Flour, baking soda, baking powder, butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla, sour cream, powdered sugar, heavy cream, food coloring, and sprinkles.

I swear, there are some cookies that don’t even need an introduction. You see them, and you just know. These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are exactly that kind of cookie — thick, soft, cakey, sweet, covered in creamy frosting, and finished with sprinkles because apparently joy comes in tiny colorful dots.

You know those grocery store bakery cookies with the pastel frosting? The ones that somehow jump into your cart when you only went in for milk and paper towels? These homemade Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting have that same nostalgic, happy-cookie feeling, but with a fresh-from-your-own-kitchen twist. They’re soft frosted sugar cookies with sour cream in the dough, a fluffy vanilla frosting on top, and enough sprinkles to make the day feel slightly more festive.

The dough does need to chill overnight, which I know is not the most exciting thing to hear when you’re craving cookies now. But honestly, it helps so much. The dough becomes easier to roll, the cookies hold their shape better, and the final texture is soft and tender instead of sticky chaos. And I say that as someone who has absolutely tried rushing cookie dough before and regretted it. Sound familiar?

I have a very specific memory of seeing those frosted bakery sugar cookies at birthday parties when I was younger. They were usually sitting on a plastic tray, frosting colors slightly too bright to be natural, sprinkles everywhere, and somehow they were always the first cookies to disappear. There was usually one kid who took the cookie with the most frosting, and honestly, respect. That kid knew what they were doing.

That’s probably why Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting feel so nostalgic to me. They remind me of school parties, bake sales, family get-togethers, holiday cookie trays, and those random grocery trips where someone says, “Should we get cookies?” and everyone pretends to think about it for half a second. Of course we should. Why are we pretending?

The first time I made homemade Lofthouse-style cookies, I was a little unsure. I mean, store-bought Lofthouse cookies have such a specific texture. They’re not crisp. They’re not chewy exactly. They’re soft, cakey, fluffy, and almost melt-in-your-mouth. A very particular cookie personality, honestly. I wasn’t totally convinced I could recreate that at home without some mysterious bakery magic.

But then the sour cream went into the dough, and the whole thing started making sense. Sour cream gives these soft frosted sugar cookies that tender, cakey bite. The overnight chill helps the dough calm down and become rollable. Before chilling, it’s soft and sticky and a little needy — like cookie dough with attachment issues. After chilling, it behaves much better. Not perfect, maybe, but better. And sometimes better is all we need.

Then comes the frosting, which is where these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting turn from regular cookies into little party buttons. You can tint the frosting pink, blue, yellow, green, purple, orange, whatever mood you’re in. I’ve definitely chosen frosting colors based on whatever sprinkles were already open in the pantry. Practical? Yes. Slightly chaotic? Also yes.

And honestly, that’s what I love about this recipe. It’s playful. It’s nostalgic. It doesn’t take itself too seriously. These cookies don’t need perfect piping or bakery-level decorating. A swoop of frosting, a handful of sprinkles, maybe one sprinkle stuck to your elbow somehow — and you’re there. Do you agree?

Why you’ll Love these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting?

• They have that classic soft, cakey bakery texture. These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are not the crisp cut-out sugar cookies you might make at Christmas. They’re softer, thicker, and more cake-like, with a tender bite that feels almost fluffy. The sour cream helps keep the cookies moist, while the baking soda and baking powder give them a gentle lift. I know “cakey cookie” can sound a little suspicious if you usually love chewy cookies, but here it works. This is the kind of cookie that feels light but still sweet and satisfying, like a tiny frosted cupcake decided to flatten itself just a bit and become more snackable.
• The frosting makes them feel instantly fun. The vanilla frosting is creamy, smooth, and easy to spread, and it’s honestly half the reason these homemade Lofthouse cookies feel so cheerful. You can keep it white, tint it pastel pink for that classic bakery look, or go full holiday mode with bold colors. Christmas red and green, Easter pastels, Halloween orange, Valentine’s pink, birthday-party blue — anything works. The frosting is basically your cookie’s outfit, and the sprinkles are the accessories. Are we overthinking cookies? Maybe. But frosting deserves a little respect.
• This recipe makes a big, generous batch. With about 4 1/2 dozen cookies, this Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting recipe is perfect for parties, classroom treats, bake sales, cookie exchanges, holiday trays, or family gatherings where everyone “just wants one” and then quietly comes back for another. I love a big-batch cookie recipe because it feels useful. You can keep some at home, share some with neighbors, pack some for a party, and still have enough left to sneak one with coffee later. Very important cookie math.
• The dough can be made ahead, which is honestly helpful. Since the dough needs to chill overnight, you can make it one day and bake the cookies the next. I know chilling dough sounds like an inconvenience, but for these soft frosted sugar cookies, it actually makes life easier. The dough is much easier to roll when it’s cold, and the cookies bake up neater. Plus, splitting the work over two days makes the recipe feel less overwhelming. Day one: make dough. Day two: roll, bake, frost, sprinkle, feel accomplished. Not bad.
• They’re easy to decorate, even if you’re not fancy. These frosted Lofthouse cookies are forgiving in the best way. You don’t need perfect piping skills or a decorating kit that looks like it came from a baking competition. A butter knife, an offset spatula, or even the back of a spoon will spread the frosting just fine. Add sprinkles while the frosting is soft, and suddenly they look party-ready. A little uneven frosting? Cute. Sprinkles scattered slightly off-center? Also cute. Cookies should feel fun, not like a final exam.
• They taste better after a little rest. I know this part is mildly unfair, because once the cookies are frosted, you’ll want one immediately. And you should probably have one for quality control. But if you let the rest sit for several hours, the flavor really does develop. The frosting sets, the cookie softens a little more, and everything tastes more blended and bakery-like. It’s one of those recipes where patience pays off, even if patience is not always my strongest kitchen skill.

Ingredient Notes

The ingredients for Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are mostly simple baking basics, but each one has a job. Flour gives the dough structure, butter and sugar make it rich and sweet, eggs hold everything together, sour cream gives that soft cakey texture, vanilla brings warmth, and the leavening helps the cookies puff just enough. Then the frosting swoops in with butter, powdered sugar, heavy cream, food coloring, and sprinkles, because apparently the cookie was not already charming enough.

• All-Purpose Flour: This recipe uses 6 cups of flour, divided, and that “divided” part matters. You start with 5 cups mixed with the baking soda and baking powder, then add more flour later if the dough is too soft to roll. Because sour cream makes the dough tender and moist, the dough can be sticky at first. Add the extra flour slowly, 1/4 cup at a time, until the dough feels workable. I wouldn’t dump it all in at once, because too much flour can make the cookies dry. It’s a little bit of a feel-it-out moment, which I know can be annoying, but cookie dough sometimes asks us to use our hands and our judgment. Rude, but true.
• Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Baking soda and baking powder help these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting bake up thick, soft, and slightly puffy. They give the cookies that classic bakery-style lift without making them dry or crumbly. Make sure both are fresh, because old leavening can lead to flat cookies, and flat Lofthouse cookies are kind of sad. Still edible, probably, but not the soft little cookie pillows we’re going for.
• Butter: Butter is used in both the cookie dough and the frosting, so it’s doing a lot of heavy lifting here. For the cookies, room-temperature butter creams with sugar to create a light, tender base. For the frosting, softened butter blends with powdered sugar, vanilla, and cream until smooth and spreadable. The key is softened butter, not melted butter. Melted butter changes the texture and can make things greasy or too loose. Soft butter is calm. Melted butter is chaos. Sometimes delicious chaos, but not here.
• Granulated Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the cookie dough and helps the butter cream into a fluffy base. You’ll beat the butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes, which might feel like a long time if you’re standing there watching the mixer spin, but it matters. That creaming step adds air and helps create a softer cookie. I usually use that time to gather the eggs and vanilla or wipe flour off the counter because somehow flour is already there. It always is.
• Eggs: The eggs help bind the dough and add structure to these homemade Lofthouse cookies. Add them one at a time so each egg fully mixes in before the next one joins the bowl. This keeps the dough smoother and helps everything combine evenly. It’s not difficult, just one of those little baking habits that helps the final texture. Also, scrape the bowl as needed because butter-sugar bits love to hide at the bottom like they’re avoiding chores.
• Vanilla Extract: Vanilla extract gives the cookies and frosting that familiar sweet bakery flavor. Since the cookie base is mild and soft, vanilla really helps round everything out. It’s not loud, but it’s important. Without it, the cookies can taste a little plain, and with it, they taste warmer and more complete. You don’t need anything fancy, but if you have a good vanilla, this is a nice place to use it.
• Light Sour Cream: Sour cream is one of the big secrets to Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting. It keeps the cookies tender, moist, and cakey without making them taste sour. You won’t bite into a cookie and think, “Ah yes, sour cream.” You’ll just notice that the texture is soft and fluffy. That’s the magic. It’s a quiet ingredient, but it’s doing important cookie work behind the scenes.
• Powdered Sugar: Powdered sugar is used for the frosting because it blends smoothly into the butter and creates that classic sweet, creamy texture. Add it slowly if you don’t want a powdered sugar cloud floating through your kitchen. I have learned this the hard way. More than once, actually. The frosting should become smooth and thick, and then you can adjust it with heavy cream until it spreads the way you like.
• Heavy Cream: Heavy cream loosens the frosting and makes it soft, fluffy, and spreadable. Add it 1 tablespoon at a time so you can control the texture. Some people like a thicker frosting that sits high on the cookie, while others like it softer and easier to swipe across the top. There’s no one right answer here. It depends on your cookie mood, your decorating style, and maybe how much patience you have left.
• Food Coloring: Food coloring gives these soft frosted sugar cookies that classic bright Lofthouse look. You only need several drops, and you can add more until the color looks right. Start small because food coloring can sneak up on you. One minute you’re going for soft pink, and the next minute your frosting looks like a highlighter. Not necessarily bad. Just a choice.
• Sprinkles: Sprinkles are technically optional, but emotionally they feel required. Add them right after frosting so they stick before the frosting sets. Rainbow sprinkles, holiday sprinkles, sanding sugar, nonpareils, tiny stars, hearts — they all work. Will a few sprinkles bounce onto the floor? Almost certainly. Sprinkles are tiny edible confetti with no respect for boundaries.

How to Make Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting?

Making Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting is easiest when you think of the recipe in two parts: cookie day one and cookie day two. On the first day, you mix and chill the dough. On the second day, you roll, cut, bake, frost, and decorate. It sounds like a lot written out, but each step is simple. The overnight chill does the heavy lifting, and the frosting does the showing off.

1. Mix the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together 5 cups of flour, baking soda, and baking powder. Set that bowl aside while you work on the wet ingredients. Mixing these dry ingredients first helps the leavening spread evenly through the dough, which means the cookies bake more consistently. Keep the remaining flour nearby because you may need it later to get the dough ready for rolling. This is one of those recipes where the dough tells you what it needs. Slightly annoying, yes, but manageable.
2. Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the flat beater, beat the room-temperature butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 3 minutes, or until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. This step helps create the soft texture these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are known for. Don’t rush it too much. Three minutes feels longer than it sounds, but the mixer is doing most of the work, so we can allow it.
3. Add the eggs one at a time. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition until it’s fully mixed in. This helps the dough stay smooth instead of becoming lumpy or uneven. Scrape the bowl again if you see bits sticking to the sides or bottom. I know scraping the bowl is not glamorous, but it saves you from finding random streaks of unmixed butter later. Baking is full of tiny chores like that.
4. Add the vanilla and sour cream. Add the vanilla extract and light sour cream, then beat on low speed until everything is combined. The dough will look soft and creamy at this stage, and that’s totally normal. The sour cream is what helps create that tender, cakey texture in these homemade Lofthouse cookies. It may not look like roll-out cookie dough yet, but don’t panic. The flour is about to help.
5. Mix in the dry ingredients gently. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl as needed. Try not to overmix once the flour goes in, because too much mixing can make the cookies tougher. You want the dough to come together, not get bullied into submission. Cookies respond better to gentle treatment. Honestly, same.
6. Add extra flour as needed. The dough needs to be firm enough to roll, so add the remaining flour 1/4 cup at a time, using up to 1 additional cup if needed. Mix lightly after each addition. The dough should still be soft, but not so sticky that it clings to everything. This step can vary a little depending on your kitchen, the flour, and even the humidity. If it feels a tiny bit imperfect, that’s okay. Baking isn’t always as tidy as cookbooks pretend.
7. Divide and chill the dough overnight. Divide the dough into two sections and flatten each one into a rectangle about 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap each piece tightly in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator overnight. This is the part where patience enters the chat. The dough needs that rest so it firms up and becomes easier to roll and cut. Skipping the chill might sound tempting, but the dough will likely be sticky and difficult. Let it have its little fridge nap.
8. Prepare the oven and baking sheets. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or spray them with nonstick cooking spray. These cookies bake quickly, so it’s helpful to have the pans ready before you start cutting the dough. A hot oven helps the cookies set fast while staying soft and pale. We’re not looking for deep golden edges here. This is a soft cookie situation.
9. Roll out the chilled dough. Generously flour your work surface and rolling pin, then roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness. Work with one piece of dough at a time, and keep the other chilled if your kitchen is warm. If the dough sticks, add a little more flour to the counter and rolling pin. Don’t be shy with the flour on the surface, but don’t knead too much flour into the dough either. It’s a balancing act. A slightly messy one.
10. Cut the cookies. Use a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut circles from the dough. Transfer the rounds to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between them. Try to keep the dough thickness even so the cookies bake at the same speed. You can re-roll scraps, but handle them gently so the cookies stay tender. The more you work the dough, the tougher it can get, and we are not here for tough Lofthouse cookies.
11. Bake until pale and set. Bake the cookies for 7 to 8 minutes, or until they are set and just pale golden. They should not be deeply browned. In fact, they may look almost underbaked if you’re used to darker cookies, but that’s what keeps them soft. Immediately transfer the baked cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. Don’t frost warm cookies unless you want frosting landslides. Delicious landslides, but still.
12. Make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the room-temperature butter and vanilla extract. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Add the heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches your preferred spreading consistency. If you want colored frosting, add food coloring and beat until evenly mixed. This is the part where the cookies start feeling very official.
13. Frost and add sprinkles. Once the cookies are completely cool, spread frosting over each one. Add sprinkles right away while the frosting is still soft. You can use a butter knife, spoon, offset spatula, or piping bag. Don’t worry if every cookie looks a little different. Honestly, that’s part of the charm. A tray of homemade Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting should look cheerful, not machine-stamped.
14. Let the cookies rest before serving. Allow the frosting to set, then store the cookies in an airtight container. Let them sit for several hours before serving so the flavors can develop. I know that sounds like cookie torture, but they really do get better after resting. Have one early if you must. For research. Then let the rest settle into their best selves.

Storage Options

These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting store well, but because they’re soft and frosted, they need a little care. Let the frosting set before stacking, and use parchment paper between layers so the frosting doesn’t stick. They’re not fragile exactly, but they are tender. Think of them like tiny frosted pillows that don’t want to be squished.

• Room Temperature: Store the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, as long as your kitchen is cool. Place parchment paper between layers if you need to stack them. Don’t pack them too tightly, because the frosting can smear and the cookies can dent a little. They’ll still taste good, but the pretty sprinkle situation may suffer. And we worked too hard for those sprinkles.
• Refrigerator: For longer storage, keep Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them sit at room temperature for about 15 to 20 minutes before serving so the frosting softens and the cookie texture improves. Straight from the fridge, they can feel a little firm. Give them a minute. We all need time to soften sometimes.
• Freezer: You can freeze these homemade Lofthouse cookies for up to 2 months. For the best results, freeze the cookies unfrosted, then thaw and frost them later. If you want to freeze frosted cookies, place them in a single layer first until the frosting is firm, then stack them with parchment between layers. Thaw them in the refrigerator or at room temperature before serving. Add fresh sprinkles after thawing if you want them to look extra lively.
• Make-Ahead Dough: The dough can be made ahead and chilled overnight, or stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. If it gets very firm, let it rest at room temperature for a few minutes before rolling. Don’t let it get too warm, though, or it’ll become sticky again and start acting up. Cookie dough has moods. We just work with them.
• Frosting Storage: The frosting can be made ahead and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Before using, let it soften at room temperature, then beat it again until smooth. If it feels too thick, add a splash of heavy cream. If it feels too thin, add a little powdered sugar. Frosting is usually pretty forgiving, which is nice because not everything in life gives second chances that easily.

Variations & Substitutions

One of the best parts of Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting is how easy they are to customize. The cookie base stays soft and simple, and then the frosting and sprinkles can change for birthdays, holidays, bake sales, baby showers, classroom treats, or whatever random theme has taken over your kitchen. These soft frosted sugar cookies are basically edible blank canvases, but without the pressure of actual art.

• Change the frosting color. Use food coloring to tint the frosting any color you like. Classic pink feels very Lofthouse, but blue, purple, yellow, green, orange, or red can all work. You can match holidays, party themes, school colors, or just your mood that day. Add the color slowly because frosting can go from “soft pastel” to “cartoon birthday cake” real fast. Not always a problem, just something to know.
• Use different sprinkles. Rainbow sprinkles are always fun, but you can use holiday sprinkles, sanding sugar, nonpareils, stars, hearts, snowflakes, pumpkins, or whatever sprinkle container is currently open and threatening to spill. Add them right after frosting so they stick. If the frosting sets first, the sprinkles may bounce off and scatter everywhere. Sprinkles are cute, but they are not well-behaved.
• Try almond extract. For a more bakery-style flavor, replace part of the vanilla with almond extract. Start with 1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon because almond extract is strong and a little dramatic. It gives these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting a classic sugar cookie flavor that some people absolutely love. Too much, though, and it takes over like a relative with strong opinions at a holiday dinner.
• Add citrus zest. Lemon zest or orange zest can brighten the cookie dough and balance the sweetness of the frosting. Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of zest when you add the vanilla. Lemon with pink frosting feels perfect for spring, while orange with vanilla frosting feels sunny and cheerful. It’s a tiny change, but it makes the cookies taste a little fresher. Like they opened a window.
• Make them seasonal. These frosted Lofthouse cookies are perfect for every season. Use pastel frosting for Easter, orange frosting for Halloween, red and green sprinkles for Christmas, pink frosting for Valentine’s Day, or bright colors for birthdays. Same cookie, different outfit. Honestly, these cookies are better at seasonal dressing than I am.
• Make smaller or larger cookies. You can use a smaller or larger cookie cutter, but you’ll need to adjust the baking time. Smaller cookies may bake faster, while larger cookies may need another minute or two. Watch closely and remove them when they’re set and pale golden. The goal is soft, tender cookies, not browned crispy edges. If you’re unsure, err on the side of slightly underbaked-looking rather than overbaked.
• Use Greek yogurt if needed. If you don’t have light sour cream, plain Greek yogurt may work as a substitute. It has a similar thickness and tang, though the final texture may be slightly different. Use plain yogurt, not flavored. Strawberry yogurt in sugar cookies sounds like something someone might do in a panic, but maybe don’t. Unless you’re experimenting on purpose, then fine, I respect the chaos.
• Pipe the frosting instead of spreading it. If you want a cleaner, more bakery-style look, pipe the frosting onto the cooled cookies using a piping bag and a round or star tip. But if you don’t want to fuss with piping bags, spreading with a knife works beautifully. These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting don’t need to be perfect. They just need frosting, sprinkles, and someone nearby willing to eat the “ugly” ones. I volunteer.

What to Serve With Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting?

These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are sweet and festive enough to serve on their own, but they also pair nicely with simple drinks and dessert-table extras. Since they’re soft, colorful, and topped with frosting, they fit right into birthday spreads, holiday cookie trays, classroom parties, bake sales, and casual dessert boards. They bring a lot of personality to the table, so the pairings can stay simple.

• Cold Milk: Cold milk is the classic pairing, and honestly, it just works. The milk balances the sweet frosting and makes every bite of these soft frosted sugar cookies feel extra nostalgic. It’s the kind of pairing that reminds me of after-school snacks, birthday parties, and standing in the kitchen eating a cookie before anyone notices the container is open. Not that I’ve done that. Recently.
• Hot Coffee: Coffee is wonderful with Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting because the slight bitterness balances the sweet vanilla frosting. It turns the cookie into an afternoon bakery-style treat. I like this pairing when the cookie feels a little too sweet on its own, but with coffee? Suddenly it makes perfect sense. A frosted cookie and coffee at 3 p.m. can fix a surprising number of small problems.
• Tea: Black tea, chai, vanilla tea, or herbal tea all pair nicely with these homemade Lofthouse cookies. Chai is especially good because the warm spices play well with the vanilla cookie and frosting. Tea makes the whole thing feel a little cozy and calm, even if you’re drinking it from a mug that says something ridiculous. No judgment. The mug adds character.
• Hot Chocolate: Hot chocolate with frosted Lofthouse cookies is a sweet-on-sweet situation, but sometimes that is exactly the point. This pairing is especially fun for winter holidays, movie nights, or Christmas cookie trays. The cocoa flavor works beautifully with the vanilla cookie and buttercream frosting. Add whipped cream if you want to fully commit. Some days deserve full commitment.
• Fresh Fruit: Strawberries, grapes, blueberries, orange slices, or raspberries add a fresh, bright contrast to these sweet cookies. Fresh fruit is great on dessert trays because it balances the frosting and adds color. It also makes the whole spread look a little more responsible, which is useful when there are cookies covered in sprinkles sitting next to it.
• Ice Cream: Serve these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting with vanilla, strawberry, birthday cake, or chocolate ice cream for a fun dessert. You can even sandwich ice cream between two cookies if you’re feeling brave. It will probably be messy. It will definitely be sweet. It may require napkins and a small amount of emotional commitment. Worth it.
• Dessert Boards: These cookies are perfect on dessert boards with brownies, mini cupcakes, chocolate-covered pretzels, fruit, marshmallows, and candy. Their frosting colors and sprinkles make the board look cheerful, and their soft texture gives guests something different from crunchy or chocolate-heavy treats. They’re basically the confetti of the dessert board, but edible and softer.

FAQ

Why are Lofthouse cookies so soft?

Lofthouse-style cookies are soft because they use ingredients like sour cream, butter, eggs, baking soda, and baking powder to create a tender, cakey texture. In these Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting, the sour cream is especially important because it keeps the cookies moist and fluffy. The overnight chill also helps the dough bake into thick, soft cookies instead of spreading too much.

Can I make these cookies without food coloring?

Absolutely. You can leave the frosting white and still have beautiful Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting. Add colorful sprinkles for a fun look, or keep them simple with white frosting and sanding sugar. Food coloring is fun, but not required. The cookies will still be soft, sweet, and very snackable.

Why did my cookies turn dry?

Dry cookies usually happen because of too much flour, overmixing, or overbaking. Add extra flour slowly, only until the dough is rollable. Mix just until the flour disappears, and bake only until the cookies are set and pale golden. These soft frosted sugar cookies are meant to be tender, so watch the oven closely. A minute too long can make a difference.

Can I use a different frosting flavor?

Yes, you can flavor the frosting with almond extract, lemon extract, peppermint extract, or citrus zest. Start with a small amount and taste as you go. Vanilla is classic for Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting, but different flavors can make the cookies feel seasonal or more bakery-style. Almond is especially popular, though it does like to take charge.

These Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting are thick, tender, colorful, nostalgic, and just plain fun to make. They have that soft sour cream sugar cookie base, creamy vanilla frosting, and a cheerful sprinkle finish that makes them perfect for birthdays, holidays, bake sales, cookie trays, classroom parties, or one of those days when regular cookies simply won’t do.

Make these homemade Soft Lofthouse Cookies with Frosting when you want something sweet, soft, and a little playful. Would you go classic with pink frosting and rainbow sprinkles, or would you make them holiday-style with bold colors and themed sprinkles? Can’t wait to hear what you think!