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This edible sugar cookie dough is safe to eat, quick to make, and so delicious! My secret to making it taste just like your favorite sugar cookie is using some almond extract to go with the other simple ingredients. This is the perfect portion for 2 people, but can easily be doubled.
Looking for another eggless cookie dough? Try this edible chocolate chip cookie dough, edible monster cookie dough, or this vegan and paleo healthy cookie dough next time.
It’s almost always cookies around here, because I love them so much. When it comes to cookie recipes, I’ve got to toot my own horn. These Christmas crack cookies took the internet by storm. And don’t get me started on Taylor Swift chai cookies.
And while I’m obsessed with baking cookies, my husband is obsessed with the cookie dough. So many people love our edible chocolate chip cookie dough, it was time I shared another version!
This edible sugar cookie dough recipe is your ultimate guide and includes:
- How to make any cookie dough safe to eat
- My favorite brands (including sprinkles without dyes)
- Step-by-step photos of the process
- Troubleshooting and reader tips
- More edible cookie dough variations
- How to store and serve
Why You’ll Love this Cookie Dough
I always say there are two types of people: Those who sneak bites of cookie dough as they bake — and liars. But, thanks to this edible sugar cookie dough recipe, nobody has to lie! Free of raw eggs and raw flour, it’s completely safe to eat.
This is an easy recipe, with simple ingredients, and it tastes just like the real sugar cookie dough (with lots of sprinkles!). It’s also quick to make (10 minutes or less), kids love it, and it makes the perfect portion size (2-3 servings), but can easily be doubled, tripled, or more!
Molly’s Recipe Rundown
- Taste: the almond extract and sprinkles make it taste just like the real thing!
- Texture: light and fluffy, if you do it right. Could be grainy if you don’t beat it long enough, so make sure you do that.
- Ease: All you have to do is to remember to set out your butter ahead of time. After that, it’s minutes from start to finish.
- Pros: easy to add to other desserts or right from a spoon.
- Cons: The finished texture depends on the temperature of your ingredients (read troubleshooting tips for more).
- Would I make this again? For sure, my kids loved it.
How Do You Make Cookie Dough Safe to Eat?
There are two reasons why they say you shouldn’t eat cookie dough before baking: raw eggs and raw flour.
Consuming uncooked flour isn’t always safe to eat, but heat treating it t has all of the delicious flavors and consistency of raw cookie dough, without the harmful effects. While eating regular cookie dough might come with a risk of harmful bacteria, this is the perfect treat to satisfy your sweet tooth in a way that won’t risk salmonella.
Luckily, there’s an easy fix for both of those things. Replace each egg in the recipe with 1 Tablespoon of milk and heat treat the flour.
If you follow both of those steps, you can turn any cookie dough recipe into edible cookie dough. As long as there aren’t any other ingredients with a risk!
Ingredients and Brands I Love
Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Flour: I tested this with all purpose flour and gluten-free flour. I love Bob’s red mill 1:1 flour. Use the spoon and level method to measure it correctly. If you want an almond flour option, use my healthy cookie dough recipe.
- Sugar: I like the mixture of brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe.
- Unsalted butter: get a good quality butter, like Kerrygold, if you can swing it. There aren’t many ingredients in this so a delish butter is ideal. You could use Myokos vegan butter to keep it dairy-free or vegan.
- Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract if you can. I like Watkins or McCormick for a more affordable option.
- Almond extract: this is the key to this recipe and totally needed for the real sugar cookie flavor.
- Pinch of salt: to balance out the sweetness
- Milk: any type will do! I’ve made this with regular, heavy cream, and plant-based milk
- Rainbow sprinkles: any rainbow sprinkles you have on hand will do, but I love Supernatural because it’s free from artificial dyes.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here are the basic steps, with images, for this edible cookie dough recipe. Skip down to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe.
Heat Treat the Flour
Heat treat flour in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 50-60 seconds. Alternately, spread it on a rimmed baking sheet and bake it for 8-10 minutes at 350°F. The temperature of the flour should be 160°F.
Success tip: Let the flour cool so it doesn’t melt the butter in the dough.
Cream Butter and Sugar
Use a hand mixer to cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter. Beat until fluffy and light in color, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and salt until combined.
Add Flour
Add the cooled flour and mix on low speed then increase to high until completely combined. It will look crumbly at first then start to come together.
Add Sprinkles and Enjoy!
Beat in a couple of tablespoons of milk to bring it all together. Stir sprinkles into the dough and enjoy! Try a spoonful of dough, roll them into balls, or put them in homemade ice cream.
Troubleshooting, FAQs, and Variations
There are a few reasons for this! First, make sure you use real butter, not margarine. Next, room temperature butter should only be out for 1-2 hours and will still feel cool to the touch (60 degrees f). Last, don’t add the flour to the dough until it’s cool. Any three of these things can affect the final texture. Chill the dough for a bit to firm it back up if this happens!
If you’re dough is dry, you may not have measured your flour correctly. Next, the dough will be dry and crumbly at first, but start to come together slowly, so use an electric mixer until it does. Last, make sure you add some milk a Tablespoon at a time.
You need to use a mixer to beat the butter and sugar together. You likely didn’t beat them long enough if the dough is grainy.
This recipe will firm up in the fridge. Let it sit out at room temperature for an hour or two to soften.
No, you can’t bake this recipe because it doesn’t have eggs or leavens like baking soda. I recommend this recipe for sugar cookies instead.
Try more of your favorite mix-ins like white chocolate chips, broken Oreo’s, or pieces of your favorite candy bar. Or use the dough as a topping itself in homemade ice cream.
Expert Tips
- Let the flour cool before adding it to the dough.
- Cream the butter and sugar long enough. This removes any gritty texture from the white sugar.
- Adjust the consistency by adding more milk a Tablespoon at a time. You can also add more flour a Tablespoon at a time.
Freezing and Storing
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cookie dough freezes well for up to 3 months.
Thaw in the fridge overnight. Allow it to sit out at room temperature before serving again to soften slightly.
Edible Sugar Cookie Dough
Save this Recipe!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour gluten-free if needed
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 2/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoons milk plus more if needed
- 3-4 Tablespoons cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- Heat treat your flour by placing it in a microwave safe mixing bowl and heat on high for 50-60 seconds until the internal temperature reaches 166°F. Alternately, spread it on a sheet pan and bake it for 8-10 minutes at 350°F. Allow the flour to cool slightly before adding to the cookie dough and break it or sift it as needed before adding it to the dough.
- In a large bowl using an electric mixer or stand mixer, cream together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and butter. Beat until fluffy and light in color, 2-3 minutes. Beat in the vanilla, almond extract, and salt until combined.
- Add the heat-treated flour and mix on low speed then increase to high until completely combined. It will look crumbly at first then start to come together. Add one Tablespoon of milk at a time to reach your desired consistency. Stir in the sprinkles with rubber spatula.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 1 week. Cookie dough freezes well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight. Allow it to sit out at room temperature before serving again to soften slightly.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
