Get ready to enjoy homemade Frosted Sugar Cookies! These soft sugar cookies topped with cream cheese frosting bring the bakery experience to your kitchen with simple ingredients. Perfect for any celebration!
What's better than a classic homemade sugar cookie? One slathered with a homemade frosting that takes them to the next level! This easy recipe for frosted sugar cookies is the best way to enjoy soft, sweet, and delicious sugar cookies right in your kitchen. If you love these cookies I highly recommend Cowboy Cookies Recipe, Coconut Chocolate Chip Cookies, or Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
The BEST Frosted Sugar Cookies
The best sugar cookies are made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have on hand. Their combination makes the taste and texture stand out from the rest! Besides flour, sugar, butter, eggs, milk, and heavy cream are added to the mixture to create a smooth and creamy texture in the dough that gives it a classic taste.
The sugar cookie frosting uses butter AND cream cheese as the base to create a rich, buttery flavor contrasted by a slight tart and tangy flavor from the cream cheese sweetened with finely powdered sugar. You can even use your favorite food coloring in frosting or cookie dough to create the perfect color for any occasion you're serving them.
Sugar cookies with frosting are the go-to treats for any occasion. They're perfect for birthdays, holidays, or just a sweet snack anytime. Enjoy them with coffee in the morning or a glass of milk before bed. Whether celebrating or craving something sweet, these soft frosted cookies are a delicious choice.
Why You'll Love This Easy Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Perfect texture: These cookies are incredibly soft and chewy, making every bite melt in your mouth.
- Indulgent frosting: The homemade cream cheese frosting takes these cookies to the next level with its rich and tangy flavor that perfectly complements the sweetness of the cookies.
- Simple ingredients: The ingredients are simple and can be found in your pantry or any grocery store.
- Customizable: Frosted sugar cookies can be colored with food coloring and decorated with sprinkles, nuts, or your favorite toppings to fit the occasion.
Frosted Sugar Cookie Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar - Provides the sweetness that balances the cookie's flavors, creating a sugary taste and adding moisture to the cookies.
- Softened Butter - Adds a rich and buttery flavor to the cookies while giving them a soft and tender texture.
- Eggs - Act as a binding agent, making sure the ingredients hold together and set after baking.
- Vanilla Extract - Enhances the cookies with a subtle warming vanilla flavor that complements the sweetness.
- All-Purpose Flour - Forms the structure of the cookies, holding their round cookie shape.
- Salt - Adds a touch of contrast to the sweetness, enhancing the overall flavor.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder - Leavening agents that create a light and fluffy texture, helping the cookies rise.
- Milk and Heavy Cream - Adds moisture to the cookies along with a delicious creamy flavor.
For The Cream Cheese Frosting:
- Softened Cream Cheese and Butter - Both combine to create a creamy, tangy, and smooth frosting base.
- Vanilla Extract - Adds a light touch of vanilla flavor to the frosting that pairs well with the sweetness and tang.
- Powdered Sugar - This fine sugar sweetens and thickens the frosting, creating the desired consistency.
- Heavy Cream - Adjusts the frosting's thickness and creaminess when added a little bit at a time.
- Food Coloring - Optional and used to add vibrant color to the frosting if desired.
How To Make Frosted Sugar Cookies
Mix wet ingredients: Combine softened butter, eggs, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a stand mixer bowl with the paddle attachment until well blended.
Add dry ingredients: Incorporate salt, baking powder, and baking soda into the mixture and mix until thoroughly combined. Alternate adding all-purpose flour, milk, and heavy cream while continuing to mix until the dough sticks to the paddle and forms a dough.
Chill the dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for one hour, allowing the cookie dough to set.
Prepare for baking: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
Roll out chilled dough: On a clean, flat surface, sprinkle a layer of flour, then roll out half of the dough using a rolling pin until it reaches a thickness of about ½ inch.
Cut and arrange cookies: Cut the rolled-out dough into shapes using a basic cookie cutter or a sharp knife and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 2 inches of space between each cookie.
Bake the cookies: Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms turn slightly golden brown. Avoid overbaking! They may not be as soft if they get browned on top.
Cool cookies: Immediately transfer the baked cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely while you make the frosting.
Prepare sugar cookie frosting: In a stand mixer bowl, combine softened butter, vanilla extract, and cream cheese. Gradually mix in powdered sugar until well combined. Adjust the frosting's consistency by adding heavy cream as needed. Mix in 2-3 drops of food coloring if desired.
Frost cookies: Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost them with a layer of frosting. Decorate and enjoy!
Tips For The Best Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Start with ingredients at room temperature (butter, eggs, milk) to ensure the cookie dough mixes smoothly.
- Keep the mixer on low when adding dry ingredients, then turn it up slowly to avoid a powdery mess.
- Use a generous sprinkling of flour when rolling out the dough to avoid it sticking to the flat surface.
- If you don't have a rolling pin, use a wine bottle to get the cookie dough to the desired thickness.
- Choose simple cookie-cutter shapes, like circles and squares, and don't have intricate details, as the dough is made for basic shapes.
- The cookie dough MUST be chilled for at least an hour before baking. This helps make sure the cookies don't spread too much during baking.
- Keep an eye on the cookies while baking, and remove them as soon as the bottoms turn slightly golden brown to maintain their softness when cooling.
- If your cream cheese frosting is too thick, gradually add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you reach the desired consistency. Add more powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, to thicken it.
Customizable Sugar Cookies
- Fold in a cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips to the cookie dough before baking, creating chocolate chip sugar cookies.
- Add a zesty flavor by incorporating a tablespoon of finely grated lemon, orange, or lime zest into the dough for a refreshing citrus flavor.
- Press the cookie shapes in a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking, giving them a snickerdoodle flavor.
- Customize your cookies with colorful sprinkles or sanding sugar before baking.
- Add shredded coconut and chopped macadamia nuts to the dough to create a tropical twist.
- Drizzle a caramel or chocolate sauce over the cookies once they're cooled for a decadent twist.
- Make festive holiday cookies by mixing in crushed candy canes into the dough turning them into peppermint sugar cookies.
- Use other flavored extracts such as almond, maple, butter, or coconut for a different flavor twist.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Keep your sugar cookies with the frosting in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. They can also be kept in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Freezing: Arrange the unfrosted cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer them to an airtight container, separating layers with parchment paper, and freeze for up to 2-3 months. Thaw at room temperature before frosting and serving.
FAQ
To add food coloring to your frosting, start by mixing your frosting as instructed. Once it's well combined, add a few drops of food coloring at a time and mix until you achieve the desired color intensity. Don't overdo it, as a little food coloring c
To keep your sugar cookies soft, avoid overbaking them; remove them from the oven as soon as you notice the bottoms turning slightly golden brown. Store them in an airtight container once they have cooled completely, which will help retain their softness.
You can chill the sugar cookie dough for up to 24 hours. Don't go longer than that, as prolonged chilling may affect the dough's texture. If you need to, freeze the unbaked cookie dough instead and defrost it overnight in the fridge when you need it.
Yes, you can prepare the cream cheese frosting ahead of time. Store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days. Before using, allow the frosting to come to room temperature and give it a quick stir.
More Frosted Cookie Recipes
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Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter softened
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 4½-5 cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 oz cream cheese softened
- ¾ cup butter softened
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 6-6½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tbsp heavy cream
- food coloring optional
Instructions
- Cream together butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Next, add salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until well combined.
- Alternate adding flour, milk, and heavy cream. Mix until the dough sticks to the whisk, forming a clump.
- Cover the bowl with a tight layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat over to 350℉-line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Evenly sprinkle a layer of four over a clean, flat surface. Roll half the dough out until it is about ½ an inch thick. Cut the dough into the desired shape and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. (This dough is very soft, so I recommend using shapes that don't have a lot of detail).
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 mins. The best way to tell if these cookies are done is to carefully lift the corner of one with a spatula to see if the bottoms are slightly golden brown. If you start to see a golden brown color on the outside/top of the cookies they will not be as soft.
- Immediately remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together butter, vanilla extract, and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- While the mixer is on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix until well combined. If the frosting is to think, add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you get the desired consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost them as desired.
- Serve and Enjoy!
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
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