Team Spirit Sugar Cookies

Show off your team's color at your tailgate with these colorful team spirit cookies.

Southern Living Team Spirit Sugar Cookies on a platter to serve
Photo:

Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Emily Nabors Hall; Prop Stylist: Claire Spollen

Active Time:
25 mins
Total Time:
2 hrs
Servings:
16

Cheer on your favorite team during dessert with these colorful, delicious sugar cookies. The buttery cookies, with their delicious cream cheese frosting on top of that, are the perfect blank canvas for showing off your team spirit with sprinkles in your team’s colors.

They’re also great if you’re a “house divided” —just do half the cookies in one color, and the other half in another.

The great thing about this frosting is that it uses meringue powder (at most big grocery stores and craft stores on the baking aisle) to help the frosting set and get a little crunchy, which keeps the sprinkles in place and makes the cookies easier to transport to your tailgate. Just be sure to add the sprinkles while the frosting is still soft or the sprinkles will roll right off like water off a duck’s back.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened

  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

  • 1 2/3 cups granulated sugar, divided

  • 2 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 1 Tbsp. vanilla extract, divided

  • 1/4 tsp. almond extract (optional)

  • 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 Tbsp. cornstarch

  • 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder

  • 2 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided

  • 8 oz. cream cheese, softened

  • 5 cups powdered sugar

  • 2 tsp. meringue powder

  • 1 tsp. whole milk

  • Assorted colored sprinkles, for decorating

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F with racks in top third and lower third positions. Line 3 large baking sheets with parchment paper, and set aside.

  2. Beat softened butter, brown sugar, and 1 1/3 cups of the granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating on medium speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Beat in 1 1/2 teaspoons of the vanilla and almond extract, if desired.

  3. Whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and 1 1/2 teaspoons of the salt in a medium bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to sugar mixture, beating on low speed until just combined, scraping down sides and bottom of bowl as needed, about 30 seconds.

  4. Scoop dough by 2-tablespoon portions; space 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets. (If dough is too sticky to scoop, chill for 30 minutes.) Place remaining 1/3 cup granulated sugar in a medium bowl. Roll each dough portion into a ball, and then roll in sugar. Return to prepared baking sheets.

  5. Bake until light golden brown around edges, 9 to 12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through bake time. Remove and let cool on pans 5 minutes. Transfer cookies to wire racks; let cool completely, about 20 minutes.

  6. While cookies cool, beat cream cheese in a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 1 minute. Gradually add powdered sugar, and beat until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Add meringue powder, milk, and remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla and 1 teaspoon salt. Beat until smooth, about 1 minute.

  7. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the frosting onto each cookie, and smooth with an offset spatula. Decorate cookies with desired sprinkles. Let frosting set 1 hour before serving.

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