Frosted Sugar Cookies are soft, thick cutout cookies made with cream cheese in the dough and topped with sweet homemade frosting. They hold their shape for cookie cutters but stay tender, making them a favorite for holidays, birthdays, cookie decorating, and Christmas cookie plates.
The cream cheese is what makes this recipe extra special. It helps keep the cookies soft, while almond extract gives them that classic bakery-style sugar cookie flavor. Roll the dough about ⅜ inch thick and bake just until set for soft centers and pale edges.
My mom found this recipe decades ago, and we have been making it ever since. If you love sugar cookies, try our Sugar Cookie Bars and No Roll Sugar Cookies too.
Why You’ll Love Them + Why They Work:
- No Chill Needed. The dough can be rolled and cut right away, making these easier than many traditional cutout sugar cookie recipes.
- Soft + Thick. Rolling the dough about ⅜ inch thick gives the cookies soft centers with enough structure to hold their shape.
- Cream Cheese Keeps Them Tender. Cream cheese adds moisture and helps the cookies stay soft instead of drying out quickly.
- Do Not Overbake. Pull the cookies while they are still pale and just set so they stay soft after cooling.
Frosted Sugar Cookies Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened (¾ cup): Adds richness and helps whip air into the dough for a soft bite.
- Cream cheese, softened (1, 8-ounce package): Keeps cookies tender for days and adds subtle tang.
- Granulated sugar (1 cup): Sweetens and helps edges set pale and soft.
- Powdered sugar (½ cup): Creates a fine, melt in your mouth crumb.
- Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon): Adds warm, sweet flavor to the cookie.
- Almond extract (1 teaspoon): Signature bakery note that pairs beautifully with frosting.
- Egg (1): Binds the dough and supports clean cut shapes.
- All-purpose flour (2¾ cups): Provides structure so cookies hold detail.
- Baking powder (½ teaspoon): Gentle lift for a soft, tender interior.
- Salt (½ teaspoon): Balances sweetness and brightens flavor.
Frosting
- Powdered sugar for frosting (4½ cups): Whisks smooth and sets with a soft sheen. Sifted to remove lumps.
- Unsalted butter for frosting (⅓ cup): Makes the frosting creamy and spreadable.
- Milk for frosting (¼ cup, plus more as needed): Adjusts to a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Vanilla extract for frosting (½ teaspoon): Adds warm, classic aroma.
- Almond extract for frosting (½ teaspoon): Echoes the cookie flavor for a cohesive bite.
- Food coloring: Tints frosting for festive, customizable designs. We prefer gel food coloring.
How to Make Frosted Sugar Cookies
PREP. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease baking sheets and set aside.
BATTER. Cream ¾ cup unsalted butter, 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, 1 cup granulated sugar, ½ cup powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and 1 egg in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 ¾ cups flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
SHAPE. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅜ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters, then gently gather and reroll the scraps as needed. Avoid adding too much extra flour or repeatedly working the dough, which can make the cookies tougher. If the dough becomes too sticky to work with, chill it for about 20 minutes.
BAKE. Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, just until the cookies are set and still pale. The edges should not be browned, and the centers may still look slightly soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
FROSTING. Mix 4½ cups powdered sugar, ⅓ cup softened unsalted butter, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon almond extract until smooth. Add more milk a little at a time as needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe on the frosting. Add sprinkles right away so they stick before the frosting begins to set. Let the frosting set before storing the cookies.
Be sure to check out our Sugar Cookie Frosting recipe for more tips and tricks.
- Other frostings we like:
Kristyn’s Recipe Tips
- Measure Flour Carefully. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off instead of packing it in, which can make the cookies dry.
- Roll Them Thick. Keep the dough about ⅜ inch thick for soft centers and sturdy cutout shapes.
- Chill Only If Needed. This dough does not require chilling, but if it becomes sticky while rolling, refrigerate it for about 20 minutes.
- Do Not Overwork the Dough. Gently reroll the scraps and avoid adding too much extra flour so the cookies stay tender.
- Watch the Color. Bake just until the cookies are set and pale. Browning usually means they have gone a little too long.
- Cool Before Frosting. Let the cookies cool completely so the frosting stays thick and does not melt.
- Decorate Right Away. Add sprinkles immediately after frosting so they stick before the surface begins to set.
Frosted Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 egg
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Frosting
- 4½ cups powdered sugar
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ cup milk, plus more as needed
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a cookie sheet and set aside.
- Cream butter, cream cheese, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, almond extract, vanilla extract and egg in a large bowl or stand mixer until fluffy.
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and stir until a soft dough forms.
- Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to about ⅜ inch thick. Cut with cookie cutters, then gently gather and re-roll the scraps as needed. Avoid adding too much extra flour or repeatedly working the dough, which can make the cookies tougher. If the dough becomes too sticky to work with, chill it for about 20 minutes.
- Cut with cookie cutters (or the top of a cup). Bake for 9 to 12 minutes, just until the cookies are set and still pale. The edges should not be browned, and the centers may still look slightly soft. Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frosting
- Mix 4½ cups powdered sugar, ⅓ cup softened unsalted butter, ¼ cup milk, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, and ½ teaspoon almond extract until smooth. Add more milk a little at a time as needed to reach a spreadable consistency. Add food coloring if desired.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, spread or pipe on the frosting. Add sprinkles right away so they stick before the frosting begins to set. Let the frosting set before storing the cookies.
Notes
Nutrition
Recipe FAQ
Too much flour or baking too long can make sugar cookies dry. Measure the flour carefully and remove the cookies from the oven while they are still pale and just set around the edges.
Dough. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1-2 days or place the wrapped dough in a freezer Ziploc and freeze for 3 months.
Frosting. Store the frosting in an airtight container in the fridge for 3 weeks or freeze for 3 months.
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or in a freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to 3 months. If frosted, allow frosting to set, and separate layers with wax or parchment paper.
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This recipe was originally published August 2012.
Very nice
It is a sticky dough. I rolled out 1/4 of it at a time between sheets of parchment paper. That worked really well!!