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Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting Recipe

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★★★★★

4.6 from 65 reviews

These Soft Sugar Cookies are tender, thick, and perfectly sweet, enhanced with cream cheese and almond extract for a subtle richness. Ideal for cutting into fun shapes and decorating with your favorite frosting, they stay soft and delicious for days.

Ingredients

Scale

Cookie Dough Ingredients

  • 3/4 cup salted butter, softened (1 and 1/2 sticks)
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 & 3/4 teaspoons almond extract
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

Instructions

  1. Beat Butter: In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until soft and fluffy.
  2. Add Cream Cheese: Add the softened cream cheese and beat for 1 minute until well incorporated into the butter.
  3. Add Sugar: Mix in the granulated sugar and beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy.
  4. Add Egg and Extracts: Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully combined. Scrape the bowl sides and bottom with a spatula.
  5. Add Salt and Flour: Add salt and flour and beat just until combined, scraping the bowl again. Avoid overmixing to prevent tough dough. The dough will be sticky.
  6. Chill Dough: Transfer dough onto plastic wrap, cover tightly, and refrigerate for 2 hours or overnight, or freeze for 1-2 hours. Splitting dough in halves speeds chilling.
  7. Preheat Oven: Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
  8. Prepare Baking Sheets: Line 2-3 baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.
  9. Prepare Work Surface: Lightly flour your work surface to prevent sticking.
  10. Portion Dough: If not already done, split dough in half and refrigerate unused half.
  11. Roll Dough: Using floured hands, flatten dough slightly and roll out to about 3/8 inch thickness, ensuring cookies remain thick and soft.
  12. Cut Shapes: Lightly flour cookie cutters and press firmly into dough. Remove excess dough carefully for clean edges, then place cut-outs on baking sheets 1 inch apart.
  13. Chill Cut-Outs: If cookies soften, chill baking sheets for a few minutes before baking.
  14. Re-roll Dough: Gather scraps, knead briefly, roll again to 3/8 inch thickness, and continue cutting. Refrigerate dough as needed.
  15. Bake Cookies: Bake at 350°F for 9 minutes for smaller cookies, 10-11 minutes for larger. Avoid browning; bottoms should be barely browned.
  16. Cool Cookies: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to an airtight container until completely cooled.
  17. Frosting: Decorate cooled cookies with your favorite buttercream frosting or royal icing.

Notes

  • Do not overmix the dough once flour is added to keep cookies soft.
  • Chilling the dough is essential to make rolling and cutting easier and to maintain cookie shape during baking.
  • Keep cookies thick (about 3/8 inch) for a soft texture; thin cookies will crisp.
  • Use floured hands and cutters to prevent sticking and help with clean shapes.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and fresh.
  • For best results, bake all cookies of the same size and shape together to ensure even baking times.

Keywords: soft sugar cookies, cream cheese sugar cookies, thick sugar cookies, almond extract cookies, holiday sugar cookies, cut-out sugar cookies

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/soft-sugar-cookies-with-buttercream-frosting-recipe/