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stack of frosted Easter sugar cookies on a blue and white towel.
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Easy Decorated Easter Sugar Cookies

This easy Easter Sugar Cookie Recipe comes together with cake mix, canned frosting, and a few upgrades for a homemade taste. The delicious cookies are soft, thick, and topped with creamy whipped frosting and pastel sprinkles for a fun, festive Easter cookie for entertaining and a fun baking project with kids!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time8 minutes
Total Time23 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 28
Calories: 193kcal
Author: Cara Lanz

Ingredients

Cake Mix Sugar Cookies

  • 1 box white or yellow cake mix
  • ¼ cup flour
  • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup sugar, for rolling

Doctored Up Canned Frosting

  • 1 16 oz. can cream cheese or vanilla frosting
  • 2 tablespoons butter, softened
  • ⅛ teaspoon almond extract, optional
  • ⅛ teaspoon salt
  • 1-4 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • gel food coloring. optional
  • Easter sprinkles, optional

Instructions

Sugar Cookies

  • Preheat the oven to 325. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • In a large bowl, whisk cake mix and flour to remove lumps. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix at low speed until moistened, then on medium speed until it forms a soft dough.
  • Roll one-tablespoon portions of dough into balls, then roll them in sugar. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. With a rubber spatula, gently press to flatten each ball to a ¾-inch thick puck.
  • Bake for 8 minutes or until edges are set and the bottoms are light golden brown. If needed, gently flatten them again while they're still warm. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Doctored Up Store-Bought Frosting

  • Place the frosting, softened butter, salt, and almond extract in a medium mixing bowl. Whip on medium to medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the powdered sugar, one tablespoon at a time, and mix until combined and it reaches your desired consistency.
  • If desired, divide the frosting into a few small bowls and tint each one a different pastel color with a drop or two of gel food coloring.
  • Spread the frosting onto cooled cookies. Decorate with Easter sprinkles and candies. Store at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for one week. 

Notes

  • If a test cookie or your first batch spreads, chill the dough for 30-60 minutes. If that doesn't help, knead in some flour. 
  • The frosting is soft at room temperature and firms up when refrigerated. 
  • You can also pipe the frosting on with a piping bag or ziptop bag with the corner snipped off. 
  • For cut-out cookies, roll the dough between parchment or on a lightly floured surface, cut with cookie cutters, and bake for 6 minutes. The cookies will be soft, puffy, and spread slightly, so use cookie cutters without a lot of detail, like a simple easter egg or bunny cookie cutter.  

Nutrition

Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 178mg | Potassium: 23mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 21g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Calcium: 44mg | Iron: 0.5mg