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.
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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]
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! :)