Soft frosted sugar cookies carry a quiet kind of nostalgia — the kind that reminds people of bakery boxes brought home for birthdays, school parties, or simple weekend treats. They’re known for their pale, tender crumb and thick layer of frosting spread generously across the top. Unlike crisp or decorated sugar cookies meant for shaping and icing, these are meant to be soft, comforting, and easy to enjoy. This version leans slightly less sweet while keeping that familiar bakery-style texture, focusing on balance, warmth, and a homemade feel that makes them just as welcome with afternoon coffee as they are for sharing with family.

Soft Bakery Cookies Without the Store Box

The first bite is soft enough to give easily without crumbling, with a light, airy crumb that feels plush rather than dense. The cookie itself stays gently sweet with a warm vanilla and butter flavor, letting the frosting bring most of the sweetness and creaminess. The frosting spreads smoothly across the surface, adding a silky layer that melts slightly as it sits on the cookie. Together, they create a cookie that feels balanced and easy to enjoy, where the texture is just as important as the flavor, and every bite stays tender from edge to center.

Ingredients:

For the Cookies

• 300 g all-purpose flour
• 20 g cornstarch
• 7 g baking powder
• 3 g salt
• 170 g unsalted butter, room temperature
• 150 g granulated sugar
• 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, room temperature
• 30 ml neutral oil (avocado oil preferred)
• 10 ml vanilla extract

For the Frosting

• 115 g unsalted butter, room temperature (½ cup)
• 240 g powdered sugar (2 cups)
• 15-30 ml milk or heavy cream
• 5 ml vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• Optional natural coloring or flavor (strawberry powder or raspberry powder)

Instructions

1. Whisk the dry ingredients until evenly combined:
   In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy:
   In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar for about 2–3 minutes until pale, soft, and airy.
3. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, oil, and vanilla until smooth:
   Add the egg, egg yolk, neutral oil, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully incorporated and creamy. Scrape the bowl as needed.
4. Add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms:
   Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed or by hand until no dry flour remains. Do not overmix.
5. Chill the dough to help the cookies stay thick and fluffy:
   Cover the dough and refrigerate for 30–45 minutes until slightly firm but still scoopable.
6. Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets:
   Preheat oven to 175°C (350°F) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Portion and gently flatten the cookie dough:
   Scoop about 2 to 2½ tablespoons of dough per cookie. Roll lightly into balls and place on the baking sheet. Gently flatten each cookie to about ¾ inch thick.
8. Bake until the cookies are set but still pale:
   Bake for 10–12 minutes until the tops look matte, edges are set, and bottoms are lightly golden. The centers should spring back when gently pressed.
9. Cool the cookies completely before frosting:
   Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.
10. Prepare the frosting until smooth and fluffy:
    Beat butter until creamy, then add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk or cream. Mix until smooth and spreadable. Adjust milk slightly if needed. Stir in optional natural coloring or flavor if using.
11. Spread frosting generously over the cooled cookies:
    Use a spoon or spatula to spread frosting over each cookie. Allow frosting to set before serving or storing.

A Note on Powdered Sugar Flavor

If you’ve ever made icing and thought it tasted a little soapy or lotion-like, the culprit is often the cornstarch added to most commercial powdered sugars. Manufacturers blend in a small amount (usually 2–5%) of starch to prevent clumping, but cornstarch can leave that faintly chalky aftertaste when the sugar isn’t cooked.

A simple fix is to look for powdered sugar made with tapioca starch instead of cornstarch. Tapioca starch dissolves more smoothly and has a cleaner flavor, making it perfect for glazes, buttercreams, and icings where the sugar isn’t heated.

Another option is to make your own powdered sugar by blending granulated sugar in a high-speed blender until fine, then adding a pinch of tapioca starch to keep it from clumping. For certain recipes, you can even use superfine (caster) sugar, which dissolves quickly and doesn’t need starch at all.

If you’d like to try it yourself, I recommend keeping an eye out for brands that use tapioca starch powdered sugar — here’s one I suggest [this powdered sugar].

Why Metric?

For clarity and consistency, I use metric measurements in my recipes. It's more accurate (especially for baking), easier to scale up or down, and ensures better results — no guessing whether your "cup" is packed or level. But don’t worry, US equivalents are included below so you can bake with whatever you have on hand.

For the Cookies

For the Frosting

Storage

• Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
• Refrigerate cookies for up to 5 days for longer freshness. Bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
• Freeze unfrosted cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw and frost before serving.
• Freeze frosted cookies in a single layer until firm, then store in a sealed container for up to 1 month.

Note

• Chill the dough so the cookies stay thick and bake up soft and fluffy.
• Avoid overmixing once the flour is added to keep the cookies tender and cakey.
• Bake just until the cookies are set and pale. Overbaking will make them dry and firm.
• Let the cookies cool completely before frosting so the frosting does not melt.
• Adjust frosting consistency by adding small amounts of milk or powdered sugar as needed.

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Thank you for being here as I start this journey. I can’t wait to share more recipes, tips, and stories with you — one crumb at a time.

Stay tuned,
~ Clever Crumbs