Let Me Tell You About These Cookies…

Okay, real talk. The first time I tried making soft frosted sugar cookies, one of them hit the floor, and my dog (Otis—he’s a fiend for sweets, I swear) nabbed it before I could even finish yelling “Nooo!” Actually, now that I think of it, he probably loved them before I did. Anyway. I’ve been baking these for every neighborhood potluck since, and somebody always asks for the recipe. You know the kind—pillowy-soft, generous icing, those little bursts of colored sprinkle happiness. Pretty sure this is my sister’s main reason for visiting. There’s just something about eating a bakery-style sugar cookie in your pajamas that makes a Monday feel like a Friday, at least for a second or two. Oh, and if you’re looking for perfect circles or flawless frosting—honestly, this isn’t that kind of party.

Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe

I make this when it’s been a week (you know the ones). Or when my nephew is coming over—he can spread frosting like a champ, even if he eats half of it before it hits the cookie. My family goes absolutely bonkers for these, even though my husband always says he’s not a “cookie person” (sure, buddy, explain the missing ten cookies). I tried skipping the frosting once because I was running late…big mistake. Wouldn’t recommend. These cookies are my little antidote when life feels nuts or I want to bribe myself to not skip the gym later. I mean, who could resist a rainbow-sprinkled bribe?

What You’ll Need (Ingredients)

2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour – Honestly, I sometimes use half cake flour if I’m feeling extra fancy or if that’s all that’s left.
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (225g) unsalted butter, room temp – Salted is fine if you skip the pinch of added salt. My grandmother insisted on Kerrygold, but store brand works fine, really.
1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract – Or almond extract if you’re a fan (be careful, it’s strong—learned that the hard way last Easter, whew).
2 tablespoon sour cream – Greek yogurt also does the job in a pinch.
Sprinkles (for topping) – Would argue these are essential, but I suppose you could skip ’em.

For the Frosting:

1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons milk (or honestly, half & half if that’s all you have)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Pinch salt
Food coloring (optional, but that’s where the fun’s at, right?)

How I Make Them (My Slightly Chaotic Directions)

Preheat your oven to 350°F (about 180°C for my metric brain). Line up a couple baking sheets—honestly, parchment paper is amazing, but I’ve also just used a well-buttered tray if I run out.
In one bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Don’t stress if you dump a bit too much baking soda—just flick some out. Happens to everyone, right?
Grab a bigger bowl (your favorite mixing bowl, mine’s got a chip in the rim) and cream the butter and sugar together until it’s light and fluffy—takes around 2 minutes. I almost always sneak a little taste here; just being honest.
Beat in the egg and vanilla (or almond, if you went that way). Mix till it’s smooth. Add the sour cream. It’s going to look a bit weird at first—don’t panic!
Add your flour mixture gently, in thirds. At first it’ll be a bit crumbly, but keep at it and it’ll turn into a soft dough. If it’s looking too sticky, just add a sprinkle more flour, no big deal.
Scoop out dollops—about the size of a golf ball (or ping pong if you’re British, I guess)—and gently flatten with your fingers. Sometimes I use the bottom of a drinking glass, but sometimes I just give up and use my palm.
Bake for 10-12 minutes. Don’t let them brown — you want them pale and soft-looking. If they look honestly underdone in the center, that’s a good sign. (Trust the process.)
Let cool completely before frosting, unless you fancy melted frosting soup. (Impatient? Yeah, me too, but this part matters!)
For the frosting: Beat butter until creamy, then gradually add your powdered sugar & pinch of salt. Pour in vanilla and milk bit by bit, until you get a spreadable texture. Dye it with food coloring, if you’re up for that. Frost, top with sprinkles, and try not to eat three in a row (um, good luck).

Notes from My Questionable Cookie Science

If your dough gets too warm, your cookies will kind of…spread and lose their shape (ask me how I know). A quick chill in the fridge for 15 mins fixes that.
The flavor really does bloom if you let the cookies sit overnight, but let’s be honest—not everyone’s got that much willpower.
I once tried swapping all the butter for coconut oil—thought I was being clever. Was not clever. Wouldn’t do that again.

My Cookie Experiment Gallery (Variations, For Better or Worse)

Lemon zest in the dough? Loved it! Brightens up the whole cookie—give it a go if you fancy.
Adding mini chocolate chips: fun but honestly not as soft.
Made heart shapes with a biscuit cutter for Valentine’s—cute but kind of a faff to decorate. Circles are just easier.
That time I tried gluten-free flour? Edible, but not my best work—though here’s a gluten-free version that actually works.

Handy Gear…But You Can Get By Without

Stand mixer? Love mine, but a wooden spoon and elbow grease will do the trick.
If you don’t have cookie scoops, just two spoons and mildly sticky hands work fine (don’t overthink it).
Parchment paper is my sidekick, but I’ve baked these right on an old cookie tray and lived to tell the tale.

Keeping ‘Em Fresh (Sort Of)

Honestly, in my house, these cookies almost never make it past the next morning (breakfast cookies, anyone?). But you can store them in an airtight tin for up to 4 days. Frosting gets a bit soft if your kitchen is as toasty as mine, but they’re still tasty. You could freeze unfrosted cookies too; here are some tips if you’re into that kind of meal planning.

How My Folks Like to Eat These (Serving and Traditions!)

We serve these just as they are with a cup of tea (builder’s, two sugars, call me predictable). Sometimes I set out little bowls of frosting and sprinkles for kids (and, who am I kidding, adults) to decorate their own. If I’m feeling extra generous, I’ll sandwich two with a bit of jam in the middle—honestly, wild but delicious.

If I Could Go Back in Time… (Pro Tips from Hard Earned Mistakes)

Don’t rush the creaming step—once I tried to speed through with butter straight from the fridge. Big regret. Came out way too dense. Patience is honestly your friend here.
If you bake these too long, they go from soft to hockey puck faster than you’d think. I take them out just as the edges lose their shine (even if my brain says “one more minute”).
Let the frosting set up before stacking them. Or live with sticky fingers. Up to you.

Some (Possibly Too-Honest) FAQs

Can I freeze the dough? Yep! I usually scoop it into balls first and freeze on a tray, then pop ’em in a bag. Bakes straight from frozen—just tack on a minute or two.
How do you get that soft bakery texture? Sour cream does the trick! It’s weirdly magical. Some folks use cream cheese, but actually, I find it works better if you stick with the tang of sour cream.
What if I don’t have food coloring? No worries. I’ve made them plain white before—still tasty, but they look a bit…hmm, plain. Or try beet powder for a pink tint (I saw that somewhere, haven’t tried it yet!).
Can I double this recipe? For sure. But you’ll need to do it in batches if your mixer is tiny—learned that the messy way.
Why is my frosting so runny? Could be a heavy hand with the milk (oops). Just add more powdered sugar till it thickens up.

Not that you asked, but once I burnt out my hand mixer during a batch of these and had to finish with a fork. Glorious arm workout, and honestly, the cookies tasted even better for the effort. Maybe it’s just me, but sometimes a little adversity makes them taste twice as sweet.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies: My Favorite Family Cookie Recipe