Let’s Chat Holiday Lofthouse Cookies (or: The Time I Ate Four Before Breakfast)

Okay, so I can’t even say the word “Lofthouse” without grinning. These have been my go-to Christmas cookies since I was old enough to sneak dough with a well-timed kitchen distraction (hi Mom, if you’re reading this, sorry?). Growing up, the cousin who always, always called dibs on the ones with the THICKEST frosting was my baking rival, and if you’re anything like my family, cookies vanish from the cooling rack faster than you can say “where did that last one go?”

Honestly, even now, I don’t really trust anyone who says they’ve ever stopped at one. You’re in the right place if you want the softest, fluffiest, dangerously addictive cookies for your holiday cookie swap or, let’s be real, for your own secret stash with a cup of tea in the evening. (And hey, remind me later to tell you about the year all my red and green sprinkles ended up on the dog. That’s a digression for another time. Or is it?)

Why I’m Obsessed With These

I make these when I want to impress the neighbors—like when you want to show up with something that looks impressive but secretly took very little fancy footwork. My family goes crazy for these because, honestly, they’re pillowy, almost like a cake masquerading as a cookie (my cousin calls them ‘cloud snacks’), and the frosting? It’s not just decoration; it basically is half the cookie.

You know what I love? That it’s totally fine if you forgot to soften the butter (guilty) or your sprinkles are all weird shapes from last year. You can even keep it simple and they still taste like holiday magic. When I bake these, even my grumpy uncle (who claims he doesn’t have a sweet tooth) hovers for a taste.

Getting Your Stuff Together (aka The Ingredients List)

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour (I sometimes cheat and swap in cake flour for 1/2 cup when I want extra tender cookies – but regular flour is what I usually have lying around)
1/2 cup cornstarch (honestly, this just keeps them super soft – but one year I forgot and they were still tasty, just not as fluffy)
1 tsp baking powder (my gran always used Dr. Oetker’s, but I’ve used the cheap stuff too)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened (but, real talk, I’ve microwaved it too soft and nothing bad happened)
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar (confectioners’ sugar, icing sugar—whatever you call it, it works)
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk (save that white for brushing on pie or, more likely, forget and toss it like I do)
2 tsp vanilla extract (I have a bottle from Mexico that’s ‘the good stuff’ but McCormick works)
2 tbsp sour cream or plain yogurt (in a pinch I’ve used cream cheese, and it so works)
For the Frosting:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, soft-ish
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tbsp milk (or, actually, cream for extra richness)
- Food coloring (optional, but c’mon—festive!)
- Christmasy sprinkles, nonpareils, or colored sugar

So Here’s How You Make Them (in My Semi-Distracted Style)

First, grab two bowls—one big, one medium. (I always grab the wrong size first.) Sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in the medium bowl. Set it aside somewhere safe. On top of the fridge so cats don’t knock it, maybe?
In your big bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if you’re fancy), cream the butter and powdered sugar together. Go for about 3-4 minutes with a beater on medium; it should look like soft clouds. I won’t tell if you swipe a taste; just be sure no one’s watching.
Add the egg, extra yolk, vanilla, and sour cream. Beat again until it’s well mixed. If it looks a bit curdled here, don’t panic – it always sorts itself out after flour goes in.
Now, toss in your dry ingredients in two batches. Stir until JUST combined. Scrape the bowl’s sides, since flour loves to hide.
Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least one hour. If you can wait overnight, the flavor gets even better but one hour’s fine if you’re impatient (me, most years).
Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C) when you’re ready to go. Line a big cookie sheet with parchment because scraping stuck cookies off is the actual Grinch.
Scoop 2-tbsp blobs of dough, roll lightly, and flatten with the bottom of a glass to about 1/2 inch thick. Don’t squish too thin! If it sticks, a dip in flour helps.
Bake for 8-10 minutes. You want the edges just barely set, no deep browning – these are softies! They might look a little underdone; resist baking longer (trust me).
Let them cool on the tray for a minute, then a wire rack. Try not to eat them – they’re weirdly irresistible warm, but wait for the frosting.
Meanwhile, whip up the frosting: beat butter til smooth, then add sugar, vanilla, and milk until silky and spreadable. Tint with a little food coloring if you’re feeling fancy. Spread generously over cooled cookies and absolutely cover with sprinkles (my favorite part).

Notes From My Messy Kitchen

If you overbake these, they turn out a little dry the next day—so pull ‘em early even if that makes you nervous. Actually, I find it works better if you err on the side of pale.
I once tried to make two batches at once and forgot how many eggs were in. Had to start over. So don’t multitask too hard here.
Dough is pretty sticky; flour your hands but don’t go wild or your cookies get tough.

Cookie Experiments (Some Successful, Others…Less So)

I’ve swapped the sour cream for Greek yogurt—nobody noticed.
For a fun spin, add almond extract to the frosting; it’s a whole new party.
One year, I tried making these gluten free with a random flour blend. The flavor was good but the texture was sort of… odd? Maybe someone on King Arthur Baking has it figured out.
Sprinkles with chocolate-minty flavor weren’t a hit (turns out, not everything needs to taste like a peppermint patty).

What You’ll Need (And What To Use If You Don’t Have It)

Decent hand mixer or a sturdy whisk if you want an arm workout
Two mixing bowls (I’ve even used a salad bowl before—it kinda works!)
Cookie sheet, lined with parchment paper
Wire rack helps, but you can use a clean tea towel on the counter in a pinch
Basic measuring cups/spoons (let’s just say, I’ve eyeballed the baking powder, and survived)

Keeping ‘Em Fresh (or Trying To)

Technically, they will last 4-5 days in a tight container, or up to 2 months frozen with parchment between layers. Never happens here. If you want to try freezing, check out these tips from Sally’s Baking Addiction—I use her method for freezing extras (not that we ever have extras).

How We Serve These (The Not-Fancy Version)

Honestly, just pile them on a giant platter. My favorite way is with hot chocolate by the tree, but sometimes we sneak them into the stocking-stuffing session. Big mugs of tea or cocoa optional but highly encouraged. If you want to get proper, they look fun stacked with alternating red and green frostings (but they don’t last long enough for anyone to admire).

Stuff I Wish I’d Known (Pro Tips, or “Don’t Be Like Me”)

I once tried skipping the dough chill time—don’t. They’ll spread too much and lose their Lofthouse oomph.
Don’t crowd the pan. Even though you want to shove them all in one go, two sheets is better than one mashed-together tray.
Use more frosting than you think, trust me. One year, I tried to ration it. Nobody was happy about that.

FAQs (Because Friends Actually Ask)

Can I use margarine? You could, but the flavor isn’t as buttery or festive. Sometimes you gotta use what you’ve got though.
Do I really have to chill the dough? Yep. I tried skipping (because patience is not my strong suit), and they were honestly too flat.
How do you get your frosting so smooth? Actually, sometimes I just use the back of a spoon. If it’s still lumpy, beat in a little more milk—or embrace the rustic look!
What size scoop do you use? It’s about 2 tbsp, or one of those medium cookie scoops. When I lose mine, I just use a soup spoon and guess.
Aren’t these basically sugar cookies? Kinda, but so much fluffier! The sour cream makes all the difference. Regular sugar cookies are good, but these are… different. In a good way.
Can I make these without a mixer? It’s possible, but a bit of a workout for your arms. I sometimes rope in a helper when I’m feeling lazy.

If you want more baking inspo (and who doesn’t get the urge to bake at 2am sometimes?), Sprinkle Bakes has another soft cookie recipe you might like. Or email me, but fair warning—I’ll probably just tell you to go for extra frosting.