Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are the perfect sugar cookies just like the ones you find in the grocery store. Thick cake-like vanilla cookies that melt in your mouth, slathered with sweet homemade buttercream frosting.
Hello to your new favorite perfect sugar cookie recipe. Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are a particular weakness of mine when it comes to cookies.
When the holidays roll around, undoubtedly someone plops a plastic container of those perfectly frosted thick, cake-like cookies on the table in the work break room and you have no choice but to grab one.. or four … next thing you know, you’ve devoured six of them and you feel slightly dirty and ashamed.
Been there … done that!! THOSE thick, scrumptious frosted sugar cookies are Lofthouse Sugar Cookies and they are the reason we all wear the extra roomy red and green yoga pants this time of year.
So what is so special about Lofthouse cookies? Well, they aren’t your typical store bought bakery sugar cookie. They are thick and fluffy, almost cake-like, and always have a thick layer of bright buttercream frosting covered in sprinkles. They are sugary perfection on a plate!
WHY THESE LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES ARE THE BEST
Seriously, these are the best sugar cookies and come out perfectly soft, thick and the ultimate cookie for transporting frosting to your face. And since these sugar cookies don’t spread, they are my first choice when it comes to making cut-out cookies around the holidays. Decorate them with frosting and sprinkles, fun colors and edible glitter to celebrate the season.
- These cookies are a mile high and are a cake like cookie with a super delicate crumb. This means it will melt in your mouth.
- These cookies don’t spread out so they hold their shape perfectly.
- We are combining butter and shortening in this cookie dough. Butter for flavor and shortening will help make the cookies extra soft.
- Lofthouse cookies are super flavorful and when you slather that layer of homemade buttercream on them … lawd!!!
- You can make these sugar cookies ahead of time and freeze them without the frosting. They are parked in the freezer and ready to party whenever you are!
- This is the perfect sugar cookie recipe to get the kids involved in the kitchen. Simply ingredients and perfectly thick cookies for little fingers to work with.
- Any cookie that comes with the requirement of frosting and sprinkles obviously is BEST sugar cookie EVER!!
- These super soft sugar cookies are perfect for every occasion. I usually make these for Christmas,Valentine’s Day and St. Patrick’s Day. Simply change the color of your frosting!
To make these Lofthouse style sugar cookies, you will need:
- Cake flour
- All purpose flour
- Sugar
- Butter
- Eggs
- Butter flavored shortening
- Baking powder
- Cream of Tartar
- Vanilla and almond extract
- Powdered sugar
- Gel food coloring
HOW TO MAKE COPYCAT LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES
To make Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, start by creaming together your butter, sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the egg and egg white until well combined.
In a small mixing bowl, combine cake flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cream of tarter. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
Cover with plastic wrap and move to chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours. Once chilled, remove and preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Using a cookie scooper or a large spoon, scoop up cookie dough and roll into a 2 inch ball.
Lightly roll your cookie ball through a bowl of all purpose flour, making sure the entire ball is lightly coated in the flour.
Move the cookie ball to your baking sheet and using the bottom of a glass or any other flat surface, press the ball flat so that it is about only about 1/2 inch thick. Place in oven and back for 10 – 12 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.
Once your Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are completely cooled, make your buttercream frosting.
In a medium sized bowl, cream butter until it is light in fluffy. Add in the salt, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar and beat until well mixed and then frost your cookies and add sprinkles if desired.
The frosted Copycat Lofthouse Sugar cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days on the counter.
WHAT IS CAKE FLOUR?
Anyone who bakes a lot, especially making holiday sweet treats, knows that eventually you will run into a recipe that calls for cake flour.
Cake flour is a delicate, finely milled bleached flour with a low protein content. When used in cakes and cookies, it results in a super-tender texture with a fine crumb.
The primary difference between cake flour and all-purpose flour is the protein content, which becomes gluten. The protein content of cake flour is approximately 8%, whereas the protein content of AP flour is slightly higher.
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES
- Make sure to chill the dough so the cookies stay thick. Chilling your dough keeps your cookies from spreading. Then form your dough into 2 inch balls and flatten them slightly by pressing the tops down with the bottom of a cup.
- Sift your powdered sugar for your buttercream frosting. I can’t stress this one enough.. if you don’t, you WILL have lumps, they will be NOTICED.
- Sugar cookies go from perfectly soft and tender to over baked in a heartbeat. You’re looking for the cookies to look just barely set up and slightly brown on the bottom.
- Make sure your Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookie are complete cooled before frosting them. Once frosted, you can move them to the fridge to ‘set’ your frosting. The frosting won’t get hard but will firm up enough to where you can lightly stack the cookies together .. like serving them on plate or in a tin.
- The frosted Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days on the counter.
MORE EASY HOLIDAY COOKIE RECIPES
- Chocolate Cut Out Cookies
- Green Soft Sugar Cookies
- Green Crinkle Cookies
- Sugar Cookie White Chocolate Fudge
Enjoy!
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Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
- 2 cups cake flour
- 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 egg white
- 1/4 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 2 cups powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1-2 tablespoons whole milk or heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- food coloring gel
- sprinkles for decorating
Instructions
- To make Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, start by creaming together your butter, sugar and shortening until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and almond extract. Mix in the egg and egg white until well combined.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine cake flour, all purpose flour, baking powder, salt and cream of tarter. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and move to chill in the refrigerator for 2 hours.
- Once chilled, remove and preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. Using a cookie scooper or a large spoon, scoop up cookie dough and roll into a 2 inch ball (about 3 tablespoons). Lightly roll your cookie ball through a bowl of all purpose flour, making sure the entire ball is lightly coated in the flour. Move the cookie ball to your baking sheet and using the bottom of a glass or any other flat surface, press the ball flat so that it is about only about 1/2 inch thick. Place in oven and back for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 1 minute before moving the cookies to a cooling rack.
- Once your Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are completely cooled, make your buttercream frosting. In a medium sized bowl, cream butter until it is light in fluffy. Add in the salt, milk, vanilla and food coloring. Slowly add in the sifted powdered sugar and beat until well mixed and then frost your cookies and add sprinkles if desired.
Notes
PRO TIPS FOR MAKING LOFTHOUSE SUGAR COOKIES
- Make sure to chill the dough so the cookies stay thick. Chilling your dough keeps your cookies from spreading. Then form your dough into 2 inch balls and flatten them slightly by pressing the tops down with the bottom of a cup.
- Sift your powdered sugar for your buttercream frosting. I can't stress this one enough.. if you don't, you WILL have lumps, they will be NOTICED.
- Sugar cookies go from perfectly soft and tender to over baked in a heartbeat. You're looking for the cookies to look just barely set up and slightly brown on the bottom.
- Make sure your Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookie are complete cooled before frosting them. Once frosted, you can move them to the fridge to 'set' your frosting. The frosting won't get hard but will firm up enough to where you can lightly stack the cookies together .. like serving them on plate or in a tin.
- The frosted Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies will keep in an airtight container for 3-4 days on the counter.
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Update Notes: This post was originally published in December of 2018 but was republished with an updated recipe, new photos, step by step instructions and tips in October of 201
My kids would love helping me bake these; thank you for sharing!