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My kids love and request these homemade frosted sugar cookies. I started making this recipe about 5 years ago. After trying out MANY different recipes, this Frosted Sugar Cookie recipe was, by far, our absolute favorite.
How To Make The Perfect Sugar Cookie Glaze
The recipe inspiration originated from none other than the butter queen herself, Paula Deen. It’s not surprising that she makes a killer sugar cookie. I made a few minor changes to the original recipe. The frosting glaze needed more milk added than her original recipe, so I just played around with it to get that perfect spreadable consistency.
You don’t want it too runny or too thick. It should be fairly easy to spread with a knife, but thick enough to harden to a smooth finish. You must be patient and give the glaze a few hours to harden before stacking them, so they don’t smudge.
How To Store Frosted Sugar Cookies
Once the frosted cookies have completely dried, store in an airtight container. Place a sheet of wax paper between each layer. Cookies will keep at room temperature for up to a week. These cookies also freeze beautifully. To freeze cookies, follow the above instructions and freeze for up to 3 months.
Frosted Sugar Cookies
Adapted from Paula Deen’s Animal Shaped Sugar Cookie recipe
Makes about 18 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie cutter
We made pumpkin cookies for our neighborhood pumpkin painting party, and United States cookies for my daughter’s class this weekend.
The kids got to decorate these in class by “labeling” the rivers and mountain ranges. Needless to say, my daughter loved this lesson! These tasty sugar cookies are perfect for any occasion and any season!
Frosted Sugar Cookies (A Kid Favorite)
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted, butter at room temperature 2 sticks
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 2 tsp vanilla extract can use ½ almond extract & ½ vanilla
- 2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour sifted (don't skip the sifting!), plus more for dusting the work surface
- ½ tsp salt
- For the Icing:
- 1 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
- 2 tbsp milk I always add a bit more until the texture is right, if you use food coloring then you can use a little less extra milk
- A few drops of food coloring optional
- *Icing should be thick enough to stick to the back of a spoon but smooth enough to be spreadable.
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer on medium speed.
- Add in the egg and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour and salt, then stir into the butter mixture with the mixer on low.
- Cover dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Line a cookie sheet with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
- On a floured surface, roll out the dough to a ¼ inch thickness and cut into your desired shapes with cookie cutters.
- Place the cookies on the prepared pan and bake for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are starting to turn golden, but not brown.
- These cookies are supposed to not look done when you take them out, but they should be firm and set.
- They will have a soft texture when cooled if they do not bake too long.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool while you prepare the icing.
- To make the icing, sift the sugar into a bowl, add the milk and food coloring (if using) and stir.
- If mixture is too thick, add a little more milk.
- If mixture is too thin, add a little more sugar.
- This is simple to adjust to get the right consistency.
- Spread icing on cookies when they are completely cooled. The icing will set when they are completely dry.
Nutrition
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Wonderful cookies Amee! I am going to give these a try. The pictures look gorgeous!
Joan Hayes
Amee, these cookies are perfect! I’m always looking for fun projects to make with the kids. These are now on “the list!” Pinned.
Amee Livingston
Thank you ladies! 🙂
SkinnyMommy
These are beautiful! I have attempted sugar cookies only once and they were a big fail. I am a terrible baker 😉
Emily Lynne {The Best of this Life}
Those are SUPER cute! Loving the little pumpkins 🙂
Amee Livingston
Thank you Emily! Bree, I bet you are a great baker! I blame it on the recipe. 😉