If you love those soft, frosted Lofthouse-style cookies from the grocery store, you’re going to want to make this homemade version! These cookies are incredibly soft, tender, and practically melt in your mouth.
This copycat version uses real butter instead of margarine, so it isn’t exactly the same as the mass-produced cookies—but the texture and sweet, buttery flavor are just as irresistible. Top them with colorful frosting and sprinkles for a bakery-style treat everyone will love. 👍
🛒 Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
For the Frosting
- ¾ cup butter (1 ½ sticks), softened
- 4 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4–6 tablespoons milk
- Food coloring, optional
- Sprinkles, optional
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Prepare the Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and powdered sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Mix until smooth and well combined.
2. Add the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, salt, and cornstarch.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
3. Shape the Cookies
Scoop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie.
Gently flatten each portion with the bottom of a glass or your fingers. Keep them fairly thick to maintain that signature soft texture.
4. Bake
Bake for approximately 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are set but still pale. Do not overbake them—the centers should remain soft.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
🧁 Make the Frosting
Beat the softened butter until creamy and smooth.
Gradually add the powdered sugar, mixing between additions. Add the vanilla and enough milk to reach a smooth, spreadable consistency.
Add food coloring if desired and mix until evenly colored.
🎨 Frost and Decorate
Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of frosting over each one.
Finish with colorful sprinkles if desired. For a classic bakery-style look, use pastel pink, blue, yellow, or green frosting.
Allow the frosting to set before stacking the cookies.
⭐ Tips for the Softest Cookies
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should remain light in color and soft in the center.
- Use softened butter: Room-temperature butter creates a smoother dough and better texture.
- Don’t overmix the flour: Mix only until the ingredients are combined.
- Keep the cookies thick: Flatten them gently rather than making them thin.
- Chill the dough if needed: If the dough feels too sticky, refrigerate it for 20–30 minutes before shaping.
- Let them cool completely: Frosting warm cookies can cause the buttercream to melt.
🍬 Easy Variations
For holidays and special occasions, change the frosting color and sprinkles to match the celebration.
Try pastel colors for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas, or pink and blue for birthdays.
You can also add a tiny amount of extra almond extract to the frosting for an even more classic bakery-cookie flavor.
🧊 Storage
Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days.
For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cookies in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2–3 months. Thaw completely before frosting and decorating.
🍽️ Recipe Information
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Bake Time: 8–10 minutes per batch
Total Time: About 30 minutes, plus cooling
Yield: Approximately 24–30 cookies, depending on size
❤️ Final Thoughts
These Copycat Lofthouse Soft Sugar Cookies are the perfect homemade alternative to the colorful grocery-store favorites. They’re buttery, tender, sweet, and wonderfully soft, with creamy frosting in every bite.
Whether you’re making them for a family treat, birthday party, holiday gathering, or simply because you have a cookie craving, these are sure to disappear quickly. Once you try them homemade, you may never look at those bakery cookies the same way again! 🍪💕