These Copycat Lofthouse Cookies have everything you love about the original with a spectacular flavor boost!
There are a million and one copycat lofthouse cookie recipes out there. We couldn’t resist adding our efforts to the mix. After all, the original are the kids’ favorite, even at our houses where we almost always have outstanding homemade baked treats available!
Our efforts do not disappoint! This version is as soft, fluffy, and tender as the original, but less dry. They have that pillowy texture and the vanilla with a hint of almond flavor that everyone loves. The flavor combo is pure nostalgia! We used all butter instead of the shortening used in the manufactured version, so ours has the wonderful buttery flavor boost that makes these far and above better tasting.
Of course, we also top ours with a fluffy American buttercream. We use butter here, too, for improved flavor with a less greasy feel. Add color and sprinkles for the perfect finish.
Ingredients for Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
Butter – Use a good quality unsalted butter in both your cookies and the frosting for the most amazing flavor. You really can tell a difference, especially in cookies like this, where the butter is one of the more prominent ingredients.
Cake Flour – A lower-protein flour creates a more tender cookie because less gluten is formed. You can sub in all-purpose if you like, but your cookies won’t be quite as tender. Cake flour creates a delightfully soft crumb that makes these cookies shine.
Cornstarch – When used with the cake flour, cornstarch adds to the soft crumb of these cookies. It adds structure so that the cookies don’t spread too much while staying soft. It’s used in the original, so we incorporated it here, too, in an effort to create the same (or better) texture.
Powdered Sugar – This light sugar also adds to the delicious fluffy texture. It is super fine, so it dissolves more quickly, which also lends to that nice, soft texture.
Yogurt or Sour Cream – These two items add moisture and acidity while keeping the dough from becoming too thin, which would make the cookies spread too much during baking. The texture of the cookies stays light and fluffy, while not becoming too dry in the oven.
Extracts – Clear vanilla is important here to mimic the flavor of the original. It’s artificial, which normally we would avoid, but for this recipe, clear vanilla has that nostalgic flavor we love and need. Add just a touch of almond extract, too, to round out the flavor profile.
Find the full list of ingredients and amounts in the recipe below.
Helpful Tools
You’ll need a handful of tools to make these cookies. Some are necessary, while some just make things a whole lot easier. All are amazing and we use them in our own kitchens all the time!
Kitchen Scale – This is our #1 recommended tool for baking and this one is our favorite. Baking is science and depends on exact ratios. When you weigh your ingredients, you ensure that you are using the exact right amounts every single time. Other methods can give you wildly different results depending on the person, the exact method, or the day. Think of the scale as a little bit of baking insurance. Plus, you’ll have fewer dishes to wash and who doesn’t like that?!?
Stand Mixer – This is helpful because it allows you to use your hands and that mixing time for other things, like whisking together other ingredients or prepping your pans. This is a pricey thing, admittedly, but it will be an absolute workhorse for you. A Kitchenaid like this one is definitely worth every penny!
Sheet Pans – A good sheet pan will help your cookies bake more evenly and won’t warp in the oven. We like these for great results no matter what you are baking.
Cookie Scoop – Grab these in a variety of sizes to make scooping cookies so much faster and easier. Your cookies will all be the exact same size, which means they will bake evenly and will look their best. We use size #50, which holds about 1-1/2 tablespoons, for this recipe.
Serving Your Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
There is no wrong time to enjoy these cookies! We like to have them handy all day long for a quick treat. They are perfect for kid gatherings. And, if you have teens like we do, know that having a platter of these cookies on hand is a great way to get them to hang out with you! Cookies are definitely on the list of love languages for a teenager, so take advantage!
Make it even more fun with a cookie platter! Try these other cookie favorites, too!
- Strawberry Marshmallow Cookies
- Grandpa’s Oatmeal Cookies
- Banana Blueberry Cookies
- Dark Chocolate Pecan Cookies
- Triple Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft Cinnamon Almond Cookies
- Gluten Free Almond Caramel Cookies
Want to see other copycat recipes? Let us know your favorites in the comments!
Copycat Lofthouse Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cookies:
- 6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces (1-1/2 cups) confectioner’s sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
- 1 whole large egg, at room temperature
- 12 ounces (3 cups + 3 tablespoons) cake flour
- 1/4 ounce (1 tablespoon) cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 2 ounces (1/4 cup) plain Greek yogurt or sour cream, at room temperature
- 2-1/2 ounces (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) milk, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon clear vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon almond extract
For the Frosting:
- 6 ounces (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 6 ounces (1-1/2 cups) confectioner’s sugar, sifted to remove any lumps
- 1-1/2 tablespoons milk at room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon clear vanilla
- 1/8 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Prepare two sheet pans by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Mix Your Cookies: Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer (or in a large bowl if using a hand mixer) and mix with the paddle attachment on low speed until the sugar is incorporated into the butter. Turn the mixer to medium-low and continue mixing for 5 minutes. The mixture should be light and fluffy.Add the egg and mix again on low speed for 3 minutes. The egg should be fully incorporated and the mixture should return to a light and fluffy texture. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl.While the mixer is running, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt in a separate medium bowl. Add the flour mixture, yogurt or sour cream, milk, vanilla, and almond extract. Mix on low speed just until everything is incorporated. Scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing bowl again to mix in any remaining dry flour.
- Bake Your Cookies: Using a medium cookie scoop (#50, which holds 1-1/2 tablespoons), scoop out the batter and place 2 inches apart on your prepared cookie sheets. For a smoother finish, press each cookie slightly with the palm of your hand or the flat bottom of a glass. Bake in your preheated oven for 9-11 minutes or until the cookies look dry on the top. They may be beginning to brown slightly at the edges, but will overall be rather pale.Cool on the pans for 2 minutes, then move to a rack to cool completely.
- Whip Your Frosting: While the cookies are cooling, make your frosting. Start by whipping the butter in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment (or in a large bowl with a hand mixer) on medium speed for 5-8 minutes. It will be very light and fluffy.Add the confectioner’s sugar, milk, and vanilla, then mix on low speed until incorporated. Turn to medium speed and mix for another few minutes, until the frosting is uniform, light, and fluffy. Add food coloring now if using.
- Frost Your Cookies: Immediately spread a dollop of frosting (about a teaspoon) onto each cookie. Decorate with sprinkles if desired.
Notes
- These are best eaten within 2 days of baking, but they will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. The edges of these cookies will soften slightly when stored.
- Any type of milk can be used in both the cookies and frosting. We used whole milk, 2% milk, and almond milk in testing and they all were wonderful with very little variation in flavor or texture.
- The confectioner’s sugar, cake flour, and cornstarch all work together to create the most tender cookies. Do not substitute these or you will have a very different result.
- The icing will be slightly yellow because we are using real butter, which tastes so much better! The more you whip the butter in the first step of making the frosting, the lighter in color it will be.
- This American-style buttercream will crust if left open to the air, so cover your unused icing. Once the cookies are frosted, any sprinkles must be added right away or the crust that forms will keep them from sticking.
