Low Sugar Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

Total time1 hr 39 min

Prep time25 min

Cook time14 min

Low Sugar Soft Sugar Cookies with Buttercream Frosting

These cookies bake up soft and pillowy, with just-set edges and matte tops that signal the perfect underdone center every good sugar cookie needs. A touch of sour cream folded into the dough keeps the crumb tender and rich, while butter and vanilla give it that classic bakery-style flavor. Once cooled, each round gets a generous swipe of fluffy, whipped buttercream, beaten until pale and spreadable with a splash of heavy cream for that melt-in-your-mouth finish. Roll, cut, chill, and bake — the process is simple enough for a weekend project but the payoff feels like something from a proper bakery case. This one's a genuinely solid pick if you're keeping an eye on added sugar, since the classic method and rich, buttery base carry all the flavor without leaning on it. Dress the tops however you like and you've got a batch that disappears fast.

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Ingredients

24 servings

For the cookies

2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
King Arthur Baking Company Unbleached All-Purpose Flour Gold Medal Flour All-Purpose Unbleached - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill Organic All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Bob's Red Mill All Purpose Unbleached White Flour - 5 Lb Pillsbury Best Flour All Purpose - 5 Lb
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1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1 ½ cups granulated sugar
Chef's tip
Use the same volume. Baking behavior varies by blend: some brown faster or stay softer, while others brown less. Follow the package's baking guidance and start checking a few minutes early.
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup sour cream

For the buttercream

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
3 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
Chef's tip
Follow the package's conversion to powdered sugar. In frosting or glaze, add liquid gradually - replacements can absorb it differently.
3 tbsp heavy cream
1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp salt

For serving

sprinkles or food coloring (optional)

Instructions

1
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until combined. Set aside.
2
Beat the softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a stand mixer or hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

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