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Hot Pot Sugar Cookies are the ultimate easy sugar cookie recipe. Made with simple ingredients you likely already have, these chewy sugar cookies are quick to whip up and taste incredible. With a soft center, buttery flavor, and customizable sugar cookie icing, they’re perfect for any occasion. Whether you’re baking cookies for a special celebration or just craving a batch of classic sugar cookies, this recipe is a guaranteed winner.
Why You’ll Love This Hot Pot Sugar Cookie Recipe
I love a good Hot Pot Chocolate Cookie, but man oh man, depending on the day, I could hurt someone REAL BAD for a bite of a proper chewy, buttery, vanilla-y sugar cookie. I don’t make my Swig Sugar Cookies or my Cut-Out Sugar Cookies very often anymore because it makes such a mess and it’s a little more time-consuming than the old scoop and bake method.
You’ll love this recipe because it’s simple, quick, and completely customizable. Made with pantry staples, these cookies come together easily with just one small pot—no need for special tools or cookie cutters. The sugar cookie icing can be customized with food coloring, making them perfect for any occasion, from birthday parties to holidays. Plus, the extra egg yolk gives these cookies a soft, chewy center while keeping them sturdy enough to hold their glaze.
Ingredients Needed for Hot Pot Sugar Cookies
Gather up these cookie-making ingredients to make these amazing Sugar Cookies!
- Butter – this provides a bunch of flavor that soaks into the flour.
- Sugar – to sweeten and keep things light.
- Egg + Egg Yolk – both are used for structure and texture.
- Vanilla Extract + Almond Extract – the almond extract is optional (but delicious). Of course you can leave it out and still have delicious cookies.
- All-Purpose Flour – this fills out the cookies.
- Baking Soda & Salt: Help the cookies rise and balance the sweetness.
For the Icing
- Powdered Sugar – The base for the icing sugar.
- Milk – Adds creaminess.
- Vanilla Extract – to flavor.
- Food Coloring (optional) – Customize your glaze to match any theme!
Variations
- Unsalted Butter: If you only have unsalted butter, add a pinch of extra salt.
- Brown Sugar: Swap half the granulated sugar for brown sugar for a richer flavor.
- Royal Icing: Use this instead of glaze for a firmer finish on your cookies.
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies: Chill the dough, then roll it out and use cookie cutters for fun shapes.
How to Make Hot Pot Sugar Cookies
This sugar cookie recipe starts out in a pot on the stovetop (I know weird, but trust me it’s all going to work out). Then once the dough is mixed and rests a little bit, you bake it! Cool and drizzle with simple icing! For the full recipe details, including ingredient measurements, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the post! Here are my step by step directions for making and glazing Hot Pot Sugar Cookies:
Step 1: Preheat Oven + Prep Baking Sheets
Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
Pro Tip: Take note of the 325° bake time. Keep in mind every oven is different, so my time may vary slightly from your time. That’s why I gave you a bake time as well as cookie characteristics to look for before removing them from the oven. Not hard, just something you might want to pay attention to. 🙂
Step 2: Make the Dough
Melt butter in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat. Stir in granulated sugar.
Add in egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to ensure a smooth, well-stirred batter.
Let batter sit to let the flour soak into the rest of the batter.
Pro Tip: As the cookie dough rests and cools, the flour will get absorbed. If you let it sit too long, your cookies may not flatten as much as mine did. No problem! Gently flatten the tops of your dough balls before baking. If you notice your cookies are too buttery or too flat, you may need to let your dough cool longer OR add a touch more flour to help with the structure of the cookie.
Step 3: Scoop, Bake + Cool
Scoop cookie dough onto prepared pans, using a cookie scoop.
Bake 8-9 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. When you pull your cookies out of the oven, they will look cooked around the edges and undercooked in the center.
Leave the cookies on the hot baking pans until you can remove them without falling apart. Place onto cooling racks and cool to room temperature before glazing.
Step 4: Make the Glaze
For the glaze, whisk powdered sugar together with milk and vanilla until thick glaze forms. Should be the consistency of white school glue; add the milk in slowly! Add in food coloring if desired.
Step 5: Drizzle Glaze Over Cookies
Drizzle glaze over cooled cookies and serve!
Storage + Make Ahead Directions for Sugar Cookies
These Sugar Cookies are best eaten in the first 24 hours after baking; store in airtight containers. Feel free to freeze the baked cookies if you’d like to store longer. Keep cookies in an airtight container, separated by wax paper or parchment, and store for up to 3 months in the freezer.
To Freeze the Dough: You can also freeze the sugar cookie dough so you can bake these fresh and enjoy warm sugar cookies anytime! Simply mix the dough, portion it out using a cookie scoop, and freeze it in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Once completely frozen, transfer the dough balls to a plastic freezer bag. Freeze up to three months. When ready, simply place frozen dough balls onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet and bake according to the recipe, being sure to add 1-2 minutes extra.
To Make Ahead: Store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours before baking.
More Sugar Cookie Recipes to Try!
These chewy sugar cookies are as fun to make as they are to eat. The printable recipe card is down below. Happy baking, friends!
If you make this recipe, I would really appreciate it if you would give it a star rating and leave your review in the comments! If you have a picture of your finished dish, post it on Instagram using the hashtag #laurenslatest and tagging me @laurens_latest.
Hot Pot Sugar Cookies
No bowls needed for this sugar cookie recipe! You’re just one small pot away from the chewiest, sweetest and most amazing sugar cookies EVER!
Instructions
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Preheat oven to 325° F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
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Melt butter in a medium-sized pot. Remove from heat.
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Stir in granulated sugar until well combined. Add in egg, egg yolk, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
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Mix until lighter in color. Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to ensure a smooth, well-combined batter.
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Let the batter sit for 10 minutes or so to let the flour soak into the rest of the batter.
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The batter should be warm and obviously sticky. As it sits and cools, the batter will thicken to a more obvious dough. This is when you would scoop the dough into cookies.
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Scoop cookie dough onto prepared pans, using a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop.
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Bake 8-9 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through baking. When you pull your cookies out of the oven, they will look cooked around the edges and undercooked in the center.
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Leave the cookies on the hot baking pans for 5-7 minutes or until you can remove them without falling apart. Place onto cooling racks and cool to room temperature before glazing.
for the glaze-
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In a small bowl, whisk powdered sugar together with milk and vanilla extract until thick glaze forms. Should be the consistency of white school glue; add the milk in slowly! Add in food coloring if desired and then drizzle over cookies.
Notes
If you notice your cookies are too buttery or too flat, you may need to let your dough cool longer OR add a touch more flour to help with the structure of the cookie.
Best eaten in the first 24 hours after baking; store in airtight containers.
Nutrition
Calories: 184kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 121mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 22g | Vitamin A: 202IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 1mg