As a child, every Valentine’s morning began with a homemade, heart-shaped cookie: soft and pink with white icing and my name written in the center. These weren’t bakery cookies but my mother’s Best Ever Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting (no chilling required). Topped with a generous swirl of buttercream, those cookies made the holiday feel extra special—more meaningful than any card or boxed candy.
Over time this recipe became a go-to for more than Valentine’s Day. We used it for Christmas, birthdays, baby showers, and any occasion that called for a decorated, chewy sugar cookie. I now make them with my own kids, having adapted and refined my mom’s original formula. The result is a soft, tender sugar cookie with a hint of almond and a fluffy buttercream on top: a small, delicious tradition passed down one cookie at a time.
Quick Look: Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Bake Time: 10 minutes
- Cooling Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 70 minutes
- Servings: 40 cookies (about 3–4 inches each, 1/4 inch thick)
- Calories: ~254 kcal per cookie (approximate)
- Cook Method: Baked on a cookie sheet
- Flavor & Texture: Soft and chewy with a subtle almond note
- Difficulty: Easy — no chilling or complex techniques required
Why You’ll Love This Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Family-Tested and Crowd-Pleasing: These cookies are a family favorite and consistently sell well for our local cottage bakery.
- Custom Texture: Roll them thinner for crisp cookies or thicker for a chewy bite—the same dough adapts well to both.
- Versatile Tradition: Use this recipe for Valentine’s hearts, Christmas shapes, baby showers, and more.
- Kid-Friendly: The dough is easy for children to handle. Give each child a small piece to roll and cut for a fun activity.
Important Ingredients
- Unsalted Butter: Provides richer flavor and a tender, melt-in-your-mouth texture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Use a kitchen scale when possible. Too much flour makes cut-outs crumbly; too little lets them spread.
- Granulated Sugar: Gives classic sweetness and golden edges.
- Eggs: Add structure so the dough rolls and cuts cleanly—use room-temperature eggs for best incorporation.
- Vanilla and Almond Extracts: Vanilla adds warmth; almond extract gives a distinctive bakery-style note. Almond is optional but highly recommended.
- Cream of Tartar: Helps keep the cookies soft and gives a traditional texture. It can be omitted if unavailable.
- Buttercream Frosting: Classic American buttercream finishes these cookies beautifully. Whip the butter well for an airy, pale frosting.
- Baking Powder & Salt: Balance and leavening for a reliable texture.
See the recipe card below for ingredient quantities and full details.
Substitutions
- Butter: Replace part of the butter with vegetable shortening for a paler cookie with less spread.
- Almond Extract: Omit or swap for extra vanilla, lemon, or coconut extract if preferred or needed for allergies.
- Heavy Cream: Use milk in the buttercream if necessary, adding it slowly (one teaspoon at a time) until the desired consistency is reached.
- Cream of Tartar: Optional—omit if you don’t have it. The cookies will still rise with baking powder.
If you want to use sourdough starter or discard, there are sourdough versions of cut-out sugar cookies that adapt this flavor profile while adding a subtle tang.
How to Make the Best Sugar Cookies
Mix the Dough
Step 1: In a stand mixer or with a hand mixer, beat the butter until light. Add granulated sugar and cream together until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each addition. Stir in vanilla and almond extracts and continue mixing until smooth and pale. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (flour, cornstarch, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt) and gently mix them into the butter mixture until a cohesive dough forms. The dough should pull away from the bowl and feel soft but not sticky; if sticky, add 1–2 tablespoons of flour.
No-Chill Sugar Cookies: This dough is designed to be rolled and cut without chilling. If you prefer, you can chill it briefly, but it’s ready to roll right away.
Roll and Cut Out Cookie Dough
Step 2: Divide the dough into several portions. If baking with children, give each child a portion to roll and cut.
Step 3: Lightly flour a pastry mat or countertop. Place a piece of dough on the surface, dust the top lightly with flour or on the rolling pin, and roll to the desired thickness—about 1/4 inch for standard cookies. Roll thinner for crisp cookies or thicker for chewier results.
This recipe yields about 40 three-inch cookies rolled 1/4 inch thick. If you roll them thicker (about 1/2 inch), expect closer to 24–30 cookies.
Step 4: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a cookie cutter to cut shapes and transfer them to the prepared sheet, using a spatula if needed.
Step 5: Place cut cookies on the parchment-lined baking sheet with a little space between each. Re-roll scraps a couple of times to use up the dough; avoid adding too much extra flour when re-rolling.
Note on Spreading: These cookies spread slightly in the oven, which gives them a soft, homemade look perfect for buttercream. If you want sharply defined edges, chill the cut-outs for 20–30 minutes before baking.
Bake the Sugar Cookies
Step 6: Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (regular bake) for about 10–12 minutes, or until just before the bottoms start to brown for a chewy center.
Step 7: Cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack or countertop to cool completely before frosting or freezing.
Freezer Option: Once cooled, cookies stack and freeze well in airtight containers for easy frosting later.
Convection vs. Regular Bake: For the classic soft, chewy texture use a regular bake at 350°F for 10–11 minutes. If using convection, lower the temperature to 325°F and watch closely—cookies often finish in 8–10 minutes.
Mix the Buttercream Frosting
Step 8: Whip room-temperature butter for 3–5 minutes before adding powdered sugar—this lightens the color and creates a fluffy texture. Add powdered sugar gradually along with vanilla, a pinch of salt, almond extract if desired, and 2–4 tablespoons of heavy cream to reach the preferred consistency. Continue whipping until airy and pale.
Step 9: Frost completely cooled cookies. For a clean, professional look, apply a thin base layer of icing and pipe a border around the edge. For textured cookies, dip the frosted tops in sanding sugar before the frosting sets.
This dough also works well with royal icing if you prefer a hard, decorated finish for special occasions.
How to Store and Freeze Sugar Cookies
These cookies freeze exceptionally well at any stage—unfrosted, frosted, or finished—making them ideal to prepare ahead for events.
Freezing Unfrosted Cookies (My favorite)
I often freeze baked cookie bases and frost them when needed.
- To Freeze: Cool completely, stack in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag, and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To Decorate: Frost directly from frozen; the cookies are sturdier and the buttercream sets quickly. They thaw in about an hour.
Freezing Frosted Cookies
You can freeze decorated cookies too if you want to get everything done in advance.
- Flash Freeze: Place frosted cookies on a sheet in a single layer until the frosting is firm (about 30 minutes).
- Store: Stack with parchment between layers and store in an airtight container wrapped to prevent freezer burn.
- Serve: Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours while still covered.
Storing at Room Temperature
For same-week enjoyment, store frosted or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. American buttercream firms slightly and helps cookies remain stackable and presentable.
Amy’s Recipe Tips
Whip the Buttercream: Whip butter 3–5 minutes before adding powdered sugar for a pale, fluffy buttercream.
Use Gel Colors: Gel food colors give vibrant hues without thinning the frosting; liquid colors can make buttercream runny when used heavily.
Classic Heart Look: For the signature heart cookie, spread a thin layer of pink icing and pipe a crisp white border around the edge.
Dunk for Texture: Dunk frosted cookies in sanding sugar for sparkle and a pleasant crunch, or use jimmies for fun when decorating with kids.
Freezer Secret: These cookies are easiest to frost while frozen—bake, freeze, then decorate as needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Store the dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days (bring to room temperature briefly before rolling) or freeze raw dough for up to 3 months.
Yes. Gather scraps into a ball and roll again a couple of times. Avoid adding too much extra flour; only add a little if the dough is sticky.
No, chilling isn’t required. If your kitchen is very warm or you want very sharp edges for royal icing, chilling for 15–30 minutes can help.
Too much flour is the most common cause. For consistent results, use a kitchen scale. If using measuring cups, judge the dough by feel so it’s not too dry or sticky.
Yes. There are sourdough-discard versions of sugar cookies that work well with similar flavors and textures.
If you try these Best Ever Sugar Cookies, please leave a star rating and a comment to let me know how they turned out. Happy baking!
Best Ever Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Best Ever Sugar Cookies
- 340 grams unsalted butter (3 sticks or 1 1/2 cups), room temperature
- 400 grams granulated sugar (about 2 cups)
- 3 large eggs (about 150 grams)
- 8 grams vanilla extract (about 2 teaspoons)
- 4 grams almond extract (about 1 teaspoon), optional
- 750 grams all-purpose flour (about 5–6 cups)
- 60 grams cornstarch (about 6 tablespoons)
- 10 grams baking powder (about 2 teaspoons)
- 5 grams cream of tartar (about 1 teaspoon), optional
- 7 grams salt (about 1 teaspoon)
Buttercream Frosting
- 226 grams unsalted butter (about 1 cup), room temperature
- 480 grams powdered sugar (about 4 cups)
- 4 grams vanilla extract (about 1 teaspoon)
- 2 grams almond extract (about 1/2 teaspoon), optional
- 2–4 tablespoons heavy cream, as needed
Instructions
Best Ever Sugar Cookies
- In a stand mixer, beat butter until light. Add granulated sugar and cream. Add eggs one at a time and mix until incorporated. Add vanilla and almond extracts and beat until fluffy and pale.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, and cream of tartar.
- Mix dry ingredients into the butter mixture until combined and a cohesive dough forms.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (regular bake) or 325°F (convection). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour a countertop or pastry mat. Divide dough into pieces and roll to about 1/4 inch thick (1/8 inch for crisper cookies). Use cookie cutters to cut shapes.
- Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes (or 325°F convection for 8–9 minutes). For crisper cookies, add another minute or two. Cool completely before frosting or freezing.
- To freeze unfrosted cookies: cool completely, stack in an airtight container, and freeze. Frost straight from frozen when ready.
Buttercream Frosting
- Whip room-temperature butter until light and airy.
- Add powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract (optional), and 2 tablespoons heavy cream. Increase cream up to 4 tablespoons if needed to reach desired consistency.
- Whip until light, creamy, and paler in color. Frost cooled or frozen cookies, pipe borders if desired, and enjoy.
Notes
Freezing: Cookies freeze well frosted or unfrosted. For frosted cookies, flash-freeze until the icing is firm before stacking. Thaw at room temperature covered before serving.
Spreading: These cookies spread a little, which suits buttercream-decorated cookies. Chill dough briefly for firmer edges if needed.
Frosting Quantity: This amount of buttercream will lightly frost the batch. Make 1.5 times or double the frosting if you plan to pipe tall borders or heavy decorations.
Nutrition
Calories: 254 kcal per cookie (approximate). Nutrition values are calculated automatically and should be considered an estimate.