While the ingredients are fairly similar between a sugar cookie and a butter cookie, there are a few common differences.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e1) Typically a u003cstrongu003esugar cookieu003c/strongu003e is going to have a much u003cstrongu003ehigher ratio of sugar (and often eggs) to flour than a butteru003c/strongu003e u003cstrongu003ecookieu003c/strongu003e. Alternatively, u003cstrongu003eau003c/strongu003e bu003cstrongu003eutter cookieu003c/strongu003e would have a u003cstrongu003emuch higher ratio of butter to flour than a sugar cookieu003c/strongu003e.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e2) You'll also usually have u003cstrongu003elittle or no leavener (baking powder or baking soda)u003c/strongu003e u003cstrongu003ein a butter cookieu003c/strongu003e. But there's often at least some u003cmeta charset=u0022utf-8u0022/u003eleavener in a sugar cookie so it has a little rise in the oven.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e3) While it depends on the type of sugar cookie we're talking about, u003cstrongu003eyou will usually try to whip some air and lightness into a sugar cookie batter. u003c/strongu003eHowever, butter cookiu003cstrongu003ees will typically be minimally mixed,u003c/strongu003e with little air in the batter, as you're looking for a tender final cookie, with little to no rise.