Best, Big Soft Sugar Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth amazing. A surprise ingredient creates the ultimate soft cookie experience. These are a favorite at every holiday, birthday, or any occasion begging for cookies!
Lofthouse Style Sugar Cookies
These Best, Big Soft Sugar Cookies are easily one of the first cookies to disappear off any good cookie tray. Whether it’s the holidays, birthdays, or just any random Tuesday.
I’m not just saying that. The Tuesday thing is true. The last time I took packages of these cookies to a weeknight event, these were one of the first goodies on the huge display of treats to vanish. Our own Littles were quite sad we didn’t have a single crumb of soft frosty cookies leftover.
I’ve more than made up for said cookie loss. Funny thing, that. Because neither hubby nor I have gravitated towards soft, fluffy cookies until we devoured these (I’m usually mad about thick ‘n chewy cookies.) Know this: if you don’t happen to go for soft cookies, this recipe will be your game changer.
The Littles and I have been happily baking enough of these Surprise Frosted Sugar Cookies to share with family, friends, and neighbors.
Bonus: we didn’t forget ourselves this time.
Some of you know this: I have three boys. They’re fun, smart, and talented. They also happen to be loud, highly active, adventurous boys who would bounce off ceilings all day long if they could reach. This is why we do allthesports.
But when I get them into the kitchen? Somehow those hyper gears switch into creative mode. They transform into little sous chefs, quickly rummaging for the measuring spoons, whisks, and ingredients.
When the task involves cookies and frosting and sprinkles…well, we’ve got a party going on.
Which brings me to our surprise ingredient. Sour cream. It’s the secret ingredient that creates the amazing melt-in-your-mouth texture of these cookies.
Fluffy Buttercream Frosting with a surprise
These Best Sugar Cookies are frosted with the most delicious, unforgettable frosting I’ve smeared on a cookie in a long, long time.
This frosting is sublime with its almond extract infusion, which livens up the entire cookie and makes your taste buds dance. Funny thing again, because I typically go light on the frosting (unless it’s airy whipped cream frosting.)
But this buttercream gig is light, airy, and just right sweet. The fluffiness of this frosting is splendid on top of this pillowy cookie.
Go all out and have loads of fun! Mix up the colors, shower on the sprinkles, and make it a party in your kitchen – for the holidays or just any random Tuesday.
Enjoy today’s recipe; Happy baking and frosting and eating. 😋
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Surprise Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 25 min
- Cook Time: 8 min
- Total Time: 33 minutes
- Yield: 48 1x
Description
Best, Big Soft Sugar Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth amazing. A surprise ingredient creates the ultimate soft cookie experience. These are a favorite at every holiday, birthday, or any occasion begging for cookies!
Ingredients
- For the Cookies:
- 6 cups all purpose flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon table salt
- 1 cup whole sour cream (I used Daisy Sour Cream)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup salted butter, softened just to room temperature
- 4 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
For the Frosting:
- 1 cup butter, softened to moderate room temp, but not melty at all
- 3 cups powdered (confectioners’) sugar
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ⅛ tsp salt
- 2 TB milk
Instructions
- For Cookies: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt to combine. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment on medium speed, beat the sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, almond extract until well combined. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients with sour cream mixture until fully combined (will be sticky.) Cover bowl and chill dough fridge until firm enough to roll out (I chill mine about an hour.)
- Lightly flour your working surface. Divide chilled dough into quarters and roll out one quarter of dough at a time, keeping the rest of dough chilled until ready to roll. Roll dough to ¼ inch thick and use cookie cutter to cut out circles (my cutter is about 2-inches in diameter.)
- Meanwhile, heat oven to 350F with rack on lower middle position. Place cut-out dough circles 2 inches apart on parchment or silicone lined baking sheets. Bake 8-10 minutes, depending on size of your cookie cutter. Color of baked cookies should be light and pale golden. Do not over-bake. Cool on cookie sheet 10-15 minutes before removing to cool completely.
- For Frosting: In stand mixer fitted with whisk attachment, whisk butter until very light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add sugar and continue whisking to combine well. Add remaining frosting ingredients except for the milk; whisk on medium-high until mixture is fully incorporated, light, and fluffy, adding a tablespoon of milk at a time as needed. If desired, add coloring. Frost cooled cookies and add 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.)
If you enjoyed this recipe, please come back and give it a rating 🙂
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Lofthouse Cookies, Sugar Cookies, Soft Sugar Cookies
Can you substitute vanilla extract for the almond extract?
Yes, Laura, you definitely can 🙂 Have a wonderful holiday season!
Hi what is the recipe for serving just 24?
Daisy sour cream is the best! I just used it last night in a sauce for turkey enchiladas. While I was cooking, I couldn’t help eating a spoonful of sour cream all by itself. Yummy! Oh, the enchiladas were delicious too. I am definitely going to try these cookies in the next couple of weeks. They look and sound amazing!
Thanks so much, Giselle! So glad you came by today; happy holidays! 🙂
Can you give us the recipe for the frosting?
Never mind, I see it! Its mixed in with the cookie recipe.
Glad you came over today, Denise! Happy baking and enjoy! 🙂
I buy Daisy in a huge tub at Sam’s Club 😀 It really is the best brand of sour cream! I make a chicken & stuffing casserole with it, and hash brown casserole. I also mix it into instant mashed potatoes to make them richer.
Sounds delish, Susie!
YUM!! These look amazing! I’ll definitely be trying these out! Thank you!
You’re so welcome. Merry Christmas and happy new year!
So cute and delicious looking! I will be making these! Have you ever considered making these into cookie bars instead? Would they be a good candidate for that? 🙂
LOL, I just thought about doing so this week! Haven’t gotten around to it yet, but it’s on my wish list. Thanks for coming over today and Merry Christmas
can i use different shaped cookie cutters?
Hi, Kaby! We use round ones mainly because it keeps its shape the best, since these cookies do expand during baking. However, I think you can use shaped cookies cutters with good results; just expect that they will not stay the same size after baking. Enjoy and hope you love these as much as we do 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Can I use shortening in these ? is the butter used just for flavor ?
I appreciate any help you can give me… Thanks
Hi, Abby…I’ve only made these with butter, so I can’t say for sure how the shortening will turn out. My guess is that it might be a bit more crumbly than the butter. You could try the butter flavored shortening and see how that works? Let me know how it turns out, if you do try that. Thanks for being here today!
What adjustments should be made for high altitude?
Tessa, I found this link for you regarding high altitude adjustments. Hope that helps 🙂 https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/resources/high-altitude-baking
These look and sound absolutely amazing!! Such a perfect treat for this holiday season too! Will definitely have to try these out!
Kileen
cute & little
★★★★★
I had no idea sugar cookies are that easy to make! Your recipe is amazing!!! Thank you so much…
This recipe looks soooo incredible! I’m definitely going to give it a try over the next week, on my days off!
These look so scrumptious! I adore sugar cookies, especially soft and fluffy ones. Thanks for sharing this yummy recipe.
I love to taste plain sugar cookies without toppings and your cookies look perfect. I’m sure they were sweet and delicious. – Elle
This recipe seems to be so delicious! I’m definitely going to give it a try for my family over the next weekend.
i will make cookies what is the recipe for fhe frosting it is not in the recipe thank you
I’m sorry, the frosting got cut off. I just put it back in. Enjoy! 🙂