Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches (Print Version)
Soft pastel-colored sugar cookies with creamy vanilla buttercream filling
# What You Need:
→ Sugar Cookie Dough
01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp salt
04 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 tsp almond extract
09 - Gel food coloring in pastel shades
→ Vanilla Buttercream Filling
10 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
11 - 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
12 - 1 tbsp milk or heavy cream
13 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
14 - Pinch of salt
15 - Sprinkles for decoration
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well combined.
03 - Beat butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2-3 minutes.
04 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
05 - Gradually add flour mixture to wet ingredients, mixing just until dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
06 - Divide dough evenly into 4-5 bowls. Tint each portion with a different pastel gel food coloring, mixing until color is uniform throughout.
07 - Using a tablespoon or cookie scoop, portion dough into balls. Place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
08 - Gently flatten each dough ball with your palm to ensure even baking.
09 - Bake for 10-12 minutes until edges are set but centers remain slightly soft. Remove before overbaking.
10 - Let cookies rest on baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool entirely before filling.
11 - Beat butter until creamy. Blend in powdered sugar, vanilla, salt, and milk. Continue mixing until smooth and fluffy, adjusting consistency with additional milk if needed.
12 - Pipe or spread buttercream onto the flat side of half the cooled cookies. Top each with a matching cookie to form sandwiches.
13 - Press sprinkles into the exposed buttercream around edges for decorative effect, if desired.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The colors make people smile before they even take a bite
- Buttercream sandwiched between two soft cookies is basically happiness in edible form
- Kids can help with every single step from mixing to assembling
02 -
- Overbaked sugar cookies never come back from the edge pull them out when they still look slightly underdone
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding buttercream or the filling will melt right off
- Gel food coloring is worth the extra trip to the store liquid colors will mess up your dough texture
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients prevent the dreaded dotted cookie look
- Weighing your flour is more accurate than cup measurements