch every few weeks and freeze half the dough so we can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits. Theyre the kind of treat that turns an ordinary afternoon into something a little sweeter.

How to Store and Freeze

These cookies stay soft and chewy in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days, though they rarely last that long in my house. If you want to freeze them, let the baked cookies cool completely, then layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container for up to three months. You can also freeze the dough balls on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer them to a zip-top bag and bake straight from frozen, adding an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Flavor Variations to Try

I once stirred a teaspoon of raspberry jam into the center of each dough ball before rolling it in sugar, and the result was like biting into a tiny fruit tart. You could also swap the raspberries for blueberries or chopped strawberries, though youll want to pat those dry too. For a citrus twist, add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough, it makes the berry flavor even brighter and more vibrant.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If your cookies spread too much, your butter was likely too soft or the dough was too warm when it hit the oven. If they come out cake-like instead of chewy, you may have added too much flour or overbaked them slightly. The centers should look just barely underdone when you pull them out, trust me on this. Heres what Ive learned after a few rounds of trial and error:

• Always use room temperature butter, not melted or too soft, for the best texture.
• Measure flour carefully by spooning and leveling, not scooping directly from the bag.
• Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for the full five minutes before moving them.

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These cookies have become the ones I reach for when I want to make something that feels a little special without spending all afternoon in the kitchen. I hope they bring the same kind of quiet joy to your table that theyve brought to mine.

Recipe FAQs

→ What makes these cookies chewy?

The combination of cornstarch in the dry ingredients and proper mixing technique creates a tender, chewy texture. Removing cookies from the oven when centers look slightly underbaked also ensures they stay soft and pillowy rather than crisp.

→ Can I use frozen raspberries instead of fresh?

Fresh raspberries work best as they provide the right moisture balance. If using frozen, thaw and drain completely before folding in. For best results, use the suggested substitution of crushed freeze-dried raspberries mixed into the dough instead.

→ Why is chilling the dough recommended?

Chilling for 30 minutes helps cookies maintain their shape during baking and allows flavors to meld. It also prevents excessive spreading, ensuring thicker, chewier cookies with distinct raspberry pockets throughout.

→ How should I store these cookies?

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 3 months and bake fresh, or freeze baked cookies and thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy.

→ Can I make these without freeze-dried raspberries?

Absolutely. The freeze-dried raspberry coating is optional for extra color and flavor intensity. You can simply roll the dough balls in granulated sugar alone, or try rolling in colored sugar for a similar sparkly appearance.

→ What's the purpose of the jam variation mentioned?

Swirling 1 teaspoon of raspberry jam into each dough ball before rolling in sugar creates concentrated pockets of raspberry flavor and adds extra moisture for an even gooier texture. It's a great way to enhance the berry experience.