Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies
These Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies are bakery-style perfection – pillowy, buttery cookies topped with buttercream frosting and colorful sprinkles. This classic recipe is perfect for any holiday or celebration and will become your go-to cookie. Seriously the BEST!
Lofthouse-Style Sugar Cookies
Are you familiar with Lofthouse-style sugar cookies? Those super-soft, thick, cake-like sugar cookies you usually find in clear plastic clamshell containers at the grocery store bakery. I’ve seen them at many gatherings because they are super easy to pick up for last-minute gatherings.
This copycat version is similar but way better. These are a mishmash of Loft-Style cookies and regular sugar cookies (that are less cakey). I love that these cookies don’t overspread in the oven, aren’t crazy thick, and are rich and buttery too.
These cookies are so many things.
- super soft
- thick and buttery
- with the perfect buttercream frosting!
What You’ll Need:
For the cookies:
- Unsalted Butter
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla Extract
- Canola Oil
- Flour
- Baking Soda
- Cornstarch
- Kosher Salt
For the buttercream:
- Unsalted Butter
- Powdered Sugar
- Vanilla Extract
- Milk
How to make Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies:
Step 1
Cream the butter and sugar. In a large standing mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar together until very creamy, about one minute.
Step 2
Add wet ingredients. Then add the room temperature egg, canola oil, and vanilla, and mix well.
Step 3
Add the dry ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.
Step 4
Form cookie balls. Use a three tablespoon (or smaller if you prefer) cookie scoop to form dough into approximately 14 cookie balls and place on a parchment lined pan.
Step 5
Chill dough. Cover the pan with foil and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
Step 6
Bake cookies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about 6 cookie dough balls on a pan at a time. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes (or until done to your liking), and then repeat for the remaining cookies.
Step 7
Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully removing to a wire cooling rack.
Step 8
Make the icing. Use a hand mixer or standing mixer to cream the softened butter. Then add the powered sugar, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon of milk. Mix again and then add additional milk as needed to get a nice smooth consistency. (You may need more powdered sugar if it’s too thin, or more milk if it’s too thick.)
Step 9
Decorate cookies. Divide the icing into separate bowls – I usually use 2-3 colors. Then add the food coloring according to what colors you prefer. Use a spoon to spread buttercream frosting on each cookie and add sprinkles as desired.
I’m not so much into fancy decorating so I keep this part pretty minimal. But if that’s your thing, go for it!
Storing and Freezing:
Store soft sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days. If stacking cookies, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1–2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper. They can last up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and frost as usual.
For frosted cookies, place them on a baking sheet and freeze until the frosting is firm, then carefully stack them with parchment paper in between. Thaw at room temperature before serving, and your cookies will stay soft and delicious, with sprinkles and decorations intact.
Recipe FAQs:
Butter too warm or melted – If the butter is too soft when mixing, the dough can get greasy and spread quickly in the oven.
Not enough flour – A low flour-to-fat ratio leads to weak structure and excess spreading.
Baking sheet too hot – If you reuse a warm pan, the dough starts melting before it sets.
Oven temperature too low – If the oven isn’t hot enough, the butter melts before the cookie structure sets.
It’s best to store these on your counter in an airtight container. You can also store them in the freezer, but make sure you use parchment paper in between the cookies to prevent them from sticking together.
Yes, these sugar cookies can be frozen. For best results, freeze them before you add the icing. But you can freeze them after icing, and simply add layers of parchment paper in between the cookies to prevent sticking. You can also freeze the cookie balls, and just remove and bake the cookies fresh.
All-purpose flour works best for soft sugar cookies. Be sure to measure accurately by weighing the flour or spooning it into the cup and leveling it, rather than scooping directly from the bag.
Other Sugar Cookie Recipes:
We love sugar cookies and if you’re like us, you’re going to want to try some variations.
Cookie Baking Tools: (affiliate links)
xoxo ~Sue
Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened to room temperature
- 1 ¼ cup white sugar (250 grams)
- 1 large egg – at room temp
- 3 Tablespoons canola oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (270 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
For the buttercream
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter – softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1-2 Tablespoons milk
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar. In a large standing mixer, combine the softened butter and sugar together until very creamy, about one minute.1/2 cup unsalted butter, 1 ¼ cup white sugar (250 grams)
- Add wet ingredients. Then add the room temperature egg, canola oil, and vanilla, and mix well.1 large egg, 3 Tablespoons canola oil, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Add the dry ingredients. Then add the dry ingredients – the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, and salt. Mix until just combined. Don’t over-mix.2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour (270 grams), 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- Form cookie balls. Use a three tablespoon (or smaller if preferred) cookie scoop to form dough into approximately 14 cookie balls and place on a parchment lined pan.
- Chill dough. Cover the pan with foil and store in the refrigerator for at least two hours, or overnight.
- Bake cookies. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper. Place about 6 cookie dough balls on a pan at a time. Bake for approximately 10-12 minutes (or until done to your liking), and then repeat for the remaining cookies.
- Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully removing to a wire cooling rack.
- Make the icing. Use a hand mixer or standing mixer to cream the softened butter. Then add the powered sugar, vanilla extract, and one tablespoon of milk. Mix again and then add additional milk as needed to get a nice smooth consistency. (You may need more powdered sugar if it’s too thin, or more milk if it’s too thick.)1/2 cup unsalted butter, 2 cups powdered sugar (240 grams), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1-2 Tablespoons milk
- Decorate cookies. Divide the icing into separate bowls – I usually use 2-3 colors. Then add the food coloring according to what colors you prefer. Use a spoon to spread buttercream frosting on each cookie and add sprinkles as desired.
Notes
- Store soft sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3–4 days. If stacking cookies, place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
- To freeze baked cookies, let them cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for 1–2 hours. Once frozen, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper. They can last up to 3 months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature and frost as usual.
Made these for the baking challenge. My grandchildren wanted to make cut out cookies to decorate. I don’t hae any room for them so we have to wait til next Friday to make them so they will be fresh for Christmas. We made these and added sprinkles to them to make them festive. Had to watch them sneeking them because their mother watches their sugar intake. It’s Christmas, they need to let loose.
Thanks for the opportunity to spend the day with my grandchildren.
I love it! Thanks Maureen!
When it comes to holiday cookies, cut-outs have nothing on these! Less work and pillowy soft. With toddlers, we opted for sprinkles vs colored icing. Big hit!
I’m so glad you enjoyed these cookies, Cassie! Thanks for giving them a try. 🙂
The best Christmas cookie ever!
I agree 100%!