Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies: 7 Sweet Memories Await

Welcome to Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies

Soft, sweet, and simple

Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies are more than just a delicious dessert; they are a celebration of comfort and sweetness. These iconic treats, known for their distinctively soft, cake-like crumb and thick, colorful frosting, bring a nostalgic warmth to any occasion. Our easy recipe aims to replicate that beloved bakery experience right in your home kitchen, allowing you to create perfect cookies that are both a joy to make and to eat. The secret lies in achieving that unique soft sugar cookies texture, which distinguishes them from crispier varieties. Each bite offers a burst of vanilla flavor complemented by a rich, buttery texture, making them a true classic cookie. Whether you’re planning a family gathering, a festive baking session, or simply craving a sweet treat, these homemade cookies are sure to become a cherished family favorite. They are surprisingly simple to prepare, making them an ideal project for bakers looking for kitchen fun without excessive complexity. Get ready to impress with these delightful, melt-in-your-mouth confections.

Gather Your Baking Essentials

Key ingredients list

To create these wonderful Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies, gathering your ingredients beforehand is crucial for a smooth baking process. For the cookie base, you will need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, unsalted butter (softened), large eggs, pure vanilla extract, baking powder, and a pinch of salt. Ensuring your butter and eggs are at room temperature will significantly impact the cookie’s buttery texture and overall softness. For the simple frosting, you’ll require powdered sugar, softened unsalted butter, milk or heavy cream, pure vanilla extract, and gel food coloring if you wish to add a vibrant splash of color. High-quality vanilla extract is key for that authentic vanilla flavor. Don’t forget the sprinkles for that signature festive look! Having everything measured and ready will streamline your “kitchen fun” and ensure you have all components for perfect cookies. For other delightful dessert ideas, check out our collection of desserts, including recipes like Peanut Butter Brownie Swirl Cookies for another sweet treat.

Mixing the Cookie Dough

Dry ingredients first

The foundation of excellent Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies begins with correctly mixing the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Sifting these ingredients together is a recommended baking tip, as it helps to aerate the flour and ensures an even distribution of the leavening agent and salt, preventing clumps and contributing to a uniform, soft texture in the final cookie. Set this mixture aside for later use. This initial step is straightforward but vital for the overall success of your homemade cookies.

Wet ingredients next

In a separate, larger mixing bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step is critical for incorporating air, which contributes to the cookies’ characteristic soft sugar cookies texture. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Finally, mix in the pure vanilla extract. The rich vanilla flavor will infuse the dough, creating a truly delicious dessert foundation. Proper creaming here lays the groundwork for perfect cookies, ensuring they are tender and flavorful.

Combining Dough for Flavor

Gradually add dry to wet

The precise combination of your wet and dry ingredients is where the magic truly begins for these Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies. With your stand mixer on low speed (or using a hand mixer), gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredient mixture. Add about one-third of the dry ingredients at a time, mixing until just combined before adding the next portion. It’s crucial not to overmix the dough. Overmixing can develop the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in tough, chewy cookies rather than the desired soft, cake-like texture. Mix only until no streaks of dry flour remain. The resulting dough should be soft, slightly sticky, and have a wonderfully rich buttery texture. Once combined, cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes to an hour. This chilling period helps the butter solidify, making the dough easier to handle for shaping and preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.

Baking Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies

Shaping your cookies

Once your Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies dough is sufficiently chilled, it’s time for shaping. Lightly flour a clean surface and your rolling pin. Roll out the dough to a consistent thickness, ideally about 1/4 to 1/2 inch thick, to ensure even baking and that signature soft sugar cookies texture. Use your favorite cookie cutters to create various shapes – circles are classic for Lofthouse style, but festive shapes add to the holiday treats appeal. Carefully transfer the cut dough to baking sheets lined with parchment paper, spacing them about 1-2 inches apart. Re-roll any dough scraps until all dough is used.

Oven temperature and time

Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). This specific oven temperature and time are key for achieving soft cookies without browning them too much. Bake the Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies for approximately 8-10 minutes. The exact baking time can vary depending on your oven and the size/thickness of your cookies. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are just set and the centers still look slightly pale and soft. Avoid overbaking, as this will result in a drier, crispier cookie rather than the desired tender consistency. Transfer the baking sheets to a wire rack for initial cooling before proceeding to the next step.

Cooling for Best Results

Proper cooling is an often-underestimated step crucial for perfect Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies. Once your cookies are out of the oven, allow them to remain on the baking sheet for about 5-10 minutes. This allows them to set up slightly and prevents them from breaking when you move them. After this initial cooling period, carefully transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. It is absolutely essential that the cookies are fully cooled before you even think about applying the frosting. If you try to frost warm cookies, the frosting will melt, slide off, and create a messy outcome rather than a beautifully decorated sweet treat. Patience here ensures your cookie decorating efforts are successful. This cooling period is also a great time to clean up your workspace or prepare your frosting, making your kitchen fun continuous. Remember, fully cooled cookies guarantee the best canvas for your delicious dessert creation.

Whip Up the Creamy Frosting

Simple frosting mix

The iconic creamy frosting is what truly defines Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies. To make this simple frosting, combine softened unsalted butter and powdered sugar in a large bowl. Beat on low speed until combined, then increase to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy. Gradually add milk or heavy cream, one tablespoon at a time, until you reach your desired consistency – a thick yet spreadable consistency is ideal. Stir in pure vanilla extract for that classic vanilla flavor. For additional dessert recipes that incorporate delightful frostings, explore options like our Snickerdoodle Cobbler. This basic buttercream is the foundation for a truly delicious dessert.

Add a splash of color

What sets these soft sugar cookies apart is their vibrant, colorful frosting. Once your simple frosting mix is ready, divide it into separate bowls if you plan to use multiple colors. Add a tiny drop of gel food coloring to each bowl, mixing until you achieve your desired hue. Gel colors provide intense pigmentation without thinning the frosting too much, ensuring a rich, eye-catching result. Whether you opt for pastel shades or bold, bright tones, a splash of color instantly makes these homemade cookies more appealing. Remember to visit us on Pinterest for more inspiration on holiday treats and cookie decorating ideas!

Decorate Your Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies

Frosting techniques

Now comes the most enjoyable part of making Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies: the decoration! With your perfectly cooled cookies and creamy, colorful frosting ready, you can let your creativity shine. For a classic look, use an offset spatula to spread an even, generous layer of frosting over the top of each cookie. Alternatively, for more intricate designs, you can use a piping bag fitted with your favorite tip to create swirls, borders, or specific patterns. After applying the frosting, generously sprinkle with colorful sprinkles. These add not only visual appeal but also a delightful textural contrast, enhancing the “festive baking” experience. Don’t be afraid to experiment with different frosting techniques and color combinations to make each cookie unique. This cookie decorating stage is where your Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies truly come to life as charming, delicious dessert treats.

Pro Tips for Cookie Success

Storing your treats

To keep your Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies fresh and delicious, proper storage is key. Once the frosting has fully set, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. For longer freshness, you can refrigerate them for up to a week. If stacking, place a piece of parchment paper between layers to prevent the frosting from sticking. For extended storage, unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before frosting. These baking tips ensure your sweet treats remain enjoyable for longer.

Adjusting bake time

Every oven is different, and adjusting bake time is a crucial cookie success tip. Keep a close eye on your Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies, especially during the last few minutes of baking. The goal is a barely golden edge with a soft, pale center. If your cookies are spreading too much, your dough might not have been chilled enough, or your oven might be too cool. If they are too dry, you might be overbaking them. Knowing your oven and making slight adjustments will help you achieve perfect cookies every time. Feel free to explore other cookie varieties like Blueberry Muffin Cookies with Streusel for different baking experiences.

Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies Nutrition

Per cookie details

While Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies are undoubtedly a delicious dessert and sweet treat, it’s helpful to be aware of their general nutritional information. A typical homemade Lofthouse-style sugar cookie with frosting (approximately 2.5-3 inches in diameter) can contain around 150-200 calories, with about 8-12 grams of fat (mostly from butter), 20-30 grams of carbohydrates (primarily sugar), and 1-2 grams of protein. These figures are estimates and can vary significantly based on ingredient choices, specific recipe adjustments, cookie size, and the thickness of the simple frosting. They are best enjoyed as an occasional treat within a balanced diet. Always consider your personal dietary needs. For specific details regarding packaged products, refer to their nutritional labels.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep and cook times

Getting Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies ready for your table involves a few key timeframes. The active preparation time for making the dough, rolling, and cutting the cookies is approximately 25-35 minutes. You’ll then need a chilling time for the dough, which should be at least 30 minutes, but can extend to 1-2 hours for best results. Baking time per batch is quick, around 8-10 minutes. Finally, factor in a cooling time for the cookies (about 30 minutes to 1 hour) before you can start whipping up the creamy frosting and enjoying the cookie decorating process, which can take another 20-30 minutes depending on your technique. This makes it a rewarding kitchen fun activity.

Serving size

This recipe for Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies typically yields about 24-36 cookies, depending on the thickness you roll your dough and the size of your cookie cutters. This serving size makes them ideal for party desserts, holiday treats, or simply having plenty of delicious dessert options on hand for the family. Each cookie is a perfect individual sweet treat, making portion control easy (if you can resist having just one!).

Common Cookie Questions

Troubleshooting tips

Even experienced bakers can encounter questions when making Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies. Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips:

• Why are my cookies spreading too much? The dough might be too warm, or you might have used too much butter or not enough flour. Ensure your butter is softened, not melted, and chill the dough thoroughly.
• Why aren’t my cookies soft and cake-like? Overmixing the dough can make them tough. Also, overbaking is a common culprit; pull them from the oven when the edges are just set and the centers are still slightly pale.
• My frosting is too thin/thick. For thin frosting, add more powdered sugar, a tablespoon at a time. For thick frosting, add milk or cream, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency.
• Can I make the dough ahead? Absolutely! The dough can be prepared up to 2-3 days in advance and stored in the refrigerator, or frozen for up to a month. Thaw in the fridge overnight before rolling and baking. For more baking insights, you can consult the Wikipedia page on sugar cookies or learn more about buttercream frosting. Also, follow us on Instagram for visual baking tips!