Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies

Name: Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Ingredients: 1 cup butter, softened ((dairy free or regular)); 1 cup granulated sugar; 1 egg; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; ¾ teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 2½ cups all-purpose flour (SEE NOTES); ¾ cup butter, softened ((regular or dairy free)); ½ teaspoon vanilla extract; ⅛ teaspoon salt; 1½ cup powdered sugar (icing/confectioners sugar) ((plus more as needed))

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These buttercream frosted sugar cookies are going to make all of your cookie dreams come true! These soft sugar cookies are topped with the best vanilla buttercream. Plus, you only need 9 ingredients and they're ready in 20 minutes!

Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies on a baking tray

Similar to Lofthouse cookies, these buttercream frosted sugar cookies will bring joy to literally everyone! I love making frosted sugar cookies for bake sales, birthday parties, and other family celebrations! You can also add some food coloring to the frosting to make them festive for Christmas or Halloween!

Just like my soft almond sugar cookies, these buttercream frosted sugar cookies are super soft, buttery, and delicious.

Why You'll Love These Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies

You only need 9 simple ingredients to make them, which I’m guessing you’ve already got in your pantry!
There is zero cookie dough chill time.
It takes just 10 minutes to prepare both the cookies and the frosting - it is seriously that easy!
Customize these cookies for holidays and special occasions all year long by using different food coloring for the frosting and decorating them with fun sprinkles!
You can easily make these cookies dairy free and vegan, so they’re perfect for those with food allergies!

Ingredients Needed

Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies ingredients in bowls

Egg: This recipe uses one egg, but if you’re vegan you can use a flax egg instead.
Butter: feel free to use regular butter or vegan butter if you’re dairy free or vegan.
Flour: I’m using all purpose flour in this cookie recipe.
Vanilla Extract: since these are vanilla sugar cookies, I recommend using a good quality vanilla extract to get that real vanilla flavor.

Step by Step Instructions

Note: Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of this page.

Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies process in four steps

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°Fahrenheit and line two baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

Step 2: In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 3: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a handheld mixer, combine the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

Step 4: Add the egg and vanilla extract and mix until just combined.

Step 5: Mix in the dry ingredients until just combined.

Step 6: Use a cookie scoop or a spoon to scoop out 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough and place on the baking sheets, keeping the cookie dough balls 4-5 inches apart.

Step 7: Bake one sheet at a time for 8-11 minutes. The edges should look set but the middles will look soft. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 8: Once the cookies are cool, make the buttercream. In a medium bowl, combine the butter, vanilla extract, salt and powdered sugar. Add more powdered sugar if needed.

Step 9: Frost the cookies! You can also add sprinkles if you wish.

FAQs and Expert Tips

I’m vegan, how do I make a flax egg for this recipe?

Mix 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 2 ½ tablespoons of warm water in a bowl. Set aside until it becomes very thick and gelatinous, this usually takes 15 minutes.

Why are my cookies hard?

If your sugar cookies came out hard, you may have added too much flour, over-worked the cookie dough, or over-baked the cookies.

Can I make these cookies without the frosting?

You sure can, just skip the buttercream and have these soft vanilla sugar cookies as is!

four Buttercream Frosted Sugar Cookies stacked on top of each other

Expert Tips

I always recommend using a weighing scale when you’re baking! It is so easy to add too much flour, leading to dry and crumbly cookies. If you don’t have a weighing scale on hand, then use the scoop and level method to measure the flour. Use a fork or spoon to fluff up the floor, then spoon the flour into your measuring cup. Use a knife to level off the flour.
Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, stop mixing as soon as there are no more streaks of flour. It’s easy to overwork the cookie dough, giving you dry cookies.
If your buttercream isn’t as thick as you would like, feel free to add some more powdered sugar until it’s the consistency you want!
Keep an eye on the cookies in the oven so they don’t bake for too long! You want the middles to still look slightly under-baked.
Only make the buttercream once the cookies are completely cool, otherwise the buttercream will melt right off.
Add a few drops of food coloring to the buttercream, I love making purple frosting for Halloween and red and green for Christmas!

Storage and Freezing Instructions

Store these buttercream frosted sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days, or in the fridge.

To freeze, place the cookies in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.

More Cookie Recipes You'll Love

If you make this recipe, let me know how it went in the comments below, I’d love to hear from you! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!

The calorie information provided for this recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.