Melt in your mouth buttery cookies topped with tangy pink frosting make these copycat Swig sugar cookies some of the best cookies you will ever sink your teeth into!
If you’ve been to Utah, you’ve seen the popular cookie and soda shops that have popped up EVERYWHERE. Swig was the first one, started in 2010 in St. George.
The first time I tried one of the delicious cookies was at the original tiny shop over a decade ago. After one bite, I knew I needed to find a way to make them at home, because driving four hours to buy a cookie wasn’t a great option. 😉
A few months later, a friend from St. George gave me a copycat recipe for the cookies. I made them, but I didn’t think they were as good as the original swig cookies. So I tweaked and tweaked again until I reached perfection.
BEST SUGAR COOKIES EVER?
Like most people on the planet, I love sugar cookies. The thing I don’t like about sugar cookies is rolling out the dough, cutting the shapes, gathering the scraps, re-rolling, re-cutting . . . you know the drill. It’s a pretty time consuming process.
For this swig sugar cookie recipe, all you need to do is roll cookie dough balls and flatten them on the cookie sheet. So much easier!
They are a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread. Kinda crispy, kinda chewy, nice and buttery. Everyone who’s tried these cookies tells me they are even better than the ones you can buy – anywhere!
How to make the best swig sugar cookies:
- PREP – Let your butter and cream cheese sit at room temperature until soft. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or silicone liner (or use cooking spray). Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- WET INGREDIENTS – Cream butter, oil, and sugar in a large mixing bowl. Beat in the milk, vanilla, almond extract, and eggs.
- DRY INGREDIENTS – Whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar. Add to the sugar mixture and stir until combined.
- FORM – Scoop dough and roll into balls. Place each ball of dough on prepared baking sheets at least two inches apart. Pour the 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl. Dip the bottom of a drinking glass in the sugar, then press the dough balls down until they are 1/4-1/2 inch thick.
- BAKE – Bake the cookies for about 9 minutes or until the edges are set. (The cookies don’t need to turn golden brown.)
- COOL – Let the cookies sit on the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to cooling racks.
- FROSTING – Beat the cream cheese and butter till smooth. Add the powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt; beat until creamy. Add milk as needed. Spread on top of the cooled cookies.
Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to a week. If you need to stack them, place wax paper between the layers. They will last even longer in the refrigerator.
You can also freeze the cookies for up to 3 months. I prefer to freeze the cookies and frosting in separate freezer bags. But you can freeze the frosted cookies. Freeze them in a single layer, then transfer them to a ziplock bag or other container.
Let the cookies thaw at room temperature, or just eat them frozen.
PRO TIPS:
- A rough edge is what gives these cookies their signature look, so don’t stress when the dough splits as you press the dough down.
- The secret to the awesome flavor of these sugar cookies is the almond extract. Most people don’t recognize what it is, they just comment on how yummy the cookies taste!
- To replicate the cookies sold in the store, serve the cookie cold with the frosting at room temperature. (I prefer them both at room temp though!)
- For soft cookies, don’t overbake them! They will continue to set up after you remove them from the oven.
SWIG SUGAR COOKIE RECIPE VARIATIONS:
- The original recipe I got called for sour cream in the frosting. I thought the flavor and texture was better with cream cheese, but you can use about 1/4 cup of sour cream instead. You won’t need the milk.
- You can use a different color of frosting and serve them to match any holiday or party. For Christmas I like to use white frosting and holiday sprinkles.
- If you absolutely hate almond extract, you can subtract additional vanilla. But it really is what gives them their signature flavor, and without it I think they are a bit bland.
MORE SUGAR COOKIE RECIPES:
- Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies
- Easy Sugar Cookie Recipe
- Soft Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Amish Sugar Cookies
- Lemon Cookies with Lemon Frosting
- Pistachio Sugar Cookie Bars
I originally published this recipe back in March of 2014. I have updated it with no photos, tips, and more detailed instructions.
Copycat Swig Sugar Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp milk
- 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 2 large eggs
- 5 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ¾ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cream of tartar
- ¼ cup of sugar for pressing cookies
Cream Cheese Frosting:
- 4 oz cream cheese softened
- ¼ cup soft butter
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- ¼ tsp almond extract
- dash of salt
- 1 Tbsp milk if needed
- a few drops of red food coloring
Instructions
- Beat butter, oil, and sugar in a large bowl with an electric hand mixer until smooth and creamy. Beat in milk, vanilla, almond extract, and eggs.
- Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and cream of tartar in a separate bowl. Stir into the wet ingredients till thoroughly combined.
- Roll dough into 1 1/4" balls. Place the cookie dough balls at least 2 inches apart on a lightly greased or silpat-lined cookie sheet.
- Pour the 1/4 cup sugar into a shallow dish. Dip the bottom of a glass in the sugar and flatten cookies till they are between 1/4" and 1/2" thick.
- Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies sit on the pan for 3-5 minutes, then remove to a cooling rack and cool completely.
- For frosting: Beat cream cheese and butter till smooth. Beat in powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Add milk as needed to make a spreadable consistency. If desired, add food coloring to make a pink frosting.
- Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookies.
Notes
- I use a large cookie scoop to form my cookies. They are about 2 tablespoons, and weigh 1 ounce. Baking time will vary if your cookies are a different size.
- Cookies will last up to a week at room temp, longer in the fridge.
Nutrition
Buttery, chewy sugar cookies with crinkly edges topped with creamy frosting – this might just be the perfect sugar cookie!
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This recipe was my first step into Kara Kookie Kingdom. Have tried more recipes and have learned neat tricks. Thank You
Yay, that makes me so happy Gale! I hope you will fall in love with even more of my cookie recipes! 🙂
I made these cookies on 1-3-15 and they were amazing!!!!!!!!!!!! They were super easy and I liked the fact that they didn’t need to be refrigerated before baking and that I didn’t have to roll them out like traditional sugar cookies. These tasted way better that roll-out sugar cookies, in my opinion! Thanks for the recipe……it’s nice when people share!
So glad you liked the cookies as much as I do Joy!
Can you use margarine or does it have to be butter?
Butter is necessary for a shortbread consistency and flavor. You can use margarine, and the cookies will still taste good, but they won’t be the same.
Pink is my favorite too! And even my four boys don’t mind pink when it comes on top of something as yummy as one of these cookies. 🙂
These have my mouth watering… I may need to bake a batch of these up next week! Plus, my daughter loves pink, so I am sure it’ll be a huge hit with her!
These cookies are amazing Kara – and so pretty too!
Thanks Trish!
I’ve never thought of just rolling balls and flattening them. They look like little flowers–why not?! This recipe sounds great. You had me when you said they are kind of like a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread. Thanks for sharing!
I never thought about it before, but they do look kind of like flowers. Bonus!