Grand Slam Baseball Sugar Cookies: Your Ultimate Guide to Easy Decorating!

Step up to the plate and hit a home run with these adorable and delicious baseball sugar cookies! Whether you’re celebrating a little league victory, hosting a World Series party, or simply showing off your team spirit, these cookies are guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser. They combine my favorite easy-to-make sugar cookie recipe with a rich, creamy vanilla-almond buttercream frosting to create a beautifully decorated and irresistibly tasty treat. Forget complicated techniques; our simple step-by-step guide will have you decorating like a pro in no time, making them perfect for bakers of all skill levels!

Perfectly frosted baseball sugar cookies arranged on a white glass plate — These charming baseball sugar cookies are ready for game day!

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Why These Baseball Sugar Cookies Are a Must-Try

What makes these baseball-themed sugar cookies stand out from the rest? It’s a combination of simple ingredients, clever techniques, and incredible flavor that will have everyone reaching for more!

Soft & Moist Texture: Our base is my incredibly popular soft frosted sugar cookie recipe, which yields a thick, tender cookie that’s wonderfully moist with a delightful buttery and slightly chewy inside. Many describe it as being reminiscent of those beloved cakey Lofthouse cookies, but with a richer, homemade flavor that’s undeniably superior. The secret lies in using a higher proportion of powdered sugar in the dough, which contributes significantly to its signature melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Quick to Make: Unlike intricate decorated sugar cookies that require hours of chilling and fussy royal icing, these homemade baseball cookies come together remarkably fast. Our no-chill dough recipe means you can go from mixing bowl to oven in minutes! Plus, we employ a genius “freezer frosting technique” to achieve a perfectly smooth and flat surface, saving you from intricate piping work and ensuring a professional finish with minimal effort. This is perfect for busy parents or last-minute party preparations.
Fun to Decorate: Get ready for an enjoyable decorating experience! With our easy, step-by-step instructions, transforming these round cookies into realistic baseballs with vibrant red seams using our creamy vanilla-almond buttercream frosting is incredibly simple. You can even unleash your creativity and customize the colors or design to match your favorite baseball team, making them truly unique for any fan or occasion.

Close-up shot of a perfectly decorated baseball sugar cookie showcasing its red stitches on a white background — Every detail counts when creating these delightful baseball treats.

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions for Your Best Baseball Sugar Cookies

Quality ingredients are the foundation of any great cookie. Here’s what you need to know about the key components for these delightful baseball sugar cookies:

Butter: For consistent baking results, I always recommend using unsalted butter. This gives you full control over the salt content in your recipe. However, if salted butter is all you have on hand, feel free to use it; just remember to omit the ½ teaspoon of salt from the cookie dough recipe. Ensure your butter is softened to room temperature for optimal creaming with sugar, leading to a lighter, fluffier dough.
Sugar: This recipe cleverly utilizes both powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar) and granulated sugar. The secret to our cookies’ incredibly soft and tender texture lies predominantly in the powdered sugar used in the dough. It dissolves more completely, resulting in a fine crumb and a melt-in-your-mouth feel. Do not attempt to replace powdered sugar with all granulated sugar, as this will drastically alter the taste, texture, and overall appearance of your cookies, making them crunchier and less delicate.
Egg: A large egg acts as a crucial binding agent in our cookie dough, holding all the ingredients together. It also contributes significantly to the cookies’ moisture and richness, ensuring they stay soft and palatable for days. Make sure your egg is at room temperature to incorporate easily into the creamed butter and sugar mixture.
Extracts: We use a powerful duo of vanilla extract and almond extract. While vanilla provides a classic sweetness, the almond extract is the true game-changer here, imparting that distinctive, delightful “sugar cookie” flavor that elevates these treats from good to absolutely incredible. I strongly encourage you not to omit it, unless you have a nut allergy or a personal aversion to almond flavor. It truly makes all the difference!
Light Corn Syrup: Don’t let this ingredient deter you! We’re only using 1 tablespoon of light corn syrup, but it plays a vital role in giving these cookies a special, supremely moist texture. Furthermore, it acts as a humectant, helping the cookies retain their moisture for several days, which is fantastic if you’re making them in advance or gifting them. For clarification, light corn syrup is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. If you prefer not to use it, you can substitute it with an equal amount of thick honey, or simply leave it out entirely, though the texture may be slightly less soft. If you’ve tried my cosmic brownie cookies, you already know the magic a little corn syrup can work!
Baking Powder: Always double-check that you’re using baking powder, not baking soda, as they react differently and will impact the cookie’s rise and texture. Freshness is also key for baking powder; it typically stays effective for about 3-6 months after opening. A handy tip: write the date you opened the can on the lid with a sharpie to easily keep track of its potency.
Flour: All-purpose flour is my go-to for cookie recipes, providing reliable structure and texture. I haven’t experimented with other flour varieties for this specific recipe, but if you do, I’d love to hear about your results! Proper measurement is crucial: always use the spoon-and-level method (spoon flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top with a straight edge). Adding too much flour is a common pitfall that can lead to dense, dry, and crumbly cookies instead of the soft, moist ones we’re aiming for.
Food Coloring: For the iconic red baseball seams, I achieved a rich, deep red color using a combination of Wilton Crimson and Wilton Red gel food colorings. Gel colors are highly concentrated, producing vibrant hues without thinning your frosting. My absolute favorite for consistent, brilliant colors is the Wilton Color Right Set, but any good quality gel food coloring will work. Keep in mind that red colors often deepen as they sit, so don’t worry if your initial mix isn’t as intense as you’d like; it will likely darken over time.

Collection of fresh baking ingredients for baseball sugar cookies, including butter, sugar, flour, and extracts. — Fresh, quality ingredients are the foundation for truly delicious cookies.

How to Make These Incredible Baseball Sugar Cookies

Get ready to create some edible masterpieces! Follow these simple steps for perfectly baked and beautifully decorated baseball sugar cookies.

Step 1: Prepare the Sugar Cookie Dough

Begin by mixing up your sugar cookie dough using the detailed recipe provided below. This no-chill dough is incredibly forgiving and quick to prepare, but you can also opt for your favorite premade dough if you’re short on time!

Mixing softened butter and sugar in a clear glass bowl for sugar cookie dough — Cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy.

Wet ingredients for sugar cookie dough, including egg and extracts, blended in a glass mixing bowl — Incorporate egg and extracts for rich flavor.

Spoon and level method demonstrating pouring flour into wet cookie dough ingredients — Gradually add dry ingredients until just combined.

Smooth and pliable raw sugar cookie dough in a glass mixing bowl, ready for shaping — The finished dough should be soft and pliable.

Step 2: Shape and Bake Your Baseball Cookies

Once your dough is ready, it’s time to shape them into perfect rounds and get them baking. Remember, slight underbaking is key to a soft cookie!

Start by scooping the cookie dough into uniform 3-tablespoon sized portions. Roll each portion gently into a smooth ball.
Next, flatten each dough ball into a uniform ½-inch thick disc. This ensures even baking and creates the perfect canvas for your baseball design.
Place the flattened dough discs onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and helps with easy cleanup.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for approximately 11-12 minutes. The cookies are ready when most of the tops no longer appear wet and the edges are just barely set.
Critical Tip: Avoid overbaking at all costs! Overbaked cookies will lose their signature soft and moist texture. It’s okay if the very center looks slightly underdone when you pull them out; they will continue to firm up and finish baking on the hot cookie sheet through residual heat.
After removing from the oven, let the cookies cool on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes. This allows them to set completely without breaking. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool entirely before attempting to frost them. Frosting warm cookies will cause the frosting to melt and slide off.

Scoops of raw sugar cookie dough in a glass bowl with a cookie scoop — Portioning dough for consistent cookie sizes.

Freshly baked round sugar cookies cooling on a parchment-lined baking sheet — Allow cookies to cool completely before frosting.

Step 3: Whip Up the Perfect Buttercream Frosting

Our vanilla-almond buttercream is the ideal complement to these soft sugar cookies. Its creamy texture makes it easy to work with and ensures a delicious bite every time.

Prepare the buttercream frosting following the recipe provided below. You can also use good-quality canned frosting in a pinch, but homemade is always best for flavor and texture!
Once the white frosting is mixed to perfection, scoop out 1 cup and set it aside. This will be tinted red for our baseball seams.
To achieve a vibrant red, add 4 drops of Wilton Crimson gel food coloring and 2 drops of Wilton Red gel food coloring to the reserved cup of frosting. Mix well until the color is uniform.

Pro Tip for Frosting: A stand mixer is highly recommended for making buttercream as it makes the process much easier and yields a perfectly light and fluffy frosting. If you’re using a hand mixer and find the frosting too thick or struggling to achieve that airy consistency, don’t hesitate to add 1-2 teaspoons of milk (or cream) after incorporating the powdered sugar. This will help thin it out and improve its texture without compromising flavor.

Adding red gel food dye to white buttercream frosting in a small glass bowl — Achieve a vibrant red with gel food coloring.

Red icing being mixed with a rubber spatula in a bowl, showing a smooth texture — Mix thoroughly until the color is uniform.

Step 4: Frost Your Cookies for a Smooth Finish

This clever freezer frosting technique is key to getting a perfectly flat, smooth surface for your baseball design. It’s much simpler than it sounds!

Fill a piping bag fitted with an 809 round piping tip with the white buttercream frosting.
Pipe a generous dollop of white icing onto the center of each cooled cookie, leaving a small border around the edge. This space is intentional!
Carefully flip each frosted cookie upside down onto a fresh parchment-lined cookie sheet. Gently press down on the back of the cookie. This action will cause the frosting to spread evenly to the edges and flatten beautifully against the parchment paper, creating an incredibly smooth surface.
Place the entire parchment-lined cookie sheet with the inverted, frosted cookies into the freezer. Freeze until the icing is completely set and dry, usually about 15-30 minutes. This step is crucial for achieving that perfectly flat, flawless surface before we add the red baseball lines.
Once the cookies are thoroughly frozen and the icing is completely firm, gently peel them up from the parchment paper. Lay them flat, right-side up, back down on the baking sheet or a clean work surface, ready for decoration.

Piping white frosting onto a round sugar cookie with a piping bag and tip — Pipe frosting generously, leaving a small border.

Frosted sugar cookie flipped upside down onto parchment paper to flatten the icing — Gently press to create a smooth, flat surface.

A row of perfectly frosted sugar cookies on a cooling rack, ready for the next decorating step — Allow the frosting to set completely before adding details.

Step 5: Add the Iconic Baseball Stitch Lines

Now for the fun part – bringing your baseballs to life with their signature red stitches! Precision is key here, but don’t worry, we have a trick to help.

Fill a clean piping bag with your red icing, fitted with a #5 round piping tip. This size is ideal for creating crisp, visible lines.
To create the curved seams of a baseball, you’ll use a round cookie cutter (the same size or slightly smaller than your cookie) as a guide. Gently press the edge of the cookie cutter onto the frosted cookie to make a faint indentation, creating two curved lines that mimic the baseball seams.
Carefully follow these faint cookie cutter lines with your piping bag to pipe the two main curved red seam lines onto each cookie. Take your time to ensure they are smooth and even.
Next, pipe 5 short, diagonal lines across each of the two curved seam lines. These small lines represent the iconic stitching of a baseball. Aim for even spacing and consistent length to make them look authentic.
Allow the red icing to dry completely before stacking or storing your beautifully decorated baseball sugar cookies. This will prevent smudging and ensure your hard work stays perfect!

Using a round cookie cutter to gently indent guide lines for baseball seams on a frosted sugar cookie — Use a cookie cutter as a guide for perfect curved lines.

Piping red icing to create the seam and stitch details on a baseball sugar cookie — Pipe the seams and diagonal stitches for an authentic baseball look.

Baking and Decorating Tips & Variations

Elevate your baseball sugar cookie game with these expert tips and fun variations:

Room Temperature Butter is Crucial: For both the cookie dough and the buttercream frosting, ensure your butter is at true room temperature (soft enough to indent with a finger, but not melted). This allows it to cream properly with the sugar, incorporating air for a light, tender cookie and a fluffy, smooth frosting. Cold butter won’t cream correctly, and melted butter will result in greasy cookies and runny frosting.
Best Food Coloring Gels: As mentioned, gel food colorings are superior to liquid ones for vibrant colors without altering frosting consistency. The Wilton Color Right Set is a fantastic investment for any baker. Remember that red frosting tends to deepen in color as it sits, so don’t feel the need to add excessive amounts of coloring right away. Mix until you get a good base red, and it will likely become more vibrant over time.
Make Softball Cookies: Easily transform these into adorable softball cookies! Simply swap the white buttercream for a bright yellow frosting. Then, pipe on the red stitches as directed. This is a fantastic variation for softball players or fans.
Team Colors Customization: Instead of just red stitches, you can incorporate your favorite team’s colors! Use a base color for the cookie that matches your team (e.g., blue, green) and then use another team color for the stitch lines. This makes them perfect for game day parties or as personalized gifts for players.
Rolling Dough Evenly: For perfectly uniform cookies, use rolling pin guides. These are strips of wood or plastic you place on either side of your dough, ensuring your rolling pin maintains an even thickness across the entire surface.
No Piping Bag? No Problem!: If you don’t have a piping bag, you can easily make a makeshift one. Spoon your frosting into a sturdy Ziploc bag, snip a tiny corner off one of the bottom edges (the size of your desired line), and pipe away!

Storage, Freezing, and Making Ahead

Planning ahead or have leftovers? Here’s how to properly store and freeze your baseball sugar cookies to maintain their freshness and flavor.

Storage: This sugar cookie frosting, made with butter and powdered sugar, is quite stable. You can safely leave frosted cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for 2-3 days. If you’re not planning to frost your cookies immediately after baking, store the unfrosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week. If you’ve made the frosting in advance and stored it in the fridge, let it come to room temperature to soften, then re-beat it with a mixer for a minute or two until it’s light and fluffy again before using. In very hot and humid climates, it’s always best to store frosted cookies in the refrigerator to prevent the buttercream from softening too much.
Freezing: These baseball sugar cookies freeze beautifully, making them perfect for preparing in advance! Place the completely cooled and frosted cookies in a single layer on a freezer-safe baking sheet and flash freeze them for about 1-2 hours until solid. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container. To prevent them from sticking together or damaging the frosting, place pieces of parchment paper in between each layer of cookies. They will keep well in the freezer for up to 1 month. To enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature for a few hours.

Decorated baseball sugar cookies cooling on a wire rack after frosting, ready for serving — Proper cooling ensures the frosting sets perfectly.

Frequently Asked Questions:

How do I make vibrant red frosting for the stitches?

For the deepest and most vibrant red color, I highly recommend using gel food coloring. For every 1 cup of white frosting, start by adding 4 drops of Wilton Crimson and 2 drops of Wilton Red. Since we only use about ½ cup of red frosting for these cookies, you’ll adjust accordingly (e.g., 2 drops Crimson + 1 drop Red). If liquid food coloring is all you have, you can use it, but you might need more to achieve the desired intensity, and it could slightly thin your frosting. An important tip: red frosting tends to deepen in color the longer it sits, so don’t worry if it’s not super dark immediately; it will likely intensify over time.

Can I make these cookies in advance?

Absolutely! These cookies are perfect for preparing ahead of time. While they are at their absolute best within 2-3 days of baking and decorating, they will remain wonderfully soft and delicious for up to 4-5 days when stored properly in an airtight container at room temperature. You can also freeze them for longer storage, as detailed in the “Storage & Freezing” section.

What if I don’t have a round cookie cutter for shaping or decorating?

No problem at all! You can still easily make and decorate these round baseball cookies even without a dedicated cookie cutter. For shaping the dough, simply use the rim of a regular drinking glass, a mason jar lid, or even the top of a clean, empty aluminum soup can. Anything with a round opening will work perfectly. For adding the curved guide lines for the stitches, you can use the same method – gently pressing the rim of a glass or can onto the frosted cookie to create the faint impression before piping.

Why did my cookies spread too much or turn out too dry?

If your cookies spread excessively, it’s often due to butter that was too warm (resulting in a greasy dough) or too much leavening agent. Ensure your butter is softened but not melted. If they turned out dry, the most common culprit is adding too much flour. Always measure flour using the spoon-and-level method to avoid over-packing. Overbaking can also lead to dry, crumbly cookies, so be sure to pull them from the oven when they still look slightly soft in the center.

Can I make these gluten-free?

While this recipe has not been specifically tested with gluten-free flour, many readers have had success substituting all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. The texture might vary slightly, but it should still yield delicious results. As always, for best results, choose a high-quality gluten-free blend designed for baking.

Looking for more cookie recipes?

If you loved these baseball sugar cookies, you’ll surely enjoy these other fantastic cookie creations perfect for celebrations or everyday treats!

Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
Easy Basketball Cookie Cake
Easy Baseball Cookie Cake
Fudgy Brownie Football Cookies

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Close-up of a decorated baseball sugar cookie with red stitches

Baseball Sugar Cookies

Whether you’re celebrating a little league victory or hosting a World Series party, these baseball sugar cookies are sure to be a home run with any baseball fan! They use my favorite easy-to-make sugar cookie recipe and delicious vanilla-almond buttercream to transform these cute cookies into a delicious decorated treat with a perfectly soft texture and vibrant design.

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Total Time:

21 minutes

Servings:

9
Large Cookies

By:

Melissa Rose

Ingredients

For the Sugar Cookies:

½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick, softened)
¾ cup powdered sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (see substitution notes below)
1 tablespoon light corn syrup (not high fructose corn syrup! Can replace with thick honey or omit)
1 teaspoon baking powder (not baking soda!)
½ teaspoon salt
1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

For the Vanilla-Almond Buttercream Frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, softened)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
½ teaspoon almond extract (see substitution notes below)
¼ teaspoon salt
3 cups powdered sugar

For Decorating:

red gel food coloring (Wilton Crimson & Red recommended)
Piping bags and 809 round tip (for white frosting)
Piping bag and #5 round tip (for red frosting)
Round cookie cutter (same size as cookies, for guidance)

Get Recipe Ingredients

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Instructions

For the Sugar Cookies:

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper for easy cleanup.
In a large mixing bowl (or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment), cream together the softened unsalted butter (½ cup, 1 stick), powdered sugar (¾ cup), and granulated sugar (¼ cup) on medium speed for about 2 minutes. Beat until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color.
While the mixer is still on medium speed, add in the large egg (1), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), almond extract (½ teaspoon), and light corn syrup (1 tablespoon). Mix until just combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
Once the wet ingredients are well mixed, gradually add in the dry ingredients: baking powder (1 teaspoon), salt (½ teaspoon), and all-purpose flour (1¾ cups). Add the flour about a half-cup at a time on low speed, mixing until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. The dough may appear crumbly at first, but it will come together into a soft, pliable dough. When pinched between your fingers, the dough should have a consistency similar to thick playdoh.
Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon sized portions. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then gently flatten each dough ball into a ½-inch thick disc. Place these discs onto your parchment-lined baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven at 350°F (175°C) for 11-12 minutes, or until the tops no longer look wet and the edges are just set.

Important: Do not overbake! These cookies are meant to be soft. They may appear slightly underdone in the very center, but they will finish baking and firm up on the hot cookie sheet after you remove them from the oven. Use your best judgment; if they look severely underbaked, an extra minute or two won’t hurt.
After removing the cookies from the oven, allow them to cool on the hot baking sheet for 10 minutes. This helps them set and prevents breakage. Then, carefully transfer them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely. Ensure they are fully cooled before attempting to frost them.

To Make the Buttercream Frosting:

Note before you start: Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment will make this process much easier and yield the best results for light and fluffy frosting. If you’re using a hand mixer and find the frosting too stiff or are struggling to get it light, you can add 1-2 teaspoons of milk (or cream) after adding all the powdered sugar to help thin it out to a desired piping consistency.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the softened unsalted butter (1 cup, 2 sticks), vanilla extract (2 teaspoons), almond extract (½ teaspoon), and salt (¼ teaspoon). Cream these ingredients together on medium speed for about 30 seconds, or until they are well blended and smooth.
Reduce mixer speed to medium-low and gradually begin adding the powdered sugar (3 cups), about a half-cup at a time. Mix until all the powdered sugar is incorporated and the frosting begins to come together.
Increase the mixer to high speed and beat for 2-3 minutes. This step is crucial for whipping air into the frosting, making it light, fluffy, and easy to pipe. If the frosting is too thick, add 1-2 teaspoons of milk (or cream) until you reach your desired consistency.
After mixing the white frosting, remove 1 cup and place it in a separate small bowl. Color this reserved frosting red using 4 drops of Wilton Crimson and 2 drops of Wilton Red gel food coloring. Mix well until the color is deep and uniform.

To Frost and Decorate the Cookies:

Place the white buttercream frosting into a piping bag fitted with an 809 round piping tip. Pipe a generous amount of white icing onto the center of each cooled cookie, leaving a small, unfrosted space around the edge.
Carefully flip each frosted cookie upside down onto a fresh sheet of parchment paper. Gently press down on the back of the cookie. This will cause the icing to spread evenly to the edges and flatten beautifully against the parchment paper. Place the parchment-lined sheet with inverted cookies into the freezer until the icing is completely dry and firm, about 15-30 minutes. This technique creates a perfectly smooth surface for decoration.
Once the cookies are frozen and the icing is thoroughly set, carefully peel them up from the parchment paper. Lay them flat, right-side up, back down on the baking sheet or a clean work surface.
Fill a new piping bag with the red icing and fit it with a #5 round piping tip. To create the curved baseball seams, use a round cookie cutter (the same size as your cookies) as a guide. Gently press its edge onto the white frosted surface to create a faint curved indentation. Then, follow these lines to pipe two curved red seam lines on each cookie.
Next, pipe 5 short, diagonal lines across each of the two curved red lines to represent the iconic baseball stitching. Let the red icing dry completely before stacking or storing. Store your finished cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature, or freeze for later enjoyment.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! Your feedback is incredibly valuable.

Notes

Almond Extract: If you or someone you’re baking for has an almond allergy, or if you simply don’t care for the flavor, you can certainly leave out the almond extract. However, please note that it contributes significantly to that classic “sugar cookie” flavor, so for the best taste, I strongly recommend including it if possible!

Light Corn Syrup: This often-misunderstood ingredient is key to the incredibly moist and tender texture of these cookies, helping them stay fresh for days – which is ideal for gifting! It is not the same as high fructose corn syrup. While you can substitute it with an equal amount of thick honey or omit it entirely, using light corn syrup will yield the best results for chewiness and longevity. As a reference, if you’ve tried my cosmic brownie cookies, you’ll know how impactful even a small amount of corn syrup can be!

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