Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies with peppermint frosting are delicious and fun to make. This easy recipe for Lofthouse sugar cookies is topped with classic pink frosting that sets beautifully for cookie stacking.
This soft sugar cookies will be familiar. They are a Lofthouse cookies which are typically available from grocery store bakeries.
With a few tricks they are easy to bake at home!
They don’t spread when baked and have a delicious cake like texture inside. They are well known for the silky texture.
The frosting is what truly gives these favorite cookies their flavor.
We’ve changed up the eye catching pink frosting for a holiday option. It’s flavored with peppermint extract with crushed candy canes on top instead of the usual rainbow sprinkles. Perfect of Christmas cookie exchanges and Santa’s pretty fond of them too.
A must make as part of your holiday cookie recipes.
For a cookie cutter style cut-out sugar cookie recipe you’ll love our Cream Cheese Sugar Cookies. The Best Sugar Cookie Frosting works great on those!
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Recipe Ingredients Notes
All Purpose Flour. Regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend may be used. For gluten-free baking we use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-free 1-to-1 Flour Blend.
Cornstarch. Keeps the cookies soft with a silky cakey texture.
Unsalted Butter. Be sure the butter is room temperature or softened before starting the recipe.
Eggs. You'll need 3 large eggs. Add them one at a time mixing them in before adding the next one.
Light Corn Syrup. Adding light corn syrup adds some sweetening but the more exciting thing is that it causes the frosting to set.
After about 15 minutes it develops a thin outside crust that keeps the frosting from being messy when handled AND allows the cookies to be carefully stacked.
Heavy Cream. Makes the frosting richer and is used to adjust the frosting consistency.
Salt. A pinch of salt really makes a difference in the frosting flavor. We recommend kosher salt which is a less salty tasting salt.
Food Coloring. Any food coloring will work but for brilliant lasting color gel food coloring is the best.
Americolor or Wilton both make excellent food coloring that is available where quality baking supplies or sold. It can also be found online.
Peppermint Extract. Adds some light peppermint flavor.
Crushed Peppermints. Gives the cookies a holiday look and more peppermint flavor. Candy canes, starlight mints or other hard peppermints can be used.
Place them in a sealed plastic bag, wrap it with a kitchen towel and use a meat mallet to break into pieces.
Do not over pound the candy or you'll get alot of candy dust instead of pieces.
How to make soft Frosted Sugar Cookies – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Preparation
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
STEP 2. Make the cookie dough
In a large bowl sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt (photo 1). Set aside.
In a second large bowl, using a hand held electric mixer or stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment, cream together the butter and white sugar (photo 2) until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one by one mixing in between (photo 3).
Add the sour cream, almond extract and vanilla extract (photo 4). Mix just until combined.
STEP 3. Bake
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients (photo 5). Mix slowly over low speed until fully combined. NOTE: it will have the consistency of thick cake batter.
Scoop the sugar cookie dough balls by large tablespoons or using a medium cookie scoop (1 1/2 tablespoon) onto the prepared sheet pan (photo 6).
Use the back side of a dining spoon lightly dipped in flour to flatten the cookies (photo 7 and 8). The flat bottom of a glass works too.
NOTE: the cookies do not spread much so press them to the desired size before baking.
Bake for 8-10 minutes until they no longer appear wet and are just starting to have golden edges.
STEP 4. Cool
Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes.
Move to a wire rack to fully cool before frosting. While they cool, make the frosting.
STEP 5. Make frosting
Using an electric hand mixer or bowl of a stand mixer, mix together the butter and powdered sugar (photo 1). NOTE: it will NOT be creamy just roughly mixed as seen in photo 2.
Add the extracts, corn syrup and heavy cream (photo 2). Mix until frosting has formed (photo 3).
Add food coloring (photo 3) and mix until fully blended into the creamy frosting (photo 4).
STEP 6. Frost
Frost the cooled cookies (photo 5) and top with crushed candy canes (photo 6). Use a butter knife or spatula. Allow the cookies to sit until the frosting sets (15-20 minutes).
Variations
Change up the frosting. The frosting color and flavor can easily be changed to create a tasty sugar cookie for special occasions.
Keep the frosting pink with cherry flavor and heart sprinkles for Valentine’s day. Don’t add food coloring and sprinkle with gold and silver sprinkles for New Year’s Eve. These classic sugar cookie are very flexible to create a surprise any time.
Pro Tips
The cookies don’t spread. Unlike most cookies these really don’t spread. The size they go into the oven is basically the size and shape they’ll be when they are done bakings.
Use a cookie scoop. Scoops make quick work of scooping cookie dough and ensure the cookies will all be the same size. This is great for a uniform appearance but also ensures they cook in the same amount of time.
Frosting gives the flavor. These Lofthouse cookies have a very mild flavor on their own. The frosting is what really delivers the flavor.
How to Store
Once the frosting is set store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The candy cane bits on top can become sticky when exposed to moisture.
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Recipe
Peppermint Frosted Sugar Cookies (Lofthouse style)
Ingredients
Cookies
- 4 cups all purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- 2 teaspoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter room temperature (softened)
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- 1 cup sour cream
Frosting
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter room temperature (softened)
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon light corn syrup
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6 tablespoons heavy cream
- ¼ tsp peppermint extract
- Food Coloring (any color) Americolor Gels Deep Pink used for the cookies in the photos
Topping
- ½ cup crushed candy canes about 6-7 full size candy canes
Instructions
Making the Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a cookie sheet with a non-stick baking spray or line the sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In second large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, cream together the butter and sugar.
- Add in the eggs, one at a time and mixing between each one.
- Add the vanilla extract, almond extract, and sour cream and mix until just combined.
- Slowly add the flour mixture while mixing on a low speed, continue adding and mixing until the dough is formed and the ingredients are well combined.NOTE: The mixture will be very wet, like a really thick cake batter.
- Scoop a heaping tablespoon amount of dough, or use a medium sized cookie scoop, and place dough onto a cookie sheet 2 inches apart. Using the backside of a spoon, lightly dip the spoon into flour and flatten out the cookie.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the top of the cookie no longer appears wet.
- Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and prepare the frosting once cooled.
Making the Frosting
- In a large bowl, using a hand mixer or stand mixer, combine the powdered sugar and butter until it's mixed together. NOTE: it will not be creamy at this stage, just mixed.
- Add in the peppermint extract, vanilla extract, corn syrup, salt and half of the heavy cream. Mix everything until well combined and the frosting has formed.If a thinner consistency is desired continue adding the heavy cream and mixing until the desired consistency has been reached.
- Add a few drops of food coloring and mix until well incorporated.
Topping the cookies
- Frost the cookies, top the cookies with crushed candy canes. Place on a cooling rack or piece of wax paper until frosting sets (15 to 20 minutes).
Notes
- These cookies are super soft on the outside and on the inside.
They don't spread much in the oven so flatten them to the desired size before baking.
Natasha says
I made these Peppermint Frosted cookies yesterday for the first time and they turned out awesome! I love how easy the recipe is. I’ll definitely be making these again.
Lisa Jenners says
These are SO pretty and delicious! We made a second batch today (everyone ate the batch intended for a cookie platter yesterday). Fun to make and they are so good.
April says
These are so great! Love that peppermint on top!
Jen Rose says
You always have the best cookie recipes and these did not disappoint! They are my new favorite.
Angela says
I love these cookies! So easy to make and no cookie cutters! Yum!
Debbie F says
Absolutely loved these. The peppermint adds a fresh flavor and they are so pretty for the holidays. Thank you!
Louise Cayzer says
I just love peppermint anything, so these cookies were perfect. So easy and yummy too!
Marsha says
These soft cookies melt in your mouth! They are a great complement to out cut out sugar cookies (used your cream cheese sugar cookie recipe for that!). Love the addition of peppermint.
Lucy says
This version of sugar cookies is perfect for the festive season.