Best Copycat Frosted Lofthouse Sugar Cookies Recipe

This Lofthouse Sugar Cookies recipe makes cookies that are thick and soft and covered with frosting. If that doesn't get your attention, I'm not sure what will!

Lofthouse Sugar cookies are those neon colored sugar cookies that always catch your attention in the bakery section of the grocery.

The cookies are pale in color so the sprinkles and bright colors decorating them really stand out.

Zoe just adores them and I'm not sure if it's because of their taste or because they are awfully dang cute.

I've been on a mission to find the best sugar cookie, because I'll be baking lots of cookies for my brother who is getting married in May.

These Swig style sugar cookies with icing are pretty tasty. But I love this recipe, too!

Though I'm not sure if I've settled on these, I am quite sure I should be sharing them with you.

They are the first to get grabbed from the cookie plate and I have no doubt those grabbing are frosting lovers.

If you are anything like me you probably realize that cake is there to hold the frosting.

Well, it works the same with these giant sugary cookies.

The creamy frosting isn't just their for looks. It's there because it tastes good.

Swig or Lofthouse sugar cookies?

Swig sugar cookies apparently are a bit crisper where Lofthouse cookies have a fluffy texture and are less crumbly.

Lofthouse cookies contain both baking powder and baking soda to achieve this texture.

Yes, I know you don't see both listed in this Lofthouse sugar cookies recipe, but cream of tartar is a key component in baking powder.

The original Lofthouse cookie also contained sour cream which keeps this cookie moist.

The dry ingredients contain granulated sugar and powdered sugar which adds to the soft texture of these soft sugar cookies.

Use regular all purpose flour, not cake flour, and don't forget the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt.

Honestly after looking at many a copycat recipe, I would say this Lofthouse cookie recipe is a combination of both.

I have tried the Lofthouse cookies from the grocery store bakery. Just once.

And I say that to let you know that they  were memorable, which is what inspired me to try baking my own.

These copycat Lofthouse cookies with an amazing buttercream frosting are perfect sugar cookies in so many ways.

Dry Ingredients:

All Purpose flour

Sugar

Powdered Sugar

Baking Soda

Cream of Tartar

Salt

Wet ingredients:

Salted Butter

Vegetable Oil or Canola Oil which also creates a soft cookie

Eggs at room temperature

Vanilla Extract for flavor

Sour Cream

What makes the buttercream frosting so good?

Salted Butter

Sour Cream

Vanilla Powdered Sugar

Heavy Cream or Milk

How To Make Homemade Lofthouse Cookies:

Preheat oven to 350 and line several cookie sheets with parchment paper. (This recipe makes a lot!)

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter, oil, sugar and powdered sugar.

Sprinkle the baking soda, cream of tartar and salt across the top. (Don't put this all in one spot!)

Mix well for two minutes. (I often cover my mixer with a towel so the ingredients don't fly out!)

Add sour cream, eggs and vanilla and mix another two minutes, scraping bowl as needed.

Add the flour and beat until it is incorporated.

Scoop the sugar cookie dough into rounded tablespoons of dough and place several inches apart on cookie sheets.

In a small bowl add about ½ cup of sugar and spray the bottom of a glass with cooking spray.

Dip into sugar and press down on each dough ball until the dough is ¼ to ½" thick,

Bake for about 11 minutes-at least in my oven. The longer you bake them, the crispier and more golden they will get.

While the cookies are baking make the frosting by combining the softened butter, sour cream and vanilla.

Mix 2 minutes and then add the powdered sugar and milk-adding more milk as needed for frosting consistency.

After cookies have cooled, frost and decorate.

What makes this big, soft, sugar cookie so good?

1.  For starters they are easy to make and there is no need to chill the batter. In other words, no waiting!
2. They travel well. I packed some of these up and carried them on the plane to Texas and they arrived in ideal condition. No breakage at all.
3.  I froze some before I left that had been covered with frosting and trust me, they defrosted perfectly and still tasted amazing! Just store them in an airtight container and pull them out of the freezer as needed.
4.  Like I said, these just disappear. That should tell you something. Just one other thing to tell you. Though I loved the size of these cookies the next time around I will make them smaller. This is one big monster of a cookie. Not that that's a bad thing.
5.  These cookies can be dyed with food coloring of your choice. The frosting can be dyed also.

Lofthouse sugar cookies are filling. And sugary. And topped with an amazing buttercream frosting.

They are simple in their own luxurious way, which makes them desirable for so many special occasions.

Lofthouse iced sugar cookies are not meant to be rolled out. However they could be if you choose.

They are meant to be rolled in balls and then flattened with a glass covered with sugar.

After they are baked and decorated however, I would not skip the frosting!

These lofthouse sugar cookies are mighty fine on their own, but the frosting sends me to Cloud 9.

Nope, this Lofthouse sugar cookie recipe is not for you if you are not a frosting lover. Believe me when I say this. I do not take frosting lightly!

Decorate with rainbow sprinkles or any festive sprinkles of your choice.

If you feel like doing some baking this weekend these are a great make ahead soft frosted sugar cookies great for any holiday.

You can freeze Lofthouse sugar cookies unfrosted or frosted.

Running short for time? Frost them when they come out of the freezer.

Tint the sweet frosting your favorite color. Need sprinkles? I often find some fun varieties at TJ Maxx.

Wish I had some kids to decorate these, with but even without I still had a good time.

And yes, I realize this is the second sugar cookie recipe I've posted in two months.

But hey! I'm on a mission and I don't want to screw up. When the brother asks for a delicious cookie I have to get it right!

If you love frosting like I do, you may want to check out a few more frosted cookies from my friends. Tricia at Saving Room for Dessert makes these old fashioned iced oatmeal cookies.

Butter Almond Meltaways from Back for Seconds seem pretty incredible, too.  And my friend Holly from A Baker's House makes amazing decorated cookies that explain all the how to's! Check out these master's golfer cookies. After all it is the season!

Still Hungry?

Soft Sugar Cookies

Sugar Cookie Bars

Strawberry Crumble Bars

This is an updated post from 2019.

Print

Recipe