Description
These frosted sugar cookies are soft, pillowy sugar cookies with an easy vanilla frosting. The cookies are a perfect copycat of Lofthouse cookies but with a better vanilla flavor. Color the frosting using any color or leave it plain white!
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup melted butter
- 1 1/3 cup sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/2 cup sour cream
For the Buttercream:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, Softened (113g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (227g)
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch kosher salt
- milk, as needed
- food coloring, optional
- sprinkles, optional (but are they, really?)
Instructions
Make the sugar cookies:
- In a medium bowl sift together flour, baking powder, and kosher salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, melt the butter (I used the microwave) just until melted but not hot. Whisk in the sugar followed by the egg and vanilla. Whisk vigorously until the mixture is emulsified. You shouldn’t see any streaks of butter or egg.
- Alternately fold in the flour mixture and sour cream, starting and ending with flour until just combined.
- Scoop with a 1 ½ inch cookie scoop or use a spoon to scoop out dough a little smaller than a golf ball. Drop the dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 325ºF convection or 350 ºF.
After the dough has chilled, roll into smooths balls and place 2 inches apart on a parchment lined baking sheet. I use a new sheet because the chilled one with affect the baking time. Flatten slightly. If you don’t mind the rounded top, you can leave them as balls. It will make frosting them a little more challenging and you won’t get a even application of the frosting. - NOTE: For perfectly round cookies you must roll the dough between two pieces of parchment paper and cut out 2 inch rounds with a floured cookie cutter.
- Bake cookies in preheated oven for 15-18 minutes until the centers provide a little resistance when touched gently. [this baking time is for the cookie dough balls not cut-out]
- Remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the Frosting:
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment beat together butter, powdered sugar, salt, and vanilla until light and smooth. This can also be done in a large bowl with a hand mixer or by hand (for a denser frosting).
- Switch to the whisk attachment and add milk a little at a time and whisk on high until light and fluffy and still thick enough to spread.
- Note: Keeping the frosting thicker will create a thicker crust on top of the icing, which will allow you to stack the cookies. I chose to loosen the frosting for flavor and texture, so I was not able to stack my cookies without smooshing. (technical pastry term)
Frost the Cookies:
- Add either liquid food coloring or gel food coloring a little at a time and stir it in until the desired color is achieved. If you want a richer colored frosting, I recommend using gel food coloring. I used liquid food coloring in testing for simplicity.
- Dollop a bit of the frosting on the center of a cookie. Using an small offset spatula, gradually spread the frosting out to the edges, keeping a little border of the cookie visible.
- Swirl the frosting as desired. Sprinkle with rainbow sprinkles.
Notes
Yield – 21 cookies
Presentation – I colored my frosting with liquid food coloring but gel food coloring would make more vibrant colors. You can also leave them white for a classic or bridal look!
Flavor Tips – Cake flour will make for the best soft sugar cookies. I would not recommend substituting for any other type of flour, but if you must, all-purpose will be fine.
Variations – Try a different flavored frosting; add sprinkles, nuts or fruit to the dough; or flavor the dough with extracts or lemon zest.
Storage – Store unfrosted cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days but they are best served or frosted the day they are made. Store frosted cookies at room temperature for up to 5 days (best texture within 3) or frozen for up to 2 months.