Got a bowl of buttercream sitting in the fridge? Don’t let it go to waste. These soft, buttery Leftover Buttercream Cookies make the most of every bit — simple, quick, and incredibly good.
I really love today’s recipe for Leftover Buttercream Cookies. As you know, I hate wasting food, and I’m always excited about recipes that turn leftovers into something new and delicious. This one is a perfect example!
Whenever I make cupcakes, I always have a bit of buttercream left, and it ends up sitting in the freezer for months. I’ve often felt guilty about throwing it away, but I never knew what to do with it… until now.
It finally clicked while baking with my daughters on a quiet Sunday afternoon here in Sydney. They wanted cookies, and I had some frozen chocolate buttercream from my Double Chocolate Cupcakes. I thought, why not? After all, buttercream is basically a cookie dough base without the eggs, right? The cookies were so good that my kids asked me to make them again. Can you believe leftovers could be so yummy?
Why You’ll Want to Try These Buttercream Cookies
- These cookies made with leftover buttercream are a simple way to turn extras into something new.
- Ideal for beginners who want a quick and reliable cookie recipe.
- They freeze well and taste just as good after reheating.
Key Ingredients for Leftover Buttercream Cookies
Buttercream
This is the base of the recipe. It adds sweetness, flavour, and a soft texture to the cookies. It doesn’t have to be leftover. I used what I had in the fridge, and it worked perfectly.
Egg
The egg helps bind the dough and gives the cookies a soft, rich texture. It also balances the sweetness from the frosting.
Flour
Flour brings everything together and gives the cookies a light, tender texture once baked.
Find the complete list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Leftover Buttercream Cookies
Step 1: In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the leftover buttercream and the egg.
Step 2: Add the flour and baking soda, and mix well.
Step 3: Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, and use a fork to press the batter down a bit.
Step 4: Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C – 350°F for about 10 minutes.
Step 5: Let them cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. You can use American, Swiss meringue, or Italian buttercream. Swiss meringue gives a lighter texture, while American buttercream makes the cookies slightly denser and sweeter.
If your buttercream isn’t very sweet, you can lightly dust the cookies with powdered sugar after they’ve cooled. You can also drizzle them with a simple glaze or mix a spoonful of extra sugar into the dough before baking for a slightly sweeter bite.
Yes. You can bake the cookies without baking soda. The flavour remains the same, but the texture will be a bit crisper.
Extra Help from the Kitchen
Use Room Temperature Buttercream – Cold frosting doesn’t mix evenly and can make the dough lumpy. Let it soften so the mixture turns smooth and creamy.
Avoid Overmixing – Once the dry ingredients are added, mix only until everything comes together. This keeps the cookies tender instead of dense.
Chill If Too Soft – Buttercream-based dough can be soft and sticky. Refrigerating it briefly helps the cookies keep their shape while baking.
Watch the Time – These cookies bake quickly. Check them around the 9-minute mark to keep the centres soft and prevent overbrowning.
Variations and Twists
Chocolate Version – Mix in ¼ cup unsweetened dark cocoa, ¼ cup regular cocoa, and a handful of chopped dark chocolate for rich, chocolatey cookies with crisp edges.
Egg-Free Option – Replace the egg with a flaxseed mixture (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal mixed with 2½ tablespoons water). Chill the dough before baking to help it hold its shape.
Nutty Buttercream Cookies – Stir in a handful of chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds for extra crunch and a subtle nutty flavour that balances the sweetness.
Sandwich Cookie Version – Spread a thin layer of fresh buttercream or chocolate ganache between two cookies to make soft sandwich cookies that feel like bakery treats.
Storage and Shelf Life
Once cooled, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 2 months. Place a sheet of baking paper between each layer to prevent sticking.
To reheat, leave them at room temperature for about 30 minutes or warm them in the oven for a few minutes until soft again. They’ll taste as fresh as the day you baked them.
More Cookies to Bake at Home
Leftover Buttercream Cookies
Got a bowl of buttercream sitting in the fridge? Don’t let it go to waste. These soft, buttery Leftover Buttercream Cookies make the most of every bit — simple, quick, and incredibly good.
Ingredients
- 2 cups buttercream – at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
Instructions
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In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat together the leftover buttercream and the egg.
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Add the flour and baking soda, and mix well.
-
Drop spoonfuls of batter onto a baking tray lined with baking paper, and use a fork to press the batter down a bit.
-
Bake in a preheated oven at 175°C – 350°F for about 10 minutes.
-
Let them cool for a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
I love the idea!
I just made sugar cookies and now I have a ton of butter cream left over! My kids are always complaining that they “need” something sweet! This seems like an amazing idea, thank you for sharing this recipe!
Hi !! So I had 2 cups of vanilla Swiss meringue buttercream leftover! Was looking for something other than cupcakes to make . I whipped up this in under 5 minutes , added 1 cup flour , 1/4 cup unsweetened dark cocoa & 1/4 cup unsweetened regular cocoa ; Plus some chopped dark chocolate to the batter at the end ! Let me tell you they turned out wonderful! Fluffy on the inside & crispy at the outside!! 🙂
Yeah!! I am so glad to hear this! I love this recipe as you can turn it into something amazing and new every time! Thank you for yet another variation!! <3
Hi, we do not eat egg. Do you think your recipe will work without egg too??
Hi Deepti! You could use a flax egg made with 1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed) and 2 1/2 Tbsp of water. Or just don’t add anything. In this case, your cookies may not hold their shape perfectly, but they’d still taste great! To make them retain their shape a bit better, omit the baking soda and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes after shaping them and before baking them. If you bake the cookies from cold (they will harden a bit in the fridge), they will spread out less while baking. Let me know!
I just made the with my leftover chocolate buttercream and they were great! I feel like mi e needed a lil more sugar but that’s probably bc I tend to eye the powdered sugar in my buttercream recipe so mine is probably not as drop dead sweet as most people’s. Thank You for this recipe!!
I am very happy you like them! You could always sprinkle some powdered sugar on the top. 😉 Enjoy!
I had 1 cup of vanilla buttercream leftover from a cake. I used a whole egg, 1 cup flour, and 1/2 tsp. baking soda. The cookies came out as light as a cloud and just the right sweetness. They are so delicious that I may make this my default sugar cookie recipe!
Hey Manu! Any substitute for the egg in the recipe? As I’m allergic to them.
Hi Rhia! You could use a flax egg made with 1 Tbsp of flaxseed meal (ground raw flaxseed) and 2 1/2 Tbsp of water. Or just don’t add anything. In this case, your cookies make not hold their shape perfectly, but they’d still taste great! To make them retain their shape a bit better, omit the baking soda and place them in the fridge for 30 minutes after shaping them and before baking them. If you bake the cookies from cold (they will harden a bit in the fridge), they will spread out less while baking. Let me know!
What if you don’t have baking soda?
You can still make them. Just follow the recipe without using the baking soda. The taste won’t change, they will just be a bit more crunchy. 🙂