Walmart-Style Sugar Cookies Buttercream (Printable Version)

Soft, bakery-style sugar cookies topped with creamy buttercream frosting, perfect for parties or sweet treats.

# What You 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)

# How To Make:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until thoroughly combined.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
03 - Incorporate egg and vanilla extract into the butter mixture, beating until fully blended. Mix in sour cream until smooth.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Divide dough in half, flatten into discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
06 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
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 set but not browned. Cool completely on wire rack.
09 - Beat butter until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar, then vanilla, salt, and cream. Beat on high 2-3 minutes until fluffy.
10 - Frost cooled cookies generously. Add food coloring to frosting or sprinkles as desired.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • These cookies stay incredibly soft for days, unlike typical cutout sugar cookies that turn into hockey pucks overnight
  • The sour cream creates this tender, cakey crumb that makes people think you bought them from a professional bakery
  • You can frost them plain white for weddings or go wild with colors for kids' parties—the base cookie works with everything
02 -
  • Overbaked sugar cookies never recover their soft texture, so I pull them out when the edges look set but the centers still seem slightly soft
  • Chilling the dough is what keeps them from spreading into thin, crispy disks—skip this and you'll have a completely different cookie
  • Room temperature ingredients combine more evenly, which means you won't overmix trying to incorporate cold butter
03 -
  • If your dough is too soft to roll after chilling, let it sit at room temperature for just five minutes—not longer, or you'll lose the benefit of chilling
  • Sift your powdered sugar over a piece of parchment paper to avoid a massive mess on your countertop
  • For perfectly round cookies, gently reshape them with a round cutter or glass immediately after removing from the oven while they're still pliable

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