These copycat Lofthouse cookies are just like the super soft, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies you grew up loving but, only better! These homemade frosted sugar cookies are soft, tender, and perfectly moist, topped with a luscious layer of sweet vanilla buttercream!
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There’s something so special about soft, frosted sugar cookies–they take me back to my childhood. Growing up, I couldn’t resist those pillowy, soft Lofthouse cookies from our local grocery store. Now, I share that same nostalgic treat with my kiddos in a homemade version.
This copycat recipe is as easy as it gets! A simple cookie dough, chilled for just an hour, bakes into the softest sugar cookies. Top them with creamy vanilla buttercream (or funfetti frosting), tint it any color you love, and finish with sprinkles for a fun, personal touch. Nostalgia never tasted so good!
What Are Lofthouse Cookies?
If you’ve never had a Lofthouse cookie, let me introduce you to the softest sugar cookies. These iconic grocery store treats are known for their thick, cake-like texture and signature layer of sweet, pastel-tinted frosting topped with colorful sprinkles.
Unlike traditional sugar cookies, Lofthouse cookies are more tender and almost fluffy, thanks to a unique recipe which is a cross between a cookie and a cupcake (a little bit of cornstarch helps with this!). They’re the ultimate treat–simple, sweet, and totally irresistible!
Ingredient Notes
To make these cookies absolutely perfect, here are a few notes on the key ingredients:
- Butter - Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature. Use unsalted butter to control the saltiness. Otherwise, if you use salted butter, reduce the amount of salt to ¼ teaspoon.
- Cornstarch - The secret ingredient for ultra-soft cookies. Don’t skip this ingredient!
- Eggs - You’ll need a whole egg and an extra yolk for richness. Use large eggs, and make sure to bring them to room temp! Or place the eggs in a bowl of warm water for about 10 minutes to warm up quickly.
- Vanilla - For the best flavor, use a good-quality pure vanilla extract. You could also substitute an equal amount with vanilla bean paste.
Please see the recipe card below for the complete list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: Combine dry ingredients - Give the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt a good whisk.
Step 2: Cream butter and sugar - With a mixer, beat together on medium-high speed. The butter should look lighter in color and fluffy. It’ll take about 2-3 minutes for this.
Step 3: Stream in oil - Reduce the mixer speed to low speed while mixing in the oil.
Step 4: Add the eggs and vanilla - Add the eggs first, making sure to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. Then, add the vanilla and mix until everything is evenly combined.
Step 5: Mix in dry ingredients and refrigerate - Combine just until there are no longer streaks of flour in the cookie dough. Make sure to use a low speed setting on your mixer. Use a rubber spatula to scrape the dough from the sides of the bowl toward the center. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and pop into the fridge for 1 hour.
Step 6: Scoop - Use a cookie scoop to measure 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Arrange the balls 3 inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet and slightly flatten each cookie.
Step 7: Bake - Pop into a preheated 350°F/177°C and bake for about 12 minutes. The edges should just start to turn a light golden brown.
Step 8: Cool - Let the cookies sit on the hot pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Once they have cooled completely, you can top them with buttercream and sprinkles!
Adding Food Coloring to Frosting
For the best results, stick with gel food coloring–it’s super concentrated, so a little goes a long way and won’t change the frosting’s consistency.
If you’re going for a pale, dreamy color, less than a drop of gel color will do the trick. You can add a bit of food coloring to a toothpick and add it to the vanilla buttercream. Then give it a good mix to check the color before adjusting it until you get that perfectly soft hue.
Frosting Sugar Cookies
When it comes to frosting your cookies, the golden rule is this: make sure your cookies are completely cooled before you begin. Even just a bit of warmth will cause a melty frosting. Here’s what I do:
- Scoop - Grab a small cookie scoop or spoon to add a dollop of frosting on top.
- Spread - Use a small offset spatula to spread the frosting, working it to the edges for full coverage.
- Sprinkle - Top with sprinkles right away before the frosting sets. If you wait too long, the sprinkles will not stick well.
The Best Tips for Soft Sugar Cookies
Want to nail that soft, melt-in-your-mouth texture? Follow these tips, and you’ll have soft sugar cookies that rival the store-bought classics–only way better:
- Measure your flour accurately. Too much flour can make your cookies dense instead of soft and tender. Use a kitchen scale for the most accurate results–it’s a total game-changer! No scale? Use a spoon to scoop the flour into your measuring cup and level with the back of a knife (never scoop right into your flour!).
- Don’t overmix the dough. Overmixing can lead to tough cookies, and we’re all about keeping them soft and chewy. Mix just until the ingredients are combined, and then stop!
- Lightly flatten before baking. For that perfect cookie shape, gently press down on each dough ball with the palm of your hand before popping them into the oven. Just a little flattening helps them bake evenly!
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Normally I like to wait for cookies to have golden brown edges before removing them from the oven (like these butterscotch chocolate chip cookies). But with these sugar cookies, that would mean overbaked cookies. Remove them when you barely start to see lightly golden brown edges.
Storage & Freezing Tips
At room temperature: Store these soft vanilla sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they’ll stay soft and delicious for up to 5 days.
In the freezer: Need to plan ahead or save some cookies for future cravings? These cookies freeze beautifully! Let them cool completely, then stack them in an airtight container or freezer bag, with or without the buttercream frosting. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, just let them thaw at room temperature.
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Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- Total Time: 32 minutes + 1 hour chill
- Yield: 15 1x
Description
These copycat Lofthouse cookies are just like the super soft, mel-in-you-mouth sugar cookies you grew up loving but, only better! These homemade frosted sugar cookies are soft, tender, and perfectly moist, topped with a luscious layer of sweet vanilla buttercream!
Ingredients
Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- 292 g (2 ¼ cup) all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 200 g (1 cup) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 large egg + 1 yolk, at room tempreature
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Vanilla Buttercream
- 113 g (½ cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 240 g (2 cups) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- Gel food coloring
- Sprinkles
Instructions
Soft Vanilla Sugar Cookies
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl using a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- With the mixer on low speed, slowly pour in the oil.
- Add the egg and yolk and mix until combined, scraping down the bowl as necessary. Mix in the vanilla.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined.
- Using a rubber spatula, scrape down the bowl to bring all the dough together. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F/177°C. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Take the dough out of the refrigerator, and using a large 1.5-ounce scoop–or about 2 heaping tablespoons—scoop the dough and gently roll into balls. Place each cookie on the prepared baking sheet, allowing for 3 inches of space between each cookie. Slightly flatten each cookie on top.
- Bake, one sheet at a time, for 12-13 minutes or until the edges begin to turn a pale golden brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes on the hot pan. Then, transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Vanilla Buttercream
- Using a hand or stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 1-2 minutes
- Scrape down the bowl and slowly add the powdered sugar and vanilla with the mixer on low speed. Mix until completely incorporated.
- Mix in 1 tablespoon of cream. If it is too thick add enough cream until a soft, spreadable consistency.
- Mix in gel food coloring and mix until completely incorporated, scraping down the bowl as necessary.
- Spread the buttercream over the completely cooled cookies and top with sprinkles immediately.
Notes
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Food coloring: Stick with gel food coloring - it's super concentrated, so a little goes a long way.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Chill Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
Rebecca says
Followed the recipe exactly and they turned out perfect!!!! Easy to follow, and super yummy! This will be my new go to sugar cookie recipe!
Maria Pagiotas says
Hi Rebecca! So happy you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for sharing 🙂