I have to admit that I have a love hate relationship with decorated frosted sugar cookies. I LOVE the way they look and I LOVE to eat them–but I hate all the time they take and the mess in my kitchen when I am done. So if I am going to take the time and effort to make them, they better taste as good as they look. Some people use royal frosting (made with egg whites or meringue powder) to get that amazing professional looking decorated cookie. They are beautiful cookies, but I don’t think that frosting tastes good. I wanted to find a recipe that still looked great, but also tasted great! I think this recipe is the best of both worlds!
These sugar cookies are so good–and you can still get the pretty glazed look by piping an outline around the cookie with frosting in a pastry bag and then “flooding” or filling in the outline with frosting that you have thinned a little.
See the Valentine cookies below for that technique. The Christmas cookies, I decorated using a frosting bag and decorating tips…but of course they would be cute just frosted with a knife too!!
You can notice in the picture above that I did that with the white and red frosting. I left the pink frosting pretty thick and so they look like the traditional frosted sugar cookie while the others look glazed. The end result was a very messy kitchen–but oh my these cookies were so GOOD and cute:) So while I won’t be making these often, I am happy that I have found the perfect recipe for when I am in the mood!
PrintMy FAVORITE Frosted Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 1 egg, beaten
- 1 ½ t. almond extract
- 1 t. vanilla
- 1 t. salt
- 2 ½ c. sifted flour
Powdered Sugar Glaze–This frosting will harden upon standing, giving cookies a glazed surface.
- 2½ cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp milk
- 2 Tbsp butter, softened
- ½ tsp almond extract
- Food coloring optional
Instructions
- Cream butter. Add powdered sugar. Blend in egg, almond extract, vanilla, salt and flour. Chill dough until firm. Roll to ¼” thickness on well-floured surface. Cut with cookie cutters. Place on greased cookie sheets. Bake at 375° for 8-10 min. Cookies should not brown. Frost and decorate when cool. Yields ~approx 2 dozen cookies.
Glaze:
- In small mixer bowl, combine the powdered sugar, milk, butter, and extract. Beat at medium speed until smooth, adding additional milk, if necessary, to reach the desired spreading or “flooding” consistency. Color with food coloring, if desired
You can see in the picture that I had the red and white frosting thinned enough for the flooding technique, but the pink was still too thick. They still tasted great–but the pink was too thick to “flood” or fill in the outline, so I ended up spreading it.
These turned out very tasty! And I had a lot of fun ‘flooding’ the cookies with the thinned out frosting. It worked really well. The kids had a lot of fun choosing the shapes they wanted to use. We each took a turn choosing different shapes. 🙂 Thanks for the fun and delicious recipe. 🙂
These turned out very tasty! And I had a lot of fun ‘flooding’ the cookies with the thinned out frosting. It worked really well. The kids had a lot of fun choosing the shapes they wanted to use. We each took a turn choosing different shapes. 🙂 Thanks for the fun and delicious recipe. 🙂
I have eaten more frosted sugar cookies than I'd like to admit this weekend and even after all that and how gross and fat they've made me feel, after reading this, I want to eat more! ahhh. I think I have a problem. haha
I have eaten more frosted sugar cookies than I'd like to admit this weekend and even after all that and how gross and fat they've made me feel, after reading this, I want to eat more! ahhh. I think I have a problem. haha
I totally agree..the royal icing looks awesome but tastes pretty yucky. Your cookies are adorable!
I totally agree..the royal icing looks awesome but tastes pretty yucky. Your cookies are adorable!
These are beautiful, Melanie! I love them! I don't make sugar cookies often either, but I am definitely going to try these!
These are beautiful, Melanie! I love them! I don't make sugar cookies often either, but I am definitely going to try these!
Beautiful cookies, Melanie! I've been looking for a frosting that will set up for the glazed look but doesn't taste nasty. Can't wait to try this!
Beautiful cookies, Melanie! I've been looking for a frosting that will set up for the glazed look but doesn't taste nasty. Can't wait to try this!
I'm glad you found an icing that tastes good- I totally agree about royal icing. Your cookies are adorable, I can't wait to try this recipe!
I'm glad you found an icing that tastes good- I totally agree about royal icing. Your cookies are adorable, I can't wait to try this recipe!
I cna see why this is your favorite. These cookies look amazing and almost too good to eat.
I cna see why this is your favorite. These cookies look amazing and almost too good to eat.
Love your site! I wanted to make cookies w/my kiddos today and I agree that the work better be worth the end product 🙂 Is your sugar cookie recipe one that is soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy?
Love your site! I wanted to make cookies w/my kiddos today and I agree that the work better be worth the end product 🙂 Is your sugar cookie recipe one that is soft and chewy or crisp and crunchy?
What darling cookies! I love the cursive writing on them and the scalloped edge…beautiful! Ironically the laurel teacher brought similar cookies to church yesterday for the girls to decorate so I got to try the flooding technique for the first time – really cool! I can't wait to try your yummy recipe. i agree that if you're going to go to all that effort they better taste wonderful! 🙂 I can say they definitey look gorgeous!
What darling cookies! I love the cursive writing on them and the scalloped edge…beautiful! Ironically the laurel teacher brought similar cookies to church yesterday for the girls to decorate so I got to try the flooding technique for the first time – really cool! I can't wait to try your yummy recipe. i agree that if you're going to go to all that effort they better taste wonderful! 🙂 I can say they definitey look gorgeous!
Hi Melanie-
These are adorable. I will have to try them for sure. BTW.. I love your blog.. I read it often..so wonderful.. thanks for sharing your recipes… they are always delicious.
Lisa (Smart)
Hi Melanie-
These are adorable. I will have to try them for sure. BTW.. I love your blog.. I read it often..so wonderful.. thanks for sharing your recipes… they are always delicious.
Lisa (Smart)