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Easy Back to School Bus-Shaped Sugar Cookies Perfect for Kids and Parties

back to school bus-shaped sugar cookies - featured image
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These easy back to school bus-shaped sugar cookies are quick to make, fun to decorate, and perfect for kids and parties. They have a buttery vanilla flavor with a crisp edge and soft center.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 ¾ cups (345 grams) all-purpose flour, sifted
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup (227 grams) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon almond extract (optional)
  • Yellow food coloring, a few drops
  • For the icing:
  • 2 cups (240 grams) powdered sugar
  • 2–3 tablespoons milk (whole or almond milk)
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  1. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. (5 minutes)
  2. Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes. (5 minutes)
  3. Add egg and extracts: Beat in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until well combined. Scrape sides as needed. (2 minutes)
  4. Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add flour mixture to butter mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop as soon as no visible streaks of flour remain. (3 minutes)
  5. Chill the dough: Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. (1 hour+)
  6. Preheat oven and prepare baking sheets: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. (10 minutes)
  7. Roll out dough: Remove one disc from fridge and let sit 5 minutes. Roll dough on lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness. (10 minutes)
  8. Cut cookie shapes: Use bus-shaped cookie cutter to cut shapes. Transfer cookies to baking sheets about 1 inch apart. (10 minutes)
  9. Bake: Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges start to turn golden but centers remain soft. (8-10 minutes)
  10. Cool: Let cookies cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely. (20 minutes)
  11. Prepare icing: Whisk powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, and vanilla until smooth. Add yellow food coloring drop by drop until desired shade is reached. (5 minutes)
  12. Decorate: Use piping bags or zip-top bags with a small corner snip to outline and flood bus shapes. Let icing set at least 30 minutes before serving.

Notes

Use softened but not melted butter for best dough texture. Chill dough to prevent spreading and maintain shape. If dough is sticky while rolling, chill again for 10 minutes. Decorate cookies only after they have completely cooled to avoid melting the icing. For gluten-free, use a gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. For dairy-free, substitute vegan butter and almond or oat milk.

Nutrition

Keywords: sugar cookies, back to school, bus-shaped cookies, kids cookies, party cookies, easy sugar cookies, vanilla sugar cookies

Find it online: https://spoonluma.com/easy-back-to-school-bus-shaped-sugar-cookies-perfect-for-kids-and-parties/