Pioneer Woman Best Pink and White Cookies

Pioneer Woman best pink and white cookies are soft, cakey cookies made with sour cream, lemon zest and a two-tone glaze, ready in 1 hour 30 minutes. Save this pretty Easter dessert idea for baby showers, bridal showers or Mother's Day, because it's an easy bake-and-glaze treat.

Let the cookies cool completely on the pans before you glaze them, because warm cookies melt the icing right off. Glaze a warm cookie and you get a sticky, see-through coating instead of that clean pink and white finish.

Sour cream and a splash of milk in the dough give these a tender, cake-like crumb, nothing like a firm sugar cookie. A spoonful of corn syrup in the glaze keeps it glossy and smooth, so it sets without cracking.

Pioneer Woman Best Pink and White Cookies

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Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

12

servings

Prep time

45

minutes

Cooking time

16

minutes

Calories

344

kcal

Pillowy, cake-style cookies get a bright hint of lemon, then a glossy glaze painted in half pink and half white. The glaze sets smooth and shiny on the flat side of each cookie.

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
  

• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
  

• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
  

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
  

• 10 tbsp. salted butter, at room temperature
  

• 1 c. granulated sugar
  

• 1/2 tsp. finely grated lemon zest
  

• 2 large eggs
  

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
  

• 1/4 c. sour cream
  

• 2 tbsp. whole milk
  

• 2 1/2 c. powdered sugar
  

• 3 tbsp. whole milk, plus more if needed
  

• 1 tbsp. light corn syrup
  

• Pink gel food coloring
  

Directions

• Preheat and mix dry: Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven, preheat to 350°F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment. Whisk 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt in a large bowl.
• Cream the butter: Beat 10 tablespoons butter, 1 cup granulated sugar and 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add 2 eggs and 1 teaspoon vanilla and beat until fully incorporated.
• Add the flour: Add the flour mixture, 1/4 cup sour cream and 2 tablespoons whole milk to the bowl. Beat just until combined, so the dough stays soft and tender.
• Scoop the dough: Use a 2-ounce cookie scoop or a 1/4-cup measuring cup to drop the dough onto the baking sheets, about 2 inches apart. That spacing gives each cookie room to puff.
• Bake and cool: Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until the cookies are puffed and just starting to turn golden on the bottoms. Then move the pans to racks and let the cookies cool right on the pans.
• Make the white glaze: Whisk 2 1/2 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons whole milk and 1 tablespoon light corn syrup in a medium bowl until smooth. Flip each cooled cookie flat-side up and spread glaze over half with an offset spatula or the back of a spoon.
• Glaze the pink half: Set the white-glazed cookies on the rack, glaze-side up. Tint the remaining glaze with pink gel food coloring, whisk until evenly pink, then spread it over the other half of each cookie.
• Let the glaze set: Return the cookies to the rack and let the glaze set for at least 30 minutes. Then stack or serve them once the surface feels dry to the touch.

Tools for this recipe

• OXO medium cookie scoop, Wilton 9-inch angled spatula, Checkered Chef cooling racks, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Can I use a different color for the glaze?

Yes, pastel blue, yellow or purple gel coloring works the same way as pink. You can even tint both halves to match team colors or a party theme.

How should I store pink and white cookies?

Once the glaze has fully set, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. Layer parchment paper between them so the glaze doesn't smudge.

Can I make the dough ahead of time?

The cookies bake best when the dough is fresh, so I'd mix it the same day. You can bake the cookies a day ahead and glaze them the next day.

What if I don't have a cookie scoop?

A 1/4-cup measuring cup works just as well. Fill it level and drop the dough onto the baking sheet so the cookies come out the same size.

Why is my glaze too thick or too runny?

The glaze should spread easily but still cling to the cookie. If it's too thick, whisk in a little more milk a teaspoon at a time, and if it's too thin, add a spoonful of powdered sugar.