Lofthouse cookies are soft and delicate sugar cookies, crumbling in your fingers. Topped with a thick layer of buttercream frosting, they contain no high fructose syrup, no trans fats – nothing but pure butter and wholesome ingredients, all done in under 30 minutes!
These lofthouse cookies are so thick, soft, and have such a delicious delicate texture that every time I eat them I die a little inside. I love and hate them at the same time. Just think about it – with those amazing sprinkles on top how can anyone resist them
They taste so un-cookie-like it’s hard to explain… But put one in my mouth and I’m in heaven. I have to be honest — I won’t make them frequently because I will eat a half-a-cookie-sheet at minimum in one sitting.
Lofthouse cookies give me warm fuzzy memories of a time when people actually cooked at home, and buying prepared foods rather than ingredients was out of fashion. Go addictive cookies and childhood memories!
Lofthouse cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, large
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
For the frosting
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon table salt
- food coloring (optional), I used red
- Sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
To Make the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.In a large bowl, cream together ½ cup unsalted butter and 1 cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Wet mixture: Add 1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, ¼ cup sour cream, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fully combined.Dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2½ cups all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, and ¾ teaspoon salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix just until a soft dough forms.
- Scoop dough (about 1½ tablespoons per cookie), roll into balls, and place on the prepared baking sheet.Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the tops look matte. The edges should not brown.
- Gently flatten the tops using the clean bottom of a measuring cup right after taking the cookies out of the oven while they’re still warm.Let cool completely on a wire rack before frosting.
To Make the Frosting
- Beat 1 cup unsalted butter (softened) until smooth and creamy.Add 1½ cups powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Continue beating until light and fluffy.
- Mix in food coloring if desired (I used red coloring – see photos for the color)Spread frosting over cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles.
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only. This information comes from online calculators. Although whatsinthepan.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.
What you will need
Cookie batter ingredients:
- Butter
- Sugar
- Egg and egg yolk
- Sour cream
- Vanilla extract
- All purpose flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder, baking soda and salt
Cookie frosting ingredients:
I think there may be something addictive in the icing in those things. Judge for yourself – here’s the ingredient list for the icing:
- Butter
- Powdered sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Table salt
- Food coloring and sprinkles
How to make lofthouse cookies
First combine wet ingredients by creaming together butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Next add egg, egg yolk, sour cream, and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth and fully combined.
The next step is to combine dry ingredients by whisking together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet mixture until soft dough forms.
Now let’s shape our lofthouse cookies by scooping the dough (about 1½ tablespoons per cookie), rolling it into balls, and placing each cookie on the prepared baking sheet.
Time to bake them for 10–12 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the tops look matte. Do not touch the balls, nor should you flatten them yet, after about 12 minutes the cookie should be done (the edges should not brown!).
The important step is to flatten the cooked cookies using the clean bottom of a measuring cup right after taking the cookies out of the oven while they’re still warm. It’s important to do that while the cookies are still hot to the touch in order to not break them. And then let them cool completely on a wire rack before frosting. Do not put them back in the oven.
How to make lofthouse cookie frosting
It’s time to make a thick layer of buttercream frosting. You’re going to love making the pink frosting with sprinkles – it’s so much fun!
First, start by beating softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt. Beat until light and fluffy. Then mix in food coloring if desired. I added red coloring to make the frosting pink. You can definitely experiment with different shades.
Now to the best part! Let’s spread frosting over cooled cookies and decorate with sprinkles. As you see I used pretty common sprinkles here, but you can choose from a myriad of options, including pearls, hearts, sparkles, etc.
I used piping bag to spread the frosting, but using a spatula is totally acceptable. You can also see the bright red color of the food coloring used for the frosting.
Tips for making the best Lofthouse cookies
Don’t overbake them — the cookies should look pale and feel soft. Bake them only for 8 to 12 minutes.
Flatten the dough just slightly AFTER the cookies are baked so they stay thick and tender. Do not flatten them before baking!
Use a piping bag or spatula for easy frosting application.
Don’t eat too many — Lofthouse cookies are amazing until you eat too many and you will never like them again. So addictive!
How to store them
Room Temperature: Store lofthouse cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Cookies stay fresh and soft in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezer: Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 2 months. Thaw, then frost when ready to eat them.
Can I skip the sour cream?
You can use full-fat Greek yogurt as a substitute, but sour cream adds moisture and softness. Because lofthouse cookies are famous for their melt in your mouth texture – it’s important not to substitute this ingredient.
Do I really not need to chill the dough?
Correct! Lofthouse cookies are designed to be baked right away with perfect results. Only chill the dough if making them in advance.
What kind of sprinkles work best?
I used marshmallow-shaped, pearl and bead sprinkles, pink and yellow in color. But any kind of sprinkles are the right sprinkles as long as you like them!! Use seasonal sprinkles for a festive look. Or scary sprinkles for a Halloween look. Even though I’m not sure that lofthouse cookies like the scary look.
Can I make the frosting ahead?
Yes! Store the frosting in the fridge and bring it to room temperature before using.
This is it for these amazing lofthouse cookies! As a homemade cookie snob, I can literally eat the entire baking sheet of them in one day and not be ashamed of it! Lofthouse cookies’ lovers – unite!
My kids absolutely love them.
Thank you, Eva! The cookies are so beautiful!
The frosting was so soft and I didn’t even use the entire sugar amount. It worked fine with lower sugar. Thank you!
I used lavender (purple) coloring – and they turned out magical. Can I post pictures?
I love lavender! You can do this on Pinterest or instagram.