Description
These Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are soft, thick, and delightfully sweet, topped with a creamy vanilla frosting. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat any time, these cookies combine simple pantry staples with a luscious frosting that can be customized with sprinkles and food coloring for added fun.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 4 tbsp cornstarch
Cookie Batter
- 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 egg
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3–4 tbsp milk
- 1/2 tbsp corn syrup
- Sprinkles (optional)
- Food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cornstarch until evenly combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, beat together the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is creamy and smooth, ensuring proper aeration for soft cookies.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until the mixture is fully combined and smooth.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing gently but just until incorporated to avoid overworking the dough.
- Portion the Dough: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the dough and roll into balls. Place them on the prepared baking sheet with about 2 inches of space between each to allow spreading.
- Shape Cookies: Using the bottom of a glass or your hands, gently flatten each dough ball to form thick cookie rounds to ensure even baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges start to turn a light golden color while the centers remain soft, to achieve the classic Lofthouse texture.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely; this prevents breakage.
- Prepare Frosting: In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar, beating until smooth to develop the frosting texture.
- Add Flavor and Texture to Frosting: Mix in the vanilla extract, corn syrup, and milk. Beat the frosting until it becomes fluffy and spreadable, adding more milk if necessary for desired consistency.
- Frost the Cookies: Once cookies are completely cooled, spread a generous layer of frosting on each one.
- Decorate: Optionally, add food coloring to the frosting before spreading, and decorate with sprinkles for a colorful finish and festive presentation.
Notes
- Do not overmix the dough to keep the cookies tender and soft.
- Using cornstarch in the dough helps achieve a softer texture typical of Lofthouse cookies.
- For thicker cookies, chill the dough before baking.
- Allow cookies to cool fully before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting.
- Adjust milk quantity in frosting to reach your preferred spreadability.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
