Bring joy to your holiday season with these delightful Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies!
Perfect for busy moms and professionals, these festive cookies are incredibly easy to make and offer that classic soft, cake-like texture everyone adores.
With their vibrant holiday colors, they’re sure to be a cherished family favorite, adding a touch of delicious sweetness to any gathering. For more ideas on holiday baking, check out Allrecipes.com’s cookie collections!
Why You’ll Love This Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies (Holiday Colors)
-
Perfectly Soft Texture: These cookies are famously soft with a delightful cake-like crumb, melting in your mouth with every bite.
-
Festive & Fun: Adorned with holiday colors and sprinkles, they’re ideal for Christmas parties and family gatherings.
-
Easy to Decorate: The simple buttercream frosting is perfect for tinting and decorating, even with little helpers.
-
Crowd-Pleasing: These classic Lofthouse cookies are universally loved, making them a guaranteed hit for any occasion.
Ingredients You’ll Need for Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies
Primary components: You’ll need softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and all-purpose flour for the cookie base, plus sour cream or Greek yogurt for that signature soft texture.
Liquids & Seasoning: Vanilla and optional almond extract provide classic flavor, while baking powder, baking soda, and salt ensure a perfect rise and balance. For the frosting, milk or heavy cream and more vanilla are key.
Optional add-ins: Gel food coloring allows for vibrant holiday colors, and don’t forget the holiday sprinkles for a festive finish!
Note: You’ll find the complete list of ingredients, along with their exact measurements, in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Exact quantities appear in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies (Holiday Colors)
Making these delightful Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies involves creaming, mixing, chilling, baking, and decorating.
The process is straightforward, ensuring a batch of perfect cookies every time. For visual guides on rolling dough, see The Kitchn’s baking tips.
Step 1: Cream Butter and Sugar for Your Soft Sugar Cookies
In a large bowl, cream softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla and optional almond extract.
Step 2: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients for the Cookie Dough
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Gradually add dry ingredients to wet, alternating with sour cream, mixing until just combined.
Step 3: Chill the Dough for Perfect Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies
Cover the soft dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until it’s firm enough to handle easily.
Step 4: Roll and Cut Your Festive Cookies
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use cookie cutters to create festive shapes.
Step 5: Bake Until Just Golden
Place cut-out cookies on prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8-10 minutes until edges are lightly golden and centers are set. Do not overbake to ensure softness.
Step 6: Prepare the Holiday Frosting
Beat softened butter until creamy, then gradually add sifted powdered sugar, alternating with milk. Stir in vanilla and a pinch of salt. Divide and tint with red and green gel food coloring.
Step 7: Decorate Your Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies
Once cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of red or green frosting on each. Immediately decorate with holiday sprinkles and allow frosting to set slightly before storing.
Pro Tips for Making Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies
-
Don’t Overbake: For that signature soft texture, pull cookies from the oven when edges are barely golden and centers look set but still pale.
-
Chill Thoroughly: Chilling the dough is crucial for easy handling and to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
-
Use Room Temperature Ingredients: Softened butter and eggs incorporate better, leading to a smoother, more consistent dough and frosting.
-
Sift Powdered Sugar: For a lump-free, silky smooth frosting, always sift your powdered sugar before mixing.
-
Gel Food Coloring: Use gel food coloring for vibrant hues without thinning your frosting, unlike liquid food coloring.
-
Cool Completely: Ensure cookies are entirely cool before frosting to prevent the frosting from melting or sliding off.
Final Thoughts
These Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies are more than just a recipe; they’re a delightful way to create lasting holiday memories. Their irresistible softness and festive appearance make them a standout treat.
If you love soft, melt-in-your-mouth cookies, you’ll definitely want to check out my sugar cookie bars. They have that same tender texture and creamy frosting that make Lofthouse-style cookies so irresistible.
FAQs
How do I know when my Lofthouse-style sugar cookies are done baking?
The cookies are done when the edges are lightly golden and the centers appear set but still look pale. Avoid overbaking to maintain their signature soft texture.
Can I substitute Greek yogurt for sour cream in these soft sugar cookies?
Yes, plain Greek yogurt works wonderfully as a substitute for sour cream, providing similar moisture and a slight tanginess to the cookies.
Can I freeze these holiday cookies?
You can freeze the unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before frosting and decorating. Frosted cookies can also be frozen, but they might be messier upon thawing.
What’s the best way to store decorated Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies?
Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Placing parchment paper between layers can help prevent sticking.
Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies (Holiday Colors) with delicious festive joy Family Favorite
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 dozen cookies (depending on cutter size) 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
These Soft Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies, adorned with festive holiday colors, are a family favorite that brings delicious joy to any celebration. Their cake-like texture and sweet frosting make them irresistible.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (optional, but recommended)
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt
- For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 1/4 cup milk (or heavy cream for richer frosting)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- Gel food coloring (red and green for holiday colors)
- Holiday sprinkles, for decorating
Instructions
- Make the Cookies: In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using).
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the sour cream (or Greek yogurt), beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. The dough will be soft.
- Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, or until firm enough to handle.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- On a lightly floured surface, roll out the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Use a round cookie cutter (or any festive shape) to cut out cookies.
- Place the cut-out cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Do not overbake; these cookies are meant to be soft.
- Remove from the oven and let cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make the Frosting: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy.
- Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar, alternating with the milk, beating until smooth and fluffy.
- Stir in the vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.
- Divide the frosting into two bowls. Tint one bowl with red gel food coloring and the other with green gel food coloring.
- Decorate: Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous amount of red or green frosting on top of each cookie.
- Immediately decorate with holiday sprinkles.
- Allow the frosting to set slightly before storing.
Notes
- For extra soft cookies, make sure not to overbake them. They should still look pale in the center.
- Almond extract adds a classic Lofthouse flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer.
- If your frosting becomes too thick, add a tiny bit more milk. If it’s too thin, add more powdered sugar.
- These cookies store well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- For a fun activity, let kids help with the decorating!
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 80mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 7g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 40mg
