If you’ve ever been to Utah, then you know how special Swig sugar cookies are. I had these at the first blog conference I ever attended and have been hooked ever since. These pink frosted sugar cookies are an absolute delight with their crackled appearance and rosy pink buttercream frosting in a perfect swoop on top. I absolutely love them, and so do my kids. So we made it a project to learn how to recreate them at home!
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I haven’t been able to stop thinking about Swig sugar cookies since I first tasted one. Unfortunately, they haven’t made it over to Missouri yet. But the more I thought about it, the more I knew I simply could not go without. I developed this recipe to mimic that tender, crackly-textured cookie with the signature pink buttercream.
What’s in This Swig Cookies Recipe?
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives these cookies structure.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise in the oven.
- Cream of Tartar: A secret ingredient that makes these cookies chewy and soft rather than crispy.
- Fats: Unsalted butter and vegetable oil pull double-duty to keep these cookies moist, tender, and chewy.
- Sugar: Granulated and powdered sugar combine to sweeten the cookies.
- Milk: Adds moisture to the cookies.
- Eggs: Add richness and help bind the dough together.
- Sour Cream: Adds a touch of tangy flavor to the frosting.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract enhances the sweetness of the frosting.
- Food Coloring: Pink (or red!) food coloring gives these cookies their classic appearance.
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Tips for Success
- The secret to that crackly appearance is rolling the cookies in granulated sugar and pressing them down flat before baking. I used a drinking glass to squish mine down.
- For a thicker icing, add more powdered sugar. For a thinner icing, add a little more milk.
How to Store
Store homemade Swig cookies in an airtight container or Ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. These cookies are best enjoyed at room temperature.
Freeze Swig sugar cookies in a single layer on a lined baking sheet until solid, about 1-2 hours. Store the cookies in an airtight container or Ziplock bag with wax paper between to protect the frosting for up to 1 month. Let thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
Being from a famous soda chain, I’d be remiss not to recommend enjoying these pink sugar cookies with a carbonated beverage. Yes, it’s sweet on sweet, but now is not the time to worry about calories and carbohydrates! If you’re feeling a little naughty, a dark cherry cream soda cocktail, raspberry Italian cream soda, or alcoholic rootbeer float will give you that Swig-plus experience.
Swig Sugar Cookies Recipe
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Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 5½ cups all-purpose flour 660 grams
- ½ teaspoon baking soda 3 grams
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar 2 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 1 cup unsalted butter 226 grams, softened (2 sticks)
- ¾ cup vegetable oil 150 grams
- 1¾ cups granulated sugar 350 grams, divided
- ¾ cup powdered sugar 85 grams
- 2 tablespoons milk 28 grams
- 2 large eggs 100 grams
For the Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter 113 grams, room temperature (1 stick)
- 2 tablespoons sour cream 28 grams, room temperature
- 4 cups powdered sugar 452 grams
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt 3 grams
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 4 grams
- 3-4 tablespoons milk 43-57 grams (as needed)
- Pink food coloring (red also works)
Recommended Equipment
- Kitchen Scale (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt together.5½ cups all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cream of tartar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, oil, 1¼ cup granulated sugar, and powdered sugar until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.1 cup unsalted butter, ¾ cup vegetable oil, 1¾ cups granulated sugar, ¾ cup powdered sugar
- Add in the milk and eggs. Mix until combined, again scraping down the bowl.2 tablespoons milk, 2 large eggs
- Add in the flour and mix on medium-low until just combined.
- Add the remaining ½ cup sugar to a small bowl.1¾ cups granulated sugar
- Using a large cookie scoop, scoop and roll cookies that are about 3 tablespoons of dough. Roll the cookies in the sugar and line them up on the sheet pan about 3 inches apart.
- Spray the bottom of a glass with nonstick spray. Press down on each cookie until they are about ½ inch thick. The edges will crack – that is what we are going for!
- Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set. The center of the cookie will not be fully baked – that is okay. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the butter and sour cream until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl as needed.½ cup unsalted butter, 2 tablespoons sour cream
- Add in the powdered sugar and salt, mixing until combined.4 cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- Add in the milk and vanilla and mix again. Add pink or red food coloring until your desired color is achieved. These cookies are usually a pale pink.1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 3-4 tablespoons milk, Pink food coloring
- Frost cooled cookies with an offset spatula or butter knife. Serve and enjoy!
Last step! Don’t forget to show me a pic of what you made! Upload an image or tag me @thecookierookie on Instagram!
Becky’s tips
- To speed up the cooling process, place the cookies in the fridge.
- You can freeze the cookie dough in balls after step 7 for up to 3 months. Let thaw overnight in the refrigerator before pressing and baking.
Nutrition Information
How to Make Swig Cookies Step by Step
Whisk the Dry: Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside. In a large bowl, whisk 5½ cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of baking soda, ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt together.
Cream the Fat and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream 1 cup of unsalted butter, oil, 1¼ cups of granulated sugar, and ¾ cup of powdered sugar until combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
Add the Wet: Add in 2 tablespoons of milk and 2 large eggs. Mix until combined, again scraping down the bowl.
Make the Dough: Add in the flour and mix on medium-low until just combined.
Scoop and Roll: Add the remaining ½ cup sugar to a small bowl. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop and roll cookies that are about 3 tablespoons of dough. Roll the cookies in the sugar and line them up on the sheet pan about 3 inches apart.
Press and Bake: Spray the bottom of a glass with nonstick spray. Press down on each cookie until they are about ½ inch thick. The edges will crack – that is what we are going for! Bake for 8-10 minutes until the edges are set. The center of the cookie will not be fully baked – that is okay. Let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Beat the Dairy: While the cookies are cooling, make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat ½ cup of unsalted butter and 2 tablespoons of sour cream until smooth and creamy, scraping the bowl as needed.
Add the Sugar: Add in 4 cups of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt, mixing until combined.
Color the Frosting: Add in the 3-4 tablespoons of milk and 1 teaspoon of pure vanilla extract and mix again. Add pink or red food coloring until your desired color is achieved.
Frost the Cookies: Frost cooled cookies with an offset spatula or butter knife. Serve and enjoy!
Swig is a popular soda shop and drink stop with locations in Utah, and their famous frosted sugar cookies are a hit. They’re known for the cracked edges, perfect texture, and pink frosting on top.
These cookies are a simple sugar cookie with a slightly tangy vanilla frosting.
The secret to making these Swig cookies soft is using both butter and oil and the addition of cream of tartar. Butter gives the cookies a tender crumb and tons of flavor, while oil keeps them moist (and soft!). Cream of tartar prevents the sugar in the dough from crystallizing, which makes these cookies chewy and soft rather than crispy.
A cookie from Swig will run you 293 calories. Ours is quite a bit more indulgent at 425 calories each, but they are huge and homemade!
