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Soft Frosted Sugar (Lofthouse) Cookies

10/28/2012

 
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You know those soft sugar cookies in grocery stores with the bright frosting and lots of sprinkles? They come in the plastic containers, and they always look so appetizing. They are very deceitful in my opinion. I always want to like them. They look like they should be amazing, and they taste like nothing. Seriously, every time I bite into one (and I have tried them many times), I am bitterly disappointed. Well, friends, we have found the solution. These cookies are just as large and soft, but they taste like real butter and vanilla. They have a great texture, and the frosting is so much more than just a typical powdered sugar glaze because there's more butter in it. 

I made my frosting a little thinner than it should have been, so there's not as much frosting on my cookies as the store-bought kind. I was okay with that because there is a lot of butter in these cookies. Since there was less frosting, I had double the amount and threw away half of it. Next time I'll cut the frosting recipe in half, but I'm leaving it as is below in case you want to make thicker frosting to slather on the cookies. 

The best thing about these is that, just like the store-bought ones, you can make them for any holiday or party. You can color the frosting how you want and use seasonal sprinkles. I guarantee that when you bring them to a party, people will devour them and be thrilled with how good they are. No bitter disappointment here!  

Soft Frosted Sugar (Lofthouse) Cookies Recipe
Makes 24 large cookies
Print this recipe

For the cookies: 
4 1/2 cups all purpose flour
4 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups butter, room temperature
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
 
For the frosting:
5 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter, melted
1 tablespoon vanilla
7-8 tablespoons milk
Food coloring and sprinkles (optional)

To make the cookies, in the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Add in the vanilla extract, salt, and baking powder until combined. Add in the flour, one cup at a time, until incorporated. When everything is mixed together, cover the dough and chill for one hour. 

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Take a scant 1/4 cup of cookie dough and roll into a ball. Place the ball on the prepared sheet and press down slightly. Place the balls about 2-3 inches apart from each other. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set. Do not overbake or they won't stay soft. You want the edges to be barely brown if at all. Let rest on the baking sheets for three minutes and then remove to a flat surface to cool.

To make the frosting, combine the powdered sugar, melted butter, and vanilla. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time until the frosting is the consistency you like. Frost the cookies using the back of a spoon or an offset spatula and add the sprinkles if using. Store in an airtight container.

Source: Annie's Eats, who adapted it from Hostess with the Mostess
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Stephanie @ Eat. Drink. Love. link
10/28/2012 02:51:17 pm

Lofthouse cookies are a serious weakness for me! These look great!

Emily @ Life on Food link
10/28/2012 10:02:13 pm

What great cookies. It is always a special treat getting these from the store. It would so yummy to have these homemade.

Debra
10/28/2012 11:21:54 pm

Those are pretty and look yummy.

KarenP link
10/29/2012 03:36:25 am

These look great! I agree the grocery store cookies are always a disappointment.

Jen @JuanitasCocina link
10/29/2012 09:01:00 am

These are gorgeous! Pinned!

Jess link
10/29/2012 11:33:17 am

Aww, super fun! They're so festive and I love that you're making them homemade instead of them coming from the store.

Lori link
10/29/2012 11:36:35 am

I can't wait to give these a try! I love these cookies and I'm so happy to know I can now make a homemade version. I'm also thrilled that it calls for all butter and no shortening.

Leslie Petersen
10/29/2012 12:00:26 pm

did you mean 2 tsp instead of TSPL for the vanilla?

She Makes and Bakes
10/29/2012 01:01:28 pm

Nope, I meant two tablespoons. These cookies are very buttery and vanilla-y!

what katie's baking link
10/29/2012 01:47:19 pm

oh my gosh i've been looking for a good lofthouse copycat for a year!!! thank you so much... these look so good!!!

Max @CupOfSeider link
11/2/2012 08:56:23 am

These are in the oven now! Bringing them to a house warming, can't wait to have a bite :)

Tiffany link
11/3/2012 08:25:31 am

I couldn't agree more about the grocery store version of these cookies! Yumm - can't wait to make them for my daughter!

jesselyn
12/18/2012 10:43:26 am

do i have to use unsalted or salted butter? or can i use margarine?

She Makes and Bakes
12/18/2012 11:22:24 am

I wouldn't recommend using margarine. I used salted butter, and I think unsalted butter is good, too.

Brenda
12/22/2012 10:44:23 pm

What does (1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) butter, melted) mean? is it 5 and a 1/3 tablespoons? Is that what you mean? I think I just answered my question!! :)

She Makes and Bakes
12/23/2012 12:04:18 am

1/3 cup is 5 and 1/3 tablespoons.

Karen
2/20/2013 06:29:37 am

I tried making these cookies twice today and both times they fell in the middle. They rise up and look beautiful when I take them out of the oven, then as they cool the top becomes really crinkly as they deflate. I live in Alberta near the Rockies, elevation 3500 ft. Should I reduce the sugar, increase the flour, decrease the baking powder, or all of these? I really want to make these cookies!

She Makes and Bakes
2/20/2013 12:04:11 pm

Hmmm...they always work at my higher altitude just fine. I'm wondering if you are underbaking them just a little too much? When you try them, are they gooey in the middle? You may want to bake them for a minute or two longer. If that doesn't work, let me know and we can try something else. Or you can just cover the tops with more frosting. :) What a bummer!

Helen
12/8/2014 11:00:43 pm

How do you store the cookies? I want to make a batch and distribute them as gifts for a holiday party?


Comments are closed.

     Welcome!

    Cooking is fun and easy at high altitude, but baking can be frustrating. About 90% of my recipes work everywhere, but some are adjusted so us mountain dwellers can enjoy baked goods from scratch. I hope you find great recipes on here for your family, and I'll let you know if any are adjusted for high altitude. 

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