Description
This delightful Lofthouse Cookies recipe yields soft, thick, and buttery sugar cookies topped with a smooth, colorful frosting and festive sprinkles. Perfectly balanced with a hint of almond and vanilla extracts, these cookies are a nostalgic treat that bake up beautifully for gatherings or everyday indulgence.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour (360 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (4 grams)
- ½ teaspoon baking soda (3 grams)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch (7 grams)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Cookie Dough
- ½ cup salted butter (113 grams, room temperature, 1 stick)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
- 2 large eggs (100 grams, room temperature)
- ½ cup sour cream (114 grams, room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (2 grams)
Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113 grams, room temperature, 1 stick)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (227 grams)
- 1-2 tablespoons milk (14-28 grams)
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract (2 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract (1 gram)
- â…› teaspoon kosher salt
- Food coloring (any color, optional)
- 2 tablespoons colored sprinkles (24 grams)
Instructions
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt until fully blended to prepare the dry base of the cookie dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Then add the eggs and mix until fully combined.
- Add Sour Cream and Extracts: Incorporate the sour cream, vanilla extract, and almond extract into the mixture and blend well.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Lower the mixer speed to low and gradually add the dry flour mixture little by little, mixing just until combined to avoid overmixing.
- Chill Dough: Form the dough into a ball, cover it tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour to firm up the dough for better handling and texture.
- Preheat Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Roll Out Dough: Lightly flour a clean surface and roll out the chilled dough to a little more than ¼-inch thickness to ensure thick, soft cookies.
- Cut Cookies: Use a 2 to 3-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough and place them evenly spaced on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies for 7 to 9 minutes until set but not browned. Remove from the oven and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Prepare Frosting: In a clean mixing bowl with a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, beat the unsalted butter until smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Then add milk, vanilla, almond extracts, salt, and food coloring drops if using, mixing until smooth and evenly colored.
- Frost and Decorate: Once cookies have completely cooled, spread the frosting evenly on top and sprinkle with colored sprinkles to finish.
Notes
- Use room temperature ingredients for easier mixing and smoother dough.
- Chilling the dough prevents spreading and ensures thick cookies.
- Adjust the milk in the frosting to achieve preferred consistency.
- Food coloring in frosting is optional but adds a festive touch.
- Kosher salt quantity can be adjusted to taste.
