A recipe for Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies! These fluffy sugar cookies are baked just until set and decorated with a sweet vanilla buttercream.
These Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies are such a fun and festive treat for year-round celebrations or even just a weekend baking project.
I gave them a bit of a seasonal springtime and Easter look with an oval shape, pastel vanilla buttercream, and roughly chopped malted milk eggs. These decorations and colors can easily be adjusted for a variety of holidays.
Start by bringing together the sour cream-based cookie dough. Form into a disc and refrigerate for at least an hour and up to a couple of days.
Once chilled, roll the dough into a 1/4 inch (6 millimeter) thick sheet, cut out desired shapes, and bake just until the dough is barely set.
Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature, then top with a thick, homemade vanilla buttercream and any desired decorations.
These Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies are best the day they are baked, but can be stored in an airtight container for up to three days.
A Few Soft Frosted Sugar Cookie Tips
The two tablespoons cornstarch along with the sour cream help create the soft and tender texture in the cookies.
Beat the dough just until no streaks of flour remain. Do not over-mix.
After bringing together the dough, form into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least an hour to chill. This will make the dough easier to roll and cut. If you refrigerate for longer than a couple of hours, it may be too stiff to roll and require a short rest at room temperature before handling.
The dough will still be a bit sticky after chilling, so I personally like to roll the sheet on a piece of parchment dusted lightly with flour. Dip the cookie cutter in flour between cuts, as well. Dust the top and the bottom of the dough only with just enough flour to prevent sticking.
Arrange the cookies at least two inches (5 centimeters) apart on the prepared baking sheet. They will spread a bit in the oven.
Take care not to over-bake the cookies. They should stay in the oven just until set in the middle. The texture will still be quite soft and the bottoms should be barely golden. This usually takes about 8-10 minutes. They will set further as they cool on the baking sheet.
If avoiding almonds, omit the almond extract.
Making the Vanilla Buttercream
Make sure the butter is softened completely to room temperature, but not melted, before beating with the powdered sugar.
For a more smooth and creamy texture, sift the powdered sugar before adding to the bowl.
Add just enough heavy cream to make a light and fluffy texture. If it is too wet, add a little more powdered sugar. If too thick, add a splash more heavy cream at a time.
If desired, you can use milk in place of the heavy cream.
For best results, use a stand mixer with a whisk attachment or a hand mixer. Wipe down the sides of the bowl as needed while beating to make sure all the ingredients are incorporated.
Allow the cookies to cool completely to room temperature before topping with the frosting. Otherwise, the buttercream will melt and soak into the cookies.
Seasonal Variations
I gave these Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies a springtime/Easter look with different pastel-colored buttercream frosting, oval shaped cookies, and chopped malted milk Easter eggs over the top.
The decorations and colors can be adjusted for birthday parties, Halloween, Christmas, and other celebrations.
If avoiding food coloring, simply top the Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies with the plain vanilla buttercream.
For a more classic look, cut out the cookies using a 3 inch (7.6 centimeter) wide round cutter. The exact amount of cookies and baking time may differ based on the size of your cookie cutters.
Once baked and cooled, covered with the plain or colored buttercream and optionally any sprinkles of your choice.
Looking for more Easter recipes?
Try my:
- Húsvéti Kalácskoszorú (Hungarian Easter Wreath)
- Crescia al Formaggio (Italian Easter Cheese Bread)
- Paashaasbroodjes (Easter Bunny Bread)
Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe
Adapted from An Edible Mosaic
Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups (315 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (18 grams) cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (114 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/2 cup (120 grams) sour cream
Vanilla Buttercream:
- 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter softened at room temperature
- 3 cups (375 grams) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) heavy cream
- Gel food coloring as desired
Instructions
To make the sugar cookies:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed, then the vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream.
- Add the flour mixture and mix just until the dough comes together with no streaks of flour remaining.
- Form the dough into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for one hour, until chilled.
- Preheat oven to 350˚F (180˚C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or lightly grease.
- Place a piece of parchment on a work surface and dust with flour.
- Add the chilled dough, dust the top with flour, and roll into a sheet about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) thick.
- Cut the sheet into individual cookies using a round (or oval for Easter Eggs) cutter about 3 inches (7.6 centimeters) long. Dip the cutter into flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Arrange the cut cookies on the baking sheets about 2 inches (5 centimeters) apart.
- Bring together the scraps of dough, roll out again, and cut out more cookies.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven just until set and lightly golden on the bottom, 8-10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
To make the Vanilla Buttercream:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment or a large bowl, beat the butter until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the powdered sugar, followed by the vanilla extract and salt.
- Slowly add the heavy cream to create a smooth and creamy consistency.
- Divide the buttercream among small bowls depending on the amount of colors you want.
- Add one or two drops of the food coloring to each bowl. Fold with a small spatula until the color is evenly blended.
- Transfer the buttercream to piping bags with a medium round tip or 1/3 inch (8-9 millimeter) end snipped off.
- Pipe the buttercream over the cooled cookies, then use a small offset spatula to smooth over the top.
- These Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies are best the day they are baked and decorated, but can be stored in a single layer in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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