These pink frosted sugar cookies are thick, soft, and topped with a swirl of almond buttercream tinted a bright pink.
Each cookie starts as a 1/4 cup scoop of dough, gets pressed slightly, and bakes in about 12 minutes. The edges stay pale and the centers stay soft, and chilling the frosted cookies makes the frosting firm and the cookie even softer. The batch makes 12 large cookies and takes about 2 hours including cooling.
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Why This Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe Works
A full cup of butter beaten with sugar until fluffy gives the dough its tender, cake-like crumb. Baking powder adds lift, so the cookies puff in the center instead of spreading thin.
Using a 1/4 cup scoop for each cookie keeps the size consistent and the middle thick. Press each ball down gently with the bottom of a glass, but not flat, so the cookie bakes with a soft center.
Almond extract in both the dough and the frosting gives these a classic bakery flavor. Spreading the frosting while the cookies are still slightly warm lets it melt in a little and form a smooth layer.
Ingredients for Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup salted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened (for the frosting)
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon almond extract (for the frosting)
- 1 to 3 tablespoons milk
- Pink gel food coloring, a few drops
Butter: Soft butter should dent under a finger but not look greasy. Cold butter will not cream, and melted butter makes flat cookies.
Flour: Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off, since packed flour makes dry cookies.
Gel coloring: Gel color gives a vivid pink with just a few drops, without thinning the frosting.
Milk: Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting spreads easily but still holds a soft peak.
How to Make Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
1. Prepare the pans. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream the butter. Beat 1 cup of butter with the granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping the bowl as needed.
3. Add the eggs. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the vanilla and 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract.
4. Add the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour and baking powder together, then mix them into the butter mixture on low speed until no dry streaks remain.
5. Shape the cookies. Scoop 1/4 cup portions, roll them into balls, and place 6 on each sheet about 2 inches apart. Press the center of each ball gently with the bottom of a glass.
6. Bake and rest. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the centers look puffed and no longer glossy. Rest on the pan for 8 to 10 minutes, then move to a rack.
7. Frost and chill. Beat 1/2 cup of butter until smooth, then beat in the powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon of almond extract, the milk, and pink coloring. Spread over the slightly warm cookies, cool completely, and chill for 30 minutes.
How to Serve Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
Serve the cookies cold from the refrigerator for the softest bite and the firmest frosting. They look great on a dessert platter with madeleine cookies and soft Christmas cookies, and they pair well with fudgy chocolate chunk brownies or a slice of homemade strawberry cake at a birthday party or baby shower.
How to Store and Reheat Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
Keep the frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, with parchment paper between layers. Let them sit out for 10 minutes before serving if you prefer softer frosting. For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted baked cookies for up to 3 months, thaw them at room temperature, and frost them fresh.
Tips and Variations for Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
Use room temperature eggs. They blend into the butter smoothly and keep the dough from curdling.
Do not overbake. Pull the cookies when the centers look set but pale, since they finish cooking on the hot pan.
Measure with a scoop. A 1/4 cup scoop gives 12 even cookies that bake at the same speed.
Press, do not flatten. A gentle press leaves a thick cookie with a soft middle.
Cool before chilling. Frosting slides off hot cookies, so let them cool fully before they go into the refrigerator.
Adjust the color. Add gel color a drop at a time until you reach the shade you want.
Try a flavor change. Swap the almond extract for vanilla if you prefer a milder taste.
Skip the raw dough. The dough contains raw egg and flour, so do not taste it; Ohio State University Extension explains the risks.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
How do I make pink frosted sugar cookies soft and thick?
Use a 1/4 cup scoop, press the dough only slightly, and pull the cookies from the oven while the centers still look puffy and barely set.
Can I make pink frosted sugar cookies ahead of time?
Yes. Bake and cool the cookies a day ahead and frost them the next day, or freeze the unfrosted cookies and frost them after thawing.
What makes pink frosted sugar cookies spread too much?
Butter that was too warm or melted is the usual cause. Start with soft but not greasy butter, and chill the shaped dough for 15 minutes if your kitchen is hot.
Can I use unsalted butter?
Yes. Add 1/4 teaspoon of salt to the dough and a pinch to the frosting to keep the flavor balanced.
How do I color the frosting evenly?
Add gel coloring a drop at a time and beat until fully mixed. The color deepens a little as the frosting rests.
Soft Pink Frosted Sugar Cookies
Equipment
- Stand mixer or hand mixer
- 2 baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- 1/4 cup cookie scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 3 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ cup salted butter softened, for the frosting
- 3 cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp almond extract for the frosting
- 1-3 tbsp milk add one tablespoon at a time
- pink gel food coloring a few drops
Instructions
Cooking
- Line the pans. Heat the oven to 350 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Cream. Beat 1 cup butter and the granulated sugar for 3 to 4 minutes until pale and fluffy, scraping the bowl once or twice.
- Mix in eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla and 1/2 tsp almond extract, and mix until smooth.
- Add flour. Stir the flour and baking powder together, then mix into the dough on low until it comes together.
- Scoop and press. Roll 1/4 cup balls, set 6 per sheet 2 inches apart, and press each center gently with a glass.
- Bake. Bake 10 to 12 minutes until puffed and no longer shiny in the middle. Cool 8 to 10 minutes on the pan, then on a rack.
- Frost. Beat the remaining butter, powdered sugar, 1 tsp almond extract, milk, and coloring until smooth. Spread on slightly warm cookies, then chill 30 minutes.
