Pillowy Frosted Sugar Cookies

Discover the Magic of Lofthouse Cookies

Lofthouse Cookies are instantly recognizable: thick, pillowy soft sugar cookies generously slathered with a sweet, creamy frosting and often decorated with a burst of colorful sprinkles. They’re a staple in grocery store bakeries across the United States, synonymous with simple indulgence and seasonal celebrations. These iconic treats originated from the Lofthouse Foods bakery in Farmington, Utah, gaining widespread popularity for their unique, cake-like texture and perfectly balanced sweetness. For decades, they’ve been a go-to for adding a touch of festive cheer to holidays, birthdays, and everyday moments. Now, you can replicate that cherished flavor and texture at home with this easy-to-follow copycat Lofthouse cookie recipe, bringing homemade goodness and nostalgic joy directly to your table.

Why You’ll Adore This Homemade Lofthouse Cookies Recipe

• Unrivaled Softness and Fluffiness: Prepare for a truly melt-in-your-mouth experience. These cookies boast an extraordinary super soft, cake-like crumb combined with a sweet, luscious, and creamy frosting that creates a heavenly texture with every single bite. They are the epitome of comfort in cookie form.
• Endless Versatility for Any Celebration: One of the greatest joys of these Lofthouse sugar cookies is their adaptability. Easily customize them with different colored frostings, an array of seasonal sprinkles, or even unique flavorings to match any theme, holiday, or special event. From vibrant birthday parties to festive holiday gatherings or simply a pick-me-up on a Tuesday afternoon, these cookies always fit the bill.
• Simple Ingredients, Irresistible Flavor: You don’t need exotic ingredients to create something extraordinary. This recipe relies on common baking pantry staples, making it accessible for any home baker. Despite their simplicity, these cookies deliver a big, crowd-pleasing flavor that will have everyone asking for more.
• Perfect for Making Ahead: These Lofthouse cookies hold their freshness beautifully, making them an ideal choice for meal prep or planning ahead. Whether you’re gifting them to friends, preparing for a large party, or just want to ensure you have a sweet treat on hand whenever a craving strikes, their excellent shelf life is a huge bonus. You can even prepare the dough or unfrosted cookies in advance, saving time when you need it most.

Essential Ingredients for Your Lofthouse Cookie Recipe

Crafting these delectable soft sugar cookies starts with a careful selection of common baking ingredients. For precise quantities and the full recipe, please refer to the detailed recipe card below. Here are some important notes about each ingredient to ensure your cookies turn out perfectly:

• All-purpose flour: The foundation of our cookie. For the most accurate results and consistently tender cookies, always measure your flour by weight using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, use the “spoon and sweep” method: lightly spoon flour into your measuring cup until it’s overflowing, then level it off with a straight edge. This prevents overpacking and results in a lighter crumb. Learn more about How to Measure Flour for baking success.
• Cornstarch: This seemingly small addition plays a crucial role in achieving that signature incredibly soft, almost cake-like texture that Lofthouse cookies are known for. It helps prevent the gluten in the flour from over-developing, leading to a tender bite.
• Baking powder & Baking soda: Our leavening agents! Both are essential for creating the lift and fluffy volume in these cookies. Baking powder provides initial lift, while baking soda reacts with the sour cream to create a tender crumb and a slightly tangy balance.
• Salt: A pinch of salt is vital for balancing the sweetness and enhancing all the other flavors in the cookies and frosting. Don’t skip it!
• Confectioners’ sugar (Powdered sugar): You’ll need this finely milled sugar for both the cookie dough and the frosting. Its delicate texture contributes to the soft chewiness of the cookies and the silky smoothness of the frosting. Sifting is recommended for the frosting to avoid lumps.
• Unsalted butter: Using unsalted butter gives you complete control over the salt content in your recipe. Ensure it’s properly softened to room temperature for optimal creaming with the sugar, which incorporates air and results in light, fluffy cookies. Learn tips for How to Soften Butter quickly and effectively.
• Large egg: Just like the butter, your egg should be at room temperature. A room temperature egg emulsifies better with the other ingredients, leading to a more uniform dough and a finer crumb in your finished cookies.
• Sour cream (Full fat): This is one of the “secret” ingredients for that distinct Lofthouse texture. Full-fat sour cream adds moisture, richness, and a subtle tang that beautifully complements the sweetness, contributing significantly to the cookies’ tenderness and keeping them soft for longer. Ensure it’s at room temperature for smooth incorporation.
• Vanilla extract: Use a good quality pure vanilla extract. It’s the primary flavor for both the cookies and the frosting, providing a warm, inviting aroma and taste that is synonymous with classic sugar cookies.
• Heavy cream (or heavy whipping cream): Crucial for achieving the perfectly creamy, pipeable, and spreadable consistency of our Lofthouse-style frosting. Its high fat content results in a rich and stable frosting.
• Gel food coloring (Optional): If you want to add vibrant color to your frosting, gel food coloring is highly recommended. Unlike liquid food coloring, a tiny amount of gel produces intense hues without altering the frosting’s consistency, which is perfect for maintaining that smooth, creamy texture.
• Sprinkles: The iconic finishing touch! Sprinkles add a festive pop of color and a delightful textural contrast. Choose sprinkles that suit your occasion or simply your mood.

Baking Your Own Lofthouse Cookies: A Step-by-Step Guide

Creating these delightful soft sugar cookies is a straightforward process, but paying attention to a few key details will ensure bakery-quality results. Remember to factor in time for chilling the dough – this step is crucial for maintaining the cookies’ shape and achieving their signature soft texture.

Crafting the Perfect Lofthouse Cookie Bases

• Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Sifting is important here to ensure even distribution of the leavening agents and to prevent lumps, contributing to the cookie’s tender texture. Set this mixture aside.
• Prepare the Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), use an electric mixer on medium speed to beat the softened unsalted butter and confectioners’ sugar until the mixture is lightened in color and appears crumbly yet cohesive. This creaming process incorporates air, which helps make the cookies light and fluffy. Next, mix in the room temperature egg, sour cream, and vanilla extract until everything is thoroughly combined and smooth.

• Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed just until the flour mixture is incorporated and no dry streaks remain. Over-mixing at this stage can develop too much gluten, resulting in tough cookies. Finish mixing with a rubber spatula, giving the dough a few gentle stirs to ensure everything is evenly combined without overworking it.
• Chill the Dough (Crucial Step): Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least one hour. This chilling period is essential. It allows the butter to firm up, making the dough easier to handle and roll without sticking. More importantly, it helps the cookies maintain their shape during baking and contributes to their wonderfully soft, fluffy texture. Don’t skip this step!
• Prepare for Baking: While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line several baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. These liners prevent sticking and help the cookies bake evenly.

• Roll and Cut the Dough: Lightly flour a clean work surface and your rolling pin. Take the chilled dough and roll it out evenly to a 1/4-inch thickness. This uniform thickness is essential for consistent baking. Use a 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut out the cookies. Carefully gather any dough scraps, gently re-roll them, and cut out more cookies until all the dough is used. Place the cut cookies about 1-2 inches apart on your prepared baking pans.
• Bake to Perfection: Bake one pan of cookies at a time in the preheated oven for approximately 10 to 12 minutes. These cookies should remain very light in color; they will not brown significantly around the edges. Look for them to appear slightly puffed and set in the center. Avoid over-baking, as this can make them dry and less soft.
• Cooling Process: Once baked, remove the pans from the oven and place them on a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes. This brief cooling period on the hot pan allows the cookies to set without breaking. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the cookies directly from the pans to the wire rack to cool completely. They must be entirely cool before frosting.

Creating the Irresistible Lofthouse Frosting

• Begin the Frosting Creation: Place the softened unsalted butter into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter at medium speed for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it becomes noticeably lighter in color and very fluffy. This aeration is key to a light, creamy frosting. Next, add the vanilla extract, salt, and half of the heavy cream, mixing well to combine everything smoothly.
• Achieve Frosting Perfection: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the sifted confectioners’ sugar, about a cup at a time, until it is mostly incorporated. If you are using gel food coloring, add a few drops now and mix until your desired color is achieved. Finally, add the remaining heavy cream and increase the mixer speed to medium-high. Beat for an additional 5 minutes. This extended beating time makes the frosting incredibly light and airy. After mixing, use a rubber spatula to press the frosting firmly against the sides of the bowl. This action helps to release any trapped air bubbles, resulting in a perfectly smooth, silky frosting that’s a dream to spread or pipe.
• Frost and Decorate: Once your cookies are completely cool, it’s time for the fun part! You can simply spread the luscious frosting onto each cookie using an offset spatula or a knife, aiming for an even layer. For a more polished or decorative look, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open round or star tip and pipe it onto the cookies. Don’t forget the final, festive touch: generously sprinkle your favorite sprinkles over the freshly frosted cookies.

Expert Tips for Lofthouse Cookie Perfection

Before you embark on your Lofthouse sugar cookie baking adventure, take a moment to review these crucial tips. Following them closely will help ensure your cookies turn out beautifully, achieving that signature soft texture and delicious flavor every time!

• Avoid Over-Mixing the Dough: This is arguably the most important rule for tender cookies. Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix on low speed only until they are *just* combined and no dry flour streaks remain. Over-mixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, chewy cookies instead of the desired soft and fluffy texture. A few final stirs with a spatula are usually sufficient to ensure full incorporation.
• The Non-Negotiable Chill: Don’t rush the chilling process! The hour in the refrigerator allows the butter to firm up, preventing the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. More importantly, it gives the flour time to fully hydrate, resulting in a more tender crumb and that wonderful soft texture unique to Lofthouse cookies. Chilled dough is also significantly easier to roll and handle, making the cutting process much smoother.
• Uniform Thickness is Your Secret Weapon: When rolling out your dough, strive for an even 1/4-inch thickness across the entire sheet. This consistency is vital for ensuring that all your cookies bake evenly at the same rate. If some cookies are thicker than others, you’ll end up with a batch where some are underbaked and others are overbaked. If you have a rolling pin with adjustable rings, now is the time to use it!
• Resist the Urge to Over-Bake: Lofthouse cookies are meant to be pale. Unlike many other cookie varieties, they do not brown significantly. Look for visual cues: the edges should appear set, and the centers should look slightly puffy and matte. If they start to turn golden, they are likely over-baked and will lose their signature softness. Remember that all ovens vary, so keep a close eye on your cookies during the last few minutes of the suggested baking time.
• No Stand Mixer? No Problem!: While a stand mixer with a paddle attachment makes quick work of both the cookie dough and the frosting, it’s not absolutely essential. You can certainly achieve excellent results using a good quality electric hand mixer for both stages of the recipe. Just be prepared for a bit more effort, particularly when creaming the butter and sugar for the frosting.
• Mastering Your Frosting Technique: When it comes to decorating, you have options! For a classic, rustic look, simply spread the frosting evenly over the cooled cookies using an offset spatula or a small knife. Aim to leave a thin, visible rim of cookie around the edge for that authentic Lofthouse appearance. If you prefer a more decorative or precise application, transfer the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large open round tip (like Wilton 1A) or a large star tip. This allows for beautifully consistent swirls or smooth domes of frosting.

Exciting Variations to Customize Your Lofthouse Cookies

While the classic Lofthouse cookie is perfect as is, this recipe is incredibly versatile, allowing for fun and delicious adaptations. Feel free to experiment and make these cookies uniquely yours!

• Effortless Drop Cookies: If you’re short on time or simply prefer a less precise approach, you can easily transform these into drop sugar cookies. Instead of rolling out and cutting the dough, use a cookie scoop (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons) to portion the chilled dough. Roll each portion into a smooth ball, then gently flatten it into a disc about 1/2 inch thick before baking. While they won’t be as perfectly uniform in shape as cut-out cookies, they will still deliver the same fantastic flavor and soft texture.
• Zesty Lemon Twist: For a bright and refreshing flavor profile, add the zest of one medium lemon to the cookie dough along with the wet ingredients. The subtle citrus notes will beautifully complement the sweetness. If you want to amplify the lemon flavor, you can also add a small amount (1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon) of lemon extract to the frosting, adjusting to taste. This variation is particularly lovely for spring and summer gatherings.
• Sophisticated Almond Flavor: Introduce a delightful depth of flavor by adding 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the cookie dough, in addition to or in place of a portion of the vanilla extract. Almond pairs wonderfully with sugar cookies and offers a slightly more sophisticated taste. You can also add a tiny dash of almond extract to the frosting for a cohesive flavor.
• Seasonal Color Fun: The plain white frosting is a blank canvas for your creativity! Easily change the color of your frosting using gel food coloring to perfectly match any holiday, season, or event. You can divide the frosting into smaller bowls and create an array of different colors, offering a vibrant spread. Beyond the frosting, get creative with your sprinkles! Use red and green for Christmas, pastels for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, or school colors for a graduation party. The possibilities are endless!
• Peppermint Holiday Cheer: During the winter months, substitute vanilla extract in the frosting with 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of pure peppermint extract. Tint the frosting light pink or green and top with crushed candy canes for a festive and delicious holiday treat.

Proper Storage for Your Delicious Lofthouse Cookies

To keep your homemade Lofthouse cookies as fresh and soft as possible, proper storage is key. Once the frosting has had ample time to set – typically about 3 hours at room temperature, or even overnight – you can store them. Gently place the cookies in an airtight container. If you need to store them in multiple layers, place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between each layer. This extra step helps prevent the frosting from sticking together or getting smudged, ensuring your beautiful cookies look their best. Stored at room temperature, these delightful treats will maintain their quality and irresistible softness for up to 3 days. For extended freshness, you can store them in the refrigerator for up to a week, though they are best enjoyed at room temperature.

Can These Lofthouse Cookies Be Frozen?

Yes, Lofthouse cookies can absolutely be frozen, which is excellent for meal prep or enjoying them at a later date. For the best results in terms of texture and appearance, it is generally recommended to freeze the cookie bases *without* the frosting. Freezing frosted cookies can sometimes cause the frosting to develop a slightly grainy texture or lose its smooth consistency upon thawing, though it will still be delicious.

To freeze unfrosted cookies: Once the baked cookies have completely cooled, arrange them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze them for about 30 minutes until solid. This prevents them from sticking together. Then, transfer the frozen cookies to an airtight, freezer-safe container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, layering them with parchment paper if needed. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw the cookies at room temperature. To prevent condensation from making them soggy, you might want to place the frozen cookies on a wire rack as they thaw. Once fully thawed, you can then prepare and apply the fresh frosting and decorate as usual.

If you absolutely need to freeze frosted cookies, here’s the best approach: First, ensure the frosting is completely set. Then, place the frosted cookies in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet and freeze them until the frosting has hardened completely (this prevents smudging). Once solid, carefully wrap each cookie individually in plastic wrap, then place them in an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag. While this method allows you to freeze them frosted, please keep in mind that the frosting may not be quite as smooth and pretty after thawing as freshly made frosting.