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Our ALL-TIME favorite frosted sugar cookies are so soft and have the best, creamy frosting with hints of almond!
So Soft and So Good!
We LOVE homemade cookies, especially frosted sugar cookies, but we are very picky about how they should be. They need to be soft, not crunchy, the frosting-to-cookie ratio should be spot on, and hints of almond are always a must!
Fortunately, my mom found the BEST sugar cookie recipe years ago and we’ve been making it ever since! If you love sugar cookies as much as we do, you’ll also love our Sugar Cookie Bars and No Roll Sugar Cookies.
WHY WE LOVE IT:
- Very simple. The steps are simple, PLUS – there’s no need to chill, which makes these frosted cookies even easier (and quicker).
- Celebrations. Adjust the colored frosting and sprinkles for holidays like Easter and Christmas.
- Great for parties! We love to have cookies made in advance and let kids (and adults) frost and decorate them.
Ingredients
PREP TIME: 15 minutes
BAKE TIME: 10 minutes
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened – We use unsalted, but salted can be used just omit the added salt.
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract – or use 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour – How to Measure Flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 4½ cups powdered sugar – sifted to remove lumps
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened – see How to Soften Butter Quickly
- ¼ cup milk – plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring – We prefer gel food coloring
- optional sprinkles
How to Make Frosted Sugar Cookies
- PREP. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease baking sheets and set aside.
- BATTER. Cream ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 ¾ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
- SHAPE. Use a rolling pin to roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅜ inch thick (roll thinner for more crunchy sugar cookies). Cut with cookie cutters (or the top of a cup). Overworking the dough can result in a tough cookie.
- BAKE. Bake on the prepared cookie sheet for 9–12 minutes. Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.
- FROSTING. Mix 4½ cups powdered sugar, ⅓ cup unsalted butter softened, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon (along with food coloring if desired). Add milk as needed to adjust the consistency. Frost cookies and let set before storing. Be sure to check out our Sugar Cookie Frosting recipe for more tips and tricks.
- Other frostings we like:
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Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
- Cream butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, powederd sugar, almond extract, and egg in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅜ inch thick (roll thinner for more crunchy sugar cookies).
- Cut with cookie cutters (or the top of a cup) and bake for 9–12 minutes on the prepared cookie sheet. Let cookies sit on the cookie sheet for a few minutes, then remove to a rack to cool.
Frosting
- Mix powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a medium bowl with a hand mixer. Adjust the consistency by adding a little more milk. Add food coloring, if desired.
- Frost cookies and let set before storing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe FAQ
Dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days or place the wrapped dough in a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 3 months.
Frosting. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 weeks or freeze for 3 months.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frosted, allow frosting to set, and separate layers with wax or parchment paper.
The BEST sugar cookies ever!!!
Hello, I want to ask if 375 is in degree Celsius or Fahrenheit?
It’s in Fahrenheit. 🙂
Tried the recipie. So sticky not firm enough to roll out. Had to grab a glob and flatten with my hand. Big mess. I followed the exact amount of ingredients.
Thanks for the feedback and for giving the recipe a try. Not sure if you tried this, but we like to generously flour the surface of the counter as we roll out, which helps it not seem so sticky and roll out better.
Love that these are soft and have the best flavor. Great sugar cookie! We made them into hearts for valentines but could easily be switched for any occasion. My kids loooved them!
Bars are perfect!! Thank you for letting me know!
This is the only sugar cookie recipe I will use from now on. The Almond flavor is just right and it is a super soft cookie. I keep a bit of flour out until rolling them. This makes it easier since the dough is super soft. Excellent!!
Oh I’m so glad to hear you enjoy the cookies!! Thanks for sharing!
Definitely need to add 1/2 cup- 1 cup extra flour to roll out, but great flavour with the almond and cream cheese!
Thanks for the feedback!! Glad you enjoyed the flavor!
I love these for any occasion. Always come out soft and delicious!
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
These are the softest cookies ever! Full of so much flavor and yummy goodness.
Sry but what is the amount per serving?
It’s about 1 cookie, depending on how big they are made.
I am not a fan of almond, what could I use for a substitute?
You could use vanilla or perhaps even a lemon extract if you like that flavor.