Lofthouse Cookies (Soft Sugar Cookies)
- By Amy Dong
- Published Dec. 6, 2022
- Updated Dec. 7, 2023
Made with a secret ingredient, this Lofthouse sugar cookies recipe is extra fluffy, melt-in-your-mouth delicious, and topped with a sweet buttercream frosting for a truly decadent soft sugar cookie. Whip them up for birthdays, holiday parties, and more!
In This Article
- Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
- Why This Recipe Stands Out
- Key Recipe Ingredients
- Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- How to Make Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
- Pro-Tips for Soft Sugar Cookies
- Make Ahead and Storage Options
- Commonly Asked Questions
- Also Try White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
- Did you make this?
- Lofthouse Cookies | Soft Sugar Cookies Recipe
- More to Bake and Eat
Video: Watch Us Make This Recipe
Why This Recipe Stands Out
- Satisfying: One batch makes 48 large cookies, which makes this recipe great for cookie exchanges, gatherings, and sharing.
- Texture: Inspired by the famous Lofthouse cookies, these soft sugar cookies are pillowy soft, extra fluffy, and just the right amount of sweet.
- Flavors: Easily customizable with food coloring and toppings, this is one sugar cookie that fits the bill for every occasion!
- Easy: Quick and easy to whip up, these treats are an excellent way to get the kids involved in the kitchen.
- Friends and Family: A family favorite, these soft sugar cookies make for superb cookie platter additions, holiday gifts, or lunchbox treats. Your friends will ask for the recipe, so be prepared.
Key Recipe Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need for the perfect soft sugar cookies:
- All-Purpose Flour – Just simple, unbleached flour will do. To make your cookies gluten-free, feel free to use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour instead.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – When combined, these two create the soft, fluffy, tender consistency we’re looking to achieve.
- Salt – Used to enhance the rest of the ingredients.
- Whole Sour Cream – Our secret weapon, full-fat sour cream, is absolutely crucial to creating the melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes these Lofthouse cookies absolutely divine.
- Sugar – Regular granulated sugar is used to sweeten the cookie dough, and confectioner’s sugar (also known as powdered sugar) forms the pillowy frosting.
- Butter – Used in both the cookie dough and icing for an ultra-rich taste.
- Eggs – Necessary to add structure to the cookies, helping them keep their shape.
- Almond Extract – Included to add depth to the flavor, making this Lofthouse cookies recipe even better than any store-bought varieties you’ll find.
- Vanilla Extract – For the best results, use high-quality pure vanilla extract.
- Milk – This is used to thin out the frosting. We recommend opting for whole milk for a more indulgent flavor, but any variety you have on hand, including dairy-free milk options, can be used.
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Beat. Beat sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and almond extract to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Using a spatula, gently fold the dry ingredients in the mixture until smooth.
- Form cookies. On a lightly floured working surface, divide the dough into quarters. Roll them out one at a time until they are roughly ⅓ inch thick. Then, use a cookie cutter to cut out circles.
- Bake. Place the cookies on a parchment paper or a silicone-lined baking sheet. Bake until the cookies are fluffy and pale golden in color. Take care not to over-bake these.
How to Make Fluffy Buttercream Frosting
The buttercream frosting here is light, fluffy, and perfect for piping! Use any food coloring and sprinkles you’d like, in order to create the perfect look for any occasion.
- Using a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the butter until it is light and fluffy. Mix in the sugar until smooth.
- Then, add the remaining ingredients except for the milk, and whisk on medium-high speed. Slowly mix in a tablespoon of milk at a time until your desired consistency is reached.
- If desired, stir food coloring into the frosting. Then, frost your cookies, and decorate them with sprinkles, candy pieces, and more.
Pro-Tips for Soft Sugar Cookies
Just when you thought this Lofthouse cookies recipe couldn’t get any easier, we’ve got a few tips and tricks up our sleeve to ensure they turn out perfectly every time!
- Use room temperature ingredients. Allowing your butter and eggs to come to room temperature will allow for easy mixing and a softer texture.
- Don’t overmix. You’ll want to combine the ingredients in the dough just until they are smooth. Continuing to mix will overwork the gluten causing your cookies to be dense and tough.
- Keep the dough cold. We highly recommend keeping any dough you aren’t working with in the fridge. This will make it easier to roll out and shape the cookies and allows for more even baking.
- Space out the cookies. Unlike thumbprint cookies or spritz cookies that don’t change much as they bake, these soft sugar cookies will grow and spread in the oven. Therefore, we highly recommend spacing them about 2 inches apart to prevent them from molding together as they cook.
- Keep an eye on the oven. These cookies bake quickly. So, you’ll want to keep a close eye on them! Unlike chocolate chip cookies that turn a deep golden brown, these Lofthouse cookies can be deceiving as they turn just barely golden when they’re done. Continuing to bake will alter their texture, and they won’t be quite as scrumptious.
Make Ahead and Storage Options
These Lofthouse cookies are one recipe you’ll be making again and again. We often make two batches and freeze one for later! Luckily, both the dough and the baked cookies store super well. Just follow the tips below.
Baked Cookies: Stored in an airtight container, baked and frosted cookies will stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2-3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Alternatively, you can wrap each Lofthouse cookie individually, and freeze them for 2-3 weeks. If you do plan on freezing them, we recommend leaving the frosting off until just before serving.
Cookie Dough: To prepare in advance, prepare the dough, cover it in a bowl, and store it in the fridge for 2-3 days. Or, for a longer-lasting option, shape the cookies, and place them on a baking sheet in the freezer until they are solid. Then, transfer them to a sealable bag for up to 3 months.
Frosting: Keep leftover or pre-made frosting in an airtight container in the fridge, it will stay fresh for 3-4 weeks. Just be sure to let it come to room temperature before spreading it on your cookies.
Commonly Asked Questions
The use of both baking powder and baking soda as well as sour cream is the key to creating the soft texture Lofthouse cookies are known for.
The original Lofthouse cookies originated in 1994 when Lofthouse Foods company began producing and selling the large soft sugar cookies in grocery stores. From then on, any similar soft sugar cookies recipe has often been referred to as Lofthouse cookies.
Although similar, regular sugar cookies and Lofthouse cookies are not quite the same. The primary difference between the two is the use of both baking powder and baking soda in Lofthouse cookies recipes which yields a softer, less crumbly texture.
The most common cause of dry cookies is either over-mixed dough or inaccurate measuring. To avoid this, be careful to mix ingredients just until they’re combined. Always use the scoop and level method of flour measuring.
Also Try White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
Did you make this?
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Lofthouse Cookies | Soft Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup whole sour cream
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened*
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter, slightly softened*
- 3 cups confectioners' sugar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 TB milk
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and almond extract until well combined.
- Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the sour cream mixture until fully combined. The dough will be somewhat sticky. Cover the bowl, and chill the dough in the fridge for an hour or until it is firm enough to roll out.
- Lightly flour a working surface. Divide the chilled dough into four even quarters, and roll out one quarter at a time, keeping the remaining dough in the fridge until ready to use. Roll each quarter to ¼ inch thickness, and use a cookie cutter 2-inch in diameter to cut out circles.
- Preheat the oven to 350F, and position the rack on the lower middle position.Arrange the cookie circles on parchment or silicone-lined baking sheets, leaving 2 inches between each cookie. Bake 8-10 minutes or until the cookies are a light golden-pale color. Do not over-bake!Cool on the cookie sheet 10-15 minutes before transferring the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Frosting: In a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, whisk the butter for 3-4 minutes or until it is light and fluffy.Add the sugar, and continue to whisk until well combined. Add the almond extract, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk on medium-high speed until fully incorporated.Add one tablespoon of milk at a time until the desired consistency is achieved. If desired, whisk in food coloring.
- Once cookies are fully cooled, frost the cookies, and top with sprinkles.
Notes
- Frosted cookies can be kept at moderate room temperature in airtight container for a few days.
- Unfrosted cookies can be wrapped airtight and frozen for a couple of weeks. Leftover frosting can be chilled in airtight container for future use (will need to come to room temp before using.)
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Nutrition (per serving)
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