These copycat Lofthouse cookies are melt-in-your-mouth soft frosted sugar cookies topped with sprinkles. I use a little raspberry jelly or jam to give the frosting a little bit of flavor and natural color. Make this grocery store favorite at home and skip the checkout line.
You are going to love these tasty treats. Bake a batch with your kids or grandkids and enjoy all the goodness of Lofthouse cookies in your kitchen, where you control the ingredients. If you like these incredibly soft cookies, try gooey butter cookies, chocolate crinkle cookies, and chocolate chip pudding cookies.
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
See the complete list of ingredients below on the recipe card.
- Flour: I use cake flour for a lighter, softer texture. You can use all-purpose flour, but the cookies will be softer with cake flour.
- Butter: Unsalted or salted. If using salted butter, reduce the added salt to 1/4 teaspoon in the cookies.
- Extract: Use “pure” vanilla and almond extract.
- Raspberry jelly or jam: Such as Smucker’s Simply Fruit seedless red raspberry or Raspberry jam, fed through a fine mesh strainer to remove the seeds. You can also use strawberry and grape jelly to obtain color.
- Sprinkles: If you want to stay with the theme of no artificial colors, Watkins makes Rainbow Sprinkles with no artificial dyes.
How to Make Lofthouse Cookies
This is the summary version; for the complete list of ingredients and instructions, see the recipe card below.
Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and both extracts. Beat just until incorporated, scraping down the bowl and beaters when needed.
Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined, again scraping down the bowl and beaters when needed. Form the dough into a disk and flatten it to about 1/4 inch between two pieces of parchment paper using a rolling pin. Refrigerate it for about an hour.
Carefully peel off the parchment paper and flip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Peel off the other piece of parchment paper. Using a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter, cut the cookies and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with 1 1/2-2 inches between the cookies. Bake for 8-9 minutes and let them cool for at least 5 minutes before carefully moving them to wire racks to cool.
While the cookies are baking and cooling, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well blended, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed. Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla and the raspberry jelly. Drizzle in just enough milk to reach the desired consistency. Frost the cookies and top with sprinkles.
Preparation Tips and Storage
- Do not overbake the cookies and don’t brown them. Cook them until they are set, and for almost exactly 8 minutes.
- If you prefer, use 1/2 teaspoon gel food coloring instead of the raspberry jam.
- These cookies are even better the day after they are baked and frosted. They soften up more after they are frosted.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cornstarch plays an important role. It is also essential that you bake them only until set. For the softest cookies do not refrigerate them and let them rest with the frosting on them overnight.
Store the baked and frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or 7 days in the refrigerator. But remember that refrigerators dry out baked goods.
For longer storage, freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator overnight.
Try seedless raspberry jam, strawberry jam, and grape jelly. Smuckers makes seedless Simply Fruit. Make thumbprint cookies with the leftover jam and jellies.
More Cookie Recipes
Copycat Lofthouse Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Cookies
- 2 cups cake flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
Raspberry Buttercream Frosting
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons strained raspberry jam or jelly (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon milk
- rainbow sprinkle
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Using a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer at medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Reduce the speed to low and add the egg and both extracts. Beat just until incorporated, scraping down the bowl and beaters when needed.
- Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined, again scraping down the bowl and beaters when needed. Form the dough into a disk and flatten it to about 1/4 inch between two pieces of parchment paper using a rolling pin. Refrigerate it for an hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cover baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Carefully peel off the parchment paper and flip the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Peel off the other piece of parchment paper. Using a round cookie cutter or biscuit cutter that is about 2 3/4 inches cut the cookies and place them on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet with 1 1/2-2 inches between them.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes or until set. Do not brown. Let them cool for at least 5 minutes before carefully moving them to wire racks to cool.
- While the cookies are baking and cooling, use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a handheld mixer on medium speed to beat the butter until smooth. Add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until well blended, scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
- Reduce the speed to low and add the vanilla extract and the raspberry jelly. Use 2 tablespoons of raspberry jelly for a lighter pink and 3 tablespoons for a darker pink. Drizzle in just enough milk to reach the desired spreading consistency. Frost the cookies and top with sprinkles. I like to pipe the frosting on for a nice circle and then spread it with a thin butter spatula.
Notes
- Do not overbake the cookies and don’t brown them. Cook them until they are set, and for almost exactly 8 minutes.
- If you prefer, use 1/2 teaspoon gel food coloring instead of the raspberry jam.
- These cookies are even better the day after they are baked and frosted. They soften up more after they are frosted.
Lisa
Man these lofthouse cookies are so good and fresh. The kids helped with the frosting and sprinkles and they loved them!
Karletta
I was looking for a pretty, yet delicious cookie recipe to include homemade cookies in the gift baskets I’m making up. This are perfect. Looking for another two for variety, so will check out your other recipes.
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Karletta! Enjoy!
Sonia
Lovely cookies. I remember making these sugar cookies for my daughter, she had couldn’t stop eating so i had to hide them!
May
Ooh, we have all these ingredients available in our pantry right now! I can make my kid bake this. I told him to bake Scottish Shortbread the other night and it turned out well, I wonder how he’d fare with this recipe.
Beth Pierce
I think that he would do fine. Sounds like you have a baker on your hands.
Catherine
Such an easy and super cute lofthouse cookies to make for everyone.
A perfect treat for Easter!
Mel E
These are such cute looking cookies and my son and daughters love them. I loved how easy the raspberry buttercream frosting was to make, so much better than using red food coloring.
Beth Pierce
I agree 100%
Bethany R
I never knew they were called Lofthouse cookies! I’ve always loved how they taste. So soft and sweet, they totally remind me of my childhood.
Beth Pierce
Same here, Bethany!
joy
i love a good frosted sugar cookie! sadly i cannot buy many because of my allergies but so happy to see your recipe is allergy friendly for me.
Beth Pierce
I hope you like them, Joy!
Catalina
These look amazing! Lofthouse cookies bring back so many childhood memories, and your recipe makes me feel even more special!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Catalina! Enjoy!
Michelle Robertson
These sugar cookies are so good!!! My entire family loves them, and now I want to go look through your other cookie recipes!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Michelle! I hope you enjoy my cookie recipes!
Angela
These Lofthouse Cookies were so delicious! They were easy to prepare and the entire family loved them!!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Angela!
Catherine Kay
These cookies are delicious! My kids love thesse cookies. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Catherine Kay!
Mimi
These are lovely cookies for spring! I love soft sugar cookies with a cup of coffee. That’s my new favorite recipe!
Claudia
I made these last night for my husband. I intended them to be snacks for the next few days. He had other plans, though. They’re already gone!
Beth Pierce
Oh my! My husband is the same way!
Catalina
These Lofthouse cookies brought back so many childhood memories! Soft, thick, and frosted with just the right amount of sweetness!
Maria
These are the best sugar cookies I’ve ever made! The texture is absolutely amazing, and the frosting is perfect.
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Maria! I am so happy tht you liked the lofthouse cookies.