Frosted Brown Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy with a simple brown sugar frosting on top. Easy cookie recipe with a rich brown sugar flavor that is absolutely delicious!
These are the kind of cookies that disappear from the plate before they’ve even had a chance to cool. They’re soft, comforting, and feel just a little extra special without requiring any complicated steps. If you’re looking for a cookie that’s guaranteed to impress family and friends, this recipe belongs on your baking list.
Recipe Highlights
- Rich Brown Sugar Flavor: These cookies are made entirely with brown sugar, giving them a deep, caramel-like sweetness that’s richer and more flavorful than traditional sugar cookies.
- Soft & Tender Texture: Sour cream keeps the cookies incredibly moist and pillowy soft, so every bite stays tender for days.
- Creamy Brown Sugar Frosting: A homemade brown sugar frosting adds the perfect finishing touch with buttery, caramel notes that perfectly complement the soft cookies.
Ingredients in Frosted Brown Sugar Cookies
Butter – You will need 1 stick of butter for this recipe. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before adding to the brown sugar.
Brown sugar – You’ll need a cup of brown sugar. This is the star ingredient in these cookies – it’s the only kind of sugar you’ll need. Make sure that the brown sugar is fresh and soft for best results.
Egg – Just one large egg will bind everything together nicely.
Sour cream – The sour cream makes these cookies so moist and soft. You can use Greek yogurt instead- either plain or vanilla works well!
Flour – All-purpose flour works best in this recipe.
Baking soda – Acts as the leavening agent in the cookies. Make sure your baking soda isn’t expired!
Salt – You only need 1/4 tsp salt, but even though it’s a small amount, it helps to intensify the other flavors in the cookies.
Brown Sugar Frosting
Butter – This time you’ll only need 1/2 stick of butter (1/4 cup).
Brown sugar – More brown sugar. Kind of important for the Brown Sugar cookies.
Milk – You’ll just need a little bit of milk to help thin out the frosting to the desired consistency. You can add a little more if needed.
Powdered sugar – Important ingredient in the frosting!
Tips for making Frosted Brown Sugar Cookies
Making brown sugar cookies is easy! Here are a few tips to getting perfect cookies every time!
- Use Softened Butter: Always use softened butter, not melted butter. For the best texture, let the butter sit at room temperature for 1–2 hours before baking. If you’re short on time, microwave it in 5-second intervals (or use the defrost setting) until it’s soft but not melted.
- Mix Dry Ingredients First: Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding them to the wet ingredients. This helps evenly distribute the leavening agents and creates a more consistent dough.
- Cream the Butter and Sugar Well: Beat the butter and sugar together for 2–3 minutes. This step adds air to the dough, resulting in lighter, softer cookies.
- Preheat the Oven: Make sure your oven is fully preheated before baking so your cookies bake evenly every time.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: A cookie scoop keeps each cookie the same size, helping them bake evenly and giving them a professional, bakery-style look.
- Line Your Baking Sheet: Bake your cookies on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking and make cleanup quick and easy.
- Don’t Overbake: Remove the cookies when the centers still look slightly underbaked. They’ll continue to set on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes, giving you perfectly soft cookies.
How long are the Brown Sugar Sugar Cookies good for?
Store Frosted Brown Sugar Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate them for up to 1 week if you prefer.
The cookies also freeze well! Freeze the unfrosted or frosted cookies in a freezer-safe container with parchment paper between the layers for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, let the cookies thaw at room temperature until they’re soft and ready to eat.
Can I use light or dark brown sugar?
Yes! Light brown sugar creates a milder flavor, while dark brown sugar gives the cookies a deeper, richer caramel taste. Both work well in this recipe.
Can I skip the frosting?
Absolutely. The cookies are delicious on their own, but the brown sugar frosting adds an extra layer of sweet, buttery flavor that makes them feel extra special.
Can I use Greek yogurt instead of sour cream?
Yes. Plain or vanilla Greek yogurt is a great substitute and will still produce soft, tender cookies.
How do you keep sugar cookies soft?
This is another reason to love these cookies, thanks to the sour cream in the dough- they stay softer for longer! After the cookies have cooled, simply place them in an airtight container to keep them fresh for as long as possible. The other key is to not over bake the cookies!
Try more of the best sugar cookie recipes here:
- These Lemon Pudding Sugar Cookies are thick, chewy, and bursting with bright lemon flavor. The pudding mix keeps every cookie extra soft and moist from the first bite to the last.
- Colorful, fun, and incredibly easy to make! Easy Jello Cookies have vibrant flavor that kids and adults both love.
- Our Buttermilk Sugar Cookies are topped with a silky vanilla buttercream and have a wonderfully soft texture that makes them a delicious twist on the traditional sugar cookie.
- Packed with fresh citrus flavor and finished with a beautiful swirl of frosting, these Frosted Lemon Sugar Cookies are an easy treat that’s perfect for spring, summer, or any special occasion.
- Need a quick dessert without turning on the oven? This Sugar Cookie in a Mug is soft, warm, and ready in just minutes, making it the perfect single-serving treat for satisfying a cookie craving.
- Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies are irresistibly soft with a rich, bakery-style texture. The cream cheese creates a tender cookie that’s perfect for decorating or enjoying just as they are.
Frosted Brown Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy with a simple brown sugar frosting on top. Easy cookie recipe with a rich brown sugar flavor that is absolutely delicious!
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