Frosted Sugar Cake Cookies
35 min
|
easy
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
These soft, cake-style sugar cookies wear a creamy pink vanilla frosting and rainbow sprinkles, like the bakery-case Lofthouse classics but fresher, buttery, and boosted with a whisper of almond.
Perfect for birthdays, bake sales, or a Friday pick-me-up, they use pantry staples, the frosting sets enough to stack and travel, and there is no piping bag or drama required.
Ingredients (24 servings)
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Ingredients for the Cookies:
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.69 lb
- 1 tsp baking powder baking powder 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp salt salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 8 oz
- 1 cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 2 tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 2 tsp
- ¼ tsp almond extract almond extract 0.04 fl oz
Ingredients for the Frosting:
- 2 cups powdered sugar powdered sugar 8.82 oz
- 3 Tbsp whole milk (adjust for consistency) whole milk 1.5 fl oz
- ½ tsp vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 0.5 tsp
- pink food coloring pink food coloring 1 null
- rainbow sprinkles rainbow sprinkles 0.4 oz
How to Make Frosted Sugar Cake Cookies
-
Preheat and prep pans
Heat the oven to 350 F and line two light-colored baking sheets with parchment.
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Whisk dry ingredients
In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until evenly blended.
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Cream butter and sugar
In a large bowl beat the softened butter and granulated sugar on medium-high until very pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Add egg and extracts
Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until fully combined and silky.
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Combine wet and dry
Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients in two additions just until no dry streaks remain.
If you want extra puffy cookies, cover and chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes until scoopable but not firm.
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Portion and bake
Scoop 1.5 tablespoon mounds onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake 9 to 11 minutes until edges look set and tops are matte but still pale with no browning.
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Cool properly
Let cookies rest on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
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Mix the frosting
Whisk powdered sugar, milk, and vanilla until smooth, then adjust with a few drops more milk for a soft spreadable consistency.
Tint with pink food coloring a drop at a time until you hit your shade.
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Frost and decorate
Spread or pipe frosting over cooled cookies, add rainbow sprinkles immediately, and let set 20 to 30 minutes until the surface is lightly crusted.
Substitutions
- Almond extract -> Lemon zest or more vanilla
- Swap the almond extract for 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest for a bright, bakery-fresh vibe, or use an extra 1/2 teaspoon vanilla for pure vanilla warmth without the nutty note.
- Pink food coloring -> Freeze-dried strawberry powder
- Use 1 to 2 teaspoons finely ground freeze-dried strawberry powder for a natural pink hue that adds real berry flavor and a subtle tang that plays beautifully with the frosting sweetness.
- Milk in frosting -> Heavy cream or non-dairy milk
- Heavy cream makes the frosting extra lush and stable with a richer finish, while unsweetened almond or oat milk keeps things dairy-free without changing the look or set.
Tips
- Cream until pale for that cake crumb
- Proper creaming traps air, which lifts the cookies for that soft, cakey texture, so do not stop until the butter-sugar mix is noticeably lighter in color.
- Measure flour like a pro
- Use 320 grams of flour if you have a scale, or fluff, spoon, and level to avoid packing too much flour, which makes cookies dry and tough.
- Mind the oven heat
- Bake on the center rack with one sheet at a time and rotate at 7 minutes if your oven has hot spots for even lift and color.
- Chill for thicker cookies
- A short 20 to 30 minute chill firms the butter just enough to reduce spread and give you a higher dome without drying the crumb.
- Dial in frosting consistency
- Aim for a ribbon that disappears back into the bowl in about 10 seconds so it spreads smoothly and sets with a clean sheen.
- Use the right sheet and liner
- Light-colored aluminum sheets with parchment prevent over-browning on the bottoms and keep edges soft.
- Freeze smart
- Scoop dough onto a tray, freeze solid, then bag and bake from frozen adding 1 to 2 minutes, or freeze baked unfrosted cookies and frost day-of for best texture.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 229 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 4 | g |
| Total Fat | 8 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 36 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- Why did my cookies spread too much?
- Your butter was likely too warm or you over-creamed and warmed the dough, so chill 20 to 30 minutes and make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking.
- Why are my cookies dry or crumbly?
- Too much flour or overmixing after the flour went in will dry the dough, so weigh your flour and mix just until combined for a tender crumb.
- My cookies browned on top, what happened?
- The oven ran hot or the rack was too high, so bake on the center rack at 350 F and pull them while still pale with just-set edges.
- The frosting is too runny or too thick, how do I fix it?
- Whisk in powdered sugar a tablespoon at a time to thicken or add milk by the teaspoon to loosen until it slowly ribbons off the spoon.
- Can I make these as cut-out cookies?
- This dough is designed for soft drop cookies, so for shapes add 2 to 3 tablespoons more flour and chill 1 hour, then roll between parchment and bake until just set.
- How should I store the cookies?
- Keep frosted cookies in a single layer until set, then store in an airtight container at room temperature up to 3 days with parchment between layers.
Serving Suggestions
Big mood pairing with these soft pink beauties is a strong iced coffee or a cup of hot black tea, which cuts through the sweetness and lets the vanilla sing.
For a birthday twist fold 1/3 cup sprinkles into the dough for confetti cookies, or add a pinch of fine sea salt on the frosting to sharpen the flavors and keep everyone reaching for seconds.
More pairings:
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