Julie Clark
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Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Recipe
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This copycat Pillsbury sugar cookie recipe is ready in under 30 minutes. No chilling the dough! Soft, chewy and lightly sweet with a buttermilk glaze.
If you’ve ever craved those Pillsbury sugar cookies that are full of nostalgia but wanted to try your hand at making them from scratch, you’re in for a treat. Our copycat Pillsbury sugar cookie recipe brings that irresistible softness, chewiness, and just the right touch of sweetness—without the wait.
Picture baking these classic cookies for Valentine’s Day, the holiday season or simply to add some homemade love to any occasion. Skip the grocery store and make our copycat recipe for that classic sugar cookie.
What readers are saying:
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Kelly says, “You nailed it! Absolutely perfect! I can’t stop eating them! I’m pregnant and this was just what I was craving, yuuuummmm!”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Katie says, “These are legitimately the best cookies I’ve ever made, and hands-down better than copycat Pillsbury cookies. They’re chewy and soft with a little firmness to the bottom. Not too sweet and super easy to make. Everything I want in a cookie. Directions are spot on. Thank you so much for these.”
⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Kylie says, “These were scrumptious! I turned them into a sort of tie dye cookie and let me tell you, these are by far the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made!! 10/10 recommend!”
About this Pillsbury Copycat Sugar Cookie Recipe:
- They are chewy, buttery cookies with a hint of vanilla flavor.
- They are brushed with buttermilk which gives them a unique old-fashioned sugar cookies taste and texture on the top of the cookie.
- There’s no need to refrigerate this dough. They flatten out perfectly, without spreading too much.
This recipe made about 36 cookies. Don’t let that fool you though. These cookies will disappear quickly. Double the recipe if you want any leftover for the next day because they really are the best sugar cookie recipe. 🙂
✨ Buttermilk and Sprinkle Magic ✨
Adding that extra touch of sweetness, the buttermilk glaze is the secret behind these Pillsbury-inspired sugar cookies’ irresistible taste. A simple brush of buttermilk before baking creates a smooth, creamy coating that perfectly complements the cookie’s texture.
Whether it’s vibrant rainbow sprinkles for a birthday celebration or heart-shaped ones for Valentine’s Day, candy sprinkles bring an extra pop of color and happiness to each bite.
Ingredients
This Pillsbury sugar cookie recipe uses simple ingredients:
If you don’t have buttermilk, here’s a buttermilk substitute.
Place 1 teaspoon white vinegar in a small bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Give it a quick stir, then let it sit for 3-4 minutes. The milk will slightly curdle, mimicking that buttermilk flavor and texture. Use leftover buttermilk for our buttermilk fried chicken!
How to Make Pillsbury Sugar Cookies:
Prepare by preheating the oven to 375ºF. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
Make the sugar cookie dough in 4 steps:
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer on medium speed to cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
- Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very crumbly and floury.
- Add just enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, but not wet. Start with 1 tablespoon and mix well on low speed. It will most likely come together into a nice dough. If it isn’t, add another ½ to 1 tablespoon buttermilk until it forms a dough.
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Dip a glass with a flat bottom in sugar, then press down gently on the dough balls to slightly flatten them. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls.
- With a pastry brush, brush the raw cookie dough lightly with the remaining buttermilk. Sprinkle with colored sugar or colorful sprinkles.
- Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven before they get golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before removing cooling on a wire rack.
Recipe Variations
- Add miniature chocolate chips for a hints of chocolate. You can also sprinkle the tops with mini chocolate chips.
- Love peppermint? Add Andes mints or crushed candy canes to the top.
- Bake this sugar cookie dough in a 9×13″ baking pan to make the crust for an easy fruit pizza.
- Use red, white and pink sprinkles for easy Valentine desserts.
- Make the cookies at the start of the new year and freeze. They only have 115 calories per cookie so make a low calorie sweet treat.
Can I make these sugar cookies ahead of time?
Absolutely! These cookies keep well when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Bake them ahead for convenience during busy days or prep them in advance for special occasions.
Can I freeze the cookie dough for later use?
Yes, you can! Shape the cookie dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet, slightly thaw, and bake as directed.
Storage Instructions
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- The cookies also freeze well! Double wrap them in plastic wrap, then place them in a zippered bag or other airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
- To serve, thaw at room temperature without unwrapping them. Once they are fully thawed, unwrap the cookies and serve. They are soft sugar cookies, even with freezing.
Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Recipe
Soft, chewy sugar cookies that tastes just like Pillsbury. A quick under 30-minute cookie recipe with no refrigeration required.
Servings 36 cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature, 8 ounces
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar 300 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 4 grams
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 358 grams
- 1 teaspoon baking soda 6 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 2 grams
- 3-4 tablespoons buttermilk divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
- In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and set aside. 1 cup salted butter, 1 ½ cups granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder. 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder
- Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very crumbly and floury.
- Add just enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, but not wet. Start with 1 tablespoon and mix well on low speed. It will most likely come together into a nice dough. If it isn't, add another ½ to 1 tablespoon buttermilk until it forms a dough. 3-4 tablespoons buttermilk
- Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Dip a glass with a flat bottom in sugar, then press down gently on the dough balls to slightly flatten them. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls.
- With a pastry brush, brush the top of each cookie lightly with the remaining buttermilk. Sprinkle with colored sugar or colorful sprinkles.
- Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven before they get golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before removing cooling on a wire rack.
Video
Notes
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
- These cookies also freeze well for up to 2 months. You can also mix the cookies in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment.
- Refer to the article above for more tips and tricks. The calories shown are based recipe making 36 cookies, with 1 serving being 1 cookie. Since different brands of ingredients have different nutritional information, the calories shown are just an estimate. **We are not dietitians and recommend you seek a nutritionist for exact nutritional information. **
Nutrition
Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 16g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 75mg | Potassium: 21mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 167IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Fantastic! I make a double-batch at least once every two weeks (just double each item)…my husband literally drools over them. I have to use cooking oil instead of butter because of health issues, but doesn’t deter him one bit. I also think the addition of buttermilk sets the recipe above others (and also great to use if a little dry or to adhere sprinkles). Thank you for a great recipe!
I didn’t have buttermilk so I made it with vinegar and whole milk. It seemed crumbly so I added 2tbs of it instead of 1 and I added a little more after my dough sat around waiting for the first batch. I can’t say they remind me of Pillsbury Christmas cookies but this recipe does make a good cookie! I had cookie cutters and my 2 year old helped and even the thicker ones came out good, I had just had to adjust cooking time a little. Huge hit in the family, my brother in law ate most of them… Read more »
Can you make these in a sheet pan as one big cookie?
Cookies turned out great! We used all four table spoons of butter milk in the dough and brushed butter milk on top. We did not end up adding sugar on top and made our cookies a bit big so ended up leaving them in for 12 mins.
Love, i ate them all in a week. 🙂
I tried these cookies as a 12 y/o and they are so good my whole family loved them. Although it took 2 hours because I am so weak they are pretty easy I guess it is the mixing the dry and wet together that was hardest. But also I used brown sugar and they came out sooooooooo good. Try it with brown sugar it’s best.
Best cookies I have ever made
Amazing! Thanks! Amazing!
These were scrumptious! I turned them into a sort of tie dye cookie and let me tell you, these are by far the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made!! 10/10 recommend!
FLAWLESS!
Can the dough balls be frozen after brushing with buttermilk or should it be done just before baking?
You can just beat your egg in a bowl and add half of the beaten product to the recipe when having instead of eyeballing half a white and half a yolk.
I made this recipe once years ago and they came out perfect. Today I made them again and once cooled they were hard. I love a soft and chewy sugar cookie. Can’t figure out what went wrong to cause the crisp. Any ideas?
These were excellent! I halved the recipe (eyeballed half an egg) and they came out great. Be sure to roll them close to one inch like the recipe calls for. Mine were a bit bigger about one and half inch and needed to cook for longer.
Maybe I made them wrong but I followed all the instructions and the cookies didn’t taste any different than any other sugar cookie recipe I used, and they certainly didn’t taste like Pillsbury 🙁