lofthouse cookies
super soft, cakey, and sweet sugar cookies with buttercream frosting
baked in March 2026
yield: 28 cookies
prep time: 15 minutes
cook time: 8 minutes
difficulty level: easy
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (270g)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature (113g)
- 1 cup granulated sugar (200g)
- 1 egg room temperature
- 1/4 cup sour cream room temperature (60g)
- 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp almond extract (optional)
Frosting
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature (113g)
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240g)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (5ml)
- 2 Tablespoons milk plus more if needed
- food coloring (optional)
- sprinkles (optional)
Directions
For the cookies:
- Combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and cornstarch in a bowl then whisk together and set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy then beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract if using.
- Add the sour cream and mix until combined, scraping the bowl down as needed.
- Add the dry mixture to the wet and mix on low until just combined. Use your spatula to scrape down the bowl and combine any errant flour.
- Shape dough into a disk then cover in plastic and chill for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Roll the dough out to 1/4 inch then use a 2 and 1/2 - 3 inch circular cookie cutter to cut the cookies, Reroll the scraps and cut the remaining cookies.
- Transfer cookies to parchment-lined baking sheets and bake at 375°F for 8-9 minutes or until the cookies are just turning color on the bottom edge.
- Set aside to cool completely.
For the frosting:
- While the cookies bake, cream the butter then mix in the powdered sugar, and vanilla.
- Drizzle in the milk while mixing on low then increase speed to high and beat until smooth.
- If using food dye, mix in a drop at a time until desired color is reached.
- Top the cookies with a thin layer of buttercream and a smattering of sprinkles.
