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.
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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.
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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!
FYI, tried these yesterday with my kids and they are yum! I had a heck of a time finding Halloween sprinkles, though. Didn’t see any at Target but maybe I was looking in the wrong place? I bought one of those sprinkle multi-containers so we included the colored sugar crystals (they probably have a name but I don’t know what it is … ) and they baked up nicely–I was concerned that they wouldn’t.
The dollar bins up by the front of the store are where I find their best sprinkles, not in their baking or seasonal section. I know the sprinkles you’re talking about, there are like 6 or so types and one of them is orange sanding sugar, all in a little ‘box’ and the sprinkles are each in their own vertical section of the box. Glad to hear that it worked for you and you like these!
You are so good at responding to comments. Thank you! Our Target must be lacking–I looked in the dollar section and didn’t find any. Anyway, now I know that the proper term for the sugar crystals is “sanding sugar”. :) BTW, these cookies have enormous kid appeal–my son’s best friend tried to steal his lunchbox cookie yesterday!
Targets vary so much and all the seasonal stuff is super hit and miss! And that’s cute that the cookies have high theft appeal from other kiddos :) LOL
Three different types of sprinkles! I was wondering where you found such pretty colours. Hooray for sugar cookies with less than two cups of flour! :D
Target is one of my sprinkles go-to spots :)
Hi Averie! I just made these…wow! They are soooooo soft, light and buttery! I love them! :) Thank you for the recipe! :)
I am thrilled that you made them! So soon after I posted them -yay!! I believe you’re the first (or first I know of) Thanks, Monica, for trying them and glad you love how soft, light and buttery they are!
Any ideas on how to make the lemon frosting? It is THE BEST!!!, just like lemon meringue pie
Just make a basic buttercream, i.e. here but don’t add the cocoa powder https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/10/classic-yellow-cupcakes-with-chocolate-buttercream-frosting.html
And instead add a dash of lemon extract. Super easy.
These cookies look so moist and soft, and so cute when you add the Halloween sprinkles!
Wow, these look incredible! Love the sprinkles!
How fun and festive are these cookies. They’re the perfect cookie for a school Halloween party. I’m like a kid because I love anything with sprinkles. They just make any cookie, cupcake or ice cream that much better.
Zoe and I were perusing your blog yesterday afternoon and we were looking at super old posts and I love those posts girl. It was so cool to see the pics of Skylar when she was 3 and to see all of your amazing yoga poses and all of your vegan goodies. Your old posts sort of remind me of my weekly menu posts. I totally understand (remember our email) why you stopped them, but its nice to be able to take a look back and see where and how you started! I’m glad you kept them on the blog! Ok, I’m off to go and pick up Zoe from her jazz class. Have a great night girl! xoxo, Jackie
I have cleaned up some of those old posts. Some of them, I truly was like talking to a girlfriend who was at my kitchen table, just non-chalant and easy-breezy. I kind of can’t even believe it but yes, things change and that style of posting couldn’t go on. But I’m sure I’ve missed a few posts here and there and there are some real gems lurking in my archives LOL. I didn’t delete posts but I cleaned them up and sadly deleted lots of pics of me and Skylar. Every once in awhile I’ll come across one and she’s like 2-3 years old and I almost want to cry because I can’t post like that anymore. And all those memories – are in (Deleted) archives. As a mom I’m sure you know how it is. And you have your own blog for the past 18 mos – isnt it amazing how life changes and if you didnt document it, you would NEVER have remembered things. yeah.
xoxo
These are perfect looking sugar cookies. Love how festive and fun they look, too.
LOVE that you added sprinkles to your Lofthouse sugar cookie base, Averie! You are right…so much easier than frosting and decorating with sprinkles. Sorry I missed you this morning…technical difficulties. Grrr. Thanks for sharing, girl. Will be pinning to group boards! xo
Tech difficulties are the worst. I was having plenty Sun night into Monday. Glad you’re back up and running – I am too, but it cost me so much time and energy dealing with behind the scenes drama. And thanks for pinning to the group boards – so appreciated :)
I made your funfetti sugar cookies last weekend for part of a dessert table I catered for a friend. They were a huge hit! (Especially with my kids sneaking into them before I could pack them to go.) I can’t wait to make these with the Fall colors. Yum!
Oh that is awesome and I am so glad to hear they were a huge hit! I can imagine your kids were digging into them before the party…what’s new, right! You’ll love the texture on these, Gloria. Even a little softer/lighter than the Funfetti ones!
they look yummy!
These cookies look so much better than the Halloween candy I planned on saving for. Thanks for sharing!
I love love love all the colors! I don’t bake cookies that often, but I might have to try these. They look so fluffy!
Hello sprinkle cookie goodness…I think I love you! Averie, these are so stinking awesome! I love how soft and pillowy they look! And all the sprinkles are just so pretty! Pinned!
Thanks for pinning, Jocelyn!
These look so soft and fluffy, Averie! I really want to sink my teeth into one right now (: I love cookies with sprinkles baked in – it makes them look so colorful and festive!
So festive and fun with all those sprinkles!!