Crumbl-Style Pink Sugar Cookies

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened but still cool
• 1/3 cup (67 g) neutral oil
• 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 1/3 cups (280 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• Frosting: 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 to 2 tbsp heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2–3 drops pink food coloring

How to Make Crumbl Pink Sugar Cookies

1. Step 1.

   Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment.

2. Step 2.

   Beat the butter, oil, granulated sugar and powdered sugar on medium speed until creamy and uniform, about 2 minutes. The mixture should look smooth, not especially fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla and almond extract just until combined.

3. Step 3.

   Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a separate bowl. Add to the wet mixture and mix on low only until no dry flour remains. The dough should be soft but hold its shape when scooped.

4. Step 4.

   Divide into 9 portions, about 1/4 cup each. Roll gently, then press into thick discs about 1/2 inch tall. Space well apart on the prepared pans. If the dough feels very soft or greasy after shaping, chill the trays for 10 minutes before baking.

5. Step 5.

   Bake one tray at a time for 9–11 minutes. Pull the cookies when the tops look set and matte and the edges are still pale; do not wait for browned rims. Let them cool on the pan for 10 minutes, then move to a rack and cool completely before frosting.

6. Step 6.

   For the frosting, beat the softened butter until smooth. Add powdered sugar, almond extract, food coloring and 1 1/2 tablespoons cream. Beat until thick and spreadable, adding the remaining cream a teaspoon at a time only if needed. Frost the completely cooled cookies with a generous swirl.

7. Step 7.

   Chill the frosted cookies for 20–30 minutes before serving for the familiar cool, firm-frosting finish.

The texture we are aiming for

These are intentionally large and thick. The center should feel soft and tender once cool, while the surface should be smooth enough to support a substantial layer of frosting. That means the cookies come out of the oven before they develop the golden edges you would look for in many ordinary sugar cookies.

Using butter together with a little neutral oil helps the dough stay tender even after chilling. The small amount of powdered sugar also contributes to a softer bite, while almond extract gives both the cookie and frosting the flavor profile people associate with this style.

Do not use browning as your doneness cue

A pale cookie can look underdone if you are used to waiting for golden edges. Here, watch the surface instead. At the beginning of baking the center looks shiny and obviously wet; by the end, the top should look matte and set while the outer edge is still pale. The cookies continue firming on the hot pan during the 10-minute cooling period.

If you leave them in until the rims are clearly brown, they will still taste good, but you will lose some of the soft bakery-style texture this recipe is designed for.

What the dough should feel like

After the flour goes in, the dough should be soft and easy to press into a thick disc, but it should not flow or smear across your fingers. Butter temperature matters here: “softened” means pliable, not shiny or partially melted. If a warm kitchen makes the shaped cookies feel greasy or unusually slack, a short 10-minute tray chill is better than adding extra flour, which can make the finished cookies dry.

Flattening the portions before baking is deliberate. A very tall dough ball may stay domed in the middle, while an overly thin disc can bake through before the center has a chance to stay soft. About 1/2 inch thick gives the cookie a useful head start toward the intended shape.

The frosting should be thick, not pourable

This is a soft buttercream, not a glaze. Start with less cream and add more only if the mixer genuinely needs it. The correct consistency should hold ridges from a spoon or spatula and stay where you spread it. If it slowly levels itself flat in the bowl, it is already looser than ideal.

Almond extract is assertive, so keep the measured amount rather than pouring freely. If you want a milder cookie, replacing some or all of it with vanilla is safer than simply doubling the vanilla while keeping the almond.

Useful variations without changing the structure

Vanilla version: replace the almond extract in both cookie and frosting with vanilla. The texture stays the same; only the flavor profile changes.

Less-sweet frosting: do not cut the powdered sugar dramatically, because it also supplies structure. Instead, use a slightly thinner layer of frosting on each cookie.

Milk instead of cream: it works, but add it by the teaspoon. Milk is thinner, so the frosting can move from stiff to too loose quickly.

Make ahead and storage

The unfrosted cookies can be baked a day ahead and kept airtight once completely cool. Frost and chill them when convenient. Store frosted cookies covered in the refrigerator for up to 4 days; let them stand at room temperature for about 5–10 minutes if you prefer a slightly softer frosting.

If freezing, freeze the unfrosted cookies well wrapped. Thaw completely before frosting so condensation does not collect underneath the buttercream.