Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies — Just like real Lofthouse cookies, but with sprinkles baked in! These fall cookies are soft, buttery, and they just melt in your mouth!
The BEST Soft Sugar Cookie Recipe
I’ve baked plenty of Christmas cookies, but had never baked Halloween cookies. This was the year to change that.
These sprinkled-up cookies are buttery soft, tender, slightly chewy without any cakiness.
They’re based on two recent favorites, Softbatch Funfetti Cookies and Lofthouse-Style Soft Peanut Butter Chip Sugar Cookies.
I love the baked-in sprinkles in the Softbatch Funfetti Cookies. It’s such a timesaver not having to frost and decorate cookies when all you want to do is dive into them, not frost them.
I adapted the dough base from the Lofthouse Peanut Butter Cookies, because it’s soft and lightweight, without being dry or crumbly.
Real Lofthouse Cookies are the incredibly soft, featherlight cookies sold in grocery store bakeries, with a signature layer of frosting and sprinkles.
I added cornstarch to the cookie dough. It’s a true workhorse in cookie-baking because it helps create a super soft and supple texture.
I’ve used it in at least 15 cookie recipes, including Lofthouse-Style Soft Peanut Butter Chip Sugar Cookies, Pumpkin Spice Cookies, Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Cookies, M&M’s Cookies, Snickers Cookies, Twix Bar Cookies, Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies, and Smores Cookies. You’ll love the softbatch-style results.
I used one-half cup of 3 different types of sprinkles, each from the Target dollar bins. Love those bins for fun finds like sprinkles, spatulas, and cupcake liners. I only wish my impulse buys at Target were confined to the dollar bins section.
The two types of sprinkles I used are multi-colored jimmies and one type is minuscule orange, yellow, and white non-pareils (little balls). Use your favorites!
The fall cookies are soft, buttery, and just melt in your mouth. The abundance of sprinkles adds texture and little pops of flavor in every bite.
Some of the sprinkles I used were chocolate and some bites were subtly chocolaty. Bonus.
Around Christmas, substitute red and green sprinkles for easy, no-roll, soft sugar cookies.
And feel free to frost the cookies with your favorite vanilla buttercream or or vanilla cream cheese frosting, or make sandwich cookies with them.
I can’t believe I’m already thinking about holiday baking and Christmas cookies. Let’s get through Halloween first. Boo.
What’s in the Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies?
To make these pillowy soft fall sugar cookies, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Sprinkles
How to Make Copycat Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
Using an electric hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter, egg, sugars, and vanilla. Add the dry ingredients and mix until combined, then gently fold in the sprinkles.
Scoop the cookie dough into 2-inch balls, then chill for at least 3 hours before baking.
My cookies don’t spread much while baking and I give them a gentle tap-tap with the back of a spoon right as they come out of the oven. If yours emerge from the oven as domed igloos, flatten them a bit.
Can I Substitute the Cake Flour?
These fall sugar cookies are similar to the real thing, thanks in part to using cake flour. Normally I shy away from using ingredients you may not have on hand, but in this recipe, it’s irreplaceable and creates the classic soft, light Lofthouse-style cookie.
You can buy it in any grocery store baking aisle, Target, or other big box stores. It’s inexpensive and you can make these cookies or these with it, too.
A DIY version of cake flour can be made by measuring out 1 cup all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons of it, and in its place, adding 2 tablespoons cornstarch.
Then, sift the flour and cornstarch together at least 3 times for the ultra-fine, soft texture that cake flour is known for. That sounds like way too much work and I’d rather buy it, but suit yourself.
Can I Use Different Colored Sprinkles?
Of course! Switch up the sprinkles to suit whatever holiday it is that you’re celebrating.
How to Store the Fall Sugar Cookies
Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
Tips for Making Soft Lofthouse Cookies
There’s a very high sprinkle-t0-dough ratio in this recipe. If you don’t love sprinkles as much as I do, 1 cup may be enough.
The dough is very soft and borderline sticky, and must be chilled before baking or the cookies will spread into flat puddles. I prefer to chill it at least overnight, and there’s no harm in letting it chill for up to 5 days and then bake off just 4 or 6 cookies, or as needed.
Make sure not to over bake the cookies, even if they seem light, glossy, and pale at the 8- to 9-minute mark because they firm up as they cool. They’re best when they’re super soft without any browning and if you overcook them, by day 2 they’ll be on the crunchier rather than softer side.
Pin This Recipe
Enjoy AverieCooks.com Without Ads! 🆕
Go Ad Free
Lofthouse Soft Sugar Sprinkles Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, 1 stick, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups cups cake flour, see directions (no substitutions, I used Swans Down
- 2 teaspoons cornstach
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- up to 1 1/2 cups sprinkles, reduce to 1 cup if you don’t love sprinkles; I used 1 cup of larger jimmies and 1/2 cup minuscule nonpareils
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), cream together the first 5 ingredients (through vanilla) on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, add 1 3/4 cups flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, optional salt, and mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute; don’t overmix. Dough will be on the sticky and tacky side.
- Mix in 1 cup sprinkles, and as desired, add remaining 1/2 cup.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping 2 to 3-tablespoon mounds (I made 15). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray.
- Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool. If cookies stayed domed while baking, tap gently a couple times with the back of a spoon to flatten.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
©averiecooks.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited.
More Fall Cookies:
White Chocolate Candy Corn Cookies — These Halloween cookies are PACKED with candy corn and white chocolate chips. They’re easy to make and are always a hit with the kids!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies— These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are bursting with chocolate chips in every bite! They’re thick, hearty, perfectly chewy, and not at all cakey.
Soft Butter Pecan Cookies — Buttery soft dough with big chunky pecans in every bite! Salty-and-sweet and so hard to resist!!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies— Between the molasses, pumpkin pie spice, and pumpkin pie spice extract that I used, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies beautifully showcase the flavors of fall!
Pumpkin Spice Cookies— These pumpkin spice cookies are made without pumpkin puree but are full of flavor thanks to the pumpkin pie spice! These are so soft and fluffy!
Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies — Soft, chewy, loads of white chocolate, and so much pumpkin flavor!! A pinch of salt balances the sweet white chocolate for a salty-and-sweet treat!!
Soft & Chewy Molasses Gingerdoodles— These soft molasses cookies taste like a cross between chewy gingerbread cookies and crinkly snickerdoodles. An unbeatable holiday cookie recipe!
Aha! I hate frosting cookies and adding sprinkles. I guess I’m lazy. This would be fun and festive for the kids without the work.
Amen to the fun and festive without the work.
Happy Halloween!! These look great. Festive but not over the top.
These cookies look like so much fun, with all that colour from the sprinkles! I don’t use cake flour that often so thanks for the D.I.Y. tip, for me a little extra work would be worth saving space in the pantry. On the other hand, maybe it’s time I use the stuff more often.
For certain recipes, not many, it’s the only way to achieve the lightness you’re going for and you just have to bust it out and use it. The nice thing is that it comes in a box about the size of a box of cake mix, and it stores easily.
These are SO fun! I bet you could do these for any Holiday and just change the color of the sprinkles! I love that you are baking for Halloween…it’s still to early for me to think Christmas yet. Crazy how quickly this year is flying by!
Yep I mentioned that in the last sentence of the post before the recipe starts – you can just change the color,i.e. red/green for Xmas. I plan to! :)
So cute! Sprinkles make me so happy. And that mile-high stack there? Yeah, I need it for breakfast man. Pinned!
I just saw the pin on the BHG board. You’re the BEST!!!! xo :)
I’ve never had a lofthouse cookie, but these look so cheery and wonderful. I need to try them!
And you can just make them now!
I have never attempted to make lofthouse cookies and have never made a cookie with cake flour, but when I hit the store tomorrow cake flour is going in my cart! I need to experience its awesomeness!
These cookies are so fun and perfect for Halloween. I Love that you left them unfrosted and made them supper easy. Plus, with all those sprinkles who needs frosting any! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning (as always) and yes, unfrosted. Girl I have so many baking projects and a busy life (don’t we all!) that if I can get away with not frosting cookies, all the better. Plus, does one really ‘need’ frosting on cookies? On cake and brownies it’s almost mandatory but cookies…I think we can suffer without :) Get the cake flour. Amazing results when you need something to be feathery soft and light!
Cookies with sprinkles are the best! These are definitely very Halloween appropriate!
These look perfect, I love the texture! Your cookies always come up so wonderfully, like, Avery you’re so talented it makes me jealous ;) Aw, and the sprinkles addition sounds so so fun too! Happy Sunday! x
What a sweet comment and compliment – thank you, Consuelo! I appreciate that!! Have a great week!
These are great Halloween/Fall sugar cookies and I love all the sprinkles! My husband’s family get together is next weekend. I was looking through your cookbook and am pretty sure I’ve decided on the no bake fluffernutter bars. It will be an easy recipe to double for a crowd and I’ve never made anything like them before.
Oh those bars are perfect reunion/get-together/graduation/etc. type food. They are rich, dense, easy and people will love them. If you’re in need of a second option, the Kit Kat bars combine elements of bars I’ve made for the book and blog, and are reallllllly good. You can swap out Kit Kats for another candy but just the layers/concept, really good and people will love them as well.
https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/10/chocolate-peanut-butter-kit-kat-crunch-bars.html
LMK what you make and what people say!
I love a good lofthouse cookie and this one looks as soft as a pillow!!! Love it!
These look soooo soft Averie!! Love this flavour too :)
I’ve never added sprinkles to cookies, but now I think I’ll have to. Yours are so pretty! Also, thanks for the info on how to make your own cake flour. I don’t think I’d have the patience, but it’s good to know in case of an emergency.
I had to get a bucket for my drool as I was looking at these pictures, will most definitely be trying these!
I have Already started My Xmas cookie baking collection! I guess I go by the motto you can never have too many cookies.
I have never cooked or tasted loft house cookies but they sound amazing! Love the Halloween theme. I can not wait for what trick or treat bars you are coming up with next. Even thought I might not celebrate that holiday here, I always need an excuse to bake!
Love love love the colour of these. So autumnal. I’ve started thinking about Christmas baking already. I’m not much of a Halloween person
This is the first year ever I’ve tried to bake something for Halloween but Christmas cookie/holiday baking it where it’s at for me :)