Lofthouse Sugar Cookies

Have you ever wanted to make something that you were pretty sure you didn't like, but everyone else liked them, so to make sure you really didn't like them and everyone else was wrong, you made them?  (are you dizzy now too?)


For example:  I tried brussels sprouts years ago and thought they were completely disgusting.  Then I saw several lovely looking recipes using bacon, butter, onions, lemon and the like, all yummy stuff.  What could be bad cooked in bacon fat, I say?  My family is a vegetable loving family and my kids will eat the broccoli off their plates FIRST.  No lie.  They love it.  I was sure they would love brussels sprouts too.  


There was gagging at the table that night.


The second attempt (because frugal me wasn't going to toss half a bag of perfectly good, fresh brussels sprouts) I kicked up the bacon factor and completely cancelled out any health benefits of the brussels with butter, EVOO, salt and bacon.  Across the table my husband and I had a conversation with our eyes.  {These are so gross!   I know, even with all that bacon.  How could they be bad?  Enjoy honey because I won't be making these again.  Ever.} 


I'm not really sure how our brussels sprouts drama wiggled into a cookie post, but I tried these cookies once at a gathering of some sort and watched people ooh and ahhh over them.  Maybe I was introduced to them at school when students brought birthday treats, I can't remember.  Anyway, I vividly remember them being dry, crumbly, a little thick and blah.  They were written off as NWTC in my book.  (not worth the calories)  


Colorful pictures of giant cookies with fluffy frosting and sprinkles drew me in (just like those darn brussels sprouts) and I had to try these for myself.  After poring over recipes I decided that no matter what, this recipe couldn't be bad with the ingredients listed and if all else fails, I would end up with cake-like cookies topped with some buttery frosting.  


Well I was wrong, wrong, wrong!  These suckers are amazing!  I didn't have cake flour, so I made my own with all purpose flour and cornstarch.  Wanting to pipe the frosting I didn't have enough for four of the 24 cookies, so next time I may make 1 1/2 x the frosting to pipe.  If you choose to shmear the frosting, you will have enough.  


Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
recipe by Stella B's Kitchen lightly adapted from {Mother Thyme}
printer friendly version


2 1/2 cups plus 2 Tbsp all purpose flour
1/4 cup plus 2 Tbsp cornstarch (or 6 Tbsp)
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup butter, softened 
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 heaping Tbsp sour cream
1 tsp vanilla


1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
3 cups powdered sugar
up to 1/4 cup milk (skim is fine)
1 tsp vanilla
food coloring of choice
desired sprinkles


Sift dry ingredients and set aside.  (It's important to sift flour and cornstarch that is replacing cake flour)  


Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time.  Then add sour cream and vanilla.  Add flour mixture and mix until just combined.  Chill dough thoroughly, at least an hour.


Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  On a lined baking sheet, roll balls of 2-3 Tbsp and place 2 inches apart.  Wetting fingers slightly, press balls to about 1/2 inch thick, molding to keep nice round edges.  


Bake for 11-12 minutes until centers are no longer shiny.  Cool on pan for a few minutes.  Remove to cooling rack until completely cool before frosting.


For the frosting, beat butter and vanilla.  Gradually beat in powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time.  Add a couple Tbsp of milk and beat again.  Continue to add milk until the desired spreading or piping consistency is reached.  Add food coloring.


Pipe or frost cookies and top with sprinkles.  Allow to set open to air for several hours before storing in sealed container.  Enjoy!  


*Cook's note~ PC 2 Tbsp scoop, unleveled works well.  Three cups cake flour can be used in place of flour and cornstarch.  These cookies are ginormous!  Farm fresh eggs make the cookie dough more yellow than desired.  Eight cookies per baking sheet at 11 minutes was perfect for my oven.  Make 1 1/2 x frosting for half-sized cookies to make 48 smaller cookies.  




I'm still trying to figure out the light in this house, which faces north.  The last house we were in had east/west facing windows and this is opposite.  I snapped a coupe pictures this morning and look how the blue pops in the morning more than it does in the afternoon.  hmmmm.  It reminds me that I have a lot to learn:)

Admire that frosting-to-cookie ratio.  Nice.

See?  Washed out, blah blue.  I don't get it.


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