YUMMY!!! I rolled these in sugar to give them a little color when I put them in christmas cookie gifts. Everyone loved these! I made the dough about 2 weeks early and froze it before making them and the cookies came out just fine.
Easy and tasty. Great for a drop cookie.
Taste was great but shapes didn't withstand cooking; came out in shapesless blobs. Recipe is still worth a try, but stick to circles or pressed-down balls. Don't bother taking the time to use intricate cookie cutters as they will be lost during baking.
Extremely quick, easy and delicious. I whip these up when I'm in the mood for something sweet. I'm making them again right now. Definitely a keeper.
These cookies are amazing!!! I am thankful that I read the reviews before making them though. I made the recipe as listed but it was crumbly so I took the advice of others and added another egg and another 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla. The dough was perfect after that and so were the cookies!!
I used Splenda instead of sugar. I don't know if it was that, or the recipe, but they just weren't very good. Tasteless and a little dry. I'm sorry! I really wanted to like it!
These cookies were great! I took another reviewer's advice and made sure that the butter was thoroughly softened before mixing it with the sugar. What I did was take the butter out of the fridge, cut it up into slices, placed the slices in a bowl, and stuck the bowl in the microwave for a few seconds. The cookies came out perfectly - soft, warm, and not crumbly at all. I don't think there is anything you need to add or subtract! They were even in the fridge for a while, and I put them in a toaster oven for a minute or two... they came out just like new! I would like to try them with sprinkles on top. The family says that they are "Santa's favorite cookies."
Great recipe! The texture is my ideal cookie, crisp on the outside, chewy inside. The only thing I may change is to add a bit more sugar. They are already sweet, but I just like a very sweet sugar cookie. I read some of the reviews and people said their dough was crumbly or dry. If this is the case, your butter was probably not fully softened. Make sure it is room temperature, and if it still seems crumbly, just get your hands into the dough and work it a bit. The heat from your hands will help it soften up a bit. Happy Baking!
The batter tasted like flour, but good. the batter was all crumbly.
FAB! Sent them in a package to my military man and they were still soft after a few days : ) In my opinion, they actually tasted better the day(s) after I made them. Left them in for exactly 8 minutes and perfectly soft. Paired them with the Sugar Cookie Frosting on here (with butter instead of shortening) and they were even better.
Really really good! I finally found a sugar cookie recipe that tastes good- and that I don't have to roll! Every other sugar cookie recipe I have tried takes forever and always tastes like flour, but not this one! I altered it a little bit by adding an extra teaspoon of vanilla and I used my 2 teaspoon cookie scoop to make each cookie the same size and I rolled them in sugar before placing them on the rack. I also followed the 8 minute rule, then left them on the rack for exactly 2 minutes. Even if the top doesn't look done in the oven, the bottom is perfectly golden. I can't wait to make them with colored sugars for the holidays! Thanks!
These cookies turned out fabulous! The edges were crispy, but the center was nice and chewy, and lacked the typical flour taste of "sugar" cookies. One note though, you have to leave the butter out until it is COMPLETELY room temp, otherwise they turn out kinda grainy. Oh, and double the recipe, otherwise you may not get any.
my children loved them but i would add 3 more eggs and some more vanilla to it
I thought this recipe was great I did make it my own by using margine instead of butter and adding brown suger. I used 1 cup white and the half cup I used brown suger. 2 tsp. of vanilia like some others have added. My whole family loves them. I can barely get all of them done cooking before my family devours them.
Amazing! They just got out of the oven an look perfect! I am making them for my ss class tomorrow. Did you know that in the colonial days they had sugar cookies? Amazing! Well these turned out perfect. And will be delicious too! Used three fourths of a teaspoon vanilla and a fourth of a teaspoon almond extract because I like the combination. You could definitely use a traspoon of almond or a taspoon of vanilla or half and half too! Thanks so much for the recipe
NEVER EAT THESE
Wow! These were great. I made them with my daughter and even though the dough looked really crumbly it rolled up into balls pretty easily and baked up beautifully. We'll definitely be making these again.
Best and easiest sugar cookie I've tried on this site so far. Delicious light flavor, and not too sweet. I used margarine instead of butter and they turned out fine. Rolled in sugar before baking, and they turned out cracked and beautiful. Wonderful recipe :)
Wow, I was surprised at the ease of making these cookies. My husband has not stopped raving about them. This is definately a keeper of a recipe. Yummy
I found these sugar cookies to be soft,chewey and easy to work with. They tasted yummy as well.
These are great and I make them all the time. They are only too crispy if you overcook them. If not, very chewy and delicious. I often make them ahead of time and freeze the uncooked dough balls. When we are craving homemade cookies, it's so nice to just pull them out of the freezer, and pop them in the oven. Great, easy recipie. Thank you Stephanie.
Delicious! I have made w/ butter and Smart Balance baking sticks. Cookies were delicious both ways. Cooked about 10 minutes or so on a baking stone (used a cookie scoop, so my cookies were a little on the large side). Cookies were crispy outside and chewy inside. Perfect texture! I used a little extra vanilla and swapped some of the white sugar for brown (just a personal preference). Thanks for a great & easy recipe!
I don't know why anyone would pick another sugar cookie recipe. These were so easy and turned out perfect.
Loved these... Quick and tasty... My boyfriend, who doesn't like cookies, devoured these.
my go to cookies. i cut the butter down this time to 1 and a half sticks just to personal taste. i also melt the butter and cream in sugar before adding. you can use almond extract for cookies that taste (better) than the Chinese carryout cookies.
Very good cookies......and it makes a lot of them!
I am a very amateur baker and these cookies taste like cookies from the mall! I am so happy. I did read the reviews and slightly(not all the way at all) melted my butter and added extra vanilla.
These were great and super easy to make. I took the advice of another user and made sure the butter was softened before. Yummy!
These are really easy easy and delicious! I sprinkled sugar on them after baking them while they were still warm, they were soft and tasted soo good. Sugar cookies are my fave and I always had to buy them because they never turned out well for me, until now :) thanks for sharing.
If you use a zest of a small lemon it makes these are amazing! I liked the cookie although it did not turn out quite like the recipe.
OMGoodness!!! I think I am the worst baker in the world (although I am a terrific cook). I can't seem to get it right when making dough products from scratch. My granddaughter and I have tried on numerous occasions to make cookies and we (or I) have failed every time. I tried this recipe based on the reviews it got. I cannot believe I got it right the very first time!!!!!!! Sooooooooooo easy and simple to do. The cookies were moist, the texture just right and they tasted so good. I am now confident to add to this recipe and take it to a new level. I give it a 10+ To all you non bakers out there this is a great recipe to build your confidence!
This is so easy to make when your trashed. My wife passed out an hour ago and me and my buddies got a sweat tooth so I googled easy bake cookies. This was the only one that didn't cost shipping and handling haha. But seriously these cookies are good. Ohh-rah!!!
A little bit on the sweet side but a great recipe. I made balls then I cup the shapes I wanted right out of the oven. The cutest pumpkins ever!
The best, easiest cookies for holiday or anytime. Even my 2 yr old son can help with these! And my husband can't be left alone with the finished product or there will be non left for anyone else.
These were the BEST sugar cookies I have ever tasted! I LOVE sugar cookies and I could never find the right recipe! My daughter had to bring in a snack for everyone for school and so I made these! They were gone really fast! THEY are perfect! Also I added my own icing that I make homeade and it tasted EVEN BETTER! All you do is mix milk and confectionary sugar and it comes out great especially to top off these cookies! YUM=)
These are amazing! I followed other peoples advice and added an extra 1/2 tsp of vanilla and that made a HUGE difference. They were very tasty. Also when I was rolling out the dough,(I made these into cut out cookies)I used powdered sugar rather than flour. That made them pleasantly sweeter without tons of extra sugar. The consistancy seemed weird when I was blending everything together..as if it needed a little bit of milk or something. But I decided not to add anything, I just stuck the dough in the fridge for about 20 minutes and then rolled it out and it was fine! I rolled it out pretty thin and put them in for about 7 minutes at 375.
These are good and so easy to make. Made them Easter Sugar Cookies.
I made these last night and they were awesome! The process is as easy as it gets and is really a good base for a chocolate chip cookie. I tend to like my cookies very soft and not crunchy in the least. The only change I made was that I used Country Crock instead of butter because I tend to use Country Crock solely in place of butter and it still turned out fantastic! Right now I am pregnant and cannot use chocolate (for annoying reasons of aversions) but when I get home from the hospital I am going to be making these again. Maybe add peanut butter in one batch and brown sugar with chocolate chips in another. There is no real limit on these cookies! Make them, you won't be disappointed!
My son and I just made these, and I had to write a review...they are delicious!! We used cut outs and they came out great. We did not change a thing, and we did not chill the dough. We just floured up the counter and the rolling pin...yummy!!
Very easy recipe and the cookies turned out great! It will definitely become one of my favorites. If the dough seems too soft to roll into balls, make sure you refrigerate the dough until it is firm.
I was looking for a recipe that was just like the sugar cookies I loved when I was young and this recipe hit it right on the mark. This cookie is sweet, so I like to top them with sprinkles. P.S. The trick too making the perfect cookie is in the creaming process. The butter and sugar should be creamed so well that it turns a very light color and have a very smooth and fluffy texture. This is what makes these cookies so chewy and velvety. The extra time it takes to really cream the butter and sugar is so worth it!
These came out sooooo delicious,,almost cakey...I did have to mix margarine with my butter due to not having enought butter .. and i only used two cups of flour and i took them out a lil earlier so they wouldn't become too hard. they perfectly soft . Defiantly making these sometime soon :D
Excellent cookies! Crispy outside with a soft center. We really enjoyed making and eating them!
I made these cookies almost a week ago. I just ate the last two and they were still soft and chewy. I am making them again today for a bake sale this weekend. This will be my go to recipe for sure! I did think about what others said, I made sure the butter was very soft and added a bit more vanilla.
i probably will not ever use this recipe again. when i finished mixing everything the dough looked and felt like sand. i tried to roll it into ball but they kind of fell apart. so i put them in the pan anyways and they ended up like rocks.
I made these cookies last night and these came out soooo perfect. My family enjoyed them. It is such an easy recipe. Definitely be aware of the servings, my batch made 61 teaspoon size balls. I did add 2 teaspoons of vanilla and baked them for 10 minutes and they came out perfectly shaped and golden. Yum, yum! This will definitely be a go to for things such as teachers gifts during the holidays since it makes so many.
Such a simple and wonderful recipe. I actually ran out of regular sugar so I used 2 cups of white sugar and 3/4 cup dark brown sugar. They were scarfed almost as soon as they were pulled out of the oven. I also added some confection sugar to the top. All were pleased!
This recipe truly is very easy. Cookies bake up nice and evenly and spread just the right amount. Great texture and "bite."
These cookies are very dry and do not have enough sugar in them. They had no flavor at all. I would not recommend these cookies to anyone!
So easy and good. I did double the vanilla as others suggested, used margarine and made sure it was well softenend, and added 1/4 teaspoon salt and nutmeg.
this is by far the best sugar cookie recipe i have ever made. super simple and VERY tasty. I even used this sugar cookie recipe when i made snicker-doodles. all i did was roll the pieces of dough in some sugar and cinnamon and PRESTO! super yummy snicker-doodles. LOVE THIS RECIPE saved it in my personal recipe book.
My son had to have a recipe to make cookies for his whole class. This was a quick and easy recipe for a novice 15yo cook. A few days later, I made a batch for the family. We could only get about 42 cookies out of it instead of the 48, but this will be an easy recipe to tweak with toppings or candies for the holidays.
This is the third year I have made these cookies for the holidays! Every year they are wonderful. I have rolled them in cinnamon and sugar, colored sugars for the holidays, and have also topped them with Hershey's Kisses and made them into thumbprint cookies with jam. I have not had any variation turn out poorly. I do change up the sugar measurement. however. Instead of 1 1/2 cups white sugar, I use 1 cup white sugar and a 1/2 cup confectioner's sugar. These cookies are simple and great!
REALLY easy recipe and the cookies are delicious! I second the review of others in that you should pull the cookies at exactly 8 minutes and then let them sit for 2 before moving them to a cooling rack. They are scrumptous!
Of course I read the reviews AFTER I made these and saw that everyone else had the same issue I had with the butter. We ended up adding melted butter and they came out ok. I added red food coloring to a batch and green to the other batch to be festive. The next day they were pretty hard so I'm not sure if its the way I stored them, the extra butter or what. I may try another sugar cookie recipe next time.
Super easy and delicious! Didn't change a thing! Who needs the hassle of rolling out cookies when this recipe makes the cutest drop cookies? Yum!
This is a great, easy recipe! They do flatten out more than I expected, but my husband actually preferred that. I used vanilla, orange extract and orange juice in a batch and they were heavenly. I added a couple of tablespoons extra flour to compensate for the extra liquid. I will be making another batch tonight with a new flavor!
Delicious. Also added a dash of almond to half of the batch to make an easy almond cookie!
This is Plato's Ideal Sugar Cookie!Fantastic texture and just sweet enough.It looked like there was going to be way too much flour, but it turned out right. I added a little ginger, and sprinkled some cinnamon on top And I got a dozen more cookies than the recipe was supposed to make, which is good, since these are 12-at-a-sitting cookies.
Did as suggested and let the butter get soft, they came out perfect on my first batch. My new favorite sugar cookie recipe and my kids can't get enough.
This was very quick & easy, and they taste great. I used a mix of unbleached white and whole wheat flour (2:1), because that's what I keep in my flour bin, and they're still soft and chewy. I used my small cookie scoop and they came out perfectly round. I baked up the first pan right when I mixed them up, and refrigerated the rest until the next morning. Both batches came out great - the refrigerated ones spread out a bit less, and needed one extra minute to bake.
These cookies really are great! Ever get a random craving for homemade sugar cookies, but don't feel like waiting hours before you can even cook them? Then this recipe is perfect for you! Most people have the ingredients right in their kitchen. I have batch number 3 in the oven right now. If you like your cookies to be a bit sweeter, then once the dough is in balls on the sheet, very slightly flatten them (Just to where the tops are fairly flat instead of round) and sprinkle sugar on top before baking. Delicious! And, as any kind of cookie, they're best served warm with a cold glass of milk. ;)
I followed the recipe, except I added an additional 1/2 tsp. of vanilla. I dropped 1/2 of the dough by spoonfuls & the other 1/2 I rolled & flattened with a sugared glass. Both were excellent! Next time I'm going to make a raisin filling & bake it in 9x13 - cookie crust top & bottom & cut in squares.
They were for a valentine's day bakesale so I decided to make them much flatter, heart shapes and sprinkled with granular sugar. The batter was a bit too simple so my mum added some lemon zest and a pinch of salt. The result: Delicious, simple cookies, although they spread alot so keep a bit of space between each cookie, and if you're shaping them, take the poofy-ness into calculation. If you want them chewy, keep them round, if you want them crunchy/crispy, flatten them on the pan.
Wow! I can't believe it! Finally, I have found a sugar cookie recipe. I love these cookies. They are easy to make, you don't have to refrigerate or roll the dough... perfect! I too, like others, added the extra egg. Baked at 375 for 10 minutes. I'm not a fan of super sweet desserts but, if you are, I might recommend adding a little more sugar to the recipe. These are fantastic!
oh my goodness!!!! thank you so much for this recipe! these are the best sugar cookies i have ever had in my life! and my boyfriend loves them! what i did is made teaspoon size balls, rolled them in cinnamon sugar and they were even more delicious! these cookies rock!!!!!
After reading many of the reviews for these cookies, I was expecting some sort of monstrously difficult cookie making challenge! So many people said they ended up with extra crumbly or extra sticky dough. I must say I'm a bit puzzled as to how this tragedy befell these folks, as this recipe was so super easy. The only things I did differently from the recipe stated above were: I added 1 tsp salt since I used unsalted butter, I added an extra tsp of vanilla, and I rolled half of my cookies in granulated sugar and the other half in raw sugar. They came out lovely! They have a nice crackly top, they're nice and chewy in the center, and they have a pleasantly mild flavor. I'd totally make them again.
I really wanted to make cookies today but didn't have many ingredients. I had to make half the recipe and used 2/4 of powdered sugar and 1/4 of regular sugar because that's all I had! Also I used pastry flour. I didn't have baking soda either so I just added a pinch of salt along with the baking powder. I also used an egg like many recommended. I didn't use cinnamon but I made a quick icing to put on the cookies and it was delicious! Well despite all the change of ingredients, these cookies turned out to be some of the best sugar cookies I have tried. What I love most about them is how easy they are to make and how quickly they can be ready! I was able to use small cookie cutters even to make a variety of shapes. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I am so glad I found such an easy butter/sugar cookies. They are so soft which is always difficult to achieve for me! Next time I'll make sure to have all my ingredients though to see if they can be even better!
These were super easy to make, I highly recommend this recipe. I rolled the cookies in some sugar before I put them on the baking sheet to make them extra sugary. You can also sprinkle a little cinnamon with the sugar to make some snickerdoodle cookies, so its a two in one recipe!
These made for a really good sugar cookie. I took the suggestions of some other reviews and added double the amount of vanilla. Also I added melted caramel, chocolate and pecans on top and made them into turtle sugar cookies. They came out wonderful!
These were the most simple cookies to make and very good. However, I experimented with different butters ~ one of which was Country Crock vs. real butter and they came out really well. Today I'm going to be making them again, and this time using real butter w/salt to see if their's a difference in flavor and texture. My youngest daughter and her friends just love them and I can't keep enough on hand. Great to recipe to get the little one introduced to baking cookies (even middle school kids would love to make these in Home Economics) Another thing too, in between batches its best to leave the dough in the fridge as it becomes sorta "sticky" if you don't. If you do roll cookies, its best to leave the scraps in the fridge for the next time you roll / cut out the cookies. If the dough is left out, it becomes "sticky" and impossible to work with. Just do NOT go crazy with the flour as the dough will take on the "flour" taste. Blah! Happy baking everyone and hope my review helps!!!
THANKS Stephanie for this wonderful recipe! I have searched a long time for a great sugar cookie recipe and thanks to you I now have one. They taste like Golden Corrals sugar cookies. Definitely a keeper! Crisp on the outside and chewey on the inside. Quick & Easy!
These cookies are too dry.... I tried them a different way, but there was no hope for them. It needs only like 2 cups of flour instead of 2 3/4.....and the cookies were just too dry.
Yum, these came out perfectly and I followed the recipe exactly! I rolled out the dough and made heart shaped cookies for Valentine's Day.
Pretty good for a sugar cookie recipe. Very run of the mill though, I used this because I needed to make a very simple cookie and I actually couldn't remember how to make sugar cookies because it has been so long! They were good but I just don't think sugar cookies are exciting enough to make regularly
Husband and son LOVE these! Used 1/2 cup butter and 1/2 cup Crisco sticks, along with 2 teaspoons of vanilla and they were great. Also turned the oven down to 350 and baked for 9 minutes...really nice texture. Also, I rolled them in sugar and slightly flatten with the bottom of a glass...
This recipe didn't work for me. It did not form into dough at all, just crumbs. I tried again following the recipe to a "t" and same result. I wasted the ingredients twice.
Very easy recipe. Way too much flour. I did add 2 eggs and a little water to moisten dough. Overall, they were very good. Kids and husband loved them!
These cookies are great!! Easy recipe too. I'm eating one as I type this. :) I also mixed some food coloring and sugar to put it on some of the cookies before I baked them. I had a craving for something sweet and decided to make these cookies. I recommend this recipe if you want something quick, easy, and GREAT!!
This Recipe was awesome. It is easy and turned out amazing. I made a pinwheel cookie from these. I chilled the dough for about an hour and then rolled it out on a floured surface, spread melted butter with a pastry brush over the rolled out dough. I sprinkled cinnamon and white sugar over the butter, rolled the dough up like a carpet and chilled the dough overnight. I sliced the rolls in the morning and baked for 9 min. They were a huge hit! The only trouble I had was rolling the dough out on the counter, I added a bit of water to the dough and it fixed the problem right away. I'm making these cookies again for Christmas.
Everyone should try these cookies. They are absolutely fabulous! My four sons ate them up within minutes of taking the last pan out of the oven. They actually told me that these are even better then the best chocolate chip cookies they have had. I almost fell over! The only change I made was I added an extra egg and a teaspoon of cinnamon to the batter. I also dipped the tops into cinnamon sugar before baking, and baked them for 7 minutes. They literally melt in your mouth! Thanks for the great recipe!
I may have already reviewed this, but I would like to add. My family loves this recipe! I cannot make enough of them! to those who find the dough crumbly or hard to roll, don't be afraid to get your hands dirty and work the dough, after adding the flour, I do it the old-fashioned way, mixing by hand. It comes out very workable for rolling to cut out or making into balls. By the by the last batch I made (for my peanut's Halloween party) made almost 7 dozen!
I bake regularly and am an avid cook. These cookies were incredibly frustrating. Though I followed the recipe to the letter, the first batch turned out dry and crumbly (much to my 6 year old son's dismay - we were doing this together). So I immediately made a second batch (with soft butter again) and the thought it was moderately moister, it was not enough for them to cook properly. I added some milk and an extra tsp of vanilla and got the consistency I was looking for but still not a good cookie. I was so excited to read the great reviews but I am wondering what I am missing here...
These are actually very good cookies. I have made them twice and the flavor is good. What is surprising is everytime I make them, the dough is crumbly. I have to add just a bit of milk. From now on, if I use strictly butter I will add another egg. If I do half/half butter-crisco, it will probably be okay. If you find that you too, have crumbly dough, try some milk. I think an extra egg was left out of the initial ingredients. You don't want to add egg at the end though.
I loved this recipe! It is SO easy and the dough doesn't need to chill. I sometimes add colored sprinkles on the dough and then bake them. The cookies have a nice sugary crunch. SO delicious! :)
These are what the name suggests....easy! The taste is awesome. I added a Tbs of vanilla to the recipe which added to the flavor of these already great cookies. Thanks for the recipe, this is a definate keeper.
Very buttery and great texture. Everyone loved them and they couldn't have been easier.
Super easy and taste incredible!!
Amazing! Honestly I've tried 3 other recipes from this site and these are the BEST! I had a extra "splash" of vanilla... not on purpose and I would probably do it again LoL...
YUM! Just made these with my daughter. Quick, easy, delicious. I had everything on hand. I checked them at 8 minutes and they seemed very pale, so I took them out at ten. Next time I will take them out at 8 minutes. Otherwise, very good. Thanks for sharing!
Perfect! I was hunting for a recipe that only needed one egg, because that is all we had. What I found is the best sugar cookie recipe I ever tried! I rolled them into balls and then my kids rolled them into different things before we baked them: sugar, sprinkles, cinnamon, mini chocolate chips. One little tip, I thought it mixed better by hand, with a wooden spoon, than with a mixer.
I made these for an Easter Potluck and they were a hit. Before baking, I rolled each ball in colored sugar, placed the ball on the baking tray, slightly flattened the ball and added more colored sugar. The initial roll in sugar had little effect, but the additional sugar baked on as a thin, colorful, sugary crust. A tray full of pastel yum!
My daughter decided to bake and sale cookies to raise funds at her school for a children's hospital. In her preorder, she got orders for more than 40 dozen sugar cookies. Not being a big fan of the whole rolled sugar cookie process and considering the quantity of cookies we had to make, I looked for something quick and easy...well THIS RECIPE IS IT! AND THEY TASTE GREAT! I followed the recipe exactly, but in double batches 5x over! Thanks Stephanie for a great recipe and for making this cookie bake so much easier for me!!
These were soooo easy!! I read some other reviews and heard there might be an issue with the temperature of the butter so I decided to put the butter in the microwave. Well, I went a little overboard and it ended up completely melting. Not to worry though since my cookies still turned out great. I cooked for about 9 minutes, let cool, then brushed with a light frosting of powdered sugar, butter and milk. I topped them off with red sprinkles and they were perfect.
These cookies are horrible! First off the dough is a pain to deal with! Second, if you leave them in for 15 seconds over 8 mins they turn to rock. Third, they are sugar cookies and if you stay with this recipes, you'll wind up with rock sugar cookies! Stay away from this recipe by all means!!!!!
I made this for my daughter's school Christmas party. This is the perfect sugar cookie consistency and taste-wise. I had some issues with them being an appropriate size for the kids to decorate. If you drop them by spoonfuls they will be too small. I rolled about 2 tablespoons into balls and then pressed gently to flatten a bit and they were the perfect size. 1 batch only made 20 cookies or so. Definitely a keeper recipe!!!
oh my goodness these cookies are awesome! Add 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract(or orange) to make them taste better!This is the best sugar cookie recipe EVER~~~ My mom also loves them i will use this recipe in the future for sure. These are a MUST BAKE! LOL!but make sure u eat them fast, because they get hard quick!
These are so easy to make just make sure your butter is completely soften. I used margarine and worked well.
Great tasting, but the first batch I put in the oven came out quite hard. I suggest putting them in 6-7 minutes rather than the 8-10. They come out soft and chewy and delicious!