Cute Birthday Cake Sugar Cookies

I love soft sugar cookies, especially with buttercream frosting. I have found memories of walking down a country road to my great Aunt Annie's house and she would always have a bag of sugar cookies ready as a treat. This recipe tastes just like hers!

These little cookies are simple to make and are really fun to decorate. Perfect little party favors or classroom treats. Simply use the sugar cookie bar recipe below and mini tutorial to create your own.  

Sugar Cookie Bar (click here to print)

• 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 heaping TBS sour cream
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp lemon extract 

Cookie Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place a sheet of parchment paper in the bottom of a 9" x 13" baking dish or pan, set aside. In a mixing bowl mix together flour, baking powder and salt, set aside. In a different bowl whip together with an electric mixer the butter and sugar until fluffy. Add the egg, sour cream, vanilla and lemon extracts until blended. Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet, until combined and form a dough. Gently press the dough onto the parchment paper in the pan so that it covers the bottom. Bake for 15-20 mins until the edges are lightly golden. Cool completely, then frost, cut into squares or circles and decorate if you like. Note: If you don't have parchment paper you can simply butter the bottom of your baking dish. I like parchment so I can pull the entire cookie out once baked, making it easier to frost and cut. 

Buttercream Frosting

• 1 cup butter, softened
• 3 cups powdered sugar 
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 TBS heavy cream

Directions:

Beat butter, slowly adding powdered sugar then add vanilla. Use as much heavy cream as needed to reach desired frosting consistency. BONUS: Taste as you go, to make sure it's to your liking. 

Here is how I used the Sugar Cookie Bar recipe to create these adorable little birthday cake cookies. 

Step 1 & 2. Use a scalloped or circle cookie cutter to cut out your shape from the cookie bar. Do this while your cookies are still soft and just cooled from the oven. 

Step 3. Add sprinkles

Step 4. Place each cookie on a flattened cupcake wrapper

Step 5. Using a pipping bag decorate around the top of the cookie and around the base. This will make your cookie look like a cake!