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cookies stacked on a wire rack with a plate of cookies behind it

Vanilla Sugar Cookies

Vanilla sugar cookies are easy to make, chewy, and packed with vanilla flavor. Topped with a simple buttercream frosting, they're a must for the holidays!

Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings 40
Author Kelsie

Ingredients

Cookies

  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons Lone Goose Bakery Vanilla Extract
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 3 large egg yolks

Frosting

  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons Lone Goose Bakery Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 to 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 2 to 4 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
  • Sprinkles for decorating

Instructions

Cookies

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Sift the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together into a medium bowl. Set aside; these are your dry ingredients.
  3. Combine the butter and vanilla in a large bowl and beat with an electric mixer until very smooth.
  4. With mixer on medium, gradually beat in the granulated sugar. Continue beating until very light and fluffy (several minutes), scraping down the bowl as necessary.
  5. Beat in the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition.
  6. Turn mixer to low and gradually beat in the dry ingredients until a cohesive dough forms. Stir a few times with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is mixed well.
  7. Roll tablespoons of dough into balls and arrange 2 inches apart on un-greased unlined baking sheets.
  8. Bake 12 to 18 minutes, until the cookies are cracked all over the tops.
  9. Cool on baking sheets for 1 minute, then carefully transfer to wire racks to cool completely before frosting them.

Frosting

  1. Once the cookies are fully cool, you’ll make the frosting.
  2. Beat the butter in a large bowl until smooth. Add the vanilla and salt and beat to combine.
  3. Turn mixer to low and gradually beat in 2 1/2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk or cream. When the sugar is all mixed in, scrape down the bowl. Turn mixer to medium and beat frosting until very smooth.
  4. If your frosting is too thick, add a little bit more milk or cream. If it’s too thin add a little more powdered sugar.
  5. Spread frosting on top of each cookie and top with sprinkles. Serve.

Recipe Notes

  • Store cookies, layered with wax paper, in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
  • Cookies can also be frozen (in airtight containers) for up to 2 months.
  • You can freeze dough balls for up to 2 months. (Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then place in freezer bags.) Bake directly from the oven, adding a few minutes to the baking time.
  • Don’t over-bake your cookies or they’ll be crunchy rather than soft and chewy; you can under-bake them a little if you prefer them to be really soft.
  • Be sure to cool off your baking sheets in between batches of cookies. I run the bottoms of the baking sheets under cold water to cool them quickly.
  • Cool your cookies completely before frosting them or the frosting will melt.
  • I recommend topping your cookies with sprinkles as you frost them, rather than frosting them all and then trying to decorate. The frosting hardens a little and the sprinkles might not attach.
  • You can definitely dye your frosting! Mix the food coloring in at the end. Either liquid or gel food coloring is fine; use whichever you prefer.