Frosted Sugar Cookies
These frosted sugar cookies are so soft with the perfect amount of chewy texture! There’s no sour cream in these lofthouse sugar cookies, but they are melt in your mouth soft because of one ingredient!
No chilling of the dough needed and no cookie cutters required for these frosted sugar cookies! Plus, I love that tie dye frosting!
How To Make Soft Sugar Cookies
Our secret to super soft sugar cookies is cornstarch! Cornstarch gives the cookies an ultra soft texture because it makes the crumb more delicate. Adding cornstarch also helps keep the cookies from browning so you get that beautiful classic lofthouse style cookie!
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Add in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, the dough will be crumbly. Transition to using a spatula and work the dough together.
- Use a cookie scoop to form balls. Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on a silicone lined baking sheet, flatten them with your palm and bake.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
Baking Time Suggestions
For the cookies in the photos, the dough balls were about 3 heaping tablespoons, so that’s a large cookie! I baked those for 13-15 minutes.
If you make smaller dough balls, you should reduce the baking time otherwise the cookies will be over done.
Total Time Required
- 10 minutes to make the cookie dough and roll into balls
- 13-15 minutes to bake the cookies
- 20 minutes to cool the cookies
- 10 minutes to make frosting and frost the cookies
How to Make Tie Dye Frosting
The frosting for these sugar cookies turned out so cool. It’s 100% optional, you could keep all the frosting the same color, or even just keep it white without adding any food coloring.
To make tri-color tie dye frosting, divide the frosting into 2 separate bowls. Add pink gel food coloring to one bowl and teal gel food coloring to the other – mix each frosting until it’s a uniform color.
Using 2 separate knives for each color, spread frosting on the cookies. Combine the colors as desired. Top with sprinkles. Be sure to not over mix because you want to be able to see all 3 colors.
How to Store Cookies
Store cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Be sure to store the cookies in a single layer until the frosting sets. Once the frosting sets, you can stack the cookies.
How to Freeze Unfrosted Sugar Cookies
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before freezing. Place the cookies on a baking sheet and “flash freeze” in the freeze for about 30 minutes. Wrap 4-5 cookies together in plastic wrap. Place the bundles inside a freezer bag.
To thaw: place the bag in the fridge overnight. Frost once the cookies are thawed.
How To Make Gluten Free Frosted Sugar Cookies
I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.
How To Properly Measure Flour
- Fluff the flour with a fork
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup
- Use a butter knife to level the measuring cup
Sticking the measuring cup straight into the bag of flour will result in too much flour to be packed into the cup, which can result in dry cookies.
More Cookie Recipes
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cut Out Sugar Cookies
- Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Maraschino Cherry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 stick
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ tsp almond extract
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature, 1 stick
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp milk or heavy cream, if needed
- Food coloring, I used Wilton gel food coloring Pink and Teal
- Sprinkle medley, I used various sprinkles from Wilton which I found at Michaels
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the butter and sugar. Beat with an electric mixer on low for 1 minute, until smooth and fluffy.
- Add in the egg, vanilla extract and almond extract, beat for 20 seconds.
- Gradually add in the dry ingredients, mixing on low for 1 minute. The dough will be crumbly. Transition to using a spatula and work the dough together.
- Use a cookie scoop to form balls. My dough balls were about 2.5-3 tbsp, so that’s a large cookie. Place the cookies 2-3 inches apart on a silicone lined baking sheet, flatten them with your palm and bake for 13-15 minutes. Be sure to adjust the baking time for smaller cookies – I’d suggest 10-12 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting.
FROSTING
- In a mixing bowl, beat the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract using an electric mixer until fluffy, 1-2 minutes.
- Evenly divide the frosting into 2 bowls. Add pink gel food coloring to one and teal gel food coloring to the other. Stir with a spoon until each color is combined.
- Using 2 separate knives for each color, spread frosting on the cookies. Combine the colors as desired. Top with sprinkles.
Notes
- I have made these cookies multiple times with King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour with great success.
- Properly measure the all purpose flour using the spoon and level method.
You did an amazing job!! Thank you for sharing. I have two granddaughters that I know would love these!! Can’t wait to make them!!