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Make Swig’s famous sugar cookies from home with this copycat recipe! These Copycat Swig Cookies are THICK and delicious, topped with a creamy frosting.
Swig cookies are the ultimate side-kick to your drink of choice. If it’s not Diet Coke, you can always try Pineapple Pink Lemonade Soda or a Cherry Limeade! 😉
Just Like Swig!
Have you had Swig Cookies before? If you don’t live in Arizona or Utah, you may not even know what Swig is. It’s a soda shop, but they also sell the BEST cookies! My mom says the sugar cookies are her favorite.
We made our own version at home today, and they turned out just like the real thing! The cookies are super thick, and they’re even better with the pink frosting on top. We used a hint of almond extract in it, and the flavor was perfect.
When we make these close to Valentine’s Day, we like to add some festive sprinkles on top of the pink frosting. They’re the perfect treat to gift to friends and neighbors!
How to Make swig sugar cookies
DOUGH. Begin by creaming together butter, oil, sugars, water and eggs in your mixer. Mix for a few minutes until well combined. In a separate bowl, combine dry ingredients and slowly add to butter mixture. Mix all ingredients until they are well combined. Dough should not be sticky.
ROLL. Roll dough into 1.5 inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.
PRESS. To give the cookies their cracked edges, place ¼ cup sugar and a pinch of salt in a separate bowl. Place the bottom of a glass into this mixture and then press it onto your ball of dough. Press cookies until they are a bit wider than the glass bottom diameter.
*Note: The diameter of the bottom of the glass I used was 2.5 inches. I pressed the cookies until they were about 3 inches in diameter.
BAKE. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. The cookies end up being about 3.5 inches in diameter after being baked. Let them cool and place them in the fridge.
FROSTING. For the frosting, mix butter, sour cream, powdered sugar, salt, 1 drop food coloring and almond extract. Mix well and add the desired amount of milk you want to get the thickness you want. (I only added a few tablespoons.) Spread frosting on cookies right before serving.
Make ’em Authentic!
At Swig, these cookies are actually kept in the freezer until ready to serve. Then they take one out and frost it for the customer. If you have never had it this way you definitely need to give it a try!
You can spread the frosting with a butter knife or a flat spatula (which is what they do at Swig). Swig cookies are known by their classic plain frosting, but you could pipe something fancy if you want to get creative!
Variations and Storing
You can change up the flavor of these cookies by trying the following:
- Lemon version: Add 1 tbsp of lemon zest to the dough. After frosting the cookies add a bit of lemon zest to the top.
- Chocolate version: Add in ¾ cup of cocoa powder to the dough.
- Coconut Cookie: Use 1.5 tsp of coconut extract instead of almond and add a splash of it to the frosting as well.
You don’t have to STORE Swig cookies in the fridge or freezer, but you can if you like them served cold. They can also be stored at room temperature. Just be sure they are in a ziplock bag or airtight container. They should last for 3 weeks.
These swig cookies are great for FREEZING! Especially because Swig themselves serve them straight from the freezer. Just make the cookies and let them cool. Then place them (unfrosted) on a cookie sheet and freeze for 1 hour. Once frozen, place them in a freezer safe airtight container or ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. When ready to serve pull them out of the freezer and frost them.
Leftover frosting can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature before using.
For more delicious sugar cookie recipes, try:
- Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
- No Roll Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Sugar Cookies
- Valentine Sugar Cookies
Copycat Swig Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
Cookie
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1¼ cup sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 5½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup sugar
Frosting
- 6 tablespoons butter, room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 4 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-2 drops pink food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and lightly grease a cookie sheet. Set aside.
- In the stand of a mixer, cream together butter, oil, sugars, sour cream, and eggs. Mix until well combined and fluffy.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Slowly add to your creamed mixture and mix until combined.
- Roll dough into 1½ inch balls and place on a greased cookie sheet.
- Place ¼ cup sugar in a separate bowl. Lightly grease the bottom of a glass with cooking spray. Dip the bottom of the glass into the sugar and then press down onto each dough ball to make it about 3 inches in diameter to give the cookies their cracked edges.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes and let sit on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a cookie rack.
Frosting
- While the cookies are cooling, cream the butter, powdered sugar, 1 drop of food coloring, and vanilla extract. Mix well and add the desired amount of milk to get it the desired thickness. I add 3-4 tablespoons.
- Spread frosting on cookies right before serving.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe adapted from Vintage Revivals.
I have never visited a Swig soda shop (we don’t have them here in the Midwest) but I came across this recipe and decided to try it. I’m always looking for a good frosted sugar cookie recipe as they are my son’s favorite. Most recipes I have tried fall short, but this one is the best I’ve ever made. I keep the baked cookies in the freezer and the frosting in the refrigerator and frost as we go, so to speak. Thank you for sharing this recipe– it’s a total winner!
Oh I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! Yay!! That’s also a great idea to frost as you go!
How long do they stay fresh in the fridge?
I’d say for a few days. My favorite is to freeze them though. Then when you’re ready to eat, set them out on the counter for just a little to thaw and they taste as fresh as the day you baked them! They’ll last in the freezer for about 3 months.
I can’t compare these to an actual swig cookie because I haven’t had theirs, but I thought this recipe was pretty good.
I tried this sugar cookie at Swig when I was driving through Utah to Arizona last year. It was pretty good! And I have to say this recipe turned out exactly! It’s a great copycat and such yummy sugar cookie flavor. The only thing I did in addition was to serve it “almost-frozen” because when we ordered through the drive through, that’s how COLD they were! Sounds odd to say… but it was so refreshing to have a delicious COLD cookie in the middle of a hot summer day!
That’s awesome! Yes, they do keep their cookies very cold and they are a fun “refreshing” treat! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Some of the best cookies on the planet!! So happy to be able to make them from the comfort of my home! And, they taste even better!
Thank you!! Couldn’t agree more. 🙂
These are my all time favorite cookie! I love the light and flakiness! The are perfect for a shower or any party. We love to make them to share with our neighbors too.
I love that it just doesn’t look appetizing but it also taste really delicious! Thank you so much for sharing this cookies recipe! plus, it’s really easy to make! Good Job~
You’re welcome!! So glad to hear that you enjoyed the cookies!
Yay! I can save money & gas from going to Swig all the time now! These are delicious & taste even better, right out of the oven. The house smells amazing!
Love these sugar cookies. So buttery and yummy.
I keep this tab always open in my safari because I finally found a really good copycat swig recipe!