Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

If you haven’t noticed already, my family loves soft cookies, frosted, with pretty sprinkles.  So, I tend to make lots of different recipes fitting these three criteria.  I actually made the original recipe for these cookies about a year ago, and while they were good, the frosting was a bit too thin for my taste.  In this house, we like lots of frosting, especially when it is piped on all pretty like.  But, it wasn’t possible with this particular frosting recipe as written.  I suppose I could have added more powdered sugar.  But with the melted butter instead of softened butter in the recipe, I think I would have had to add lots of it, changing the taste of the frosting.  When I saw these soft frosted cookies on my beloved Pinterest (Gosh, sorry, I know I am obsessed), I knew this was exactly the recipe I was looking for.  It uses the same, soft vanilla flavored base but then the cookie is frosted with a thick, pipeable, buttercream frosting.  I mean, you gotta love those perfect swirls of frosting. Okay, maybe not so perfect.  I just realized I need to work on that.

Originally I had something else planned to make this morning, but I decided today was the kind of day that could use some uplifting from sprinkles.  It just isn’t possible to see this bright colored confetti and not smile.  Especially if it is the topping to a big, fat sugar cookie, with so much frosting it is almost too much…Almost. 😀  These are so delicious, they put those always enticing grocery store cookies to shame.  Sorry Lofthouse, we don’t need you anymore.

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies

For the Cookie:

4 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

4 1/2 tsp baking powder

3/4 tsp salt

3 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 cups sugar

3 large eggs

5 tsp vanilla extract

Sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder and salt.   I didn’t sift. Instead I mixed it and fluffed it well with a whisk. 

Add the butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer.  Beat them together with the paddle on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, ~ 2-3 minutes

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl as needed.  Blend in the vanilla.

With the mixer on low, slowly pour in the dry ingredients.  Mix just until incorporated and evenly mixed.

Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.  Preheat the oven to 350F about 20 minutes before removing the dough from the fridge.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, scoop a scant 1/4 cup of dough (I used a medium cookie scoop) and roll into a ball.

Flatten the ball slightly with your fingers and place on baking sheet lined with parchment.

Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies at least 2-3 inches apart to allow for some spreading.

Bake at 350°F for about 10-12 minutes or just until set.  Do not overbake!  The edges should be no more than very lightly browned (if at all).  The cookies should stay very white in color on top, with some browning on the underside.

Let cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.

For the frosting:

2 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, softened

2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted   I did not and it was fine

1/8 tsp salt

1 tsp vanilla extract

Food coloring   optional

Sprinkles  optional

In a stand mixer, beat the butter on medium-high speed with the whisk attachment, until smooth, ~ about 20 seconds

Add confectioners’ sugar and salt.  Beat on medium-low speed until most of the sugar is moistened, ~ 45 seconds

Scrape down the bowl with a spatula. Beat on medium speed until mixture is fully combined, ~ 15 seconds

Scrape bowl again and add vanilla. Beat on medium speed until incorporated, ~10 seconds.  Increase the speed to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, ~ 4 minutes, scraping down bowl once or twice as needed.

If you want too add in the food coloring do so now.  Mix until it is well combined and one solid color.  I find it easiest to put the frosting in a Ziplock bag and pipe it on.  Add the sprinkles and let dry for a few hours for the frosting to set.

Source:  Cookies from Deliciously Declassifed, as seen on Annie’s Eats, originally from Hostess with the Mostess  and the buttercream frosting is from Deliciously Declassified, originally from Cook’s Illustrated.

Posted by Just Baked on September 24, 2012

https://justbakedbyme.wordpress.com/2012/09/24/soft-frosted-sugar-cookies/