Who doesn’t love a delicious sugar cookie? They make a perfect treat for any occasion due to their sweet, buttery taste and soft, chewy texture. And if you’ve ever been to Potbelly Sandwich Shop, you know that their sugar cookies are legendary. But what if you could enjoy the taste of Potbelly’s famous sugar cookies from the comfort of your own home?
In this recipe, I’ll show you how to recreate the magic of Potbelly’s sugar cookies in your kitchen. From the perfect ratio of ingredients to the baking techniques that ensure a soft and chewy center, we’ll walk you through every step of the process.
Main Ingredients of Potbelly Sugar Cookie
To make a potbelly sugar cookie, you will need two types of ingredients.
Dry Ingredients
1. All-Purpose Flour (2 ¾ Cup): I prefer all-purpose flour in these sugar cookies because it makes them gluten-free.
2. Baking Soda (1 tbsp): You need baking soda to make your cookies fluffy and soft.
3. Baking Powder (½ tbsp): A baking powder provides a light and fluffy texture to cookies by releasing carbon dioxide gas during baking.
4. Sugar (1 cup): I always prefer to use white and brown sugar in my cookies. ½ cup white sugar and ½ cup of brown sugar.
Wet Ingredients
1. Unsalted butter (1 cup): Unsalted butter helps you to control your cookie’s salt.
2. Egg (1 large): Eggs will make your cookie dough moist and structured. I prefer to use 1 large size of egg.
3. Vanilla extract (1tsp): The vanilla extract gives a flover to your cookies. You can use any extract like almond, lemon, or orange.
How To Make Potbelly Sugar Cookie
Now I’m giving full details of the Potbelly Sugar Cookie recipe :
Step 1: Preheat Your Oven
Prepare the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. When baking, the cookies won’t stick to the sheet.
Step 2: Mix the Sugar and Butter
Mix ½ Cup of white sugar and ½ Cup of brown sugar in a large bowl. Then add butter and beat together until it is light and fluffy. For sugar cookies to have a smooth texture, this step is crucial.
Step 3: Add the Egg and Vanilla Extract
Add the vanilla extract and egg once the butter and sugar are well combined. Mix the dough until the egg is fully incorporated.
Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients
Mix the dry items (all-purpose flour, baking soda, and baking powder) in a separate bowl. Then, add the dry items mixture with the wet items mixture. And blend well after each addition. You’ll see the dough forming together gradually.
Step 5: Roll and Cut
To roll out the sugar cookie dough, lightly flour a clean surface. Create a round shape with cookie cutters. But you can give any shape to your sugar cookies, like squares or any funny shape.
Step 6: Bake to Golden Perfection
Then, cut out each cookie and place it on the baking sheet, leaving space between them. During baking, the edges should turn a light golden brown. Don’t overbake the cookies. They’ll firm up as they cool.
Step 7: Let the Cookies Cool
Cool them on the baking paper for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. By doing this, they will set properly and won’t crumble.
Step 8: Decorate as You Wish
When the cookies are cool, decorate them with icing, sprinkles, or any other topping you choose. It’s time to show your artistic side.
How to Store Your Potbelly Sugar Cookie?
You can store your baked cookies in an airtight container. They will keep well for 4- 7 days. After that, they will still taste great, but they will be less soft.
You also store cookie dough in the freezer in an airtight container for up to three months. Before baking, thaw it in the refrigerator.
Why Are My Cookies So Thin and Flat?
The Butter or Dough Was Too Warm:
It is recommended to keep butter at room temperature. Before baking, chill the dough for 10 to 15 minutes if it seems too soft.
The Dough Was Too Wet:
A wrong-sized egg could also add extra liquid, spreading too much. Instead of using whole eggs, try using egg yolks instead.
Too Much Sugar, Not Enough Flour:
Too little flour prevents rising, and too much sugar spreads more because sugar liquefies when heated.
The Baking Sheet Was Too Warm or Greasy:
Ensure your baking pans and sheets are at room temperature before each batch. Run the bottom of the pan under cool water to quickly bring it to room temperature.
You can prevent greasy cookie sheets by using parchment paper between batches.
Using Too Much Baking Soda:
Baking soda spreads cookies. The cookies become thin and flat if you use too much baking soda.
Why Are My Cookies So Puffy and Cakey?
Too Much Air in the Dough:
A cake’s fluffy texture comes from beating air into room-temperature butter and sugar; cookies do the same. If you’re creaming butter and sugar, don’t overdo it.
Adding Too Many Eggs:
You can experiment with the liquid ratio in your recipe. You can replace one egg with a tablespoon of water to add liquid without leavening properties.
Using Too Much Flour:
By reducing the flour amount by two tablespoons, you can make your cookies less cakey. Mix all-purpose and bread flour instead of cake flour for a dense and chewy texture.
Why Are My Cookies So Tough?
Using Only White Sugar:
Brown sugar, particularly dark brown sugar, makes cookies chewy; white sugar makes them crispy. If you want a softer result, try substituting half and half brown sugar for white sugar. Honey or molasses can also be used for a chewier cookie.
Baking for Too Long:
Ensure your cookies don’t brown in the center before leaving the oven. When completely set, remove them from the sheet and let them cool on a rack for about 5 minutes.
Not Using Enough Butter in the Dough:
The ratio of butter to flour will make a cookie more moist. If you use a lower portion of butter, the cookies become hard.
Overmixing Your Dough:
Mix or roll your dough as gently as you can. Mixing can harden your cookies.
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour - 2 ¾ Cup
- Baking Soda - 1 tbsp
- Baking Powder - ½ tbsp
- White Sugar - ½ cup
- Brown Sugar - ½ cup
- Unsalted Butter - 1 cup
- Egg - 1 large
- Vanilla extract - 1 tsp
Instructions
- Mix the dry items like baking powder, flour, and baking soda in a small bowl. Keep aside.
- Microwave butter until it is partially melted. You should melt some butter and leave some soft.
- Mix partially melted butter and white sugar in a mixer or hand mixer.
- Then add vanilla and mix well.
- Mix in the egg until it is well incorporated.
- Add the dry items to the wet items gradually. Combine all ingredients thoroughly. The mixture should look fluffy!
- Scoop out larger balls of dough with a cookie scoop. Roll them in your hands to warm them up a bit. Once fully coated, roll them in sparkling sugar.
- Baked at 375 degrees for 8-9 minutes on a silicone mat-protected baking sheet! Refrain from overthinking it if it looks undercooked.
- Let the cookies cool on the cookie tray for 8-9 minutes. Let them cool on a rack for 45 minutes to an hour after switching the pans.
FAQs
Are Potbelly Sugar Cookies Good for Diabetic Patients?
No. These sugar cookies contain high sugar and calories which is not good for diabetics patients. But they can take a bite occasionally. One way to make sugar cookies healthier is by adding a sugar substitute that provides the same sweet taste without affecting blood sugar levels. There are zero-calorie sweeteners available that can be used for dietary restrictions.
Are Potbelly Sugar Cookies Good For Toddlers?
No, it is not good for toddlers. But after 18 months you can give these sugar cookies occasionally.
Is Potbelly Sugar Cookies Gluten Free?
Yes. If you use all-purpose flour or oatmeal flour the potbelly sugar cookies will be gluten-free.
Final Words
Potbelly’s legendary sugar cookies are now available in the comfort of your own home. With this recipe, you can recreate the soft and chewy texture that makes these cookies irresistible. This Potbelly-inspired sugar cookie recipe will satisfy your sweet tooth, whether baking for a special occasion or craving a homemade treat.
