• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Bless this Mess
  • Breakfast
  • Dinner
  • Sides
  • Desserts
  • Snacks
  • Holidays
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Start Here
  • All Recipes
  • Recipe Filter
  • Cookbooks!
  • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Start Here
    • All Recipes
    • Recipe Filter
    • Cookbooks!
    • Our Story
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Bless This Mess > Cook Time

    Homemade Pink Lofthouse Cookies

    Published: Jun 10, 2020 · Modified: Jun 10, 2020 by Melissa · Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe
    homemade pink lofthouse cookies pin
    homemade pink lofthouse cookies pin

    Soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet, these homemade pink Lofthouse cookies are reminiscent of the grocery store version but so much more delicious!

    These are SO much fun to make and enjoy, especially if you have little ones who adore the store-bought version of these super-soft sugar cookies.

    cookies on tray with pink frosting

     

    Copycat Lofthouse Cookies

    We all know them and most of us love them! Lofthouse cookies are a sort of guilty pleasure. They are just so irresistible, with the super moist and chewy texture, the best sweet sugar cookie flavor, and pillowy, thick frosting. Plus, sprinkles make everything better, and you can't have Lofthouse cookies without sprinkles. You just can't!

    You've likely seen the original Lofthouse cookies at your grocery store -- pretty much every one stocks them. They're often topped with different colored frostings, but you can't miss the signature golden, round cookies with generous icing on top. Kiddos love them, and let's be real, adults do, too.

    I love to make them from scratch because they are way easier than you'd expect, and I know exactly what's going in them. As good as the grocery store ones are, there's just something extra special and delicious about the homemade version. It makes them less of a guilty pleasure, and more just a plain and simple pleasure. That, I can get behind!

    pink frosted cookies with sprinkles on cooling rack next to bowl of sprinkles

    What Are Lofthouse Cookies?

    Everyone's seen Lofthouse cookies at the grocery store I'm fairly certain! They're the super soft, chewy sugar cookies usually on display in see-through plastic containers at the front of the store -- at least when I've seen them! They're a hit with kids (okay, and adults, too), and they're just the softest, best sugar cookies with creamy, thick, colorful frosting on top.

    Recipe Ingredients:

    For the cookies themselves, you'll need:

    Butter: All good cookie require butter!

    Sugar: And of course, sugar is necessary for sugar cookies. 🙂

    Egg: An egg will help to bind the dough and help the cookies to rise.

    Sour cream: Sour cream is unexpected but adds great moisture and just a touch of tartness to balance the sweet.

    Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds warmth.

    Almond extract: Almond is optional but recommended for an extra dose of nutty flavor.

    Flour: Flour is the base starch in these cookies.

    Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes the cookies more crumbly, but not fall apart.

    Baking powder and soda: This duo helps the dough to get nice and puffy as it bakes.

    Cream of tartar: This gives the cookies a distinct tangy flavor and keeps them soft.

    Salt: Salt brings out the sweetness and balances the other ingredients.

    To make the frosting, make sure you have:

    Butter: Butter makes this frosting extra creamy and rich.

    Vanilla extract: Vanilla gives it a touch of warmth so it's not all sugar.

    Almond extract: Almond isn't mandatory but recommended for a warm and nutty kick.

    Powdered sugar: This is what flavors the frosting and makes it thick.

    Cream: Cream smooths and lightly thins the frosting.

    Food coloring: Use a few drops of red food coloring to get a pretty pink frosting like the photos in this post. You can also use any other food coloring instead if you prefer!

    Sprinkles: Sprinkles are necessary and oh-so-much fun!

    collage of how to make the cookies

    How to Make Lofthouse Sugar Cookies:

    Lofthouse cookies are surprisingly easy and so much fun to make!

    1. Cookies: Beat the butter and sugar about 3 minutes.
    2. Add the eggs, and beat about 1 minute.
    3. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract, and stir to combine.
    4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt; mix until combined.
    5. Cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap; refrigerate about 1 hour.
    6. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
    7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    8. Scoop a tablespoon of dough into your hands; roll it into a ball between your palms.
    9. Place the ball on the cookie sheet; repeat with remaining dough to fill 12 to a sheet.
    10. Press the dough until it's about ¾ of an inch thick.
    11. Bake about 10 minutes.
    12. Rest cookies for 5 minutes. Remove to a cooling rack.
    13. Let the cookies cool completely before icing.
    14. Icing: Beat the butter, vanilla, and almond extract until creamy.
    15. Add powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream; beat about 2 minutes.
    16. Beat in the red food coloring until you reach your desired pink color.
    17. Add additional cream until mixture is the consistency you like.
    18. Spread the top of the cookies with icing; decorate with sprinkles.
    19. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

    frosted cookies with sprinkles

    Tips for the Best Cookies:

    Lofthouse cookies are the best! Here are some simple tips to remember when you make them:

    • Use the almond extract: Technically it's optional, but almond extract adds the best, subtle nutty flavor to the cookies and frosting both. Use it if you have it!
    • Don't skip chilling the dough: Chilling the dough is necessary because it helps the cookies not to spread out too much as they bake, keeping them puffy and soft.
    • Sprinkles aren't optional: Sprinkles make these so much fun and like the cookies you'd find at the store! Don't skip them. 🙂

    pink frosted cookies on tray

    Decorating Ideas:

    You can't go wrong with the classic frosting + sprinkles combo to decorate your Lofthouse cookies. But if you want to get even fancier, you can try:

    • Multiple colored frostings: Separate the white frosting into different bowls and add various food coloring colors to the different bowls for multicolored cookies.
    • Fun designs: Use a variety of colored frosting and edible decorations to make silly faces, game balls, or animals out of the cokies.

    How to Store these Cookies:

    These cookies store well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. If you stack them, be sure to only stack up to two layers, and don't press the top layer down onto the bottom layer. You don't want to squish the frosting or stick the cookies together.
    pink frosted cookie on cooling rack

    Love cookies?  Me too!  Give these cookie recipes a try:

    • Healthy Applesauce Cookies
    •  M&M Oatmeal Cookies
    • Old Fashioned Iced Oatmeal Cookies
    • Extra Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
    • Easy Mexican Wedding Cookies
    • Homemade Mint Oreo Cookies
    • Homemade Girl Scout Cookies: Thin Mints
    • Perfect Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies
    • Extra Buttery Spritz Cookies
    • Soft and Puffy Greek Yogurt Sugar Cookies
    Print
    clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
    pink frosted cookies on tray

    Homemade Pink Lofthouse Cookies


    ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

    No reviews

    • Author: Melissa Griffiths - Bless this Mess
    • Total Time: 2 hours
    • Yield: 24 cookies 1x
    Print Recipe
    Pin Recipe

    Description

    Soft, chewy, and perfectly sweet, these homemade pink Lofthouse cookies are reminiscent of the grocery store version but so much more delicious!


    Ingredients

    Scale

    For the Cookie Dough:

    • ½ cup butter, at room temperature
    • 1 cup sugar
    • 1 large egg
    • ½ cup sour cream
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • â…› teaspoon almond extract, optional but recommended
    • 2 cups all-purpose flour
    • 2 tablespoons cornstarch
    • ½ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • ¼ teaspoon salt

    For the Frosting:

    • ½ cup butter, at room temperature
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 2 drops almond extract, optional but recommended
    • 2 ¼ cups powdered sugar
    • 2 to 3 tablespoons cream
    • Red food coloring
    • Sprinkles

    Instructions

    1. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, add the butter and sugar, and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
    2. Add the eggs, and beat until well combined, about 1 minute.
    3. Add the sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract if using, and stir to combine.
    4. Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Mix until combined.
    5. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and cover the top of the dough with plastic wrap. Place in the fridge until chilled, about 1 hour.
    6. After the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a baking mat.
    7. Scoop a heaping tablespoon of dough into your hands, and roll it into a smooth ball between your palms.
    8. Place the ball on the cookie sheet, and repeat with remaining dough, placing the cookies about 2 inches apart, about 12 to a sheet.
    9. Using the bottom of a glass or a measuring cup, gently press the dough flat (I sprayed the bottom of my glass with just a bit of cooking spray so that the dough didn't stick to it). Flatten each ball of dough until it's about ¾ of an inch thick.
    10. Bake the dough until puffy and golden around the edges, about 10 minutes.
    11. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, and then remove to a cooling rack. Repeat with remaining dough.
    12. Let the cookies cool completely before icing.
    13. To make the icing, add the butter, vanilla, and almond extract to the bowl of your stand mixer or a larger mixing bowl, and beat until creamy.
    14. Add the powdered sugar and 1 tablespoon of cream. Beat until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
    15. Beat in the red food coloring, a few drops at a time, scraping down the sides as needed, until you reach your desired pink color.
    16. Add additional cream, a bit at a time, until mixture is the consistency you like. I like it thick but spreadable and usually add 2 tablespoons of cream total.
    17. When the cookies are cooled, spread the top of the cookies with icing, and then decorate with sprinkles.
    18. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

    Notes

    • You can sub butter-flavored shortening in this recipe for the butter if you prefer.
    • Prep Time: 1 hour
    • Cook Time: 10 min
    • Category: dessert
    • Method: bake
    • Cuisine: American

    Keywords: lofthouse cookies, lofthouse cookie recipe, famous pink cookies, pink sugar cookie, pink sugar cookie recipe

    Did you make this recipe?

    Tag @blessthismessblog on Instagram and hashtag it #blessthismess

     

    homemade pink lofthouse cookies pin homemade pink lofthouse cookies pin

     

    Lofthouse cookies are such a simple and fun sugar cookie that you might recognize from the grocery store, but they're even better made at home!

    « Sourdough Bread Troubleshooting and FAQs
    Light and Fluffy Glazed Sourdough Donut Recipe »
    Craving More

    Get my FREE meal plans, exclusive recipes, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes updates! Unsubscribe if you aren't into it.

    about me

    About Melissa

    Melissa is dedicated to helping parents figure out the nightly questions, "What's for Dinner?!" with her no-fuss approach to cooking. Read more...

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    No Comments

    Leave a Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe rating ★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆
    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I’M MELISSA, AND I WANT TO HELP YOU GET DINNER ON THE TABLE.

    Welcome! I’m Melissa and I'm here to help you make meals your entire family will love. As a mom of five, I know the importance of simple family-friendly recipes. Let’s get cooking!

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Shrimp Stir Fry
    • a plate stacked with chocolate chip cookies next to a bag of semi sweet chocolate morsels
      The Original Toll House Cookie Recipe
    • two sourdough starters in glass canning jar
      How to Make a Sourdough Starter
    • chicken and dumplings in white bowl on blue and white towel
      Old Fashioned Chicken and Dumplings Soup
    • sourdough bread in dutch oven with red handles
      My Favorite Go-To Sourdough Bread Recipe
    • Easy Apple Pie Recipe | Classic Apple Dessert Recipe For Thanksgiving!
      Easy Apple Pie Recipe (Using Fresh Apples)

    Thanksgiving Recipes

    • Image of Gingerbread Cookies
      Soft Gingerbread Cookies
    • Mom's Jumbo Dinner Rolls
    • Image of perfect pie crusts
      4 Recipes for a Perfect Pie Crust
    • Photo of Apple Cake
      The Best Easy Apple Cake
    • whole cooked brown sugar glazed ham on white plate
      Brown Sugar Glazed Ham
    • Image of a pecan pie with some plates
      The Best Pecan Pie Recipe
    Dinner Made Easy

    Get Recipes & More for Free!

    Get my FREE meal plans, exclusive recipes, giveaways, and behind-the-scenes updates! Unsubscribe if you aren't into it.

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    SEEN ON

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Tools.
    • Terms Of Service.
    • Accessibility.
    • Bylaws.

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Contact

    • Contact
    • About Us
    • Cookbook FAQ
    • Find A Recipe!

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 blessthismessplease.com. All rights reserved.

    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter