Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Recipe

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This copycat Pillsbury sugar cookie recipe is ready in under 30 minutes. No chilling the dough! Soft, chewy and lightly sweet with a buttermilk glaze. 

If you’ve ever craved those Pillsbury sugar cookies but wanted to try your hand at making them from scratch, you’re in for a treat. Our copycat Pillsbury sugar cookie recipe brings that irresistible softness, chewiness, and just the right touch of sweetness—without the wait.

Picture baking these classic cookies for Valentine’s Day, the holiday season or simply to add some homemade love to any occasion.

a pile of christmas sugar cookies on a plate

What readers are saying:

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Kelly says, “You nailed it! Absolutely perfect! I can’t stop eating them! I’m pregnant and this was just what I was craving, yuuuummmm!”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Katie says, “These are legitimately the best cookies I’ve ever made, and hands-down better than the Pillsberry inspiration. They’re chewy and soft with a little firmness to the bottom. Not too sweet and super easy to make. Everything I want in a cookie. Directions are spot on. Thank you so much for these.”

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ Reader Kylie says, ” These were scrumptious! I turned them into a sort of tie dye cookie and let me tell you, these are by far the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made!! 10/10 recommend!”

About this Pillsbury Copycat Sugar Cookies Recipe:

  • They are chewy, buttery cookies with a hint of vanilla flavor.
  • They are brushed with buttermilk which gives them a unique taste and texture on the top of the cookie.
  • There’s no need to refrigerate this dough. They flatten out perfectly, without spreading too much.

This recipe made about 36 cookies.  Don’t let that fool you though. These cookies will disappear quickly. Double the recipe if you want any leftover for the next day because they really are the best sugar cookie recipe. 🙂

✨ Buttermilk and Sprinkle Magic ✨

Adding that extra touch of sweetness, the buttermilk glaze is the secret behind these Pillsbury-inspired sugar cookies’ irresistible taste. A simple brush of buttermilk before baking creates a smooth, creamy coating that perfectly complements the cookie’s texture. 

Whether it’s vibrant rainbow sprinkles for a birthday celebration or heart-shaped ones for Valentine’s Day, sprinkles bring an extra pop of color and happiness to each bite.

Ingredients

This recipe uses simple ingredients:

ingredients for copycat pillsbury sugar cookies on a table

If you don’t have buttermilk, here’s a buttermilk substitute.

Place 1 teaspoon white vinegar in a small bowl, then add 3 tablespoons of whole milk. Give it a quick stir, then let it sit for 3-4 minutes. The milk will slightly curdle, mimicking that buttermilk flavor and texture.

How to Make Pillsbury Sugar Cookies:

Prepare by preheating the oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.

Make the sugar cookie dough in 4 steps:

  • In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
  • Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very crumbly and floury.
  • Add just enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, but not wet. Start with 1 tablespoon and mix well on low speed. It will most likely come together into a nice dough. If it isn’t, add another ½ to 1 tablespoon buttermilk until it forms a dough.
collage of how to make sugar cookie dough
  1. Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Dip a glass with a flat bottom in sugar, then press down gently on the dough balls to slightly flatten them. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls.
sugar cookie dough balls on a baking sheet
  1. With a pastry brush, brush the top of each cookie lightly with the remaining buttermilk. Sprinkle with colored sugar or colorful sprinkles.
unbaked sugar cookie dough on a baking mat
  1. Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven before they get golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before removing cooling on a wire rack.

Recipe Variations

  • Add miniature chocolate chips for a hints of chocolate. You can also sprinkle the tops with mini chocolate chips.
  • Love peppermint? Add Andes mints or crushed candy canes to the top.
  • Bake this sugar cookie dough in a 9×13″ baking pan to make the crust for an easy fruit pizza.
  • Use red, white and pink sprinkles for easy Valentine desserts.
  • Make the cookies at the start of the new year and freeze. They only have 115 calories per cookie so make a low calorie sweet treat.
pillsbury sugar cookies with sprinkles on a plate

Storage Instructions

  • Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
  • The cookies also freeze well! Double wrap them in plastic wrap, then place them in a zippered bag or other airtight container and freeze for up to 2 months.
  • To serve, thaw at room temperature without unwrapping them. Once they are fully thawed, unwrap the cookies and serve. They are soft sugar cookies, even with freezing.
overhead view of sugar cookies wtih christmas sprinkles on a plate
overhead view of sugar cookies wtih christmas sprinkles on a plate

Pillsbury Sugar Cookie Recipe

4.64 from 230 votes
Soft, chewy sugar cookies that tastes just like Pillsbury. A quick under 30-minute cookie recipe with no refrigeration required. 
Servings 36 cookies
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 minutes
Total Time 23 minutes

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Ingredients
 

Instructions
 

  • Heat oven to 375ºF. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
  • In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer to cream together butter and sugar for 2-3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Scrape the sides of the bowl as needed and set aside.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, and baking powder.
  • Gradually blend the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. The dough will be very crumbly and floury.
  • Add just enough of the buttermilk to moisten the dough and make it soft, but not wet. Start with 1 tablespoon and mix well on low speed. It will most likely come together into a nice dough. If it isn’t, add another ½ to 1 tablespoon buttermilk until it forms a dough.
  • Roll dough into 1 inch balls and place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Dip a glass with a flat bottom in sugar, then press down gently on the dough balls to slightly flatten them. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough balls.
  • With a pastry brush, brush the top of each cookie lightly with the remaining buttermilk. Sprinkle with colored sugar or colorful sprinkles.
  • Bake cookies for 8 minutes. Take them out of the oven before they get golden brown. Let stand for 2 minutes on the baking sheets before removing cooling on a wire rack.

Video

Notes

  • Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
  • These cookies also freeze well for up to 2 months. You can also mix the cookies in the bowl of a stand mixer and use the paddle attachment.

Nutrition

Calories: 115kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 20mg | Sugar: 8g | Vitamin A: 165IU | Calcium: 8mg | Iron: 0.5mg
Course Cookies
Cuisine American
Calories 115
Keyword christmas cookies, drop sugar cookies, easy sugar cookie recipe, sprinkle cookies

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make these sugar cookies ahead of time?

Absolutely! These cookies keep well when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. Bake them ahead for convenience during busy days or prep them in advance for special occasions.

Can I freeze the cookie dough for later use?

Yes, you can! Shape the cookie dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, and then transfer to a freezer bag once solid. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a baking sheet, slightly thaw, and bake as directed.

About JulieJulie Clark

About Julie Clark

I'm Julie Clark, CEO and recipe developer of Tastes of Lizzy T. With my B.A. in Education and over 30 years of cooking and baking, I want to teach YOU the best of our family recipes.

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Kelly
6 years ago

5 stars
You nailed it! Absolutely perfect! I can’t stop eating them! I’m pregnant and this was just what I was craving, yuuuummmm!

Amy
6 years ago

These taste wonderful but mine didn’t flatten out ! I followed the recipe to the letter. I’d still make them again but I wished they’d have been flat and chewy.

Taylor
8 years ago

Made this recipe, cookies did not turn out at all

Brianna
2 years ago

I didn’t have buttermilk so I made it with vinegar and whole milk. It seemed crumbly so I added 2tbs of it instead of 1 and I added a little more after my dough sat around waiting for the first batch. I can’t say they remind me of Pillsbury Christmas cookies but this recipe does make a good cookie! I had cookie cutters and my 2 year old helped and even the thicker ones came out good, I had just had to adjust cooking time a little. Huge hit in the family, my brother in law ate most of them… Read more »

Kassie
3 years ago

5 stars
FLAWLESS!

Andrea
3 years ago

Can the dough balls be frozen after brushing with buttermilk or should it be done just before baking?

Anonymous
3 years ago

You can just beat your egg in a bowl and add half of the beaten product to the recipe when having instead of eyeballing half a white and half a yolk.

Anonymous
4 years ago

Maybe I made them wrong but I followed all the instructions and the cookies didn’t taste any different than any other sugar cookie recipe I used, and they certainly didn’t taste like Pillsbury 🙁

Katie
1 year ago

5 stars
Are usually hate online recipes. But I’ve really been craving Pillsberry sugar cookies all through the holidays. Our grocery store was out, and the only alternative was some thing drenched in red dye. So I took a chance. These are legitimately the best cookies I’ve ever made, and hands-down better than the Pillsberry Inspiration. They’re chewy and soft with a little firmness to the bottom. Not too sweet and super easy to make. Everything I want in a cookie. Directions are spot on. Thank you so much for these.

Valeria
1 year ago

5 stars
The best sugar cookies ever! They’re so close to the Pillsbury ones that I’d replace them with this recipe. They even had the Pillsbury texture, but they got crunchy and a bit harder the next day. Followed the recipe and didn’t change any measurements, used a little over 1 tablespoon of buttermilk. They’re DELICIOUS. So sugary.

Nora
2 years ago

5 stars
Fantastic! I make a double-batch at least once every two weeks (just double each item)…my husband literally drools over them. I have to use cooking oil instead of butter because of health issues, but doesn’t deter him one bit. I also think the addition of buttermilk sets the recipe above others (and also great to use if a little dry or to adhere sprinkles). Thank you for a great recipe!

Ashley
2 years ago

Can you make these in a sheet pan as one big cookie?

Chanel
3 years ago

4 stars
Cookies turned out great! We used all four table spoons of butter milk in the dough and brushed butter milk on top. We did not end up adding sugar on top and made our cookies a bit big so ended up leaving them in for 12 mins.

PoopOO
3 years ago

5 stars
Love, i ate them all in a week. 🙂

iloveorangejuice66
3 years ago

5 stars
I tried these cookies as a 12 y/o and they are so good my whole family loved them. Although it took 2 hours because I am so weak they are pretty easy I guess it is the mixing the dry and wet together that was hardest. But also I used brown sugar and they came out sooooooooo good. Try it with brown sugar it’s best.