There’s something about classic grocery store desserts that just hits differently. When I think about my ideal sugar cookie, those soft, frosted Lofthouse cookies immediately come to mind. Thick, pillowy cookies with a light vanilla sweetness and a layer of rich, overly sweet frosting on top. They’re soft, slightly chewy, and basically melt the moment you take a bite.
These Soft Frosted Sprinkle Sugar Cookies are my homemade take on that nostalgic favorite, with sprinkles mixed right into the dough for extra color, texture, and fun. They have everything you love about the original, but with better flavor and a soft, bakery-style texture. Honestly, they might even be better than the store-bought version… but I’ll let you decide 🙂
Recipe Tips
Cookie scoop:
This recipe makes 12 large cookies. To get evenly sized cookies, I use a large cookie dough scoop that holds 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie. If you’re using a smaller cookie scoop bake the cookies for 8–9 minutes instead and you’ll end up with about 20 cookies.
Sprinkles:
I love using a Valentine’s Day sprinkle mix for these cookies, but you can easily switch them up depending on the season or occasion. Holiday mixes, classic rainbow sprinkles, or themed colors all work well. Confetti quins are one of my favorites to decorate with, and you can find more of my go-to sprinkles on my Amazon storefront.
Underbaking the cookies:
Underbaking is essential for getting the texture just right. I bake these cookies for 10 minutes exactly, then remove them from the oven and let them cool directly on the cookie sheet. The residual heat continues to cook the cookies gently without drying them out.
Corn starch:
Do not skip the corn starch in this recipe. Corn starch is key to creating that soft, chewy texture and thick bakery-style cookie. The dough is designed to spread very little, which means there’s no chilling required. You can make the dough and bake it right away, giving you fresh cookies in under 30 minutes.
Because the cookies don’t spread much, you’ll want to flatten them before baking. Use a flat-bottomed glass to gently press each dough ball until it’s about ¼–½ inch thick. The photo above shows exactly what they should look like after flattening.
Valentine’s Day Version
For Valentine’s Day, I had a little extra fun with the frosting. I split the frosting into two bowls, leaving one white and dyeing the other pink. I fitted a piping bag with a large star tip, then alternated spoonfuls of the white and pink frosting into the bag. This creates a pretty two-toned effect as you pipe.
I piped a rosette of frosting onto each cookie and finished them with extra mini heart sprinkles—the same ones mixed into the dough, for a festive and cohesive look.
Christmas Version
For the Christmas version, I kept things classic and festive. I added the frosting to a piping bag fitted with a large round piping tip from this set, started piping in the center of each cookie, and swirled outward until I reached the edges.
You can finish the cookies with holiday sprinkles or leave them simply frosted. They’re perfect for Christmas cookie trays, gifting, or adding to your holiday baking lineup.
If you’re looking for more cookie recipes, click this link!
Soft Frosted Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ cup sprinkles
For the frosting:
- 1 cup salted butter room temperature
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ tsp almond extract
- ½ tsp salt
- 3-4 tbsp heavy cream or milk room temperature
- ¼ cup sprinkles
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs one at a time, then mix in vanilla and almond extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix just until combined. Scoop dough into 12 even cookies and roll into smooth balls.
- Place dough balls on the baking sheet and flatten with the bottom of a jar or measuring cup to about ¾ inch thick. If the dough is sticking to the cup dip in powdered sugar before pressing down. Bake immediately for 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers are just baked through. Cool completely before frosting.
For the frosting:
- Beat butter until smooth and fluffy. Add powdered sugar, vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Beat in cream or milk 1 tablespoon at a time until frosting is smooth and pipeable. Divide frosting in half. Tint one half light pink and leave the other half white. Spoon both colors side-by-side into a piping bag fitted with a large star tip.
To decorate:
- Pipe one large rosette in the center of each cooled cookie, swirling outward once or twice. Finish with heart sprinkles or Valentine confetti sprinkles. Serve immediately or store frosted cookies in a single layer.