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This Swig cookie recipe is the best copycat version of their signature sugar cookies. A no chill, no roll, drop cookie resulting in a thick chewy cookie topped with a sweet layer of frosting. Bonus points for being able to eat them straight out of the freezer!

Swig cookies with frosting on table.
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Easy Copycat Swig Cookies

This is one of the best cookie recipes of all time. They have a delicious buttery flavor, chewy texture and are finished off with a sweet and creamy sour cream frosting. After just one bite, you will be hooked. Perfectly simple, and utterly delicious!

One of my favorite places to go when I visit Utah is Swig. If you’ve never heard of this gem, it’s a popular sweet shop that sells all kinds of different soda flavors and a line of delicious cookies. One of my favorites is their Swig sugar cookies. They come chilled and taste so good on a hot day with one of their drinks.

That’s right, cold. Eating a cookie this way might seem counterintuitive, but trust me, you have got to try it at least once. Store them in the freezer for up to 3 months and grab a couple as you please to accompany a drink of choice like this blueberry lemonade or frozen strawberry lemonade. I recommend making a double batch of this copycat recipe!

Since I don’t live near one of their soda shop locations, I love to make these copycat Swig cookies at home. This recipe produces soft sugar cookies that have a crispy outer edge and a soft chewy inside. Slathered on top is a layer of frosting, and what really is a very simple cookie, will knock your socks off. Customize the frosting for any holiday or occasion. Have fun with the colors and maybe add some sprinkles!

Swig cookie ingredients on the counter.

Find the printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Unsalted butter: Unsalted butter is best for baking, if all you have is salted butter that is okay, just reduce the added salt. Remember to set your butter out to soften to room temperature.
  • Granulated sugar: A must for any sugar cookie.
  • Powdered sugar: Gives these copycat cookies an even sweeter taste and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
  • Vegetable oil: While you can use additional melted butter that is slightly cooled, vegetable oil is what will keep your cookies nice and soft.
  • Eggs: I used room temperature large eggs.
  • Sour cream: Adds moisture to the cookies.
  • Extract: Both vanilla extract and almond extract are used in this cookie recipe, although you can use all vanilla extract if preferred.
  • All-purpose flour: Adds structure to the cookies.
  • Fine sea salt: Enhances the taste in sugar cookies.
  • Baking soda: A leavening agent used for rise.
  • Cream of tartar: This is needed to prevent the sugar from crystallizing.
  • Frosting: Unsalted butter, sour cream, vanilla extract and powdered sugar. To make pink frosting, you will need a drop of red food dye.

Variations

  • Food coloring. Swap out any other food coloring of choice in the frosting depending on the holiday or occasion. Decorate with festive sprinkles as desired.
  • Extract. You can sub the almond extract for more vanilla or even lemon extract.
  • Chocolate: For a chocolate frosted Swig cookie, add 3/4 cup cocoa powder to the dough.
  • Lemon: Add both lemon zest to the dough and top the frosting with a bit of lemon zest, too!
  • Coconut: Instead of almond extract, try up to 1.5 teaspoons of coconut extract and then add some to the frosting as well. Top with toasted coconut!

How to Make Swig Sugar Cookies

Showing how to make swig cookies in a 6 step collage.
  1. Cream butter and sugar.  In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream your butter and sugars until smooth. Then add in your oil, sour cream, eggs and extracts and continue to mix until combined.
  2. Whisk dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together all your dry ingredients to remove any lumps.
  3. Make dough. Slowly add the flour mixture into the sugar mixture and combine. Do not overmix, but scrape down the sides as needed making sure to incorporate everything. Your dough should not be sticky.
  4. Scoop, roll and press. Using a large cookie scoop, scoop dough and roll into balls. Roll cookie dough balls in a shallow dish with granulated sugar then place them on a prepared cookie sheet about 3 inches apart. Then, take a glass cup that is about 2-inches on bottom and lightly press the dough balls until they are 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch thick. If it’s not sticking, just spray it with a little cooking spray and then press.
  5. Bake. Bake until almost underdone, and no longer looking wet. You don’t want to wait until they’ve turned golden, or your cookies will be dry. Better to take them out just before and leave them on the hot baking sheet for a few minutes extra. Once they are firm, they can be moved to a cooling rack.
  6. Frosting. Once the Swig cookies have cooled, make the frosting. Combine the butter, sour cream, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Using a mixer, beat until smooth. Add half of the powdered sugar and mix until creamy. Continue mixing adding the remaining powdered sugar. Taste and add salt if needing. Drop a bit of red food coloring in and mix. Slather it on top of each cookie and enjoy.
Swig cookies on a wire cooling rack.

5 star review

This is by far the best copycat swig cookie recipe I have found! They really are best cold, so don’t skip that step for maximum cookie enjoyment!

– Chelsea

Expert Tips

  • Soft butter. Having room temperature softened butter is key to this recipe. Just make sure you’re not using melted butter, which may pose a problem.
  • Thick icing. If the icing is too thick, add 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream or milk
  • Use the oven light: Rather than opening the oven door use the oven light to check your Swig cookie recipe. Opening the door releases the hot oven air and can cause cookies to bake unevenly.
  • Serve them the authentic way: If you visit Swig you will notice they keep these cookies in the freezer. Once ordered, a cookie is removed from the freezer, frosted with a flat spatula and served to the customer.
  • Freeze with frosting. Alternately, you can choose to freeze the cookie entirely assembled which is a nice time saver or if you plan to store them longer and may not have the icing on hand.

FAQs

Why did my cookies turn out hard?

Either you overmixed your cookie dough or you baked them too long! Remember to only mix your dry and wet ingredients until combined. Overmixing leads to additional gluten development which results in tough cookies.

Do I need to chill the cookie dough before baking?

No! That is the best part of this Swig sugar cookie recipe, no chilling involved means you can make them anytime the craving hits.

How do I keep my cookies soft and chewy?

Whether you choose to store them at room temp or freezer an airtight container that is sealed tight is the key to keeping these sugar cookies soft.

How long can I store these sugar cookies at room temperature?

Unfrosted sugar cookies can be stored in an airtight container for about 7 days. You should really try them cold, though! Swig serves the cookies straight from the freezer.

Stack of swig cookies.

Storage

Once cookies are cooled, place them back onto the baking sheet and flash freeze for up to 1 hour. Once hard, you can stack them in a covered airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Leftover frosting can be store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before spreading on a cookie, bring it to room temperature first.

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Swig cookies on a wire cooling rack.

Swig Cookies

4.97 from 64 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
This Swig cookie recipe is the best copycat version of their signature sugar cookies. A no chill, no roll, drop cookie resulting in a thick chewy cookie topped with a sweet layer of frosting. Bonus points for being able to eat them straight out of the freezer!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 30

Video

Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar , plus more for pressing cookies
  • ¾ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup vegetable oil , or melted butter (slightly cooled)
  • 2 large eggs
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (can sub for vanilla, if preferred)
  • 5 ½ cups (745 grams) all-purpose flour
  • ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt (use 1/2 teaspoon if using salted butter)
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar

Frosting

  • ½ cup unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 4 cups powdered sugar

Optional: Pinch salt, Heavy cream or milk, Red food coloring

    Instructions

    Cookies

    • Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
    • In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugars 1 to 2 minutes, or until pale and creamy. Mix in the oil, sour cream, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract for an additional minute.
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cream of tarter, and salt. Slowly mix into the sugar mixture just until combined, being careful not to over mix. Scrape down the sides as needed.
    • In a shallow dish, place about 1/3 cup granulated sugar. Using a large cookie scoop (or 3 Tablespoons), portion dough and roll into balls. Roll balls in the sugar and place onto the baking sheet about 3 inches apart. (I usually bake 6 per pan.) Using the bottom of a glass cup (about 2-inches on bottom), lightly press the dough balls about 1/4- to 1/2-inch thick.
    • Bake 8 to 10 minutes, or just when the cookies no longer look wet. You do not want the edges or bottom to turn golden or they'll be dry. I like to take them out early and let them sit on the pan about 5 minutes until they're firm enough to move to a cooling rack. Let cookies cool completely on wire rack.

    Frosting

    • In a medium bowl, mix the butter, sour cream, and vanilla using an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in 2 cups powdered sugar until creamy. Add the remaining 2 cups powdered sugar. Add a Tablespoon or two of heavy cream or milk if it becomes too thick. Taste and add a pinch of salt. if needed. Add a couple drops red food coloring, if using.
    • Spread the frosting on top of the cookies. Swig serves their cookies cold. I prefer to store them in the freezer. See notes below.

    Notes

    Variations:
    • Soft butter. Having room temperature butter is key to this recipe. Just make sure you’re not using melted butter, which may pose a problem.
    • Thick icing. If the icing is too thick, add 1-2 Tablespoons of heavy cream or milk.
    • Food coloring. Swap out any other food coloring choice depending on the occasion.
    • Flavoring. You can sub the almond extract for more vanilla or even lemon extract.
    Freezer Instructions: Place the cookies onto one of the baking sheets and then place into the freezer for about 30 to 60 minutes. Once hard, you can stack in a covered container and freeze up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let thaw about 10 to 20 minutes at room temperature.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 391kcal | Carbohydrates: 61g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 39mg | Sodium: 85mg | Potassium: 68mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 326IU | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 2mg

    Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American

    Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

    Swig cookies with sprinkles close up.

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