Buttery, melt-in-your-mouth amazingness, these frosted sugar cookies are the made-from-scratch version of the store bought ones. Love at first bite!
Since I started this blog, little over 3 years ago (how times flies!!!) I have made thousands hundreds of cookies but what makes my husband’s heart skip a beat are the soft, cakey sugar cookies found at the grocery store. You know which cookies I’m talking about, don’t you? The soft sugar cookies that come in different colors and flavorings depending on the season.
I never understood what’s all the fuss about these cookies. Although I have tried them on various occasions I still can’t say they are one of my favorite cookies. Maybe because I’m a chocolate kind of girl. Or maybe because I haven’t had the right soft sugar cookie!
Few days ago I was thumbing my friend Sally’s cookbook (you might remember her from these peanut butter chocolate cupcakes) and stopped at page 118 where Sally promises buttery, soft and sweet cookies without a long list of ingredients. 3 batches of cookies later and I finally got it why these soft sugar cookies are so irresistible.
I’ve seen quite a few copycat recipes for the store bought version but most of them called for a boxed cake mix. This recipe doesn’t call for a box mix and uses just the basic ingredients you are likely to find in sugar cookies – butter, sugar, egg, all purpose flour, vanilla and leaveners.
Start by creaming the butter with the sugar, beat in the egg and last fold in the dry ingredients.
Sally’s advice is to scoop the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. This will prevent the cookies from spreading while baking. I have to say, I had a little problems at this point. I don’t know for sure how little or how much the cookies were supposed to spread, but mine did spread.
For the first batch I used a small OXO scoop and refrigerated the cookie dough for about 2 hours. The cookies turned out buttery, melt-in-your-mouth amazingness but not as thick as I hoped.
For the second batch I used an OXO medium size scoop and refrigerated the cookies overnight. Just like the first batch, the cookies turned out amazing, but spread.
For the third batch I used the medium size scoop and froze the cookie dough for 1 hour. No difference in taste or texture.
No matter what size cookie dough you choose and no matter how long you refrigerate the cookie dough – you must try these cookies!
Top them with a generous amount of buttercream and lots and lots of sprinkles!
Speaking of sprinkles, today a few of my friends and I are throwing a surprise bridal show for Sally! Congratulations Sally!!! Thanks to Anna and Jaclyn for organizing it!
So, grab your sprinkles and join the fun!
Chocolate Swiss Roll Cake from Lauren’s Latest
Funfetti Cookie Dough Balls from Averie Cooks
Cake Batter Funfetti Cookies from Diethood
Cake Batter Popcorn from I Heart Naptime
Confetti Cookie Milkshake from Bake Your Day
Cake Batter Ice Cream Balls from Oh, Sweet Basil
Frosted Sugar Cookies from Roxana’s Home Baking
Peanut Butter Filled Doughnuts from Crazy For Crust
Funfetti Sugar Cookie Cups from Crunchy Creamy Sweet
Shirley Temple from Damn Delicious
Funfetti Pudding Mix Cookies from Cooking Classy
Cherry Chocolate Chip Cupcakes from The Messy Baker
Chocolate Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars from Handle the Heat
Vanilla Banana Muffins from Love From the Oven
Homemade Funfetti Yellow Birthday Cake from Ambitious Kitchen
Frosting Filled Deep Dish Cake Batter Cookies from The Domestic Rebel
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Thank you so much Roxana! I am simply blown away by all the sweet words and sweeter recipes this morning. You are so sweet to throw a virtual bridal shower for me! And I love that you made these cookies. They are absolutely my favorite – but I’m so sorry they slightly spread for you! Hey, as long as they still tasted incredible right? Thank you again, this was such a surprise and I’ve enjoyed every second reading all of these wonderful posts. 🙂 xoxo
Do frosted cookies have to be refrigerated if they have the butter and cream in the frosting…..??
Hi Susan,
Yes, the cookies have to be refrigerated.
I love frosted cookies and these look wonderful!
Well you just made my heart skip a beat, too!!! I LOVE ‘EM!!!
Frosted sugar cookies are so festive! Yours came out just perfect!
Gorgeous cookies, so perfect for a bridal shower!
Oh, Roxana! Not only am I in LOVE with your amazing photography and the heavy-handedness of those sprinkles, but I love frosted sugar cookies and I love those gorgeous plates in your pictures! Can I move in?
These cookie look super awesome, and make be one step closer to grabbing my own copy of Sally’s cookbook! Sugar cookies have never been my number one, but I do love that you can do so many different things with them. I can’t wait to try these as I dislike adding cake mixes to too many recipes. It feels like cheating just a bit.
Hi Roxana! I just stumbled upon your frosted sugar cookies you baked for Sally’s virtual bridal shower and I simply love them. I’m a huge fan of Sally you since I started blogging and I’m now very happy to meet you too and your beautiful culinary world! Cheers from the French girl behind Del’s cooking twist
I can totally see myself eating a whole tray.
These are gorgeous Roxana! I love those sprinkles. And frosted sugar cookies are my favorite. 🙂
Lovin’ the sprinkle love. Sally’s recipes are amazing! I am partial to chocolate chip cookies but a good frosted sugar cookie is pretty darn special.
These cookies are perfect for the shower! 🙂 And I am loving everything about those sprinkles!
I love that these are just made with real ingredients. I’ve never really understood the whole “box of cake mix” thing. And sprinkles, well, who doesn’t like sprinkles?! I’ve printed this out already, I’ll be sure to let you know how they turn out!
Frosted sugar cookies are my absolute favorite. These look amazing!
I adore these, Roxana. The sprinkles you used are adorable!
Yum, I love a good sugar cookie recipe!! These seem delicious and moist, too. Thanks so much for sharing the recipe! Visiting from Create Link Inspire. 🙂
These look absolutely delicious! I love sugar cookies, icing, and sprinkles so these are right up my alley. My daughters would love helping me make them.
Is this correct 1/2 cup flour? How many cookies does this make? The recipe looks great I guess the flour seems incorrect to me but I haven’t tried it. Just want to make sure before I try them. Thank You.
Hi Pat,
It’s 1 cup plus 1/2 cup flour, not just 1/2 cup.
Flour is listed as the fifth ingredient – 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
The recipe yields 16 cookies.
Not going to lie I love those grocery store cookies too. However, I bet I’d love your homemade version even more. Pinning!
My kids love, love, love soft sugar cookies. Thanks for working this out!
hi dear.thanks for the recipe.one quick question. can i use lemon juice in substitute to cream of tartar.thanks
Hi Suman,
If you do not have cream of tartar, I suggest you leave out the baking soda also and use ONLY BAKING POWDER. You should add 2 teaspoons of baking powder to the recipe.
Please keep in mind when making substitutions in baking, you may end up with a somewhat different end product.
Roxana