Description
These soft frosted sugar cookies feature a tender, cakey texture topped with a perfectly balanced vanilla buttercream frosting. They stay soft for days and are easy to make with simple pantry ingredients.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (315g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened (227g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons whole milk (30ml)
- For the vanilla buttercream:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened (113g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted (240g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream (15-30ml)
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together into a bowl.
- Beat softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and milk until just combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
- Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough into 1.5-inch balls and place on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart. Lightly flatten each ball.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set and tops look slightly cracked but soft. Do not overbake.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- For the buttercream, beat softened butter on medium speed until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, ½ cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and 1 tablespoon milk or cream. Beat on high for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Adjust milk or powdered sugar to reach desired consistency.
- Spread vanilla buttercream on cooled cookies and optionally top with sprinkles.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
Keep butter and egg at room temperature for better mixing. Chill dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Cool cookies completely before frosting to avoid melting buttercream. Store cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread to maintain softness. For variations, try almond extract, funfetti sprinkles, lemon buttercream, or gluten-free flour blend.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 13
- Sodium: 60
- Fat: 7
- Saturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 22
- Fiber: 0.3
- Protein: 1.5
Keywords: soft sugar cookies, vanilla buttercream, easy sugar cookies, soft frosted cookies, homemade sugar cookies, kid-friendly cookies