These soft vanilla sugar cookies are topped with a simple buttercream frosting and are easy to make at home. Inspired by the popular Lofthouse style, they’re especially lovely for Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, and other springtime celebrations. The dough, baked cookies, and frosting can all be prepared ahead of time; each stores well for several days, making these cookies convenient to plan in advance.
Soft cookies
These frosted sugar cookies are rustic and charming — almost too cute to eat. Cream cheese in the dough keeps the cookies moist and tender, while a smooth vanilla buttercream and colorful sprinkles finish them off.
Swap the frosting color and sprinkles to match any event. The same dough can also be shaped with different cutters for holidays or parties.
- Freshness: Homemade cookies let you control ingredients and avoid preservatives. They taste fresher than store-bought alternatives.
- Family activity: Decorating cookies is a fun project for kids and adults. Try different shapes, colors, and sprinkle combinations together.
- Gifts: Frosted cookies make thoughtful, personalized gifts when packaged nicely.
Ingredient notes
Quantities appear in the recipe card below. A few tips about key ingredients:
- Powdered sugar: also called confectioners’ or icing sugar; it gives a smooth texture to buttercream.
- Food coloring: gel colors are easiest to use for vibrant frosting without adding too much liquid. If you prefer liquid or powdered colorants, adjust the frosting consistency as needed.
- Baking powder: confirm it is fresh to ensure proper rise and texture.
- Milk: whole milk gives a richer buttercream, but reduced-fat milk works fine as well.
Variations & substitutions
- Lemon cookies: Stir in a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a bright citrus note.
- Chocolate dough: Replace a small portion of the flour with unsweetened cocoa powder to create chocolate sugar cookies; pair them with vanilla or pink buttercream.
Cookie dough
This is a one-bowl dough that mixes quickly and benefits from refrigeration. Chilling firms the fat and helps you roll and cut neat shapes while keeping the cookies soft after baking.
Rolling tips: Work with cold dough. Chill and roll in portions if you prefer — keep unused dough wrapped and refrigerated to prevent the butter from softening.
Floured surface: Lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking, adding more flour sparingly if needed.
Dough mixing
Mixing with a spatula helps avoid overworking the dough, which keeps the crumb tender. If using a mixer, use the lowest speed and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Chill
Wrap the dough tightly and chill in the refrigerator until firm. Cooling makes it easier to roll and prevents excessive spreading in the oven.
Cut-out cookies
Work quickly so the dough stays cold. Rolling between sheets of parchment helps with transferring cut shapes to the baking sheet cleanly.
Bake and cool
Bake just until the edges are lightly golden. Allow cookies to cool completely on a rack before frosting; warm cookies will cause frosting to melt and slide.
Frosting
Coloring: Gel food coloring blends best into buttercream without thinning it; add a tiny amount at a time until you reach the shade you want.
Pink buttercream
Stir gel food coloring into vanilla buttercream until evenly colored. Divide the frosting into bowls if you want two shades for a subtle contrast.
Frost the cookies
Use a spoon or a piping bag to place frosting on each cookie, then smooth with the back of the spoon to create a rounded, pillowy look. Leaving a small border around the edge gives a classic finished appearance.
Sprinkles!
Classic rainbow jimmies look great, but colored sanding sugar or holiday-specific mixes work well too. Add sprinkles immediately after frosting so they adhere before the icing sets.
Storage
Store frosted or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to three months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
Freezing unbaked cut-outs: Arrange on a baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a sealed container or bag. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the bake time if needed.
Troubleshooting common issues
Overmixing: Mix only until ingredients are combined. Overmixing develops gluten and can make cookies tough.
Overbaking: Cookies continue to set as they cool. Remove them when edges are just beginning to color to keep centers soft.
Dry or crumbly dough: This usually means the dough lacks moisture or has too much flour. Add a tablespoon of milk or a bit more butter and rest the dough chilled for 30 minutes before rolling.
Spreading: If cookies spread too much, chill the dough longer before baking. Also check that your butter was not overly soft when you mixed the dough.
Uneven baking: Rotate the baking sheet halfway through baking and roll dough to an even thickness for consistent results.
Icing not setting: Humidity or extra liquid can prevent icing from firming. Add more powdered sugar to thicken or refrigerate briefly to help it set.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: Read the recipe and measure ingredients before you begin. Having everything ready and at the right temperature makes baking smoother.
- Baking time: Oven temperatures vary. Use an oven thermometer and learn how your oven runs so you can adjust times and temperatures accordingly.
- Make ahead: Dough can be refrigerated for up to a week or frozen for a month, well wrapped. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling. Frosting keeps refrigerated for weeks.
- Shapes: Simple cutters are easier to handle and frost. Intricate shapes may be more delicate and take more care when decorating.
Related recipes you might like:
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Vanilla Sandwich Cookies (with buttercream filling) -
Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
-
Easy Bunny Cookies
-
Black and White Cookies
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Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
Soft vanilla sugar cookies topped with a smooth buttercream. Makes about 30 medium cookies. Prep time: 15 minutes; Cook time: 10 minutes; Refrigeration: 1 hour; Total time: 1 hour 25 minutes.
Ingredients
Sugar cookie dough:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup cream cheese, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Buttercream frosting:
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons milk, more as needed
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- Gel food coloring of choice
- Rainbow sprinkles or colored sanding sugar for decorating
Instructions
Sugar cookie dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together softened butter, granulated sugar, cream cheese, vanilla, almond extract (if using), and the egg until light and fluffy.
- In another bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined and a soft dough forms.
- Lightly flour a clean surface and roll the dough to about 3/8-inch thickness (thinner for crisper cookies). Cut with cookie cutters and place the shapes on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 9–12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to color. Let cool on the sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Pink frosting:
- Whip the powdered sugar, softened butter, and milk with a hand mixer until smooth. Add vanilla and almond extract if using.
- Add gel food coloring one small drop at a time, mixing until color is even. Divide into bowls for multiple shades if desired.
- If the frosting is too thick, add another teaspoon of milk at a time until you reach the desired spreadable consistency.
- Place a spoonful of frosting on each cooled cookie and spread with the back of the spoon. Leave a small border around the edge for a neat finish.
- Top with sprinkles while the frosting is still soft so they adhere well.
Notes
Baking time: Oven temperatures vary. Use an oven thermometer to confirm temperature and adjust baking time as needed. Check cookies a minute or two before the minimum time listed to prevent overbaking.
Frosting color: Choose colors that suit your occasion — pastels for spring, red and pink for Valentine’s Day, greens for St. Patrick’s Day, or patriotic sprinkles for summer celebrations.