Copycat Lofthouse Cookies

These copycat lofthouse cookies taste exactly like the super soft, melt in your mouth sugar cookies from the grocery store. Get all that nostalgic soft sugar cookie-y goodness right at home without all the preservatives!

Super soft copycat Lofthouse cookies

While I love a good homemade baked good, I do have a soft spot for a select few store bought sweets. Like I know that we have gourmet browned butter chocolate chip cookies at home, but every so often I get a real hankering for the queen of all grocery store cookies: Lofthouse sugar cookies. You know the ones. They’re impossibly soft, super sweet, and they sort of stick to the roof of your mouth in the best way with every bite. There’s a different color for every major holiday (christmas, valentine’s day, halloween…they truly come in ever color) and their number one ingredients is sugar.

And gosh darn-it. They are good.

What are Lofthouse cookies?

I’m assuming that if you’ve found yourself on this page, you probably are specifically looking for a homemade Lofthouse cookie, and have eaten many in your lifetime. I know I have. Without fail, at every dance recital, bake sale, or holiday party I’ve seen a plastic container of these tried and true store bought cookies.

But, if you’ve never actually had a Lofthouse cookie I will explain why they are so good.They’re super soft with that tender crumb you usually find in cake, but they are not cakey or spongey. Lofthouse cookies have a distinctly artificial vanilla flavor, that somehow tastes almost better than real vanilla? Weird, but true. They have the most tender, slightly dense, yet also airy texture that just melts in your mouth. They’re almost textureless. But again, in the best way. Plus they’re covered in a scrumptious frosting that seals in all of that moisture.

And this copycat lofthouse cookies recipe? It tastes just like the real deal.

Ingredients for copycat lofthouse sugar cookies

When we set out to recreate those famous Lofthouse cookies of our youth, we obviously had to buy a box (or 3 heh), for “research purposes.” In all seriousness though, if you’re ever looking to recreate a packaged product the best place to start is the ingredients lists on the the back of the package. Rule of thumb, the order of the ingredients is listed in order from the biggest amount to the smallest.

The Lofthouse White Frosted Sugar Cookies have the following ingredients

SUGAR, ENRICHED BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR (FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE, RIBOFLAVIN, FOLIC ACID), MARGARINE (PALM OIL, WATER, SOYBEAN OIL, SALT, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: MONO- & DIGLYCERIDES, CALCIUM DISODIUM EDTA [PRESERVATIVE], ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, ANNATTO [COLOR], VITAMIN A PALMITATE), EGGS, CONTAINS 2% OR LESS OF: WATER, CORN STARCH, VEGETABLE OIL (PALM KERNEL OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR PARTIALLY HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OIL [COTTONSEED AND/OR SOYBEAN OIL]), DEXTRIN, SKIM MILK, NATURAL & ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, LEAVENING (BAKING SODA, SODIUM ALUMINUM SULFATE, MONOCALCIUM PHOSPHATE), SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), CONFECTIONER’S GLAZE (LAC RESIN), FOOD STARCH-MODIFIED, POLYSORBATE 60, CARNAUBA WAX, COLORS (BLUE 1, BLUE 1 LAKE, BLUE 2, BLUE 2 LAKE, RED 3, RED 40, RED 40 LAKE, YELLOW 5, YELLOW 5 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 6 LAKE), SODIUM PROPIONATE (PRESERVATIVE).

That looks like a lot–I know. But the reason for this research was just to parse out what ingredients we’d need to make the perfect copycat Lofthouse cookies. A lot of other Lofthouse cookie copycat recipes called for sour cream, but I’m not seeing that listed in the ingredients in the actual packaging, so we’re staying true to our muse.

These super soft lofthouse cookies are made with the following ingredients

• Sugar: We used a mixture of powdered sugar and granulated sugar to keep your cookie super soft and sweet. You’ll also need some powdered sugar for the creamy buttercream frosting!
• Cake Flour: That “enriched bleached wheat flour” along with corn starch and the general “cakey” taste of the cookies indicated we needed to use cake flour rather than all purpose flour as the dry ingredients base of these lofthouse cookies. It will keep them super soft with a melt in your mouth crumb.
• Butter AND oil: The lofthouse cookies seem to be made with some sort of margarine. Margarine is generally made out oil modified to mimic the taste and texture of butter. I don’t love baking with margarine because the final results of your baked goods tend to vary a lot depending on the brand, but you can mimic the soft crumb it bakes up into by using a combination of butter and oil.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda: A combination of baking powder and soda will give your cookies the perfect rise.
• Egg: These soft lofthouse cookies are not super cakey. You’ll need just one egg to create the perfect amount of of structure without getting too cakey.
• Vanilla Extract and Almond Extract: Most artificially flavored vanilla treats use a combination of vanilla extract and a small amount of almond extract. It’s only an 1/8th of a teaspoon of almond extract, but it will change the whole taste of your cookies!
• Milk: There is not much milk in these super soft sugar cookies (just a Tablespoon!), but you’ll also need some for the icing as well! You can also use heavy cream in the frosting if you would prefer, but we usually just use milk and it works out perfectly!
• Salt: All baked goods need a little salt to cut that sweetness.

That ingredient list looks a whole better than that packaged original lofthouse cookie, if I do say so myself.

How to handle the lofthouse cookie dough

While you do not need to chill or roll out the cooke dough with a rolling pin for these sugar cookies, you will need to shape them a little to get that signature lofthouse cookie shape. I like to roll the dough into a smooth ball and press it down gently to form about a 1 1/2 inch disk. Then lightly press down the sides of the circle into about a one inch thickness so that that center of the cookie is a bit higher than the edges. This will give you that nice slightly domed, smooth shape.

The secret to why these lofthouse cookies are the absolute best?

I literally tested this recipe 20 times, so you can take my word for it. These super soft sugar cookies are the real deal. They taste exactly like the original lofthouse cookies from the grocery store–just without all those preservatives, dyes, and unpronounceable ingredients.

• Cake flour:Cake flour is the key that silky, slightly cakey crumb. If you don’t have cake flour on hand, you can find a substitute for it here!
• A combination of powdered sugar and granulated sugar:Lofthouse cookies are not gritty. If anything they lack texture. There’s no chewy edge, no crunch, and certainly no sugar granules. However, when I made the cookies with just powdered sugar they were a bit too dense. We opted to use a combination of granulated sugar and powdered sugar because the powdered sugar will create a melt in your mouth texture.
• Almond Extract: A little almond extract goes a long way. It’s the key to getting that *slightly* artificial taste to your soft sugar cookies
• Baked at a low temperature. If you look at bottom of the original lofthouse sugar cookies it almost appears they were steamed. I know that’s a very bizarre visual, but they literally don’t have any color or chewy edge to them. Cooking your copycat cookies at a low temp will give them an even bake throughout without any crunch to interrupt that super soft texture.
• Thick and dense frosting: Any Lofthouse aficionado knows that the best part is the 1:1 )frosting to cookie ratio. It sticks to the roof of your mouth a little, (but, like, in the best way possible), and encases your whole cookie in sweetness. We recommend only mixing your frosting until combined rather than beating it up light and fluffy to stay true to the original lofthouse cookies.

Can you freeze lofthouse cookies?

Yes you can! I like to freeze these unfrosted for best results (frosting can get a little funky in the freezer). Simply make the cookies as directed, allow to cool completely and then place in a freezer safe plastic bag or airtight container. When ready to eat, let the cookies come to room temperature, make the frosting and frost as directed. Devour!

No need to run the grocery store for all that nostalgic flavor! Whip up these copycat lofthouse cookies today for the perfect sweet treat.

Enjoy.

XXX

• Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 16 cookies
• Category: dessert
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: american

Copycat Lofthouse Cookies

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These copycat lofthouse cookies taste exactly like the super soft, melt in your mouth sugar cookies from the grocery store.

• Author: Sofi | Broma Bakery
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 12 minutes
• Total Time: 40 minutes
• Yield: 16 cookies
• Category: dessert
• Method: oven
• Cuisine: american

Units: USM

Ingredients

• 1/3 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 Tablespoons vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 1 egg, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1 Tablespoon milk
• 2 cups cake flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

for the frosting

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• food coloring

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
2. In a standmixer fit with the whisk attachment, beat the room temperature butter and the vegetable oil together until homogenous, about 2 minutes.
3. Continue beating the butter as you stream in the granulated sugar. Next, add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Scrape down the bowl and add the egg, milk, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat until combined..
4. Scrape down the bowl and add the cake flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Beat until no streaks or clumps of flour remain, but do not over mix.
5. Use a 1 ounce cookie scoop to scoop out the dough into balls. Roll into balls and place 2 inches apart onto your cookie sheet. Flatten the top of the balls gently with your palm.
6. Bake at 325°F for 13 minutes or until the edges are set, but the cookies are still a bit underdone in the middle. Place on a wire rack to cool completely.
7. While the cookies cool, make the frosting. Combine all the frosting ingredients in a stand mixer fit with the paddle attachment. Beat on low speed, gradually increasing to high. Beat until creamy and slightly fluffy, but not light and fluffy. If desired, add the food coloring of your choice, adding in more if you want the color to be more intense.
8. Use an offset spatula to frost the cookies, spreading into an even layer. Top with sprinkles and enjoy!