Easy Homemade Crumbl Cookie Copycat Recipe – Thick, Soft Cookies

Easy Homemade Crumbl Cookie

If you adore Crumbl’s Big Soft Cookies, you can make a similar delicacy at home using basic ingredients. This Crumbl Cookie Copycat Recipe produces thick, soft cookies with softly crunchy rims and a tender middle. You don’t need a cake mix or any additional baking gear.

The cookies are sweet, buttery and huge. The sugar cookie base is soft and pairs beautifully with the vanilla icing. These are a great option if you want bakery-style cookies at home but don’t want to spend a ton of time in the kitchen.

This recipe is also flexible in terms of flavor. You can go with the plain frosted sugar cookies, add chocolate chips, or use the dough as a base for other Crumbl-style cookies.

Why You’ll Love This Copycat Crumbl Cookie Recipe

The best part about homemade Crumbl cookies is the texture. They’re not thin and crunchy like a lot of everyday cookies. They are soft, thick and a little chewy.

The dough is super easy to make with basic cupboard goods. In one dish you mix the dry ingredients, cream the butter and sugar, add the wet ingredients and then mix it all together.

And you don’t need a cake mix either. This is a homemade Crumbl cookie recipe.

When done, the cookies have:

• Heavy centers
• Tender and chewy texture
• Lightly crisped edges
• Buttery flavor
• Delicious vanilla flavor
• A soft sugar cookie crust
• Creamy icing on top

If you prefer big cookies, this enormous cookies recipe is a terrific one to have in your home.

What You Need (Ingredients)

Here’s everything you’ll need for the dough of the cookies.

Cookie Dough Ingredients

Vanilla Icing Ingredients

If you like a bit of acidity, you can alternatively use cream cheese frosting.

Why Are These Cookies Thick and Soft?

It’s all about a few basic choices that affect texture.

The first thing is the flour has to be perfect. Too little flour and the cookies will spread out too much. Too much flour makes them dry.

Second, softened butter is better than melted butter for this recipe. When you beat softened butter with sugar, you are whipping air into the mixture. This makes for a thick cookie.

Brown sugar also helps to keep the middle soft because it has more moisture than white sugar.

You want the cookies a little underbaked in the center. They will continue to set as they cool down.

This is one of the primary secrets of baking soft Crumbl cookies at home.

How to Make Crumbl Cookies at Home

Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Sheet

Preheat oven to 350°F or 175°C. Line a baking sheet with parchment.

This keeps things from sticking and makes for easier cleanup. If you have more than one baking sheet, you can prepare the next tray while the first batch is baking.

Step 2: Combine the Dry Ingredients

Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt to a medium-sized bowl.

Mix the dry ingredients well. You want the baking powder, baking soda and salt uniformly distributed throughout the flour. This allows the cookies to bake more evenly.

Set the bowl aside.

Step 3: Cream the Butter and Sugar

Put the softened unsalted butter into a large bowl.

Add the brown and granulated sugar.

Beat together for roughly 2 to 3 minutes. The mixture should look creamy and lighter in color.

Don’t use butter that’s straight from the fridge because it won’t blend as easily.

Do not melt the butter. If you use melted butter, the dough will spread too much.

Step 4: Add Egg and Vanilla

Add 1 large egg and the vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix and blend.

At this point, the mixture may appear a little moist. That is normal.

Step 5: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture.

Mix slowly until no dry flour remains visible.

Don’t overmix once the dough has come together. Overmixing can result in less soft cookies.

The dough should be thick enough that you can scoop it.

Step 6: Chill the Dough

Cover the dough and put it in the refrigerator for about 20 to 30 minutes.

Chilling will solidify the butter. This may help keep the cookies thick in the oven.

If your kitchen is particularly warm, you might want to chill the dough longer.

You don’t want to make the dough tough. It should still be easy to scoop.

Step 7: Make Big Scoop Cookies

Use a cookie scoop or measuring spoon to portion out the dough.

For giant Crumbl-style cookies, use roughly ¼ to ⅓ cup of dough per cookie.

Shape each portion into a ball.

Place the dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Leave plenty of room between them so they can spread while baking.

Gently press the tops down with your fingers or the bottom of a cup to form the characteristic thick shape. Don’t press them down too hard.

Step 8: Bake Until the Edges Are Set

Put the baking sheet in the hot oven.

Bake for about 10–13 minutes.

The edges should look set while the centers may still look a little soft.

Do not wait for the whole cookie to become dark golden brown because that can dry out the cookies. Every oven is different, so start checking the cookies around the 10-minute mark.

Step 9: Cool Thoroughly

Allow the cookies to sit on the baking pan for about 5 minutes.

Then transfer them to a cooling rack.

Let the cookies cool completely before applying icing. If you frost heated cookies, the frosting will melt and slide off.

Basic Vanilla Frosting Recipe

The icing is easy to make.

Put soft butter in a bowl and beat until smooth.

Gradually stir in powdered sugar.

Add vanilla essence and 1 tablespoon of milk or cream.

Whip until smooth and creamy.

If the frosting is too stiff, add a little more milk.

If it is too thin, add extra powdered sugar.

Spread icing on each cooled cookie. You can use a spoon, a small spatula or a piping bag.

To create a bakery-style appearance, spread the frosting in a thick circle in the middle of each cookie.

How to Get the Best Texture Like Crumbl

Baking cookies like Crumbl is not simply about the ingredients. Small baking choices can affect the final product.

Use Room Temperature Butter

The butter should be soft enough to press with a finger, but not melted. Soft butter mixes well with sugar and helps the dough hold its shape.

How to Measure Flour

One of the easiest ways to make cookies dry is to use too much flour.

Use a kitchen scale if you can.

If using measuring cups, scoop the flour into the cup and level off the top with a knife. Don’t press the flour into the cup.

Don’t Over-Mix

Add the flour to the wet ingredients. Mix just until the dough comes together.

Overmixing can make the cookies tough.

Chill as Needed

If the dough is particularly soft or your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the dough before baking.

Cold dough spreads less than very warm dough.

Do Not Overcook

This could be the most significant tip for soft cookies.

The centers should still seem soft once you take them out of the oven. They will stiffen up a bit as they cool.

Why Do My Cookies Spread Out Too Much?

There are a few possible reasons.

Maybe the butter was too warm. If the butter is too soft or melted, the cookies will spread more.

Perhaps you measured your flour incorrectly.

The dough might need a little more chill time.

Your baking sheet may have still been warm when you placed the next batch on it. For best results, let the baking sheet cool before adding another batch of dough.

My Cookies Are Dry. Why?

Too much flour or too much baking time usually leads to dry cookies.

Make sure to measure your flour properly. Check your oven temperature too. If an oven is hotter than it says it is, it can bake cookies more quickly.

When the edges are set and the centers still appear soft, remove the cookies.

Why Are My Cookies So Flat?

Start with a stiff dough for thick cookies.

Refrigerate the dough before baking.

Do not press down on the dough balls too firmly.

Use enough dough for each cookie.

Also, don’t leave very warm dough in a hot kitchen for a long time before baking.

How to Make Crumbl Cookie Recipe Without Cake Mix

Yes. This homemade Crumbl cookie recipe doesn’t use cake mix.

For the cookie dough, you’ll need flour, butter, sugar, egg, vanilla, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

This gives you easy control over texture and sweetness.

A homemade recipe also gives you additional options to modify the flavor.

Copycat Crumbl Pink Sugar Cookie

If you want a pink sugar cookie imitation, use the same basic cookie batter and replace the icing.

Add a few drops of pink food coloring to the vanilla frosting.

For that classic bakery sugar cookie taste, you can add a little almond extract.

Start with a tiny amount only because almond extract is very strong in flavor.

Spread the pink icing on the cooled cookies.

Crumbl Copycat Chocolate Chip Cookies

You can also turn this into a chocolate chip cookie.

Add around 1 to 1½ cups of chocolate chips to the completed dough.

You can use semi-sweet, milk chocolate or dark chocolate chips.

For big cookies, put a few more chocolate chips on top of each dough ball before baking.

This gives the cookies a bakery appearance. The chocolate chip variation doesn’t need icing.

Crumbl Cookie Flavors to Make at Home

One of the great things about making your own Crumbl cookies is exploring different flavors.

Once you know the basic cookie batter, you can make lots of variations.

Some ideas are:

• Vanilla Sugar Cookies
• Pink Frosting Sugar Cookie
• Chocolate Chip Cookie
• Birthday Cookie Cake
• Chocolate Cookie
• Lemon Cookie
• Peanut Butter Cookie
• Cookies & Cream Cookie
• Sugar Cookie with Cinnamon
• Red Velvet Cookie

The topping can totally modify the cookie.

For example, vanilla icing will add a sweet bakery flavor, while cream cheese icing will add a deeper and tangy flavor.

Can Cream Cheese Frosting Be Frozen?

A cream cheese icing works wonderfully for soft sugar cookies.

A simple variation uses softened cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar and vanilla extract.

If you need to keep the frosting cold, store the frosted cookies in the fridge.

For optimal texture, let refrigerated cookies sit for a short time at room temperature before serving.

Can I Make Smaller Cookies?

Yes. Crumbl is famous for its giant cookies, but you can make smaller cookies at home.

Use 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie instead of ¼ to ⅓ cup.

Smaller cookies will take less time to bake. Start checking them at around 8 minutes.

This is great if you are serving a group and want to get extra cookies from one batch.

How Many Cookies Will This Recipe Make?

This recipe makes about twelve large cookies, with about ¼ cup of batter per cookie.

If you make them bigger, you will get fewer cookies.

If you bake smaller cookies, you’ll get about 20 or more.

The exact number depends on the size of the scoop.

How to Store Homemade Crumbl Cookies

Store unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days.

If you stack them, use parchment paper between the layers.

If the cookies are iced with cream cheese frosting, refrigerate them.

Let chilled cookies sit out for a little while at room temperature before eating. This allows the texture to soften again.

How to Freeze Copycat Crumbl Cookies

You can freeze both the cookie dough and the finished cookies.

Freezing Baked Cookies

Let the cookies cool completely.

Place them in a freezer-safe container or bag.

If you stack them, put parchment paper between the layers.

For optimal quality, freeze for up to 2 to 3 months.

Freezing Frosted Cookies

Freeze frosted cookies in a single layer first so the frosting gets firm.

Then place them into a container.

Freezing Cookie Dough

Scoop the dough into separate portions.

Place the dough balls on a tray and freeze until solid.

Then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container.

Write the date on the bag.

When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen dough on a prepared baking sheet. You might need to add a few minutes to the baking time.

How Far in Advance Can I Make the Dough?

You can make the dough ahead of time, cover it and refrigerate it.

For optimal results, bake it within a couple of days.

If the dough is quite stiff in the refrigerator, allow it to sit at room temperature briefly before scooping.

Helpful Hints for Baking

Where possible, use parchment paper.

Be certain that the oven is properly warmed before placing the cookies in.

If you’re unsure about your oven, first bake a test cookie.

If the test cookie spreads out too much, refrigerate the remaining dough.

If it’s too thick and doesn’t spread sufficiently, gently flatten the next dough ball.

Try to keep the size of your cookies the same so they all bake more or less at once.

Don’t put cookie dough on a hot baking sheet.

Bake cookies until cool, then frost.

Food Safety Hints

Treat eggs and other perishable items with care.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture recommends keeping foods containing eggs at a safe internal temperature and keeping perishable items adequately chilled.

Don’t eat cookie dough raw because raw flour and raw eggs may carry dangerous pathogens. Bake the dough to make it safer to eat.

Why Do My Cookies Go Hard When They Cool?

The most frequent cause is overbaking.

Cookies will continue to bake a bit after you take them out of the oven.

If you pull them out when the centers are still soft, they will remain tender as they cool.

Can I Use Salted Butter?

Yes.

If using salted butter, decrease the salt called for in the recipe.

With unsalted butter, you have more control over the salt.

Can I Use Brown Sugar in Place of All the Sugar?

You can, but it will have a different texture and flavor.

Brown sugar and granulated sugar together help spread and moisten the cookies while giving them a good balance of sweetness.

Can I Omit the Resting Step for the Dough?

You can. However, it is helpful to chill the dough when it is extremely soft.

Chilling is typically worth the extra time for thick cookies.

Can I Bake These Cookies Without Icing?

Yes.

They’re wonderful without frosting too.

For an easy sugar cookie finish, roll the dough in granulated sugar before baking.

Is It Okay to Add Chocolate Chips?

Yes.

Add the chocolate chips after mixing the wet and dry ingredients.

Stir gently so the dough isn’t over-mixed.

Can I Use a Mixer?

Yes. A hand mixer is perfect for creaming the butter and sugar.

You can mix the dough by hand with a sturdy spatula, but it will take more work.

Why Making Your Own Cookies Is a Smarter Choice

You have control over the ingredients, size, sweetness and toppings when you make cookies at home.

You can make one giant cookie or a lot of smaller ones.

You can also swap out the icing and add your favorite mix-ins.

Best of all, you can bake as many as you need and store the remaining dough for another day.

So a homemade bakery-style cookie recipe is good for more than one batch.

Final Recipe Card

Ingredients for the Cookies

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/8 cup baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

Ingredients for Vanilla Frosting

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla flavoring
• 1 to 2 Tbsp milk or cream, optional

How to Serve These Cookies

These cookies are best when they are soft in the middle and freshly iced.

Serve with milk, coffee, tea or your favorite cold drink.

Make several flavors from the same basic dough for a gathering. Different frosting colors and toppings can make a simple cookie tray look special.

Add sprinkles on top for birthdays.

Change the frosting color for holidays.

For a chocolate version, add chocolate chips or use chocolate icing.

The basic dough provides you with a simple starting point for several homemade Crumbl cookies.

Baking Notes

• Don’t hurry the chilling step.
• Don’t frost heated cookies.
• Don’t add too much flour.
• If you want a soft center, don’t overbake.
• Use a cookie scoop if you can so they are all about the same size.

If this is your first time cooking this Crumbl Cookie Copycat Recipe, bake 1 test cookie before baking the whole tray.

That one cookie will tell you if your dough needs a bit more chilling or a little more baking time.

Once you discover the baking time that works for your oven, the rest of the batch should be much easier.

Here’s a copycat Crumbl cookie recipe for thick cookies with a soft core, softly crunchy edges topped with creamy vanilla frosting, using easy-to-find ingredients.

This is a basic, handmade option for anyone who likes Crumbl cookies without a cake mix or expensive equipment.