This holiday season make Lofthouse Christmas Cookies in your own kitchen that taste even better than ones from the grocery store. These magically fluffy, cloud-like cookies are so easy to make and are topped with a sweet buttercream frosting and festive holiday sprinkles the kids will go crazy for.
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🎄 Lofthouse Christmas Cookies Recipe
This recipe is one of our best cookie recipes. It’s truly a favorite cookie. We make these every Christmas. Not only is it super easy to make, but it doesn’t require a cookie cutter. These sugar cookies are soft and chewy and taste so much better than store bought.
If you’ve ever had a Lofthouse cookie, you know exactly how insanely addictive they are. They are so light and fluffy it’s almost impossible to eat just one. Around Christmas time, baking homemade cookies like these Hidden Kiss Cookies and these Italian Christmas Cookies are always a fun tradition. However, few people can resisting the temptation of grabbing a box of festive frosted Lofthouse Cookies when they see them at the grocery store.
But can you blame them? The cookies have a pillowy-soft, cake-like texture that you just don’t have with other cookies. This copycat lofthouse sugar cookies are so easy to make at home.
And, can we talk about that beautiful frosting? That sweet and decadent buttercream frosting is what makes these cookies so amazing. So, you’ll just have to trust me when I tell you this copycat recipe has all those same factors but because they are homemade, using simple whole ingredients, they are even BETTER than the store-bought version.
Why We Love This Lofthouse Style Christmas Cookie Recipe
- The sweet frosting, with all the Christmas colors, make a perfect sweet treat for holiday parties.
- These cookies have a soft and fluffy texture that is just like the original Lofthouse cookie.
- You can customize these frosted sugar cookies for any special occasion simply by changing the color of the frosting.
- Great holiday fun for the kids to help decorate. Afterall, what kid doesn’t love all things sprinkles!
Recommended Tools to Make Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a hand mixer)
- Large baking sheets with parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- Measuring spoons
- Medium cookie scoop
- Cooling rack
Ingredients Needed to Make This Lofthouse Sugar Cookie Recipe
For the Cookie Dough:
- Cake flour (see not below if you don’t have cake flour)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Granulated sugar
- Unsalted butter- temperature
- Sour cream
- Clear vanilla extract
- Egg
For the Frosting:
- Powdered sugar
- Unsalted Butter-room temperature
- Heavy cream
- Clear vanilla
- Red or green gel food coloring
- Confetti candy sprinkles
How to Make Lofthouse Style Christmas Sugar Cookies
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpat baking sheet.
Step One: Make the Soft Sugar Cookie Dough
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- With an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy, adding in the sour cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, one cup at a time, and mix until combined making sure you scrape down the sides of the bowl. Don’t overmix.
Step Two: Form the Dough Balls and Bake
- Using a medium-sized cookie or ice cream scoop, drop level scoopfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space cookies out to leave room for them to spread.
- Dip the bottom of a measuring cup or drinking glass into some flour and gently press the cup on top of the dough ball to flatten the cookie to desired height. Cookies should be about 1-½ inch circle before baking.
Tip: If the sides split while you press, smooth them out with your finger before baking.
- Bake the cookies for 20 minutes or until the cookies rise and are just starting to get golden brown on the bottom.
- Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 1-2 minutes. They will continue to cook while on the hot cookie sheet. Transfer cookies to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely.
Step Three: Make the Icing (Buttercream Frosting), Decorate & Serve
- Make the frosting with electric mixer. Combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, cream, vanilla and one to two drops of pink food coloring. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Frost the cookies with the frosting and sprinkle with sprinkles.
Tips for Making the Best Lofthouse Cookies Copycat Recipe
- Storing – Lofthouse homemade cookies will keep fresh for about 4-5 in an airtight container at room temperature or for about 6-7 days in the fridge. For best results, store them in a single layer with a piece of parchment paper between each layer to keep the frosting for sticking.
- Flavoring – If you want to change up the flavor of this sugar cookie dough, you can use peppermint extract almond extract or a citrus extract like orange or lemon. You could even divide dough into a separate bowl and make a couple different flavors.
- Allow them to cool – These soft sugar cookies will be delicate when you first take them out of the oven. Allow them to sit, untouched, on the cookie sheet for a couple of minutes before you try to move them to the wire rack to finish cooling.
- Don’t overbake – The baked cookies will appear very pale. If you notice the tops of edges have turned brown, you have baked them too long. They are done when the tops of the cookies appear dry.
- Change them up – One of the things that makes this recipe to awesome is, you only have to change the food coloring like these Pink Lofthouse Cookies for Valentine’s Day, birthdays or baby showers. Maybe a green and orange for St. Patrick’s Day or purple, yellow and green for Mardi Gras! Of course, red and blue frosting against the white cookies is great for any patriotic holiday.
Do I Have to Chill This Cookie Dough?
For these homemade Lofthouse cookies, chilling the dough is not required. However, if you have handled the dough a good bit or if it has been sitting out for a while, it would be best to stick it in the fridge, covered with plastic wrap or in an air-tight container, for a little while to make it easier to handle.
Can I Use All-purpose Flour Instead?
While you’ll still end up with cookie dough when you use all-purpose flour, they will be more like traditional sugar cookies. Using cake flour is one of the key ingredients needed to get that signature airy texture.
What if I Don’t Have Cake Flour?
If you don’t have cake flour, you can make a close substitute by taking one measured cup of all-purpose flour and removing two level tablespoons. Add in two tablespoons of cornstarch and whisk it into the flour. Though this is not going to give you the exact same results, it will help the texture of the cookies to be lighter.
Lofthouse Cookies are believed to be named after the Lofthouse family, who founded the company that popularized these delightful treats. The Lofthouse Baking Company, established in 1994, played a pivotal role in introducing these soft, frosted sugar cookies to the mass market. Their brand became synonymous with this particular style of cookie, which is characterized by its pillowy texture and vibrant frosting. Over time, “Lofthouse” became a household name associated with this unique cookie variety. While the precise origin of the name may not be universally agreed upon, it is undoubtedly linked to the brand’s prominence and influence in making these cookies so well-known and loved.
What is the Shelf Life of Lofthouse Cookies?
Lofthouse Cookies typically have a good shelf life when stored properly. When kept in an airtight container at room temperature, frosted cookies will keep for up to 1 to 2 weeks. It’s essential to seal them well to prevent moisture from affecting their texture and frosting. Alternatively, if you want to extend their freshness, refrigerating them can keep them edible for about 2 to 3 weeks.
Can You Freeze Lofthouse Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze Lofthouse Cookies. To freeze, place the cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until firm. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag with layers separated by parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Frozen Lofthouse Cookies can remain tasty for up to 2 to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature. You can also freeze unfrosted cookies and add the frosting after thawing for the freshest taste and texture.
More Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Wreath Cornflake Cookies
- Ooey Gooey Christmas Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
- Pinwheel Sugar Cookies
- Cranberry and White Chocolate Cookies
- Peanut Butter Balls
- Fruitcake Cookies
- Candy Cane Kiss Cookies
- Frosted Christmas Cookies
Christmas Lofthouse Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups cake flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 8 Tablespoons butter (1 stick), unsalted room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1 egg
Frosting:
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 8 Tablespoons butter (1 stick), unsalted room temperature
- 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
- red and green Food coloring
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
For the dough:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
- Line 2 baking sheets with parchment or a silpat baking sheet.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
- With an electric mixer, mix the sugar, butter and sour cream until light and fluffy.
- Add the vanilla and egg and mix until combined. Add the flour mixture, one cup at a time, and mix until combined. Don’t overmix.
- Using a medium-sized cookie or ice cream scoop, drop level scoopfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space cookies out to leave room for them to spread.
- Dip the bottom of a glass into some flour and gently press the cup on top of each cookie to flatten to desired height. Cookies should be about 1-½ inch circle before baking. If the sides split while you press, smooth them out with your finger before baking.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until the cookies rise and are just starting to get golden brown on the bottom. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheets for 1-2 minutes. They will continue to cook while on the hot cookie sheet. Place cookies on a wire rack to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- With electric mixer, combine the confectioners’ sugar, butter, cream, vanilla and one to two drops of pink food coloring. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Frost the cookies with the frosting and sprinkle with sprinkles.
Notes
Nutrition
Did You Make This Recipe?
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