Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are the soft, pillowy treats that melt in your mouth and instantly transport you back to childhood bakery cases.
If you’ve ever wondered how to recreate that perfect combination of thick, fluffy texture and sweet frosting at home, this is the cookie recipe you’ll want to try!
You’ll learn how to bake cookies that rival the store-bought favorites — but even better.
From the tender crumb to the smooth, colorful icing and festive sprinkles, these cookies are guaranteed to impress for holidays, parties, or any time you crave a little nostalgia baked into every bite.
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Why are Lofthouse cookies so good?
They’re so good because of their soft, cake-like texture and rich, creamy frosting.
- The dough includes ingredients like sour cream, which gives each bite a light, tender feel instead of a typical crunchy cookie texture.
- Then there’s the thick layer of sweet frosting — fluffy, buttery, and perfectly balanced — topped with colorful sprinkles for a fun finish.
It’s that combination of melt-in-your-mouth softness, nostalgic flavor, and bakery-style presentation that makes them impossible to resist.
How to Make Lofthouse Cookies
- Start by creaming together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, then beat in the eggs and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, alternating with the buttermilk, until a soft dough forms.
- Chill the dough, roll it out, and cut into circles.
- Bake until just set and lightly golden on the bottom and pale on top — take them out when the edges are just set for that soft, cake-like texture.
- Once cooled, frost with your favorite vanilla buttercream frosting and add sprinkles for that classic bakery-style finish. Change up the frosting color and sprinkles to match any holiday or celebration.
There are a few common reasons, but the most likely being overbaking. These cookies are meant to stay soft and pale, so if they’re left in the oven too long, they lose that signature tenderness. Another culprit is adding too much flour, which makes the dough dense instead of light and fluffy. Be sure to measure by spooning and leveling the flour rather than scooping. Finally, overmixing the dough can develop too much gluten, giving the cookies a tougher texture instead of that soft, melt-in-your-mouth bite.
The long, rod-shaped sprinkles are the best since they hold their color, add a fun pop of texture, and won’t melt into the frosting. Avoid nonpareils (tiny round sprinkles), as their colors can bleed into the icing and create streaks. Choose seasonal colors or pastel shades for that classic bakery look!
Yes! You can chill the dough for up to 2 days or freeze it for up to 2 months. Just let it soften slightly before rolling.
Want to make sure your cookies stay soft and bakery-fresh for days? Check out these easy tips on how to keep cookies fresh — you’ll never bite into a dry cookie again!
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Lofthouse Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 5 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups buttermilk
For the Frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Food coloring optional
- Sprinkles for decoration
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients, mixing until just combined.
- Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Using a cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Be careful not to overbake to maintain that soft, cake-like texture.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make a homemade frosting, beat together the softened butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and creamy.
- Add food coloring if desired, mixing until the desired color is achieved.
- Adjust the frosting's consistency with additional powdered sugar or cream as needed. A thicker frosting is better.
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, generously frost the tops with the prepared frosting.
- Decorate with colorful sprinkles to add a festive touch.
- The frosting typically sets within an hour at room temperature. For a quicker setting, you can place the cookies in the refrigerator for about 15-20 minutes.
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