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Swig cookies are all the rage in Utah, and now you can make them at home! Cold, rich, buttery cookies topped with flavored, creamy frostings.
Table of Contents
- The Best Sugar Cookie Ever
- Ingredients You’ll Need for Swig Cookies
- How to Make Swig Sugar Cookies at Home
- How to Serve and Store Swig Sugar Cookies
- Make It a Swig Experience
- Questions About Swig Sugar Cookies
- Swig Sugar Cookie Variations
- Swig Sugar Cookies Recipe
- Swig Peanut Butter Cookies
- Swig Coconut Cookies
- Swig Chocolate Cookies
- Swig Lemon Cookies
- More Yummy Cookie Recipes
The Best Sugar Cookie Ever
I still remember the first time I bit into a Swig Sugar Cookie—I was instantly obsessed. This wasn’t just another sugar cookie; it was thick, soft, slightly crispy at the edges, and generously topped with that iconic, dreamy pink frosting. If you’ve ever visited Swig Soda Run in Utah, you’ll know exactly what I’m talking about. But if you haven’t, you’re in luck! I’m going to share my favorite homemade Swig Sugar Cookies recipe, which tastes just like the real deal.
What Makes Swig Sugar Cookies Special?
Swig cookies are famous for their unique texture and distinctive look—thick cookies with rough edges, topped with creamy frosting. They’re served cold, straight from the freezer, which makes them even more irresistible. I’ve perfected this copycat Swig Sugar Cookie recipe so you can make them anytime, anywhere, without traveling to Utah.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Swig Cookies
Cookie Dough:
- Unsalted butter – Softened for easy mixing and richness.
- Vegetable oil – Helps cookies stay moist and chewy.
- Granulated sugar – Adds sweetness and a lightly crisp texture.
- Powdered sugar – Contributes to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie.
- Water – A small amount to help blend the ingredients smoothly.
- Eggs – Provide structure and help bind the dough.
- All-purpose flour – Creates the perfect cookie texture—soft yet sturdy.
- Baking soda – For slight leavening to give a bit of rise.
- Cream of tartar – Gives cookies their distinct chewy texture.
- Salt – Balances sweetness and enhances flavor.
Pink Frosting:
- Unsalted butter – Adds creaminess and rich flavor.
- Sour cream – Provides a subtle tanginess and smooth texture.
- Salt – Enhances sweetness and balances flavors.
- Powdered sugar – The base of the frosting, giving sweetness and thickness.
- Milk – Adjusts the frosting consistency to your preference.
- Pink food coloring – To achieve the iconic Swig pink hue.
How to Make Swig Sugar Cookies at Home
Step 1: Prep and Preheat – Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Mix Your Dough – In a large bowl or stand mixer, combine butter, vegetable oil, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, and water until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, mixing until fully combined. In another bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until the dough forms.
Step 3: Shape and Bake – Roll dough into golf ball-sized balls. Place each ball onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing about 3 inches apart. Create that signature rough-edge look by dipping the bottom of a glass into sugar and pressing gently on each dough ball to flatten slightly. Re-dip the glass into sugar for every cookie.
Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes, until the edges are just lightly golden. Don’t over bake—they should be soft in the middle! Cool cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
Making the Iconic Pink Frosting
Combine butter, sour cream, and salt until creamy. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix well. Adjust consistency by adding milk, one tablespoon at a time, until creamy and spreadable. Finally, stir in a few drops of pink food coloring until you reach that famous Swig pink.
How to Serve and Store Swig Sugar Cookies
- Here’s the Swig secret: Serve your cookies ice-cold! Keep baked cookies in your freezer and frost them right before eating. Trust me, it’s incredible—soft, chewy, and cold cookies topped with smooth frosting. Pure cookie heaven!
- If freezing frosted cookies, place them on a baking sheet until fully frozen. Then, stack them between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.
Make It a Swig Experience
Want the full Swig experience? Pair these cookies with a homemade Raspberry Dream Soda to enjoy your own Swig Soda Run at home.
Questions About Swig Sugar Cookies
Swig Cookies are kept frozen when you buy them and these are the same. The frosting is very thin and the cookies are so soft that keeping them frozen will help them stay fresh longer and keep them together.
Once they are cooled and frosted, freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet. When they have frozen, place cookies in an airtight, freezer-safe container. They can be layered when frozen using parchment paper between layers.
A sugar cookie with no frosting can last, properly stored in an airtight container, on your counter, for about 7 days.
Cream of tartar gives these cookies their unique chewy texture. However, if you don’t have it, you can omit it—just note the texture might be slightly different.
Swig Sugar Cookie Variations
See below the recipe for these tasty variations on the original Swig Sugar Cookie.
- Swig Peanut Butter Cookies
- Swig Coconut Cookies
- Swig Chocolate Cookies
- Swig Lemon Cookies
Swig Sugar Cookies
Video
Equipment
- stand mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
Sugar Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 2 eggs
- 5 ½ cups flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *extra sugar for pressing cookies
Frosting
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sour cream
- dash of salt
- 1 ½ to 2 pounds powdered sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons milk, if needed
- pink or red food coloring
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with a silicone baking mat or use a nonstick baking sheet. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together. Slowly add in eggs.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well. Slowly add to the butter-sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
- Roll dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheet.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on each dough ball to flatten the cookie. Redip the glass for each cookie. Press lightly because you don't want your cookie to be too thin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden brown. Do not overbake.
- Let cookies remain on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting.
Frosting
- Cream together butter, sour cream, and salt.
- Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until desired consistency; you may not need it all.
- Add milk to thin if needed.
- Mix in food coloring to the desired hue.
- Spread over cooled cookies and serve!
Notes
- Keep the sugar cookies in the freezer after you bake them. When you are ready to eat a cookie, remove it from the freezer and frost it. This is what they do at Swig. The cookie is best when served ice-cold instead of at room temperature. If you’ve never tried eating cookies this way, pop a few in the freezer and try it. I am a fan!
- Enjoy these cookies with our homemade version of Raspberry Dream soda.
Nutrition Information
Swig Peanut Butter Cookies
For the Cookie Dough:
- ¾ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup peanut butter
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 eggs
- 3-4 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoons baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *extra sugar for pressing cookies
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ½ cup peanut butter
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- dash salt
- 2 ½ – 3 cups powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, peanut butter, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together and slowly add in eggs.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
- Roll dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie. Press lightly because you don’t want your cookie to be too thin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
- For the Frosting: Cream together butter, peanut butter, sour cream, vanilla, and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until desired consistency (you may not need it all). Spread over cooled cookies and serve!
Swig Coconut Cookies
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 ½ teaspoons coconut extract
- 2 eggs
- 5 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *extra sugar for pressing cookies
For the Frosting:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon coconut extract
- dash of salt
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds powdered sugar
- toasted coconut (for topping)
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together. Add coconut extract and slowly add in eggs.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
- Roll dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie. Press lightly because you don’t want your cookie to be too thin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
- For the Frosting: Cream together butter, sour cream, coconut extract, and salt. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until desired consistency (you may not need it all). Spread over cooled cookies, top with toasted coconut, and serve!
Swig Chocolate Cookies
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¾ cups sugar
- ¾ cups powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 2 eggs
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup cocoa powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *extra sugar for pressing cookies
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together and slowly add in eggs.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy.
- Roll dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie. Press lightly because you don’t want your cookie to be too thin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
- For the frosting: We used this Chocolate Frosting recipe.
Swig Lemon Cookies
For the Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup vegetable oil
- 1 ¼ cups sugar
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 2 Tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 Tablespoon fresh lemon zest
- 2 eggs
- 5 ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *extra sugar for pressing cookies
For the Frosting:
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- 1 (8-ounce package) cream cheese
- 2 Tablespoons lemon juice
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ – 2 pounds powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, combine butter, oil, sugar, powdered sugar, and water. Cream together and slowly add in lemon juice, lemon zest, and eggs.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix well and slowly add to the butter/sugar mixture until combined and doughy (but not sticky).
- Roll dough into golf-ball-sized balls and place on a non-stick cookie sheet or cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into excess sugar and press on to each dough ball (re-dipping in sugar each time) to flatten the cookie. Press lightly because you don’t want your cookie to be too thin.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until the bottom is lightly golden-brown. Do not over-bake. Set aside to cool.
- For the frosting: Cream together butter, cream cheese, lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla. Slowly add powdered sugar and mix until desired consistency (you may not need it all). Spread over cooled cookies and serve!
More Yummy Cookie Recipes
If you like these cookies, then you’ll love these other cookies just as much, if not more! Check out some of our favorite cookie recipes:
I hope you enjoy baking these delicious Swig Sugar Cookies, and let me know in the comments how yours turned out!
Hi! Just wondering how “firm” these cookies are when you take them out? I pit them in for 10 and tried to check the bottoms but they almost fell apart! Is that normal or should they be able to stay intact?
They should be able to stay intact, but they do cook a little more on the pan after removing from the oven.
Could I add softened cream cheese (6 oz) to the sugar swig cookie recipe? Really would love a cream cheese sugar cookie, buttercream frosting. Thank you.
That sounds amazing! We haven’t tried that, but let us know how it goes if you do!
Should I chill the cookie dough before baking?
You can, but you don’t need to!
is the no oil for the peanut butter variation a typo? Thanks!
No, it is not a typo. The peanut butter has some oil in it.
I made the lemon cookie recipe and they were amazing! I am going to make the coconut cookies next.
Any substitition for cream of tartar?
For every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in the recipe, you can use 1 teaspoon lemon juice or white vinegar.
How many cookies are in one recipe?
It makes 24 cookies!
These are so yummy! Every time I bring them to a party, they are a crowd favorite!! I always get asked for the recipe!! And I’m happy to share that it’s one of your recipes!! ❤️
The coconut frosting recipe calls for 1 1/2 – 2 lbs of powdered sugar….pretty sure that’s a typo. (Unless you’re wanting to frost about 100 cookies)
It isn’t a typo. These cookies are large and are frosted with a layer of very thick frosting. You can make less frosting and frost with a thinner layer if you prefer. Thank you for clarifying!
Salted or unsalted butter for cookie?
Salted or unsalted butter for frosting?
I always use salted butter – I think it tastes better!
I have never heard of a swig cookie before, but these look so tasty! I love the idea of mixing and matching the cookie bases with different frostings. Sounds like a fun way to involve the kids 🙂 Looking forward to making these in the future.
I’ve been searching everywhere for a Peanut Butter Swig cookie recipe, so I was very excited to find them here! I am about to make these but just have one question: The recipe calls for “3-4 c. flour.” Is that a typo or are you supposed to start with three cups and then gradually add the flour until it reaches the desired consistency? Thank you!
It isn’t a typo – start with 3 and add more until its no longer sticky!
Made the lemon version for a work treat and they were literally gobbled up in seconds. I will make this recipe again… had never heard of swig cookies until a few weeks ago.
So glad you like them! The lemon ones are my favorite this time of year!
The frosting recipes would frost 7 or 8 batches of cookies. It was a really waste of ingredients.
Has anyone used gluten free flour to make these?? I’ve made then with normal flour I am going to try gluten free because I’ve had to make some dietary changes that have helped my gut a lot.
We haven’t tried these with GF flour yet. They are a flour-heavy recipe so they might not turn out perfect. If you try them, let us know how they turn out (we would love to know)!