Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches (Print Version)
Soft pastel sugar cookies paired with creamy vanilla buttercream for a delightful festive treat.
# Recipe Ingredients:
→ Sugar Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
09 - Gel food coloring in pastel colors
→ Vanilla Buttercream Filling
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 1 tablespoon milk or heavy cream
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Sprinkles for decoration
# Directions:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
04 - Add the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract, mixing until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until the dough comes together.
06 - Divide the dough evenly into 4-5 bowls. Tint each bowl with a different pastel gel food coloring, mixing until uniform color is achieved.
07 - Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion dough into balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Flatten each dough ball slightly with your palm to ensure even baking.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Avoid overbaking.
10 - Let cookies cool on the baking trays for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
11 - Beat the butter until creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk. Beat until smooth and fluffy, adding more milk if needed for spreadable consistency.
12 - Once cookies are completely cool, pipe or spread buttercream onto the flat side of half the cookies. Top each with a matching cookie to form sandwiches.
13 - Press sprinkles into the exposed buttercream edges if desired.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The pastel colors make these look like something from a fancy bakery but theyre actually incredibly simple to put together
- That creamy vanilla buttercream between two soft cookies is the kind of comfort food that makes people smile before they even take a bite
02 -
- Gel food coloring is absolutely worth the special trip to the store. Liquid colors will turn your dough sticky and impossible to work with
- These cookies are done before they look done. Pull them out when the edges are barely set and let them finish cooking on the hot baking sheet
03 -
- Use a cookie scoop for uniform size. Mismatched cookies look charming but do not stack evenly for gifting
- Chill the colored dough for 15 minutes if it becomes too soft to work with. Warm kitchens are the enemy of clean shapes