If there is one recipe that instantly transports me back to my younger days, itβs this Big Pink Cookie recipe. These oversized, soft and cakey sugar cookies are perfumed with a hint of almond and a note of cardamom. They get slathered in a thick and fluffy layer of pastel pink cream cheese frosting. The flavor and texture combo brings big pink joy to all.
Cookies really have a way of extracting happiness, donβt they? Whether they are a classic like my Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies with Sea Salt. Pure comfort cookies like these Salted Peanut Butterscotch Oatmeal Cookies or simply celebratory and sweet like these colorful Lemon Rainbow Sprinkle Cookies. There is no denying, cookies just make life better.
Jump to:
Big Pink Cookie recipe origin story
I grew up in Spokane, Washington. One of the things I miss most about that city is the Big Pink Cookies from Rocket Bakery (and my family and friends, of course). While living in Portland for 12 years, I never found anything comparable. Living in California, they were even more mysterious and far away. I began missing these big sugar cookies more than ever.
So, I started researching and came across a few recipes claiming to be the one. Turns out there is some Tupac/Biggie style beef over the origin of the BPC. Seattle, Westside, and Spokane, Eastside, both claim to be the proprietor of these illusive treats.
From what I can tell, the authentic original Big Pink Cookie is known as Uncle Sethβs Cookies originating out of Seattle. But, in Spokane the BPC is pretty famous. It can be found at all of the Rocket Bakery locations and most of the extraordinarily popular, cheekily-named drive-thru espresso stands in the area. It's basically the 5th food group of the Spokane diet.
Every time I visit Spokane, a stop at The Rocket on Garland is a must. I usually leave there with a giant cup of coffee and a half dozen Big Pinks. Wherever they originated, I am just glad these cookies exist!
Breaking down the Big Pink Cookie Recipe
- Sugar cookie base, these soft and cakey cookies are the perfect texture. Cut big and thick, they come out of the oven soft and chewy with a cakey crumble. Not too hard, and not too soft.
- Vanilla Extract rounds out the cookies and gives them a classic sugar cookie flavor.
- Almond Extract is what sets the Big Pink Cookies apart from other simple sugar cookies. It adds a layer of complexity, taking them beyond basic vanilla extract. The interaction between the almond extract and vanilla extract gives these cookies tons of flavor dimension!
- Cardamom, just a whisper, adds intrigue to the cookies. They are a big, sugary cookie so a little spice helps balance out the sweetness and layer in some subtle flavor depth.
- Size matters. Since BIG is in the name, this Big Pink Cookie recipe makes for some substantial cookies. Big, 4β rounds are thick cut, clocking in around ΒΌβ thick, before frosting.
- Lay it on thick. These are an indulgent cookie. The thick and creamy cream cheese frosting is an absolute must.
- Think pink! Obviously you could color the cream cheese frosting any way you want. Or keep it simple and omit coloring the frosting altogether. But a big part of the personality of these cookies is the blush pink color! With a name like Big Pink Cookies, youβve got to go all in on the pretty pink frosting. Read below for my alternative, natural food coloring alternative for getting that pretty pink color.
My Big Pink Cookies recipe is as close to the original as I could get. The texture, weight and flavor are pretty much spot on to the original. I have modified my version to enhance the flavor and better serve my memory. The result is a nearly identical and satisfying cookie that takes me way back to the good ol' days of pulling shots at the various drive-thru espresso stands where I worked for years.
Tips for making Big Pink Cookies
- Go big! This recipe is double that of most cookie recipes. Since we are baking big, giant bakery sized cookies, this is an oversized recipe. The recipe makes between 18-20 extra large, 4β cookies.
- Take the temperature. You want to be sure your butter and sugar are at room temperature so they can properly cream together and incorporate with the other ingredients.
- Cream it up. When creaming together the butter and sugar, make sure that the sugar is fully incorporated into the butter. Cream them together until the mixture becomes light and airy and begins to lighten in color. Sufficiently creaming the butter and sugar helps the cookies keep their structure when cut and baked, resulting in perfectly round, thick cookies.
- Get over the curdle hurdle. I have occasionally found that incorporating almond extract can cause cookie dough to curdle at first. Worry not. If it does start to curdle, it will all smooth out as you add the dry ingredients with no flavor or texture issues.
- Divide the dough. This is a BIG recipe so dividing the dough into 3 equal portions will make it easier when rolling out and cutting the cookies.
- Frosting tips. These are not small and precious cookies. They are big and messy with a thick and indulgent layer of airy, cream cheese frosting. You arenβt going for perfection here. Just use an offset spatula or butter knife to spread that frosting on in a thick, circular swoop.
Have it your way. If you want smaller cookies, you can certainly adjust. Just make sure to decrease the bake time if they are significantly smaller. You can also change up the shapes. This dough holds it structure well, so you can use the base like a sugar cookie and cut out different shapes. I personally love making them into Big Pink Heart Cookies around Valentineβs Day. Top them with sprinkles if you fancy.
Freeze dried berries are a natural food coloring and flavoring
I totally understand the hesitation in using food coloring in baking. So, over the years I transitioned this recipe to use Freeze Dried Strawberries in place of food coloring. Not only do freeze dried strawberries provide a beautiful, soft pink color. They also impart a natural, concentrated strawberry flavor. A delightful addition to the flavors in this Big Pink Cookie Recipe.
I also use freeze dried strawberries to color and flavor the glaze on these tangy Glazed Strawberry Lemon Heart Cookies. Find it in the fluffy frosting of my Mini Strawberry Lemon Cupcakes. Freeze dried strawberries also dust the top of these decadent, chewy Strawberry Blondies and they are even flavor the strawberry layer in my Neapolitan Madeleines.
How to use freeze dried berries as a natural fruit coloring
- While this recipe uses freeze dried strawberries, feel free to play with other freeze dried berry options for more natural color and flavor. I love mixing some freeze dried blueberries in with the freeze dried strawberries for a vibrant purple color and mixed berry flavor!
- Crush the freeze dried strawberries with a mortar and pestle, in a food processor or by placing them in a sealed plastic baggie and gently rolling and pounding them with a rolling pin. Keep crushing them until a fine powder is formed.
- Next, sift the powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large seeds. While this isnβt totally necessary, It does make for a smoother mix-in.
- Then, sift or whisk the freeze dried strawberry powder in with the sifted powder sugar.
- Finally, blend the powdered sugar and freeze dried strawberry powder into your frosting to naturally color and flavor the cream cheese frosting in the Big Pink Cookie recipe.
While the strawberry flavor isnβt in the original Big Pink Cookies, I find it to be a wonderful addition to the flavor profile already happening in these cookies. Alternatively, you can use a few drops of red or pink food coloring. There are many natural food colorings available that add vibrant pink color, but I prefer freeze dried strawberries.
This easy Big Pink Cookie Recipe is a celebration in and of itself. The cookies elicit pure joy and always hit the spot. Baking a batch of slightly sloppy yet delightfully delicious cookies will win you friends and influence people to requesting them again and again. Brighten your day, and everybody elseβs, with these great big happy, pink cookies!
Cut them into fun shapes and sizes or add sprinkles. The possibilities are endless with these easy pink cookies!
π Recipe
The Big Pink Cookie Recipe
- Total Time: 1 hour 45 minutes
- Yield: 18-20 large cookies
Description
A recipe for the famous Big Pink Cookie. A giant soft sugar cookie with hints of almond and cardamom, slathered in a thick layer of pastel pink cream cheese frosting.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 5 cups all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 Β½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1 Β½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 Β½ cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs at room temperature
- 1 Β½ teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 Β½ teaspoons almond extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounces cream cheese (softened)
- Β½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 Β½-4 cups powdered sugar
- ΒΌ cup freeze dried strawberries (crushed & sifted) or a couple of drops of pink or red food coloring
- ΒΌ cup decorative sprinkles (optional)
Instructions
Sugar Cookies
- Whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cardamom in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar together on high speed for about 5 minutes, stopping the mixer occasionally to scrape down the sides of the bowl. The mixture should be airy and fluffy and slightly lighter in color.
- Crack the eggs into a liquid measuring cup. With the mixer on low, slowly add eggs to the bowl one egg at a time, allow each egg to blend in completely before adding the next. Blend in the vanilla extract, followed by the almond extract. *hint, the mixture may slightly curdle when you add the almond extract. Don't worry, it will recede once the dry ingredients are mixed in. Β Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Slowly add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until a smooth consistency is achieved. The dough will be soft and sticky at this point.
- Divide the dough into three equal disks and wrap individually in plastic wrap. Chill the dough in refrigerator for at least an hour up to overnight. This allows the dough to develop and firm up so it's easier to to roll out.
Cream Cheese Frosting
While the dough chills, prepare the frosting. If using freeze dried strawberries:
- Crush the freeze dried strawberries with a mortar and pestle, in a food processor or by placing them in a sealed plastic baggie and gently rolling and pounding them with a rolling pin. Keep crushing them until a fine powder is formed.
- Next, sift the strawberry powder through a fine mesh sieve to remove any large seeds.Β
- Sift the freeze dried strawberry powder together with the powder sugar.Β
- In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, cream cheese and almond extract until completely smooth.
- Slowly add in sifted powdered sugar mix to taste - use 3 Β½ cups for a more tangy cream cheese frosting and 4 cups for a sweeter cream cheese frosting. Alternatively, if you are using food coloring, slowly add, one small drop at a time, until you are happy with the color. Blend until color is evenly distributed throughout the frosting. Place the frosting in refrigerator until ready to use.
Bake & Decorate
- Preheat the oven to 350Β°. Remove dough from refrigerator and allow it to soften for a few minutes.Β
- Be sure to have cookie cutters and a rolling pin available. For large cookies, I use a 4" round and 3.5" x 4" heart shape for the large cookies. For the medium cookies, 3" round and 2.5" x 3" heart shape.
- On a lightly floured surface, use a rolling pin to roll out one of the dough disks into ΒΌ" thickness.Β
- Cut the rolled dough with cookie cutters, place cookies closely on a lined baking sheets. Gather the scraps and re-roll and cut dough. Repeat with remaining dough disks. Place the baking sheet of cut cookies in the refrigerator or freezer to firm up for at least 15-30 minutes while the oven preheats. At this stage you can freeze the cut cookies solid on the baking sheets. Then transfer to a tight sealing baggie and store in the freezer up to two months.Β
- Place 6 large chilled cookies per baking sheet, at least 1" apart. Bake for 12-16 minutes (depending on size) until the edges start to brown slightly. Remove from oven and cool on cookie racks.
- Once the cookies have completely cooled, frost them liberally using a small offset spatula. Add sprinkles if desired.Β
Notes
The cookie dough can be mixed, rolled and cut ahead of time. Freeze cut cookies on a lined baking sheet. Once solid,Β transfer to a tight sealing baggie and store in the freezer up to two months. Bake directly from the freezer, no need to defrost. Just be aware the cookies may need a couple of additional minutes of bake time.Β
If not enjoying right away, store cookies in the refrigerator. They will stay fresh in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Prep Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: dessert
Keywords: Cookies, Pink Cookies, Big Pink Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Frosted Sugar Cookies, Cream Cheese Frosting
ashley says
These look fabulous! I actually made M&M cookies tonight but tried to shape them into hearts with a cookie cutter- need to use more flour next time since the dough was not firm but the cookie was still good π I will definitely try your recipe next time!
My mom grew up in Spokane also!
beckysue says
Mmm, M&M cookies sound yummy. Thanks, let me know what you think if you make these! If you ever get to Spokane, you can compare these to the original...maybe your Mom knows of them. π
Emily says
Just made these--They are bang on! This has to be THE recipe, or at least really close. My search for this recipe started a couple years ago, and after several not-quite-right attempts, my boyfriend ended up buying me a real one because he was sick of eating cookies (I know, so dumb, what human could ever get sick of cookies). So I got what I wanted and was satisfied until last week when I HAD TO HAVE ONE. Sure, I could visit every local coffee stand until I found them, but let's be real, it's Seattle and that would be a lot of places to stop at. So I searched and your recipe came up--Success!!!
I halfed the recipe and I also used the seeds from a vanilla bean (in addition to the extract). I also used some more powdered sugar because I wanted to pipe the frosting and needed it to be a bit stiffer. THANK YOU! Sorry for the crappy picture, I was just so excited!!
Becky Sue says
Emily! This made my day! I am so glad to know you appreciate the authenticity of the Big Pink Cookies taste as much as me. The vanilla bean sounds like a delicious addition, I am going to try that next time. This picture is great, you did such a beautiful job piping the frosting on! I love it. Keep on baking the goods girl, you got skills. π
Blue says
I was so excited to find BPC recipe! I grew up in Seattle and have very fond memories of them. Made some last night and it's just how I remember! Thanks Becky!
Denise says
I can't wait to make these! I love that you remember our days at the Bean fondly. I do, too!! Keep the great recipes coming, Beck. Love ya!
beckysue says
Denise!! Let me know what you think of the recipe when you make these, I'd love your opinion. We had some good times in that tiny little coffee shack, seeing your beautiful face always made waking up at the crack of dawn a little easier. <3 <3 <3
Lisa says
These look delish! I've been trying to find an alternative to the pink frosting sugar cookies from Safeway I could make at home and it looks like these are the ones! Can't wait to try them!
beckysue says
Hi Lisa, thanks for the sweet comment. I hope you find them to be a delicious and satisfying alternative. Enjoy!
Trina Olgard says
I'm from Spokane, WA and worked at one of the Rocket Bakery coffee shops years ago. Being a big fan of the Pink Cookie I was so excited to make this recipe. They turned out beautiful. The only thing I didn't love was the over powering taste of the cardamom. I would reduce it or leave it out the next time I make this recipe.
beckysue says
Hi Trina, I am glad your cookies turned out well. You can omit the cardamom completely if you aren't a fan, no big deal. The BPC is such a classic in Spokane, I still always pick up a few whenever I visit. π
JW says
So coming from Seattle the cookie from Rocket Bakery in Spokane in not the original Big Pink Cookie. In fact the cookie from Rocket Bakery is pretty subpar and overly sweet. The original Big Pink Cookie is actually from Uncle Seth's now Mostly Muffins. It is a shortbread cookie not sugar with cardamon and almond and topped with an almond cream cheese frosting. The flavors are more pronounced and not nearly as sweet as the cookie from Rocket Bakery and much more delicate.
beckysue says
Hi Jenny, it's always fun to hear from another Washingtonian! I am familiar with the Big Pink Cookies from Uncle Seth's but I'm from Spokane and the BPC from Rocket Bakery holds a special place in my heart. This recipe is my attempt at recreating that nostalgic taste since that's what I grew up with. I did cut the sugar down a bit and incorporated cardamom so maybe these cookies are a little closer to the Big Pink Cookies you're familiar with. Do you have a good recipe for the Uncle Seth's version? I'd love to try it! π
Feleisha says
Just wanted to say these cookies turned out beautiful and spot on for the taste of the Rocket's pink cookie. The only thing I adjusted was the cardamom to 1/2 teas just due to prior posts. Thank you for the yummy recipe!
beckysue says
Hi Feleisha! I am so happy to hear you enjoyed them and the recipe does the Big Pink Cookies justice. I sure do miss the original but these are pretty darn tasty too. Thanks for the sweet comment. π
Britt Rogers says
beckysue-I absolutely LOVE this recipe! I grew up in Seattle and used to go to Nordstrom all the time with my family and we would always get their big pink cookies from the ebar downtown. I have always wanted to find a recipe that was similar to my childhood favorite and this is definitely the best! I love the cardamon and think it tastes great (as do my friends and family)! Thank you for sharing this recipe...it is well loved in Atlanta, Georgia now!!
beckysue says
Hi Britt! I love hearing this and I am so glad you found the recipe. I was really nostalgic for them and simply had to figure out a way to make them on my own. I'm glad they bring happy memories to you and hope they help to create new memories in Georgia for you and yours. xoxo
Christina says
Thank you for this recipe. I lived in Seattle for five years, and now have only the memory of Uncle Seth's here in New England. My boyfriend LOVES this recipe! They do hit the spot when the craving hits. I've decided that I am going to work on this recipe a little to make it just a little more like Uncle Seth's, but this time I made it exactly as written, as I have a couple times before. Delicious!
Today, I did chill half to roll and cut, but the other half I scooped right away and flattened before baking. They weren't as neatly round, but they were WAY easier and more of the disc shape I remember.
Thank you again!
beckysue says
Hi Christina! These are great suggestions, I will keep the timesaving trick in mind when I am making these in a hurry. I'd love to hear the changes you come up with to make them more like the cookies you remember from Seattle. Glad you found the recipe, the cravings for these Big Pink Cookies get real and it is hard to get them out of your mind once you think of them! And now all I can think about is how much I want a Big Pink Cookie. π
Anonymous says
Thanks for sharing. I have lived in Spokane all my life and have to say I love the BPC's. But they have been around long before Rocket Bakery. However, I love their's too.
beckysue says
Thanks! The Big Pink Cookies are such a classic, I am glad they've stuck around for so long! π
Lucy says
You have no IDEA how excited I was to find this! I'm another Spokane to east coast transfer and these are always my go-to for sugar cookies. I absolutely love cardamom and couldn't find any other cookies that did it as well. I'm a Rockwood (not Rocket ; p ) bakery frequenter and missed these so much! Never occurred to me they weren't a normal coffee shop cookie till I moved and couldn't find them...
Thank you!
beckysue says
Hi Lucy! I am so happy to hear you appreciate these cookies as much as I do. It's crazy the things you take for granted and don't realize how much you miss them when you can't get them, even if it's something as silly as cookies. Now you've got me craving Big Pink Cookies again, time for another batch! <3
Anonymous says
Hi Becky Sue,
I have baked these cookies several times and want to thank you for sharing such a delicious recipe. I think this recipe is spot on with the Uncle Seth's cookies I grew up with. I used to sell the Pink Uncle Seth cookies a few years ago which back then, was my favorite pink cookie. Now this recipe is my favorite and prefer it over the store bought! I have tried to make this a "healthier" version by substituting the butter for coconut oil and it turned out just as wonderful! I love the cardamom and almond flavor together! I also used beet juice for the pink color for the frosting and wow, I am one happy satisfied gal!!
beckysue says
It warms my big pink heart to hear that you enjoy these cookies as much (maybe more) than the original! So happy you found the recipe and inspired to hear you've been experimenting with it. I can't wait to try the coconut oil version, sounds great! Cool use of beet juice too. FYI, I just updated the recipe this week with an alternative to pink food coloring using crushed, freeze-dried strawberries. It works great. Thanks for sharing and keep on Baking The Goods. <3
Heather Handley says
Hi!
I've been searching for the perfect BPC cookie recipe and many have failed. I stumbled across your recipe today and was delighted to see that you're from Spokane, WA. I was raised in Spokane and moved to Florida about 5 years ago. Nothing compares to the Rocket Bakery here. The coffee shops are literally either Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts. So. Sad. Anyways, my mother owned 10-17 Hairstyling salon across the street from the liquor store and the 7-11 just down garland from the Rocket Bakery. I think since then it's been a tattoo parlor amongst a few other things.
Enough of my rambling, I'm happy to have found your recipe and can't wait to try it!!
beckysue says
Hi Heather! I am so glad you found the recipe. Those Big Pink Cookies are honestly one of things I missed most about Spokane, so making this recipe has been such a delightful reminder of the Lilac City. I hope you can find some Spokane nostalgia all the way down in Florida with this recipe. Funny, that Garland Rocket Bakery location was my jam...I lived just around the corner after high school. Always fun to meet other Spokanites! π You should check out my Spokane Doesn't Suck blog post, there are so many great new spots popping up these days.
Suzanne says
I haven't tried this recipe yet but I am very excited. I live in Seattle so it's the Uncle Seth's that I am familiar with. I would get a Pink Cookie and an iced mocha every week back in the day, I was obsessed with them! It is hard to find them at coffee places anymore. The only place I can get them is at South Center Costco, and I'm so afraid one of these days they will not longer be there. Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
beckysue says
Hi Suzanne, thanks for reaching out. It's always fun to hear from fellow Washingtonians (I miss the PNW so much). When you get a chance to try the recipe, I'd love to hear how they stack up to Uncle Seth's! I prefer baking to a Costco trip any day of the week. π