Description
Dreamy Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches with vanilla buttercream filling – perfect for Easter, baby showers, spring celebrations, or any time you want something beautiful and delicious! These soft, buttery cookies are easier to make than they look!
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 2⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, for flavor)
- Pastel food coloring (pink, blue, yellow, purple — optional)
Filling / Buttercream
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½–2 cups powdered sugar
- 1–2 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: a pinch of salt
- Food coloring (optional, to match pastel cookies)
Optional Decorations
- Pastel sanding sugar (for cookie edges)
- Sprinkles (for sandwich edges)
Instructions
Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla, and almond extract, then gradually mix in the dry ingredients until a soft dough forms. Divide and color the dough if desired.
Flatten each colored dough portion into a disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes until firm and easy to handle.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll dough to ¼-inch thickness, cut with round cookie cutters, and place cookies 2 inches apart on the trays.
Want to make these extra special? Lightly brush the tops of your cookies with a tiny bit of milk or beaten egg wash, then sprinkle with pastel sanding sugar or sprinkles. This creates the prettiest sparkly finish that catches the light!
Bake for 8–10 minutes, until the edges are just set and maybe turning the teeniest bit golden. Here’s my secret: I pull them when they still look slightly underbaked in the center.
Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they’re delicate when hot!), then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Beat butter until smooth, then gradually add powdered sugar. Mix in milk, vanilla, and salt until fluffy and spreadable. Tint with food coloring if desired.
Match cookies by size. Spread or pipe buttercream onto one cookie, top with another, and gently press together. Roll edges in sprinkles if desired.
Notes
Don’t re-roll scraps more than once. The more you work the dough, the tougher it gets. After the second roll, I usually just bake the scraps as “baker’s treats” for myself!
Pipe the filling for professional results. Use a piping bag with a round tip (or just snip the corner of a zip-top bag) to pipe perfect circles of buttercream. It’s faster and neater than spreading!
Common mistakes to avoid:
- Rolling the dough too thin – aim for ¼ inch or your cookies might burn or dry out
- Overmixing the cookie dough – this develops the gluten and makes tough cookies instead of tender ones
- Filling warm cookies – patience, friends! Wait until they’re completely cool or your beautiful buttercream will turn into a puddle
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8–10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American