Buttermilk Sugar Cookies are every sugar cookie lovers’ dream come true! This sugar cookie with buttermilk creates the most soft and delicious treat and they are so easy to make too!
Making this buttermilk cookie recipe is so simple, with just a few staple ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen! These frosted sugar cookies are soft, moist and might just be the most delicious sugar cookie you will ever taste!
Buttermilk Sugar Cookies
This soft buttermilk sugar cookie is a recipe I recently found on the back of the sugar package that looked interesting. Yes, I look at the recipes on the back of the sugar package, don’t you?! I did make some minor changes and honestly, these are easily one of the best sugar cookies I have ever tasted! They are soft and pillow-like and they have sensational flavor. I have taken them to several family gatherings now and they disappear lightening fast and even my son who does not like cookies raves about them. Give them a try, you will love them.
Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies ingredients
-Butter: Using 1/2 cup softened butter (1 stick) will give these cookies a nice rich taste.
-Sugar: You will need 1/2 cup granulated sugar to create the perfect sweet cookie.
-Brown sugar: For extra deliciousness, add 1/2 cup brown sugar.
-Egg: You will only need 1 egg to create this amazing cookie treat.
-Buttermilk: Use 3/4 cup buttermilk to help make these cookies extra soft and chewy.
-Vanilla extract: You need 1 tsp vanilla extract to help enhance all the wonderful flavors in this recipe.
-Flour: Use 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour for the base of this cookie recipe.
-Baking soda: Adding 1/2 tsp baking soda will help these cookies rise nicely while baking.
-Salt: You need only 1/2 tsp salt to help balance the sweetness of these cookies.
Amazing Vanilla Buttercream ingredients
-Butter: You will need 1/2 cup room temperature butter (1 stick) for a rich and creamy frosting.
-Vanilla extract: Use 1 tsp vanilla extract to enhance the wonderful flavors in this topping.
-Milk: You need 2-3 TBSP milk to create the lovely smooth texture for this frosting.
-Powder sugar: Adding 2 rounded cups powdered sugar will make this frosting nice and sweet.
Step by step on how to make Buttermilk Sugar Cookies
Prep
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cookie dough
In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars for about 1 minute.
Then, add in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until nice and smooth.
Next, in a separate small bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
After that, add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mix well, then add the other half.
The dough will be softer than normal cookie dough and stickier, cover the bowl and let cool in fridge for 1 hour.
Baking
Once the cookie dough has cooled, scoop out about 2 TBSP of cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake for 9-10 minutes.
Let cool for an additional 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Frosting
With an electric handheld mixer, whip the butter in a mixing bowl on medium power for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and light in color.
Then, add in the vanilla extract, milk and 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Continue to mix for 1 minute.
Next, add in the other cup of powdered sugar and mix on medium for 3-4 minutes.
Once the cookies are fully cooled, frost with about 1 TBSP of vanilla buttercream per cookie. If you want to add some fun sprinkles, feel free!
Serve and enjoy!
BUTTERMILK SUGAR COOKIES
Ingredients
Cookie dough
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup butter 1 stick, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2-3 TBSP milk
- 2 rounded cups powdered sugar
Instructions
Prep
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray. Set aside.
Cookie dough
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and both sugars for about 1 minute.
- Then, add in the egg, buttermilk and vanilla extract and mix until nice and smooth.
- Next, in a separate small bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
- After that, add about 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mix well, then add the other half.
- The dough will be softer than normal cookie dough and stickier, cover the bowl and let cool in fridge for 1 hour.
Baking
- Once the cookie dough has cooled, scoop out about 2 TBSP of cookie dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes.
- Let cool for an additional 2 minutes on the cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.
Frosting
- With an electric handheld mixer, whip the butter in a mixing bowl on medium power for about 3 minutes, until fluffy and light in color.
- Then, add in the vanilla extract, milk and 1 cup of the powdered sugar. Continue to mix for 1 minute.
- Next, add in the other cup of powdered sugar and mix on medium for 3-4minutes.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, frost with about 1 TBSP of vanilla buttercream per cookie. If you want to add some fun sprinkles, feel free!
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
What If I don’t have buttermilk?
If you don’t have buttermilk you can just as easily make your own. Simply substitute with milk and lemon juice. Using 1 cup of regular milk, plus 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, is the same as 1 cup of buttermilk. Voila, easy solution to that problem.
How long are these cookies good for?
These cookies will be good for 3-5 days, if stored properly. To keep your treats as fresh as possible they should be kept in an airtight container or a ziplocked bag. A trick I learned to keep them extra fresh and soft is to put a piece of bread in with the cookies. The cookies absorb the moisture from the bread and stay soft and chewy a couple of days longer. Try it, you will be amazed!
Can I freeze frosted cookies?
These cookies are great for freezing for later but I recommend waiting to frost them until after the cookies have thawed. If you frost the cookies before freezing the storage becomes harder with layers of baking paper to prevent sticking and the icing may melt or sweat as they thaw, looking less appetizing in the process.
If you love Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookies try a few of our other favorite cookie recipes:
- Peanut Butter Fudge Cups
- Best Ever Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Mint Chocolate Pudding Cookies
- Raspberry Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Caramel Stuffed Chocolate Chip Cookies
Buttermilk Sugar Cookies are a cookie lovers dream come true! This sugar cookie with buttermilk is seriously so soft and delicious.
Susan says
I made these cookies and look delicious but was wondering how to store them after baking and decorating them.
Jessica says
Just store them in an air tight container on the countertop Susan! So glad you enjoyed them!
Susan w moon says
I’ve baked cookies all my life, I absolutely love cookies , all kinds— this recipe for buttermilk cookies is one of the very best I’ve come across— they are easy and excellent-I’m thrilled I found this recipe
Alison says
Susan, thank you so much! I take it as an incredible honor to receive such praise from a cookie expert!
margarets says
I tried these and they were excellent! So soft! Real comfort food.
One thing I changed: I did not make the buttercream and sprinkles because I did not have the right stuff on hand. Instead I made sort of glaze by tapping some water on each cookie with a finger and then tapping on some brown sugar. Turned out quite well. I expect these cookies would also be nice with a dollop of jam (after baking and cooling).
I also found that the cookies came out softer at a slightly lower temperature. Perhaps my oven runs hot.
In all, a very bookmark-worthy recipe!
Alison says
I’m happy you enjoyed these Margarets! I love your make-shift icing idea!
Cathy Walters says
I just made them for the first time, I’m so happy I found this recipe. Thank you for posting these little treasures. Giving them as little gifts to friends.
Jessica says
So glad you enjoyed them Cathy!
Meghan says
Can these be made in a Pyrex dish as cookie bars instead? If so, how would you change the baking time?
Jessica says
I think that sounds wonderful. Bake for 20 minutes and then test for doneness!
Tia says
Can I use regular milk ?
Jessica says
Yes, you can!
Samantha Wark says
Hello Jessica! I am just really glad i found your recipe. I’d like to try this for the kids and hopefully I can get the right measurements. Also, is it possible to change the buttermilk to a different kind?
Nicole says
You should be able to use regular milk in place of the buttermilk and have the cookies still turn out tasty. The buttermilk will add a different flavor to the cookies though so keep in mind that using regular milk will result in a different flavored cookie. that said you could also DIY your own buttermilk at home with 1 cup of milk and 1 tbsp of lemon juice or white vinegar. Just mix to combine and let rest for 5 minutes. then use the amount needed in the recipe.