Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Total Time
1 hour 20 minutes
Prep Time
50 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
4.9 out of 5 stars
(22)
Ingredients
12 cookies
- 2 1/2 cups (320g) all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 10 tbsp unsalted butter, room temp
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) vegetable or canola oil
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temp
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (185g) unsalted butter, room temp
- 2–3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1–2 tbsp milk
- Pink gel food coloring
- Rainbow sprinkles
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Preparation
Step 1
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2
In a large mixing bowl using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy (medium high speed for 2-3 minutes).
Step 3
With the mixing running on medium-low speed, pour in the oil in a slow and steady stream.
Step 4
Once combined, scrape down the bowl and mix in the eggs one at a time.
Step 5
Mix in the vanilla and scrape down the bowl again.
Step 6
Dump in half of the dry ingredients and give it a light mix, then add in the rest and mix until just combined. Don’t over mix.
Step 7
Use a rubber spatula to scrape down the bowl and ensure everything is evenly incorporated. The dough should be thick but tacky. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.
Step 8
After 20-25 minutes, preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 9
Take the dough out of the refrigerator after the 30 minutes is up. Using a large 2oz cookie scoop (equal to about 1/4 cup), scoop out the cookies and roll into a ball. Place the ball onto the baking sheet and lightly flatten the top with your palm. Bake about 4-5 cookies at a time, covering and placing the dough back in the refrigerator between each batch.
Step 10
Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are a very pale golden color.
Step 11
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and continue to bake the rest of the dough.
Step 12
Using a hand or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix the butter until smooth.
Step 13
Scrape down the howl and mix in the sugar one cup at a time. Start with just two cups and assess if the third cup is needed at the end.
Step 14
Mix in the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk.
Step 15
If the buttercream appears too thick, mix in another tablespoon of milk. If it appears too thin, mix in the third cup of powdered sugar.
Step 16
For a pale pink color, mix in one drop of pink gel food coloring. I also like to dull down the vibrance by adding a very tiny bit of brown gel food coloring. I do so by dipping the tip of a toothpick into the food coloring and swiping a smudge into the frosting. This is optional, as you can dye the frosting whichever color you like!
Step 17
Spread the frosting on the completely cooled cookies and top with sprinkles. Enjoy!
Step 18
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Chef's notes
These cookies are big! This not only makes them extra special, but big cookies also bake better. It takes longer for the oven heat to reach the center which leaves us with a super dense and tender center.
For the best outcome, use gel food coloring. A tiny bit goes a long way, so it will not affect the consistency of the frosting.
