Walmart-Style Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting (Print Version)
Soft sugar cookies with creamy buttercream frosting, just like the bakery version.
# What You'll Need:
→ Cookie Dough
01 - 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
06 - 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
07 - 1 large egg
08 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
09 - 1/4 cup sour cream
→ Buttercream Frosting
10 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
13 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Food coloring (optional)
16 - Sprinkles (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar together in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Beat until fully incorporated, then mix in the sour cream until smooth.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until a soft, uniform dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
07 - On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 2.5-inch circles and place on prepared baking sheets 2 inches apart.
08 - Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are just set and cookies remain pale. Cool completely on wire racks.
09 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat on high for 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
10 - Once cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe frosting generously on top. Add food coloring if desired and decorate with sprinkles.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sour cream creates an incredibly tender crumb that stays soft for days, unlike traditional sugar cookies that can turn hard and brittle
- That bakery style frosting is thick enough to pipe beautifully but still melts in your mouth, exactly like the ones you remember from childhood
02 -
- Chilling the dough is mandatory, not optional. Warm dough spreads too much and loses that thick bakery style shape
- These cookies continue cooking on the hot baking sheet, so pull them out when the centers still look slightly underdone
03 -
- For uniformly sized cookies, use a kitchen scale to weigh each portion of dough before rolling
- If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in both the cookie and frosting by half