Walmart-Style Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting (Printable)
Soft, bakery-style sugar cookies with creamy buttercream frosting, perfect for parties and sweet treats.
# What You'll Need:
→ Sugar 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 in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Add egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until fully incorporated. Mix in sour cream until smooth.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until soft dough forms. Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for minimum 1 hour.
05 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
06 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 2.5-inch circles and place on prepared baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
07 - Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges are set but not browned. Cool completely on wire rack before frosting.
08 - Beat softened butter until creamy. Gradually add sifted powdered sugar, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla, salt, and cream; beat on high 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
09 - Once cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe frosting generously on top. Add sprinkles if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The sour cream secret makes these impossibly soft without being cakey or dense
- Buttercream that tastes exactly like the bakery version you grew up loving
- These stay fresh for days which is saying something for homemade sugar cookies
02 -
- Overbaking by even one minute ruins that soft bakery texture
- Room temperature ingredients create the smoothest frosting
- Chilling dough is not optional unless you want flat sad cookies
03 -
- Roll dough between two sheets of parchment paper to prevent sticking
- Chill baked cookies before frosting to prevent melting