DIY Sugar Cookie Body Scrub

This easy DIY Sugar Cookie Sugar Scrub smells great. It exfoliates and softens skin as it works. Made simply with sugar, oils, vanilla extract, you can make this at home in minutes.

This post is sponsored by Ball® Canning.

This sugar cookie inspired body scrub is a great DIY holiday gift!

This skin-softening recipe is made for exfoliation. And odds are you have all of the ingredients in your pantry already – sugar, vanilla extract, oils, and a little honey.

Not kidding. This scrub smells just like sugar cookies baking in the oven. But if you’re actually looking for a recipe to bake, try my Brown Sugar Shortbread or Almond Flour Sugar Cookies!

Ingredients for the scrub

Granulated white sugar
Coconut oil (unrefined for fragrance)
Olive oil
Honey
Vanilla extract
6 Ball® Mini Jars

If that ingredient list has your mouth watering, I get it. Just wait until you mix it up. It smells incredible!

Make the scrub

This recipe requires only a few steps.

Start by placing all ingredients in a bowl.

I used solid coconut oil – not melted. I think having it as a solid plus the honey really helps the sugar clump and not dissolve into the liquids.

Mix all ingredients to combine. 

If you have trouble getting the ingredients to incorporate evenly or the oil or honey pools or clumps in one spot, grab a fork to break it apart.

You’ll know the scrub is ready when it’s all fragrant – like sugar cookies baking in the oven. But also when the oils, honey, and vanilla extract are all evenly distributed throughout the mixture and the sugar clumps.

For a darker color, you can add up to 1 teaspoon more vanilla extract. And for fun, you can top with colorful sprinkles. But remember. This is not a scrub to eat.

I promise it smells better than it tastes.

Tips for success

• Use solid coconut oil with room temperature honey and olive oil.
• Bottle the scrub in small jars. I used my Ball Canning 4 -oz. mini jars but the 4-oz wide mouth quilted jelly jars will also work well.
• Add a mini wooden spoon or spatula to the side or top of the jar to make it easy to get the scrub from the jars.

Substitutions

Is there a substitute for olive oil? Yes. You can use any vitamin E rich oil that doesn’t have fragrance. Almond or jojoba oil will work fine or even vegetable oil. Just make sure the oil is fresh.

Is refined or unrefined coconut oil better? Both are good moisturizers for the skin – though I would not put it on my face. I chose virgin unrefined coconut oil because I like the fruity fragrance. I think it makes the scrub more aromatic and I personally prefer it for cooking too so I didn’t have to buy anything new.

What if you don’t have vanilla extract? You can use any other fragrance or extract you’d like. Lemon would make for a fun lemon sugar cookie variation. Though you might need a little less of that to get the same fragrant effect.

Ideas for use

Check with your dermatologist or another skincare specialist for advice before mixing up and using your own skin products.

Here’s how I used it:

To soften heels and elbows. I personally found this scrub to work well as a moisturizing foot scrub.

Shared with friends. This is one of my favorite holiday gifts to make and share with others. It’s easy, inexpensive, and practical.

You can make a spa-themed gift basket with the scrub and exfoliating mitt, socks, and slippers. Or keep it simple and gift the scrub as-is with a bow. This mini gift will present as a big thank you to neighbors and friends who could use a little pampering this time of the year.

Can you eat the scrub? Technically? While the ingredients are all edible, I don’t recommend eating the scrub.

Will it taste like a sugar cookie? NO. It smells like one but doesn’t have the flour, eggs, or even the salt to bring that true sugar cookie flavor. And this is irrelevant because I don’t recommend eating the scrub. It was worth repeating.

How long does homemade sugar scrub last?

Store the scrub with the lid on in a cool, dry place.

You can expect to get 3-4 uses from every mini jar.

Shelf-life will vary based on many things including how often the scrub is exposed to air, if you get water in the jar, and even the type of oils you end up using.

So, I recommend keeping the lid on except when you’re using it. And if you notice the scrub doesn’t smell as fragrant over time, toss it out and make a new one!