The Memory Behind This Treat
The first time I made these Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, my kitchen looked like an Easter basket exploded—and I mean that in the best possible way. I had my kids at the counter, each guarding their own bowl of tinted dough like it was treasure. Someone always adds one extra drop of pink, another swears their blue needs “just a bit more,” and before I know it, we’ve turned simple sugar cookie dough into a little paintbox of soft, dreamy colors. I grew up with plain sugar cookies and canned frosting, so that first moment of seeing a tray full of pastel rounds puff up and crackle at the edges felt like turning up the volume on a childhood favorite. They still have that familiar vanilla comfort, just dressed up in their Sunday best.
These sandwich cookies really became “ours” on one particular rainy Easter when the egg hunt got rained out and I needed a plan B fast. Instead of trudging through the mud, we lined baking sheets, rolled dough into neat little balls, and watched them bake while a storm tapped against the windows. I remember piping the vanilla filling and letting everyone choose their color pairs—purple on yellow, blue on pink, or classic matching sets. By the time we stacked them into sandwiches, the whole house smelled like warm butter, vanilla bean, and just a hint of sugar-cookie nostalgia. Every spring since, these pastel sugar cookies have joined our table right alongside carrot cake and lemon bars, a bright little bridge between old traditions and new ones we’re still making.
How To Make It (Mix & Ingredients)
To make these Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, you’ll start with a very classic sugar cookie base. Cream together softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until it looks pale and fluffy—think whipped frosting, not wet sand. Beat in the egg and vanilla bean paste; the vanilla specks give these cookies that bakery-style look and deep flavor. In a second bowl, whisk your flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt so the leaveners don’t clump. Add the dry mix to the wet on low speed until a soft, thick dough forms, then drizzle in the milk to smooth it out. It should be soft enough to scoop, but not so sticky that it coats your hands like glue.
Instructions Process of Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches
Now for the fun part: color and fill. Divide your dough into five equal portions and tint each with a tiny amount of gel food coloring—pastel shades need less color than you think, so start with a toothpick swirl and build up slowly. Gently knead the color in; overmixing can make the cookies tough, so stop once each portion looks evenly marbled and dreamy. Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough, roll into balls, and bake until the edges are set but the tops are still pale—these cookies stay soft, not crunchy. While they cool, make the vanilla filling by beating softened butter with powdered sugar, a splash of cream, vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt until thick, smooth, and spreadable. Sandwich a spoonful of filling between two cooled cookies of matching or contrasting colors, pressing gently until it reaches the edges. If you love these, you might also enjoy using this same filling style in treats like soft lemon cookies or confetti-style celebration cookies for another colorful dessert moment.
Make-Ahead & Storage
Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches are wonderfully make-ahead friendly, which makes them perfect for Easter dessert tables, baby showers, or a colorful cookie tray alongside something like my lemon bar cookies. For the best texture, bake the cookies up to 3 days ahead and store them unfilled in an airtight container at room temperature; separate layers with parchment so the pretty pastel tops don’t stick. Mix the vanilla filling the day you plan to assemble, or up to 3 days in advance, and keep it in the fridge in a covered container—just let it soften at room temperature and re-whip briefly before using so it becomes fluffy again.
Once assembled, store your Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches in a single layer in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4–5 days. The cookies will gradually soften as they absorb a bit of moisture from the filling, giving you that bakery-style, tender bite. If you prefer a firmer texture, let the unfilled cookies stay at room temp, then fill them a few hours before serving. For freezing, you have two options: freeze the baked, unfilled cookies for up to 2 months, or freeze the already-assembled cookie sandwiches for up to 1 month, with parchment between layers. Thaw at room temperature (about 30–45 minutes for unfilled cookies, a bit longer for filled) before serving so the colors stay vibrant and the filling turns silky, not icy.
Best Ingredients & Party Variations
For the softest, prettiest Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, ingredients matter more than you might think. Use room-temperature unsalted butter so your dough creams properly and bakes into thick, tender cookies instead of flat, oily discs. I love vanilla bean paste here because the flavor is deeper and those tiny vanilla specks make the pastel colors look extra charming up close. Choose a good-quality gel food coloring rather than liquid; gel won’t water down your dough, so your pastel pinks and purples stay dreamy, not dull. And always scoop and level your all-purpose flour so your cookies stay soft and tender enough to sandwich without cracking.
Once you’ve nailed the base, you can easily dress these up for any party. For a birthday dessert table, roll just the edges of the filled sandwiches in pastel sprinkles or nonpareils for a crunchy rim that kids go straight for. For Easter or spring showers, tint each batch a single color and pair them up matchy-matchy, or mix and match for a basket-full of “Easter egg” cookie sandwiches. You can swap the filling flavor too: add lemon zest and a splash of lemon juice for a bright spring twist, or a teaspoon of almond extract for a bakery-style touch like my almond cookie lovers use in their favorite treats. For a more elegant spread—think baby showers or brunch—pipe a neat swirl of filling instead of spreading it, and make mini sandwiches using smaller scoops of dough so guests can try them alongside richer desserts like layered cakes or cheesecake bars without feeling overloaded.
Serving of Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches
Conclusion
I love how something as simple as a tray of colorful cookies can turn an ordinary afternoon into a little celebration. These Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches aren’t just pretty to look at—they’re the kind of treat that gets people lingering around the kitchen, sneaking tastes of frosting, and saying, “Okay, just one more.” Whether you’re making them for a birthday, Easter, baby shower, or just because the week needs a little sweetness, they have a way of creating those small, happy moments we remember later.
As you bake, don’t stress about perfection. Let the sprinkles fall where they may, let the frosting be a little rustic, and enjoy the process as much as the final bite. My hope is that this recipe becomes one you pull out whenever you want to share a bit of color, comfort, and fun with the people you love.
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How do I get pretty, even pastel colors in the cookie dough?
For the best Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches, start by dividing your finished dough into separate portions before adding color. Use gel food coloring and add just a tiny amount at a time with a toothpick, then gently knead it in until the color looks even and soft. If the dough starts to feel sticky from handling, pop it in the fridge for 10–15 minutes to firm back up. Aim for slightly lighter than your “ideal” color, since the cookies deepen just a touch as they bake. Keep each color separate while scooping so the shades stay clean and distinct on your baking sheet.
How far in advance can I make and store Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches?
You can make the cookie dough for Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches up to 2 days in advance and chill it, well-wrapped, in the refrigerator. Baked cookies (unfilled) keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3–4 days. Once you fill and sandwich them, store them in a single layer or with parchment between layers so they don’t stick, and enjoy within 3 days. For longer storage, freeze the unfilled cookies and the filling separately for up to 2 months. Just thaw everything in the fridge, bring to room temperature, whip the filling quickly if needed, and assemble before serving.
Recipe
Pastel Sugar Cookie Sandwiches
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons milk
- Gel food coloring pink, yellow, green, blue, and purple
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat 1 cup softened butter and the granulated sugar together on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
- Add the egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste to the butter mixture and mix until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed just until a thick, soft dough forms.
- Add the milk and mix on low speed until the dough is smooth and evenly moistened.
- Divide the dough into 5 equal portions and place each portion in a small bowl.
- Tint each portion with a small amount of gel food coloring, using one color per portion, and gently knead or stir until the color is evenly distributed.
- Scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough for each cookie, roll into smooth balls, and arrange on the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops look slightly cracked but not browned.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, prepare the filling by beating 1/2 cup softened butter in a mixing bowl until smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add the powdered sugar to the butter, mixing on low speed until incorporated, then increase to medium speed and beat until fluffy.
- Add the heavy cream or milk, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, and a pinch of salt, then beat until the filling is smooth and spreadable.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, sort them into pairs of similar size and color or contrasting colors as desired.
- Using a piping bag or a small spatula, spread or pipe a generous layer of filling onto the flat side of one cookie from each pair.
- Place the second cookie, flat side down, on top of the filling and press gently until the filling spreads to the edges to form a sandwich.
- Let the assembled cookie sandwiches rest at room temperature for about 10 minutes to allow the filling to firm up slightly before serving.
Notes
- Start with a very small amount of food coloring to keep the shades soft and pastel.
- For neater sandwiches, chill the filled cookies for 15 to 20 minutes so the filling sets before serving or packing.
- Store unfilled cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days; store filled sandwiches in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.