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    Home » Dessert » Cookies

    Frosted Sugar Cookies

    Published: Dec 10, 2022 · by Elizabeth Waterson · This post may contain affiliate links, which may pay me a small commission for my referral at no extra cost to you! Thank you for supporting Confessions of a Baking Queen!

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    Jump to Recipe

    Here’s the best frosted sugar cookie recipe for your baking pleasure. Find out how to make frosted sugar cookies that are chewy, moist, and soft!

    stack of sugar cookies on a metal rack on a light surface

    The iconic pink lofthouse style sugar cookies are one of my sister's favorites. I personally find them a bit dry and crumble, but I do love the concept of frosted sugar cookies. I set out to find a recipe that was soft but moist and chewy. I am happy to say these cookies are just that. I tested them out on quite a few people and got raving reviews.

    frosted sugar cookies on a wire rack on top of a stripped linen on a light surface

    While I prefer to let the cookies chill for a couple of hours before baking I have baked them right away and they do bake up delicious but I find the flavor and height are better once the cookie dough has chilled.

    hand holding a half eaten frosted sugar cookie on a light surface

    Let's get to the recipe

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • How to freeze
    • More frosting ideas
    • Recipe Card

    Ingredients

    For these chewy sugar cookies you will need:

    • Salted Butter. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature but still cool, I use my digital thermometer to check it is around 62F/17C.
    • Granulated Sugar. The white sugar sweetens the cookies and encourages them to spread to just the right amount while baking.
    • Light Brown Sugar. I added a little brown sugar for extra moisture, chew, and flavor. I highly suggest not swapping in all white sugar.
    • Large Egg. You'll need one whole egg and one additional egg yolk. The egg yolk adds extra fat which in turn helps create a super moist and chewy cookie. Keep in mind your eggs should be at room temperature.
    • Pure Vanilla Extract. If you love the flavor of almonds you could also add ½ teaspoon of almond extract in addition to the vanilla as well.
    • All-Purpose Flour. Make sure you measure the flour properly, too much or too little four can drastically affect the cookies.
    • Baking Powder. This chemical leavening agent helps the cookies rise and bake up beautifully.
    • Salt. This star little ingredient helps all of the other ingredients' flavor profiles shine through.
    • Cornstarch. I love adding cornstarch to cookie recipes as it tenderizes the dough creating a soft and tender cookie crumb.

    Baking is a science and to really achieve the best results I highly recommend investing in a kitchen scale. This OXO Kitchen Scale is the one I use and is also the number one recommended kitchen scale by Cook's Illustrated. Think about it -what one person scoops into a "cup" is completely different from what someone else scoops!

    For the frosting recipe you'll need:

    • Salted Butter. I like using salted butter for frostings to help with all of the sweetness.
    • Confectioner's Sugar. If you want a super smooth frosting then you should sift your powdered sugar through a fine mesh sieve.
    • Pure Vanilla Extract. Just a splash gives a beautiful flavor.
    • Heavy Whipping Cream. I love adding a little bit of cream to my frostings to give it a really light and creamy texture.
    • Sprinkles. Use whatver sprinkles you like!

    If you want the iconic pink color then you'll need some food coloring, I use the AmeriColor Food Coloring.

    ingredients for chewy sugar cookies laid out on a light surface

    For ingredient quantities please reference the recipe card below. On the recipe card there is a button for US or M (Metric) measurements.

    Instructions

    In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer combine the butter and sugars. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed to fully incorporate and produce a creamy, fluffy mixture. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula so everything is evenly incorporated.

    butter and sugars whisked together until light and fluffy in a large mixing bowl on a light surface with a white and blue stripped linen

    Add in the vanilla and the first egg, and mix to combine until no yolk remains. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the second egg.

    egg and vanilla added to butter sugar mixture in a metal bowl on a light surface with a white and blue stripped linen

    In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Gradually mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients on low speed. Don't overmix.

    dry ingredients whisked together in a glass bowl on a light surface with a white and blue stripped linen
    chewy sugar cookie dough in a large metal bowl on a light surface with a white and blue stripped linen

    At this point you can pre-scoop the cookies I use a medium cookie scoop and place the dough balls on a small tray that you can cover in plastic wrap or a container with a lid. Let the cookie dough scoops chill in the fridge for at least one hour or up to three days.

    chewy sugar cookie dough scooped into balls on a light surface

    When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. Add cookie dough balls to the cookie sheet and spread them at least two inches apart.

    chewy sugar cookies before and after baking on a light surface

    Bake for 9-11 minutes or until just set. Let cool on a tray on a wire rack for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The cookies need to cool completely before frosting with the buttercream.

    If you want to see a full in-depth tutorial on how to make this frosting check out my post on how to make American-style buttercream.

    In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer beat the butter for 3 full minutes, until light and fluffy.

    Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps and add half to the butter. Beat for another 3 minutes then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix for 3 more minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl multiple times to ensure everything is evenly combined.

    Add the vanilla extract, heavy cream, and some pink food coloring and beat for another 3 minutes.

    light pink buttercream in a metal bowl on a light surface

    Spread or pipe frosting on the cooled cookies and add sprinkles.

    sugar cookies frosted with pink frosting and sprinkles on a light surface

    Store leftover frosted sugar cookies in an airtight container for up to five days.

    hand picking a frosted cookie from cookie tray

    How to freeze

    Place the cookies on a flat surface like a sheet tray or a plate in the freezer for an hour or two to flash freeze then transfer to a freezer-safe airtight container and freeze for up to a month. Take a cookie out and thaw it on the counter for an hour or two before enjoying it.

    half eaten frosted sugar cookie on top of more cookies on a wire rackon a light surface

    More frosting ideas

    • Coffee Buttercream. Coffee would pair beautifully with cookies.
    • Chocolate Frosting. This chocolate frosting is thick, rich, and fudgy.
    • Peanut Butter Buttercream. I would top the cookies with crushed peanuts instead of sprinkles, ooo these sound good!

    ★★★★★ Please let me know if you make this recipe by leaving a star rating and comment below!

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    Print

    Recipe Card

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    stack of sugar cookies on a metal rack on a light surface

    Frosted Sugar Cookies

    Print Recipe
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    Here’s the best frosted sugar cookie recipe for your baking pleasure. Find out how to make frosted sugar cookies that are chewy, moist, and soft!

    • Total Time: 1 Hour 25 Minutes
    • Yield: 2 Dozen Cookies 1x

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    Cookies

    • 8oz (1 Cup) Salted Butter, softened to room temperature but still cool
    • 200 grams (1 Cup) Granulated Sugar
    • 66 grams (⅓ Cup) Light Brown Sugar
    • 1 Large Egg + 1 Large Egg Yolk, at room temperature
    • 2 Teaspoons Pure Vanilla Extract
    • 333 grams (2 ⅔ Cups) All-Purpose Flour
    • 2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
    • ½ Teaspoon Salt
    • 1 Tablespoon Cornstarch

    Frosting

    • 4oz (½ Cup) Salted Butter
    • 240-300 Grams Grams (2-2 ½ Cups) Confectioner's Sugar
    • 1 Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
    • 1-2 Tablespoons Heavy Cream
    • Sprinkles

    Instructions

    Cookies

    1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment or a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer combine the butter and sugars. Mix for 2-3 minutes on medium speed to fully incorporate and produce a creamy, fluffy mixture. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything is evenly incorporated.
    2. Add in the vanilla and the first egg, and mix to combine until no yolk remains. Scrape down the bowl and mix in the second egg.
    3. In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cornstarch. Gradually fold in the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don't overmix.
    4. At this point you can pre-scoop the cookies I use a medium cookie scoop and place the dough balls on a small tray that you can cover in plastic wrap or a container with a lid. Let the cookie dough scoops chill in the fridge for at least one hour or up to three days.
    5. When ready to bake preheat the oven to 350F/180C and line the baking sheet with parchment paper or a Silpat liner. Add cookie dough balls to the cookie sheet and spread them at least two inches apart.
    6. Bake for 9-11 minutes or until just set. Let cool on a tray on a wire rack for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

    Frosting

    1. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or a large bowl with a handheld mixer beat the butter for 3 full minutes, until light and fluffy.
    2. Sieve the powdered sugar to prevent any lumps and add half to the butter. Beat for another 3 minutes then add the remaining powdered sugar and mix for 3 more minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl multiple times to ensure everything is evenly combined.
    3. Add the vanilla extract and heavy cream and beat for another 3 minutes.
    4. Spread or pipe frosting on the cooled cookies and add sprinkles. Store leftovers in an air-tight container for up to five days.

    Equipment

    americolor food coloring

    AmeriColor Food Coloring

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    kitchen aid cordless hand mixer

    Cordless Hand Mixer

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    small angled spatula

    Small Angled Spatula

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    half sheet pans

    Half Sheet Pan

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    silpat liner

    Silpat

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    oxo food scale

    OXO Kitchen Scale

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    • Author: Elizabeth Waterson I Confessions of a Baking Queen
    • Prep Time: 15 Minutes
    • Chill Time: 1 Hour
    • Cook Time: 10 Minutes
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: chewy sugar cookies, frosted sugar cookie recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @confessionsofabakingqueen on Instagram and hashtag it #cbqbakes

    Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

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    Waterson, Elizabeth Cropped Size Photo CAke copy 2

    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

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    Waterson, Elizabeth Cropped Size Photo CAke copy 2

    Hiya! I am Elizabeth Waterson, welcome to my treat-filled site. After spending 15 years in the restaurant industry and growing up baking, I wanted to share my love of baking with you all. My step-by-step tutorials will help you learn how to bake at home. Confessions of a Baking Queen (CBQ) has been featured in CBS LA, HuffPost Taste, BuzzFeed, Taste of Home, and more! Here you will find loads of sweet recipes with a few savory ones for good measure. Feel free to message me with any questions! Happy Baking! 

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