Swig Sugar Cookies will become your new favorite, go-to, easy sugar cookie recipe. Perfect for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, a bridal shower, baby shower…
Pregnancy brain is getting the best of me. The other day I was making something from a cookbook and all of a sudden I couldn’t find it anywhere. After 10 minutes of looking I ended up finding it in the silverware drawer. What?! And then a few days later when making these cookies I started prepping things so I could start making them once I put Carly down for a nap and I ended up mixing the sugar in with the flour so I had to throw out all the flour/sugar. Creaming the butter and sugar is necessary to evenly disperse the sugar and make the cookies lighter so mixing it with the flour wasn’t going to cut it.
So I’m told these are all the rage out in Utah. There is a drive-in drink shop called Swig that makes and sells these. My mom gave me this recipe and said they tasted like “the real deal”. Whether they taste like the real thing or not, these cookie are fantastic! My husband who doesn’t really care for sugar cookies reluctantly took a bite and was surprised to find that he really liked them…. and proceeded to eat a second. He was really disappointed that I took most of them to girls’ night (where they were all eaten) leaving him just a couple.
Sometimes I like to be really precise and get a ruler (seam gauge) out.
This is how they look all beautifully pressed. The indentation is fun but it will puff up and won’t be as indented when cooked. It becomes kind of a guide for how far to spread the frosting out on the cookie.
So what makes these different than regular sugar cookies?
First, you don’t have to chill the dough. That makes things go a lot faster.
Second, the shape. It’s a jagged edge circle which makes it kind of rustic looking. Totally in.
Third, they way they are formed. You first roll the dough into balls and then take a drinking glass or jar (whatever you have that is about 2.5 inches in diameter with a relatively defined edge. I used a kalamata olive jar because our glasses are square.) and press down on the ball of dough until it is about 1/2 inch thick.
Fourth, the texture. The dough has both granulated sugar and powdered sugar giving it a bit softer/lighter texture, plus you cook it for less time so the cookies are really soft.
Fifth, the icing. Typically sugar cookie frosting is just butter, powdered sugar, and a little bit of milk. These guys have sour cream thrown in the mix giving them a creamy smooth texture. Plus they have a little salt which isn’t typical.
Sixth, they are served cold. Since the icing has sour cream they need to be refrigerated and are actually quite delicious that way.
I hope you enjoy these as much as we did but if you’re looking for a cut-out sugar cookie recipe, this Soft Sugar Cookie one is the best!
Swig Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookie:
- 5 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
- 1 cup 2 sticks butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup canola or vegetable oil
- 1 1/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the Icing:
- 5 tablespoons butter, softened
- 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2-3 tablespoons milk
- 3.5 to 4.5 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 drop red food coloring
Instructions
For the Cookie:
- In a mixing bowl, mix together flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tarter. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a standing mixer, cream butter and sugars together for 2 minutes. Slowly stream in the oil while beating. Add the water and vanilla and then beat in the eggs one at a time until combined. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients a little at a time, mixing until combined (scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed).
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Roll dough into 2 inch balls. I used an ice cream scoop to portion the dough. You should get 26 balls of dough.
- Place 1/4 cup sugar in a small dish with a pinch of salt.
- Place balls of dough on a baking sheet about 3 inches apart (I fit 8 on a baking sheet). Take a drinking glass or something that is 2.5 inches in diameter and dip it into sugar (you may need to press it into some dough first in order for the sugar to stick to the glass). Press the glass into a ball of dough until it is 1/2 inch thick (the dough will form a jagged edge and spill past the edge of the glass). Repeat the process of dipping the glass into sugar and pressing it into a ball of dough.
- Bake for 8 minutes only. You don't want them to be too done. Gently remove cookies from pan onto a cooling rack and let them cool completely. Place them in an air tight Tupperware in the fridge.
For the Icing:
- Cream butter, sour cream, and salt together. Add powdered sugar a little at a time, alternating with adding the milk. Add extra milk or powdered sugar if needed to reach desired consistency. Add food coloring and vanilla and mix until combined. Spread over cold cookies and serve immediately or let the icing dry (it will dry to the touch) and then store in an air-tight container in the fridge. I like to put wax paper between when stacking them.
Recipe source: slightly adapted from Vintage Revivals (different method to mixing, added vanilla to cookie and frosting, less salt in frosting, less frosting total)
So good!! Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Thanks Candace! I’m happy to hear you liked them!
Would love to make these for a wedding reception. I would need to make around 200. Does the dough frezeze? It’s an out door wedding and cookies would be setting out for quite awhile. Would that be safe with the sour cream in the frosting?
Peggy, I’ve never froze the dough but I think the dough would be fine in the fridge for a couple days. Maybe try doing a test run with just one batch to see how it freezes. And I think the frosting will be just fine sitting out during the reception because of all the sugar in it.
Cookies are so good!
I would like to stack cookie to give as gifts, but I need the icing to dry in order to stack. I have had them out on the counter for at least an hour and the icing is still soft to the touch. Any suggestions?
I would love to make these for a large wedding reception. I would need 200 cookies. Are you able to freeze the dough?
These were fantastic! Best sugar cookies I’ve ever made. I made them for Christmas. So much easier to make vs roll out sugar cookies! Thank you! These will get made annually around here.
Nisha- That’s why I love them! -Easy & taste awesome! Glad you enjoyed them and plan to make them again. Have a Merry Christmas!!!
I made these and they’re the best I’ve ever had, since they are supposed to be refrigerated, do you think they could be mailed or would it require dry ice?
Kim- Aren’t they delish?! So glad you loved them! They don’t have to be refridgerated, it’s just how the store that makes the original likes to serve it (cold cookie with fresh room temp frosting) so really you can store them at room temp in a tupperware. Dry ice isn’t necessary.
I thought since there was sour cream in the recipe they had to be refrigerated?
I usually serve them the same day I make them and have left them out for hours. The high amount of sugar prevents spoilage. If you’re keeping them for days you can store them in the fridge.
I’m curious if anybody has any experience making these ahead of time and freezing them? I am helping with a wedding and these cookies are a must but I am hoping to take some of the pressure off by making them before!
I haven’t tried freezing them but they are supposed to be kept in the fridge so making them a day ahead and keeping them in the fridge works great. I recommend testing it out with a batch. I would just freeze the cookie part and then make the frosting and frost the day before and keep the cookies in the fridge overnight. Good luck! Let me know what you try and how it works.
I have frozen them and they were perfect the next day!
So good know! Thanks Angela!
I make them and stick them in the freezer to have on hand. They are really good and I actually prefer them that way!
I like to make them, bake, frost and then freeze. I prefer them frozen. They freeze amazing!
Did you use salted or unsalted butter?
I use salted butter in all my recipes.
Thanks Melanie! Cindy said these cookies were the best I’ve ever made!
I’m so happy to hear that Matt! Glad you guys loved them! I hope you, Cindy, and cute kiddos are doing well.
I’ve never had this type of sugar cookie before, but am all for sugar cookies that do not require chilling! And I love this rustic look–so much! I cannot wait to give this a try! 🙂
I love that rustic look too Michelle. You’ll absolutely love these sugar cookies! I hope you get to make them soon.
I have never had swig cookies, but I’ve heard of them. I was curious what the difference is and thanks to you, now I know! These look gorgeous – good luck with that pregnancy brain 🙂
Oh they are so good Jessica! You’ll have to make them soon and then you’ll really know.