Frosted sugar cookies are a classic treat that everyone loves! You can’t go wrong with a buttery cookie base, colorful frosting, and fun sprinkles!
These frosted sugar cookies are a kid-approved recipe, but I don’t know many adults who would turn them down either! There’s something so fun and nostalgic about a sugar cookie, especially when it’s topped with rainbow sprinkles.
Although there are many sugar cookie recipes out there, this one is my favorite because the cookies are soft-baked, just like the colorful Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies they sell at the grocery store.
Easy Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe
The secret to pillowy soft sugar cookies is the addition of sour cream. It makes these cookies soft and almost cake-y, but they still have a satisfying chewiness to them! Of course, all the butter doesn’t hurt either—there’s a cup of it in this recipe which is what gives these cookies their chewy edges.
Between the butter and the sour cream, you know you’re getting a rich sugar cookie that no one will be able to resist!
When it comes to decorating your frosted sugar cookies, feel free to get creative! Do a green frosting and red, white, and green sprinkles for Christmas, dust them with edible glitter, or divide the frosting into two batches and make it two different colors.
You can make frosted sugar cookies for any holiday or occasion!
Ingredients
For the Sugar Cookies:
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Unsalted butter – The butter needs to be softened, so set it on the counter and let it sit until it comes to room temperature.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg – Your egg should also be room temperature.
- Sour cream – And so should the sour cream! Making sure all of your ingredients are at room temperature yields a puffier cookie.
- Vanilla extract
For the Frosting and Decoration:
- Unsalted butter – Let this butter soften, too; it will help it whip up into a smooth, creamy frosting.
- Powdered sugar
- Milk
- Food coloring
- Sprinkles
How to Make Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Combine the dry ingredients – Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl.
- Combine the wet ingredients – In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until it’s light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, followed by the sour cream and vanilla.
- Finish the dough – Beat the dry mixture into the wet mixture 1/4 cup at a time until just combined.
- Chill the dough – Transfer the dough to a lightly-floured work surface. Pat it into a disc, then wrap it in plastic wrap. Place the dough in the refrigerator to chill for at least an hour.
- Cut the cookies – Preheat your oven to 300˚F. Remove the plastic wrap and place the dough on the floured work surface. Roll out the dough to 1/2-inch thick and use a round cookie cooker to cut it into circles. Pat the scraps back together and continue to cut the dough until you don’t have enough to make any more cookies.
- Bake – Place the cookies about an inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 8 minutes, or until the cookie bottoms are golden brown and the tops are pale. Cool on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting – Beat the butter with an electric hand mixer in a large bowl until it’s fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and beat until incorporated. Beat in the milk until the frosting is smooth, then add food coloring, if desired.
- Decorate – Once the cookies are cooled, use an offset spatula to frost them, then decorate with sprinkles while the frosting is still soft.
Pro Tip
If you don’t have a round cookie cutter, you can use a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass or cup.
How to Store Frosted Sugar Cookies
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can also store these in the refrigerator for up to a week, but I recommend letting them come to room temperature before serving.
FAQ
This recipe includes a simple buttercream frosting, but you can use another frosting if you like! The great thing about sugar cookies is that they go with just about any flavor of frosting, so feel free to customize this recipe and use a cream cheese frosting or another favorite.
Frosted sugar cookies are best enjoyed up to a day after you make them, but they’ll keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for a week.
Yes, you can freeze these cookies, although they really are best fresh! If you do want to freeze them, pop them in an airtight storage container and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature when you’re ready to enjoy them.
More Reader Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Peanut Butter Cookies
- Yellow Cake Mix Cookies
- Red Velvet Cake Mix Cookies
- Shortbread Cookies
Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- Cookies
- 3 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- food coloring for decorating
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt to combine.
- In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar together with mixer until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Add the egg and mix until only incorporated.
- Next, mix in the sour cream and vanilla and mix until creamy.
- Add the flour ¼ cup at a time and only mixing until combined.
- On a lightly floured surface, add the dough and form into a disc and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator.
- Preheat the oven to 300˚F.
- Remove the plastic wrap from the dough and lightly flour a work surface. Roll out the dough to about ½-inch thick. Cut out circles using your favorite cookie cutter or the rim of a glass for round cookies.
- Transfer the cookies to a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 1 inch in between cookies.
- Bake for 8 minutes, until the cookie bottoms are golden brown and the tops are pale. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack.
- Make the frosting: in a large bowl, beat the butter with an electric hand mixer until fluffy. Sift in the powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the milk and continue to beat until the frosting is smooth and velvety. Add food coloring, if desired.
- Frost the cooled cookies and decorate as you wish.
