Buttercream Flower Cookies (Printable)

Delicate sugar cookies adorned with piped buttercream blooms—ideal for celebrations and gifting.

# What You'll Need:

→ Sugar Cookies

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 tsp baking powder
03 - 1/4 tsp salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 2 tsp pure vanilla extract

→ Buttercream Frosting

08 - 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
09 - 3 1/2 cups confectioners sugar, sifted
10 - 2 tbsp whole milk, plus more as needed
11 - 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
12 - Pinch of salt
13 - Food coloring gels, various colors

# How To Make It:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
03 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, approximately 2–3 minutes.
04 - Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
05 - Gradually blend dry ingredients into wet mixture, mixing until dough comes together.
06 - Divide dough in half, shape into flat disks, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
07 - On lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with round or flower-shaped cutters.
08 - Arrange cookies 2 inches apart on prepared sheets. Bake 10–12 minutes until edges turn golden.
09 - Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool entirely.
10 - Beat butter until smooth and creamy. Gradually incorporate sifted confectioners sugar, mixing thoroughly.
11 - Add milk, vanilla, and salt. Whip 2–3 minutes until fluffy. Add additional milk 1 tsp at a time if needed for piping consistency.
12 - Divide buttercream among separate bowls. Tint each portion with gel food coloring as desired.
13 - Fit piping bags with small star, petal, and leaf tips. Fill bags with colored buttercream.
14 - Pipe flower and leaf decorations onto completely cooled cookies using prepared piping tips.
15 - Allow decorated cookies to rest at room temperature until buttercream firms slightly.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • These cookies look impressively professional but the technique is totally forgiving
  • The buttercream frosting is silky smooth and pipes like an absolute dream
02 -
  • Buttercream piping consistency matters more than perfect technique so keep frosting thick enough to hold shapes
  • Practice your flower designs on parchment paper first because buttercream mistakes are impossible to fix on cookies
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients are nonnegotiable for proper cookie and frosting texture
  • Work quickly once buttercream is colored because it can start separating if overhandled

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