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Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies cut into ovals with pink, blue, and purple buttercream over the top and chopped malted eggs.
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Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

A recipe for Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies! These fluffy sugar cookies are baked just until set and decorated with a sweet vanilla buttercream.
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Keyword buttercream, cookie, dessert, Easter, sugar cookie, vanilla
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Resting Time: 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 38 minutes

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.