Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
This recipe for thick, cakey, homemade Lofthouse cookies will make you totally forget the grocery store bakery! Starring vanilla, sugar, and sour cream – these puff up perfectly every time and are topped with a delicious buttercream frosting. They are fabulous for cookie decorating with kids, gifting to a loved one, or to bake on a lazy Sunday.
Regardless of holiday, or day of the week, nearly every grocery store carries Lofthouse cookies. Their seasonal sprinkles and the sweet smell of the cakey cookie, are undeniably comforting.
Lofthouse cookies have their roots in a home kitchen, which is undoubtedly why so many of us love them. Supposedly, this family recipe was originally sold out of a pickup truck in the late 1990s and now their bright colored frosting and sprinkles are all over the country!
Plenty of home bakers have created their own copycat Lofthouse cookies, and these are the closest I have ever gotten to that classic bite that almost melts in your mouth. Thanks to the use of both baking powder and baking soda, these babies are incredibly fluffy and I can’t wait for you to try them!
Making the cookies, step-by-step
These cookies come together quite easily, simply whisking the dry ingredients together, then adding them to the creamed butter and sugar, eggs, vanilla, and sour cream.
The dough is refrigerated for at least 2 hours because it’s quite sticky when it’s finished mixing.
Once the dough is chilled, you’ll roll it out and use a round cutter to cut out your cookies. I like to use a 2½-inch round cutter, which makes the perfect size cookie for me – not too big, not too small! (I have this set of round cutters that I LOVE.)
The cookies bake for a short time (only 7 minutes) and will still be pale when you remove them from the oven (don’t overbake or they won’t stay soft!), then need to cool completely before being frosted.
Easy buttercream frosting
The signature sweet frosting that Lofthouse cookies are known for is super simple to make.
Like a traditional American-style buttercream, we first whip together the butter and vanilla, then slowly add powdered sugar and salt. Once it’s completely smooth, the heavy cream is added a small amount at a time, then the frosting is whipped on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
Then you can get totally creative! Keep the frosting white or add food coloring (these gel food colors are my all-time favorite) at this point, then slather on the cooled Lofthouse cookies.
Lofthouse cookies decorating and flavors
If you want to be as close to the real thing as possible – use the seasons and the food coloring in your pantry to spice them up! On most trips to the grocery store, you’ll find Lofthouse cookies with white, bright pink, or bright yellow frosting with rainbow sprinkles.
However, you can get festive with holiday versions in both flavor and decorations. A couple of examples:
- Add a small bit of lemon extract to the frosting in the spring and summer for a lemon-y flavor.
- Add peppermint extract to the frosting for Christmas.
- Use red and green sprinkles for Christmas-themed cookies (or tint the frosting red or green!).
- Use red, white, and blue sprinkles for the 4th of July.
- Use pastel sprinkles for Easter (or use pastel colors for the frosting!).
And the list goes on!
Storage and freezing instructions
The classic Lofthouse cookies are known for being soft, and I love that these are the same way.
- Storage: These cookies stay fluffy and fresh in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
- Freezing Dough: You can make the dough and freeze the packs of dough wrapped in plastic wrap in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling. You can also freeze the dough rounds once you cut them out; store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Place them on a prepared baking sheet and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking. (Hint: A post-it with the baking instructions taped to the container will save you, and make a late-night baking session much easier!)
- Freezing Cookies: Once the frosted cookies are set, you can stack them in an airtight container with a piece of parchment paper between layers, and freeze for up to 1 month. If you individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap, they will stay fresh in the freezer for 2 to 3 months.
In a cookie mood? Give these a try!
- Chocolate Sugar Cookies
- Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
- Top 10 Favorite Cookie Recipes
- Frosted Sugar Cookie Bars
I would love to see you try out these homemade Lofthouse cookies for yourself! If you do, please stop back and leave a rating and let me know how you liked them! ENJOY! 😍
Lofthouse Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 6 cups (720 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) salt
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 2 cups (400 g) granulated sugar
- 3 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1½ cups (340 g) sour cream
For the Easy Buttercream Frosting:
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 cups (452 g) powdered sugar
- Pinch salt
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
Instructions
- In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with the flat beater attached, cream the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until each is incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat at low speed until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat at low speed until just combined, scraping down the bowl as needed. Dough will be a bit “sticky”. Divide dough into two sections. Flatten into rectangles about 1½ inches thick, then wrap with plastic wrap. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or at least two hours until firm.
- Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Flour the countertop and the top of the dough. With a rolling pin, roll the dough out to ¼-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet. Bake for 7 minutes, until pale golden. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Cook cookies completely before frosting.
- Make the Frosting: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and vanilla. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar and the pinch of salt. Once smooth and creamy, add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, then beat at medium-high speed for a minute or two until light and fluffy. If desired, add food coloring and beat until combined.
- Once cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container. Let cookies sit for several hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop.
Notes
- Equipment: Round cutters / Gel food colors / Baking sheets
- Seasonal Ideas: Lemon or peppermint extract in the frosting, tinting frosting festive colors, different seasonal sprinkles on top.
- Storage: Cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- Freezing Dough: You can make the dough and freeze the packs of dough wrapped in plastic wrap in a resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight before rolling. You can also freeze the dough rounds once you cut them out; store them in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Place them on a prepared baking sheet and let sit at room temperature for 15 to 20 minutes before baking.
- Freezing Cookies: Frosted cookies that have set can be stored in an airtight container (with parchment between layers) for up to 1 month.
- Recipe adapted from Authentic Suburban Gourmet
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
[Photography by Dee Frances]
These cookies are delicious! I made them and they taste EXACTLY like the store-bought ones. Maybe even better! Best cookies I’ve ever tasted.
I found this recipe through pinterest on another site (but the recipe is identical) years ago. I have made them so many times. Love love love these cookies. I don’t make the frosting. They are so pillowy and addictive like they are, without frosting.
I decrease the amount of sugar (375g, not 400g) and sub Turkish yoghurt for the sour cream (375g, not 340g since this yoghurt is so thick, even thicker than Greek).
This night I tried the Serious eats recipe too. I made the two recipes to compare them. Yours won hands down. The Serious eats is not as soft and they are too sweet.
I would love to try this recipe but 6 dozen is way too many for us! If I cut it in half how many eggs do I use?
Hi Barbara, Good news! The recipe makes 36 cookies, which is 3 dozen :)
I made these last night with one of my daughters. They are soooo good! I substituted the sour cream with Greek yogurt (only because I didn’t have any sour cream on hand) and I added an additional teaspoon of vanilla to the frosting. I had to decrease the bake time to 4 minutes, as 7 minutes yielded an over baked cookie in my oven. It’s a super sticky dough, I had to work in additional flour to be able to roll it and cut with to shape. I also recommend dividing into more than two rectangles; the colder the dough stays, the better!
Just made these, they are fantastic. I actually used some other cookie cutter shapes as well. They held there shape perfectly. Love these!
Made this recipe for the first time today and the cookies tuned out so well and they are very delicious!!! :) I’m glad you included the dough freezing and storing instructions. I’d like to try to make some dough ahead of time. Thanks for sharing this recipe I will definitely make these cookies again!
How long will the frosting last for if stored in the fridge?
Hi Melisa, It will stay for up to 1 week.
Made these over the weekend. They did not disappoint! Tasted even better than the store bought ones. They were light, airy, and had such amazing flavor. My family had devoured almost the entire batch by nights end. These will definitely be in my frequent bake rotation.
Hi, Michelle, Do you think these could be baked as a drop cookie?
Hi Kate, Yes, you could do that!
Thank you for this recipe. I plan to make it tomorrow. I noticed the oven temp is 425. That’s high for a cookie since I usually have cookies bake at 350. Is this correct?
It’s correct, you’re baking for a very short amount of time.
So pretty. Your Christmas version cookies are adorable. These are just “happy” cookies😊
Am I able to substitute Cake Flour for the All Purpose Flour?
Hi Brenda, Doing so would alter the texture of the cookies.
Can I freeze the dough?!
Yes, definitely!
Love your blog! Will the frosting harden on the loft house cookies so they can be packaged without messing up the frosting? If not, do you know of a frosting recipe that will do that?
Hi Tricia, Yes, I’m able to stack these once dry with a layer of parchment between without an issue!
Hi Michelle,
If I make the dough this weekend to cook next weekend….would you refrigerate it first overnight and then freeze or put in the freezer right after preparing the dough? Should I take the dough out the night before I plan to cook? Thank you!
Hi Carolyn, I would put it in the freezer right away and yes, put it in the refrigerator to thaw the night before.
You are the best…thank you! Any good baked or crockpot ham recipes?
Aw thanks Carolyn! I actually have never made a ham (baked or crockpot)! It’s on my bucket list, though :)
We have a birthday boy that likes plain sugar cookies…thoughts on this recipe and just leaving off the frosting???? Any changes? Thank you!
Hi Carolyn, If you’re looking for just a plain sugar cookie with no frosting, I would recommend this recipe: https://www.browneyedbaker.com/soft-chewy-sugar-cookies/
Hi! My daughter is making these for a friend and decided on the soft and chewy version! Thank you for the suggestion!
Made these this morning and they are wonderful.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Was 120 cookies a normal amount to come out of this recipe? They’re delicious, and I’ve never actually had Lofthouse cookies before (they don’t priduce the in Ireland as far as I’m aware) and I find them so tastey… but 120? Did I mess up my measurements somewhere?
Hi Michelle, I noted in the recipe that it yields 5 to 6 dozen cookies, so it’s possible that you made yours smaller and thus got more cookies out of it?
If i wanted to make this into one giant cookie cake, what do you suggest the bake time would be? My daughter does not like cake or cupcakes, but LOVES the sugar cookies from the store. Her best friend has a peanut allergy so we just make everything from scratch to avoid any peanut issues. Thank You!!
Hi Kasi, I haven’t tried that with this particular recipe, so I’m not sure exactly how long you would need to bake it. I’d probably start checking around 20 minutes, just to make sure you don’t over bake it. Enjoy!
I’m vegan but I miss lofthouse cookies soooo badly, and I wanted to make some for my boyfriend for Valentine’s Day, so I decided to veganize this recipe! Replaced butter with Earth Balance (a vegan margarine), the eggs with flax eggs (1 tbsp flax + 3tbsp water), and the sour cream with Tofutti vegan sour cream. I also replaced the cream in the frosting with coconut cream.
The dough came together beautifully, didn’t have any problems rolling it out at all (seriously, these are the easiest-to-roll sugar cookies I’ve ever made). They puffed up nice and soft in the oven. Have yet to frost and taste them! I’ll let you know how they turn out.
I liked these cookies. But they came out to biscuity, I was hoping for a more soft and cakey cookie. The dough was very sticky as well even after chilling overnight, so I might have had to use a lot more flour just to roll them out. But overall a fairly good cookie recipe. Thank you for posting this.
Holy smokes…These are awesome. My “food-critic” teenager said are better than the store bought version. Made the recipe exactly as posted.
How can these be store in an air tight container, but not refrigerated, if they have buttercream frosting?
I typically do not refrigerate things with buttercream icing. It is still enough that it doesn’t melt or anything like that at room temperature.
I made these for Memorial Day yesterday and oh my gosh, they were a huge hit! I had some leftovers so I sent them with my kindergartener to school today. I am sure they will be loved there as well. Another great recipe from Brown Eyed Baker, thank you!
Michelle-
Thank you so much for this recipe. As I mentioned before I live on an island and the yummy Lofthouse pink frosted sugar cookies are hard to come by. I just lost my father last month after a battle with colon cancer for three years. I graduated last June from college and came back home to take care of him while my mom continued to work. He wanted to die at home and to comply with his wishes I was in charge of his many medicines, hospice doctor’s treatment orders, his GP’s treatment orders and his oncologist’s treatment orders. Needless to say I had a lot on my plate. Lofthouse cookies have been something that has allowed me to escape the pain and longing left by his passing, even if its just for a little bit. But they are quite pricey and unreliable on the island, so I can’t wait to make my own batch and have that brief moment enjoying the delicious, fluffy cookie topped with that amazing frosting but WITHOUT those pesky sprinkles. :).. Your story touched my heart as well as my stomach. :). I truly hope that some day I won’t wake up hoping it was all an awful nightmare, then run to his room to check on him, and be confronted with the truth that I have really lost my daddy. I hope that I will find something that reminds me of a good memory of us, like your memory of your father, and that I am able to smile, reminisce and still miss him but not with this devastating, often paralyzing and overwhelming grief that I still struggle with daily. Michelle, thank you so much for your recipe and for sharing your lovely memory of your father- it meant a lot to me. I am also very sorry for sharing such a depressing story but I wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you and your recipe. -Kaitlin
Hi Kaitlin, I’m so sorry for your loss. It always hurts, but it dulls as time goes by. It will resurface with ferocity when you’re not exactly expecting it, but as with most things, time does help to heal the wounds. Thank you for sharing your story; I hope you enjoy the cookies and they provide some relief. xoxo
Sending hugs Kaitlin! I too lost my father last month to cancer and your sharing really hit home for me.
I made these cookies and really liked them. They were REALLY good the third day after being stored in an airtight container. The cookies became softer each day. BTW – I used 1/2 all purpose flour and 1/2 cake flour because I love Softasilk flour!
After all the comments about the consistency of the dough, I decided to treat these as slice and bake cookies. I didn’t have the patience to deal with contrary dough. It worked perfectly! Simply create your desired size roll, store in freezer, slice 1/4 inch thick and bake.
Hi BrownEyedBaker! I want to have these cookies for Valentine’s Day but, I’m scared that these cookies will taste like flour when I roll the cookies out. I’ve tried to make rolled cookies before but, they were a complete disaster. Can you give me some tips about rolling cookie dough or tips about this recipe?
Thank You!!
Hi Mary, They won’t taste like flour! There are a couple of things you can do if you’re nervous, though. Use a pastry brush to brush off any excess flour once you’re done rolling out. You could also try to roll the dough between pieces of parchment paper instead of using flour, which sometimes works.
Thank You So Much!
Thank you Michelle! When I made them I rolled them into balls and flattened them with a floured, wooden spatula. It worked great and they were absolutely delicious! Thanks for the great recipe…the sour cream is what I had been missing in other recipes I tried!
Do you think these can be made as a drop cookie or does the dough absolutely need to be rolled out? These look super yummy!
Hi Lindsey, I haven’t made these as drop cookies, so I can’t give you a firm answer, but I think if you rolled them into balls, then flattened down to a 1/4-inch thickeness with the palm of your hand of the bottom of a glass, that it could work.
I made these for Christmas and enjoyed using colorful sprinkles on top. Big hit with the grandkids! One comment is that my dough was super sticky, almost glue like. Freezing the dough didn’t help much either. I’ve made many (!) recipes posted here and this is my first “fail.” Good flavor but very hard dough to work with. I’ll stick with sugar and Spritz cookies.
These were good, but I still prefer and LOVE your original, first sugar cookie and icing recipe. Those were deliciously dreamy!
Hi! I just wanted to let you know I am including these in my 25 christmas cookies and bars blog post at mommy’s sweet confessions. I love lofthouse cookies!
We made this delicious cookie recipe for my daughter’s school Halloween party. We made the word HALLOWEEN and cut out pumpkins and ghosts. It worked wonderfully and they were a big hit. I even cut the recipe in half and had plenty. Thanks! I’m glad I found it!
You can see a photo of the cookies here: http://www.facebook.com/GardenAppetit
Happy Halloween!
Made these yesterday…and they are absolutely delicious…and just as addictive as the over-priced grocery store cookies. We actually did halloween cutouts and the kids had a good time decorating. Thanks!
I can’t WAIT to try making these cookies tonight! I have never had a lofthouse cookie before (maybe that’s just one of the downfalls of living in Canada (B.C.), but I was looking to find a recipe to duplicate the grocery store bakery cookies that they usually have, modified as per whatever upcoming holiday would be, but at my local grocery store the cookies are made with colored sprinkles, but no icing. However, with all the rave reviews about these “Lofthouse” cookies, I am totally stoked to give them a go. Will post back with my results tomorrow.
Thanks Michelle,
That might be the problem – I did have a full fridge. But I think I solved the problem in the short term – I just rolled the dough into about a 1 – 1.5″ inch ball and then flattened them to about 1/4″ thickness with a spatula dipped in flour. They came out perfect! Was also a lot faster than using the rolling pin! :) I just sat down and enjoyed one with a big glass of milk and they are great if I do say so myself! Added a splash of almond extract to the frosting and they are heaven! THANKS!
I made the dough and it’s been in the fridge for 3 hours now. I just tried rolling it and It rolled out fine but it totally stuck to my counter. I liberally doused it with flour too! Any thoughts? Not cold enough? More flour?
Hi Meagan, Did the dough feel firm when you took it out? If your fridge is warmer than usual (or is a little full, and therefore not cooling as efficiently) it could take longer for the dough to get to a “firm” state. I always use a lot of flour when rolling out sugar cookies and then just dust off any excess for baking. Don’t be afraid of using a liberal amount. I also find gently lifting the dough off the surface every so often when rolling keeps it from sticking.
I made these this weekend for Valentine’s day. They are very good and I had no problems with them at all. My only complaint is that we ran a little short on frosting, but that could be user error (using too much on some of them :) Thanks!
I tried these, they didn’t come out exactly as I hoped. They felt/tasted like there was too much baking powder put in. I will retry with less. They still tasted good though, not overly sweet.
I’m planning on making these with pink frosting and sprinkles for Valentine’s Day… do you think that using a heart cookie cutter would yield ugly cooked cookies? I’m afraid the dough will be too soft to retain its shape if it does indeed puff up. If so, I’ll stick with a round one :) Thanks! Can’t wait to make (and eat) them!!!
Hi Erin, I think you would be okay with a large heart, since it’s a basic shape. Enjoy the cookies!
Thanks so much! I’ll report back :)
Hi Erin, you forgot to report back! :) Don’t have a clue if you’ll see this because it’s now a year later, but I’m also thinking of trying a heart shape this Valentine’s Day. Just wondering if it works! Thanks!
I made these and want to say you need to use lots of bench flour as the dough is very soft! In addition, I think they are even tastier the second day!!
Be sure to use real butter, real vanilla extract and real cream. With such a simple mild tasting cookie, the quality of he ingredients really matters!
Thanks for sharing this all time favorite!
Can you using royal icing on this type of sugar cookie? If not, why??? I want to chewyness of the cookie, and the neat appearance the of royal icing. Can I have both??
Hi Amelia, I would not recommend these for royal icing. They bake up too puffy to be able to neatly decorate with royal icing.
I made these for Christmas. I made the cookie the day before and the frosting Christmas morning. They were a perfect addition to our table. Soft and just the right amount of sweet with the frosting. I did cut the recipe in half and wish I hadn’t cause this is a cookie I will be making throughout the year. Thank you for this recipe. It didn’t disappoint the grand kids.
these are ridiculous! they taste so similar to the grocery store cookies, but like 100x better. thanks so much!
Made these cookies tonight with my Mom. Delicious!! Thank you so much!!
I have the dough in the fridge now. Plan to bake them this evening for the kids and take them tomorrow to family. The icing is so tasty!
Just wanted to let you know I put up a post about these cookies. Everyone LOVED them! It’s a wonderful recipe and the cookies are too dang good, just like the ones at the grocery stores :) Thanks for the recipe, I included my link if you wanted to check it out!
http://lifessimplemeasures.blogspot.com/2011/12/frosted-cranberry-sugar-cookies.html
Absolutely amazing! I added vanilla pudding to one batch and butterscotch pudding to another and they were delicious. I did modify the cooking temp a bit but this recipe rocks! Tastes even better than the ones at the store. Thanks so much for sharing! These are sure to be a hit at my son’s party. Happy holidays!
Hey, this cookies looks amazing! How long I can “hide” them in metal can? I would like to make it on christmas and I want to defend them against my family but I don’t know how early I can make them and hide ;)
If I made some language mistakes – Im sorry. Im still learning English
Hi Kasia, I think they would stay nice and soft for 2-3 days. Enjoy!
I’m so glad I found your blog! These are my favorite cookies at the grocery store and Ive been looking everywhere for a recipe. How long do think they stay soft for? If I make them today will they still be good for another 2 days?
Hi Kristina, Yes they will definitely stay good for 2 days!
Thank you! I’m going to try baking them tomorrow for a party on Friday, can’t wait to try them!
Hi Michelle! I’m so excited to give these a go, they’ve been on my list of recipes to try for too long now! I already made the dough and it’s chilling in the frig. I don’t need the full 5-6 dozen cookies for today, can I freeze one of the sections of dough for later? And if I can, do I just leave it in the plastic wrap?
Thanks! :)
Yes, you can definitely leave them in the plastic wrap and freeze until you’re ready to use the rest of the dough.
Thanks Michelle! They turned out great, and I froze half of them. The cookies actually tasted way better the second day, the cookie’s consistency got way more soft and dense, yum!
Hello there. I made these today and I had to lower the temp because the bottoms get done fast! The buttercream frosting is de.lic.ous! I would not make these cookies without that frosting though! Thank you for posting this recipe. This one is a keeper!
These look delicious! Do they freeze well if they are made ahead of time?
Hi Melissa, You could definitely freeze them, but I would do so without the frosting, and then frost them once you thaw them.
there’s something about this recipe that had me interested as well. i might make these for christmas seeing as i’m a novice baker and i’m taking my sweet time learning. haha. can i use buttermilk instead of sour cream for this? (ie milk + lemon juice/vinegar)
Hi Gio, I haven’t experimented with any substitutions on this recipe, but I would probably be more prone to substituting plain yogurt than buttermilk since it is closer to the consistency of sour cream.
These look great! Have you tried frosting these with royal icing? I love the look of royal icing frosted cookies and the soft cookies are so much better than the shortbread variety but I was wondering if they would retain their shape during baking and be as easy to frost with royal icing.
Hi Ritika, I haven’t tried decorating these with royal icing, but these are definitely a “puffier” cookie. I would probably recommend my Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies – https://www.browneyedbaker.com/2010/04/22/soft-chewy-sugar-cookies/. They are nice and soft, but the surface stays flat and they hold their shape, both of which are better for decorating.
OMG!!! your are officially my hero!! these are my favorite cookies!!! & im so glad you posted them! i love them so much but i hate the sprinkles!!! so i always dust them off…sometimes going as far as taking a toothpick to dig!! but now i can make them & leave off the pesky sprinkles that stick in my teeth!!!! THANK YOU!!!!!
Skyler-
I totally know what you mean about the sprinkles. I love the Lofthouse pink frosted sugar cookies, well love probably isn’t the right word- let’s say I’m addicted to them. :) But I hate the sprinkles too. I’m always scraping them off which leads to sprinkles everywhere because there is just so many of the stupid things. I just found a good amount in my bed, which is embarrassing. However, that still doesn’t deter me from buying them. I live on an island so they tend to be hard to come by and when they are in stock at one of our few little grocery stores, they are bought up in no time at all. So when I’m lucky enough to find some I have to buy them like the world is coming to an end, if I want to have them at home for more than a day.
I made these last night ~ I did a test on a couple cookies first because I thought that 425 degrees seemed too high for cookies that are supposed to come out soft and fluffy like Lofthouse cookies are. The bottoms were brown and I thought they were too hard. So I made the remaining at 325 degrees for 10-12 minutes and they turned out perfect – soft and fluffy, and not brown at all. They are not too sweet – which at first I wasn’t sure about – but then I put the sweet, buttery icing on top which compliments the not too sweet cookie perfectly! My daughters were all over these cookies and they will be made again for older daughter’s girl scout cookie exchange this week:) Thanks for sharing the recipe Michelle, and your beautiful story about your father.
I always loved the lemon ones
I know what you mean about sugar cookies and memories. I was talking to my mom and sister about your recipe (fantastic by the way) and we all got misty eyed about the memories attached to smell and taste of Sugar Cookies.
Thanks so much for sharing!
I love sugar cookies. Can the recipe be halved, or am I better of making the recipe and maybe freezing some? I’m wondering how the frosting will hold up to freezing…Thanks for sharing.
“off”. Oops. I got to excited to proofread. :)
Hi Faythe, I think you could definitely halve the recipe. I do also think you could freeze the cookies, but without frosting them. I would save the frosting for after they thaw and you want to serve them.
These look so good! I can’t wait to get over this cold and get back in the kitchen.
Michelle, what is the difference between this recipe and soft & chewy sugar cookie you mentioned above? i tried the Loft house sugar cookies recipe but turned out cakey and not buttery, – may be because i didnt have sour cream on hand and use plain yogurt? any thought? thanks!
Hi Ann, The Lofthouse cookies are more fluffy and cakey than your typical sugar cookie. My Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies are much more traditional – buttery and soft, but flatter and not puffy or cake-like.
thanks, I think I will like your traditional one more. Thank you for sharing!
I saw these on Pinterest the other day and am excited to see you’ve made them! I’ll be whipping up a batch very soon. Thanks for sharing! :)
I just tried these… Amazing!! Thank you so much for the recipe! I did add some cardamom and some almond flavoring to some of them… me and my family liked these even better, I really recommend trying it (1/4tsp cardamom +1/4tsp almond flavoring). These are going to be my standard! (I’ll try your other ones soon for decorating).
I will try the cardamom next time. Thanks for the Idea.
mmm I love soft sugar cookies and have tried several recipes but just haven’t found “the one” yet. But I’m going to give these a try because they sound like exactly what I’ve been looking for. Thanks for sharing the recipe and the sweet story about your father.
These look great! The thing I bake the most are pies or rolls!
These DO look like grocery store cookies! And I might they taste a million time more amazing (but bring back all the memories!!) :)
Our batch is cooling the freezer – the kids are too excited to wait till tomorrow! The batter tastes delicious, and I’m not normally a sugar cookie fan. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing such a heartwarming story that goes with a delectable cookie recipe. These cookies must have been really special for you. They look really delicious! The green and red sprinklers spell out Christmastime very boldly! I kinda’ like that. Thanks for sharing…
I can so relate to your story. The cookies sound wonderful. I’m pinning them now to try this Christmas.
Gorgeous! It sounds like a bad thing to say that these remind me of those soft, too-sweet frosted cookies they sell in the grocery store, but it’s not. I love those cookies! The soft, buttery texture and the creamy buttercream on top. It’s like a cupcake and a cookie had a delicious baby! I’d love to try these. :)
I can’t wait to try them! They look and sound delish!
Thank you for sharing you stories….made me miss my father…, especially since he LOVED the holidays so much! My daughter is at student at U of PITT…always sending her something via mail…to hold her over till she gets home, the cookies don’t always arrive in great shape, but still taste good to her!
My Great Aunt Lois made sugar cookies with sour cream in them. I love the memory of those cookies and can’t wait to make these. Thank you for reminding me of a wonderful food memory too.
hey michelle! your cookies look fantastic & just like the ones from the store! i’ve tried making these from a different blog and was less-than pleased with the results. you are my go-to blogger & everything i make from your site is amazing so i know your cookies will be perfect! can’t wait to try them :)
Smell is a very powerful thing isn’t it? I loved your story as to why these cookies mean so much to you. I enjoyed reading the post as much I am going to enjoy making these amazing cookies. Thank you for sharing the recipe and your story. I’m sorry about your Dad, but I hope these cookies brought back fond memories…
nice to have a sugar cookie recipe that does not need to be cut out, so time consuming
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Lofthouse sugar cookies! I can’t buy them often because I literally hoard them and eat the entire container myself. I’m blessed to still have my parents with me but I’m sure I’ll be doing the same thing when they are gone…especially since I’m Italian and we associate food with love. Thanks for the beautiful post, Michelle!
Yum!! I have to try this recipe! I have everything in my kitchen already! :) Yay!!
Frankly, I hate sugar cookies UNLESS they’re the Lofthouse sugar cookies. I am definitely trying this recipe out. I searched one out online awhile ago and was fairly satisfied with the results, but all of the recipes you share are SO good that I’m definitely trying this version out!
My family loves these cookies! I’ll be trying this recipe tonight.
Frosted sugar cookies are one of my (many) favorites. I’ll be making these this weekend.
Can’t wait to try these. Just spent the best four days at King Arthur Flour in Norwich, VT. Took four cookie baking classes, so I have to say my favorite thing to bake is cookies! One demo class and a hands on class was taught by Dede Wilson, author of A Baker’s Field Guide to Christmas Cookies (www.dedewilson.com). The KAF Baker’s Store if awesome. Thanks for entering me in this week’s contest. Any gift from King Arthur is the BEST!
Are these the kind that you might find in the grocery store with decorations for each holiday? If so, I love these! I had a teacher in elementary school that would give them out for A’s on tests! Great memory :)
Yes, those are it!
GREAT! I can’t wait to make them! I have made a ton of your recipes and they have all come out delicious (except the banana oat bran muffins :( which seemed to have too little liquid in the batter)!!
What a great story, I would love to have that kind of relationship with my dad. So thank you for sharing.
Michelle,
so funny – my daughter asked me to make these while she was home from college over Thanksgiving, but I never got around to doing it. She comes home next week for winter break so these are defiinitely on the to-do list with the gingerbread houses. Thank you so much!
I loved the story about your dad. I’m so glad you shared it. It warmed my heart to think of the two of you having special “dates” and some impromptu visits, and then I was so saddened to read that those visits had been cut short by his passing. I am so sorry, Michelle. I lost my mom 19 years ago and some of the fondest memories I have of the two of us together involve food, too.
Hugs.
These are being added to my Christmas baking list as we speak :) YUM!
Wow so many versions of this recipe are floating around but I’ve noticed most say they arn’t exactly like the original. But you seem to have hit the jackpot! Love these cookies.
I love Lofthouse Cookies. These bring back memories of late nights in college when we would scamper down to Sheetz for a sugar and caffeine fix. I’ve been looking for the perfect copy cat recipe ever since and before I even try it, I know yours will be the one.
Thanks for sharing (the recipe and your story).
Hi, I just discovered your blog and I must say it is wonderful! The cookies above look perfect and delicious and like you I have a soft spot for bakery sugar cookies :) I look forward to exploring more of your adventures, both already posted and new ones to come.
P.S. Your photography is excellent as well!
Thanks for sharing!
I saw these on Pinterest and added them to my list:) Glad you liked them!
so glad to see this here. I just pulled this recipe for this weekend
I love sugar cookies, and have always made all of my cookies from my mom’s old recipes. I’ve already made the cookies to pass out for the holidays, but this is one recipe I’m going to try someday. Thanks for sharing.
I think these were staples in every college kid’s diet. I know I used to buy a pack every time I went to the store! And don’t you love how food has a way of taking you back in time? So happy that these brought back happy memories for you! :)
These look yummy! Great memory, thanks for the great recipe
What a sweet memory. My son loves these kind of cookies. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
I’d be hard pressed to find someone who doesn’t like the grocery store sugar cookies, those things are addicting! And it looks like you have a GREAT recipe for homemade ones, can’t wait to try these out. My boyfriend will love me even more ;) Pinned!
I had a serious addiction to cookies like these growing up. This is the first recipe that looks close that I’ve seen. Definitely trying it!
I have a cookbook I got from my grandma after she passed away 3 years ago. I have used several of those old recipes on my blog, but my favorite thing about this cookbook is that it smells like her house. I take a good whiff of it every time I get it out and I am taken right back to her home. I’m glad you now have something that brings you back to days with your father!
I can’t wait to try these cookies!
Thank you for sharing this lovely recipe with us and for the wonderful memory of you and your Dad that it brought to mind.
I loved your story, thank you for sharing it. I made these from another recipe the other day and they were ok, but not exactly what I was looking for. I will try these soon – I love the Lofthouse cookies and have a hard time passing them by every time I am in the grocery store. Your recipes are the best!
ohhhh how these cookies are my guilty pleasure. I always bring them to class parties so I can have just one. heck who am I kidding, at least 2 LOL
THANK YOU for sharing this recipe. Printing it out as we speak.
The Lofthouse cookies are the best! My husband loves them. I will have to surprise him with these!
Sweet story. Cherish those memories! :)
I love Lofthouse cookies too – must be all the butter.
I’m pretty sure our grocery store sells a knock-off of these kinds of cookies…these look just like them, but I bet they are more delicious!
Hey, I just found google reader and put you on the list to follow! very cool. Of course, I already get your emails………
Yum! I love lofthouse cookies!
These cookies look yummy. I made cut out sugar cookies last Christmas with the kids and everyone had such a good time decorating them! I should make more this year… maybe invite our two neighbors over (little girls my girls ages) to decorate. Thanks for just reminding me to do this! Love your blog.
V
Your post broke my heart. What a sweet memory to have of your Dad. It sounds like you had a great relationship. Both of my parents are gone and food is a powerful remembrance.
Made these cookies today. The dough was fairly easy to make and it set well within 2 hours in the fridge. My complaint is that the dough stuck to my counter, even though both the dough and surface were generously floured. I then scooped up my rolled dough, formed a ball and dropped it by the teaspoonful on a greased cookie sheet. They are so fluffy, moist, and full of flavor. Very delicious!
allie, how would you say these compare to lofthouse cookies? i was thinking of making these but only if they’re better than storebought
Oh, I should make these for my friend for Christmas, her and her son love puffy sugar cookies with the frosting. Thank you!! By the way, I am asking for a camera for Christmas, your photos are always so beautiful, may I ask what kind of camera do you use?
Aw thank you Jennifer! I use a Canon T2i with either a 50mm 1.8 or 24-70mm 2.8 lens.
I previously left a comment here that was supposed to be for the King Arthur Flour giveaway…oops. I absolutely LOVE Lofthouse cookies. I ate these regularly throughout college. Literally kept a container of these cookies in my car so that I could enjoy a few after my commute to campus. Amazing! I’ll have to make these!
I’ve been wanting to make these for a while! I love them!
I love your story and I couldn’t agree more about the power of food. My parents are gone, my Mother just 2 years ago. It is the recipes of hers that have kept us comforted and seemingly normal and together. Enough so that I have been putting copies in a fireproof box.
Awww what a beautiful memory of your father and you! Love it!
These cookies sound and look fabulous!
Thanks so much for sharing the recipe and memory with us xo
Deborah xo
This is the kind of cookie where the sugar overload would just lure me in and I would be addicted immediately!
Mmm. these look amazing and so pretty with their Christmas sprinkles :) Great recipe – sometimes a simple sugar cookie is just better than anything else~
I certainly need to try these!
Yummy, Iove these!
Comfort food comes in all shapes and forms. What a great memory for you.
This looks too soft and tasty – cant wait to add someday to my blogs recipe collection :)
Thanks!
Great recipe and your photos are stunning! It’s amazing how you can taste (or smell) something and it immediately transports you somewhere. There is magic in certain foods!
Thank you so much for this recipe! This is my favorite site, and I’ve always wanted to make a cookie just like the bakery sugar cookies… I’m trying these tomorrow!! I have an old recipe but it was too cakey. The only thing I think I’ll do is add some cardomom and some almond flavoring, since the bakery ones have these tastes. Are these your favorite sugar cookie?
Hi Victoria, These are great puffy sugar cookies to slather with the buttercream, and the other staples (that I linked to above) are perfect for decorating. If I had to choose only one I think I’d still choose the Soft and Chewy Sugar Cookies, but it would be a close, close decision, mostly because they are different styles of cookie, so apples/oranges.
I enjoyed your review of this recipe. Can you tell me how much almond extract and Cardamom you add to the recipe?I have never used cardamom,what is its’ flavor? Thank you and Merry Christmas to you and your family.