Frosted Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe

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Today, my baby turns 11. How in the world did that happen? It just seems like yesterday we were putting his crib together and preparing for our bundle of joy to arrive, giving him his first bath in the hospital and marveling over our miracle, snuggling in the rocking chair and singing lullabies, reading Goodnight Moon every single night without being able to skip even the brush, and teaching him how to ride a bicycle with tears streaming down my face as he took off.

Years really do flash by in a blink, don’t they?

Knowing how much he loves frosted soft sugar cookies, I knew they’d make a great birthday cookie cake. He’s loved frosted soft sugar cookies since the morning I wheeled him past the bakery at our local Publix and the sweetest lady in charge of the bakery asked if he could have a cookie. She picked out a soft sugar cookie topped with white frosting and blue and red sprinkles. I’ll never forget the sprinkles, because he looked at them and waited until I picked one off and ate it before he would eat it.

As I pushed him through the store, he kept saying, “Mmmmmm” and closing his eyes with each bite he took. That started his love affair with these cookies.

For years, I refused to learn a recipe to make them, because I knew I loved them just as much as he did and wouldn’t be satisfied with just one.

Later though, I decided that the Publix bakery really shouldn’t get the memory of a favorite cookie. So, I tried numerous recipes for making them and finally found one that he approved. His soft sugar cookie stamp of approval was hard-earned and oh-so worth it!

For his birthday this year, I decided to make him a frosted soft sugar cookie cake. I used my frosted soft sugar cookie recipe and made vanilla bean buttercream frosting for the top.

Perfection!

Here’s the recipe for my Frosted Soft Sugar Cookies that you can easily make into a cookie cake for a special occasion.

Frosted Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe

5 from 1 vote
The frosted sugar cookies are so light and fluffy, it is hard to not call them cake! Topped with a delicious frosting, they are always a hit!
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 12

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

  • 1 1/2 cups (339 g) butter, softened
  • 1 1/2 cups (297 g) granulated sugar
  • 3 large (150 g) eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons (21 g) vanilla extract
  • 4 1/2 cups (540 g) all-purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons (16 g) baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) kosher salt

For the Frosting:

  • 1 cup (226 g) butter, softened
  • 3 cups (341 g) confectioners sugar, sifted
  • 1 tablespoon (15 g) vanilla bean paste
  • 3 tablespoons (43 g) half and half, divided
  • sprinkles, optional

Instructions 

For the Cookies:

  • Cream together butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time and combine well. Increase speed of mixer after both eggs have been incorporated. Add in vanilla.
  • In a large bowl, mix together dry ingredients through salt with a whisk. Using the paddle attachment of mixer, gradually incorporate dry ingredients into butter mixture until all has been combined.
  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Scoop 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place onto baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
  • Gently press cookie dough with the palm of your hand to flatten.
  • Place into preheated oven and back for 10 minutes. Do not overbake.
  • Remove from oven and allow to cool on baking sheet while making frosting.
  • For the Cake:
  • Spray a 9-inch skillet or cake pan with non-stick cooking spray. Pour cookie dough into skillet or pan and gently spread evenly to all edges of pan.
  • Bake for 12-15 minutes or just until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cookie cake comes out clean.
  • Set aside while making frosting.

Cookie Frosting – Vanilla Bean Buttercream

  • In a large bowl, cream butter. Gradually add confectioner’s sugar at 1/2 cup a time. After each cup has been added, increase speed of mixer to incorporate more air. Once all sugar has been added, add in vanilla bean paste and mix well.
  • Gradually add half and half, one tablespoon at a time until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
  • Spread frosting on top of cooled cookies or cookie cake.
  • Decorate with sprinkles (optional) and serve!

Notes

If you do not have Vanilla Bean Paste, you can simply substitute vanilla extract.

Nutrition

Calories: 756kcal | Carbohydrates: 92g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 41g | Saturated Fat: 25g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 149mg | Sodium: 424mg | Potassium: 222mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 56g | Vitamin A: 1263IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 88mg | Iron: 3mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

I hope these cookies bring as many special memories to your family as they do for ours.

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About Robyn

Robyn Stone is a cookbook author, wife, mom, and passionate home cook. Her tested and trusted recipes give readers the confidence to cook recipes the whole family will love. Robyn has been featured on Food Network, People, Southern Living, and more.

5 from 1 vote

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Recipe Review




15 Comments

  1. Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says:

    Aww happy birthday! What a fun and tasty treat for him on his special day!

  2. Angela @ AnotherBitePlease says:

    Happy birthday to your boy!! Frosted sugar cookies…yum…I lack the patience most times to make cookies then to frost…so the cookie cake is perfect for me ๐Ÿ˜‰

  3. Jean (Lemons and Anchovies) says:

    Happy Birthday to your young man! What a treat to have a cake made out of his favorite cookie. Very pretty!

  4. Jessica@AKitchenAddiction says:

    I love soft sugar cookies! Happy birthday to your boy!!

  5. Amanda says:

    What a great idea!!! This cake is beautiful and I so hope your little man has a fantastic birthday!

    1. Amanda says:

      What she said. ๐Ÿ˜‰

  6. Mandie @ Oh So Decadent says:

    I LOVE THOSE COOKIES! I’ve been through the same crisis you have, where I doubted any recipe would compare to the packaged, artificial ones. I’m so glad you found one that measured up. I’ll definitely be giving this a try :).

  7. Cookbook Queen says:

    Such a perfect cake, Robyn. Happy birthday to your sweet boy!!

  8. Elizabeth@ Food Ramblings says:

    Happy 11th Birthday to your kiddo!

  9. Jen @ Savory Simple says:

    These look like the perfect way to celebrate an 11th birthday. Or any birthday ๐Ÿ™‚

  10. Jocelyn says:

    What a fun memory of the cookies you have…cute how he savored it the whole way through the store! And a cookie cake? That is so cool that you made the cookie dough into a pie. And the first picture with the candle…gorgeous!!!