Easy Lofthouse Cookies Recipe — cooking, recipes, bon apetit

Bright, soft, and delightfully nostalgic, these Lofthouse style cookies bring bakery charm to the home kitchen. This easy Lofthouse Cookies Recipe blends tender, cakey cookie bases with a pillowy pink buttercream for a treat that looks like a store-bought classic but tastes much better. For anyone searching for simple cooking, recipes, bon apetit inspiration, this guide walks through ingredients, technique, and helpful tips to get perfect cookies every time.

Key takeaways

• Soft, tender cookies rely on the right balance of flour and cornstarch, and careful mixing to avoid toughness.
• Chilling the dough for at least an hour makes rolling and cutting easier and improves texture.
• A simple buttercream made with powdered sugar, butter, and a touch of milk creates the iconic look and flavor.
• This is a friendly, family-style recipe perfect for parties, bake sales, or quick weeknight baking sessions inspired by cooking, recipes, bon apetit.

Why this recipe works

The cookie base is built to be tender and slightly cakey. A touch of cornstarch softens the crumb, while a small amount of baking powder and baking soda gives a gentle lift. Using room temperature butter and a short mixing time keeps the texture melt in your mouth instead of chewy or tough. A dollop of sour cream adds tang and extra tenderness. The result is a cookie that stays soft for days when stored correctly, ideal for frosting and decorating.

Ingredients

For the cookies

• 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract, optional
• 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream

For the buttercream

• 1/2 cup (115 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
• 2 cups (240 g) powdered sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons milk, as needed
• Gel food coloring, pink (optional)
• Sprinkles for decorating

Step-by-step method

1. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Keep measurements precise; too much flour makes a dry, breadlike cookie.
2. Cream butter and sugar. In a separate bowl, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium to medium high until light and fluffy. The butter should indent slightly to indicate proper temperature.
3. Add the egg and extracts. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and optional almond extract. Scrape the bowl when using a stand mixer to avoid any lumps.
4. Stir in sour cream. Add the sour cream and mix until incorporated. This adds tang and tenderness to the cookie crumb.
5. Combine dry into wet. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and fold gently. If using a mixer, do this on low and finish by hand with a spatula to avoid overmixing. Overmixing causes toughness.
6. Chill the dough. Shape the dough into a loose disc and wrap it. Chill for at least one hour. The dough can rest in the refrigerator up to three days or be frozen for months.

Bake and assemble

1. Roll and cut. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4 inch thickness on a well-floured surface. Cut with a 2 1/2 to 3 inch round cutter and place on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment.
2. Bake. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake the cookies for 8 to 9 minutes, until the edges are just starting to color. These cookies do not spread much, so spacing can be tighter than traditional cookies.
3. Make the buttercream. Beat the room temperature butter until soft. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, and a splash of milk, beating until smooth and spreadable. Tint a little pink with gel food coloring for the classic look.
4. Decorate. Spoon a tablespoon of buttercream into the center of each cooled cookie and gently circle it to form a round disk of frosting. Add sprinkles while the frosting is soft.

"soft, creamy, melt in your mouth, like tons of vanilla flavor coming through."

Helpful tips

• Keep a light hand when folding dry ingredients to avoid developing gluten.
• If the dough becomes too warm while rolling, lift the pastry mat and chill briefly.
• Flouring the cutter between cuts helps the rounds release cleanly.
• Freeze unfrosted cookies in a single layer, then stack with parchment to store up to two months. Thaw and frost before serving.

Final thoughts

These Lofthouse style cookies are a cheerful, family-friendly treat that elevates a nostalgic grocery store favorite into something fresh and homemade. The balance of tender cookie and silky pink buttercream makes them perfect for celebrations or an everyday sweet. For home bakers exploring new cooking, recipes, bon apetit ideas, this approachable recipe delivers impressive results without fuss.

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, the finished cookies keep up to a week. For longer storage, freeze the unfrosted cookies up to two months and dress them fresh before serving. Enjoy the fun of decorating and the soft, buttery bite of every cookie.

Happy baking and happy eating from the kitchen to the table, inspired by simple cooking, recipes, bon apetit delights.

This article was created from the video Easy Lofthouse Cookies Recipe with the help of AI.

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