Incredibly soft with a delicate, tender texture then topped with a sweet frosting and purple, green, and gold sprinkles, these Mardi Gras Lofthouse Cookies are perfect for celebrating Fat Tuesday!
Mardi Gras Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
These Lofthouse cookies aren’t your typical sugar cookies. They’re soft and delicate, with almost a cake-like texture, piled high with rich frosting and topped with purple, green, and gold sprinkles for Mardi Gras – just like the famous cookies sold in the grocery store bakery.
Cake flour and sour cream set them apart, but otherwise the ingredients are standard pantry items. Other than the dough needing to chill for 3 hours, they’re super easy to make.
What Are Lofthouse Cookies?
Lofthouse Cookies are the frosted sugar cookies sold in clear plastic containers at the grocery store, usually topped with brightly colored sprinkles. They’re soft and sweet, with a texture that’s a bit of a cross between a cookie and a cake. And the thick, rich sugar cookie frosting that’s sturdy enough for the cookies to gently lay on top of each other.
This Lofthouse cookie recipe keeps both of those very important elements – the ultra-soft texture and the rich frosting – plus purple, green, and gold sprinkles add a festive touch for celebrating Mardi Gras.
Ingredients Needed
There are a few key ingredients that make these Lofthouse cookies so soft and yet still moist, like cake flour and sour cream.
(Scroll below to the printable recipe card for details and measurements.)
For the Cookies
- Cake flour – Using cake flour is one thing that sets these apart from other sugar cookie recipes and is the key to achieving super soft, fluffy cookies.
- Baking powder & Baking soda – Both leavening agents are used to create the rise and fluffy texture.
- Salt – Heightens the other flavors.
- Butter – Necessary for blending with the sugar and adds richness.
- Granulated sugar – For sweetness.
- Sour cream – Sour cream keeps the cookies moist.
- Eggs – Provides structure to the dough.
- Vanilla & Almond extracts – While most cookies use vanilla extract, adding almond extract to these Lofthouse sugar cookies adds more of the classic flavor.
For the Frosting
- Butter – Salted butter is used in the frosting for extra flavor, though we do not add any extra salt.
- Powdered sugar – Creates a smooth consistency and sweetens the frosting.
- Milk – Thins the frosting just a small amount.
- Extracts – Both vanilla and almond extracts are also used in the icing.
- Sprinkles – These Mardi Gras cookies are topped with purple, green, and gold sprinkles for a festive touch.
How to Make Mardi Gras Lofthouse Cookies
These Lofthouse frosted sugar cookies are very easy to make, though keep in mind that the dough does need to chill for 3 hours.
(Scroll down to the printable recipe card for details and measurements, and don’t miss the video below.)
Make the Cookies
- Make the dough. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugar until fluffy. Mix in the sour cream, eggs, and extract. Stir in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Chill. Divide the dough evenly into two. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Form the cookies. Roll the dough on a countertop dusted with flour until it’s 1/2-inch thick. Cut cookies from the dough with a 3-inch cookie cutter. Place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart.
- Bake. Bake at 350F for 8 to 9 minutes, until just golden brown at the edges. Cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- Make the frosting. Cream the butter until it’s light and fluffy. Mix in the powdered sugar until combined. Add in the remaining ingredients. Mix until light and fluffy.
- Pipe. Transfer the frosting to a piping bag. Pipe the frosting onto the cookies, then smooth it out with a knife.
- Add sprinkles. Finish the cookies with sprinkles. Allow the frosting to harden then enjoy.
Tips for Success
Here are a few tips to keep in mind for the perfect copycat Lofthouse cookies.
- Use room temperature ingredients. For the best texture when mixing the dough, be sure the eggs and other refrigerated ingredients are at room temperature.
- Cream the butter until fluffy. For both the cookies and the frosting, be sure to cream the butter until light and fluffy. It may take a few minutes but it’s key for these cookies.
- Don’t overmix. Once you add the dry ingredients, mix just to combine.
- Don’t overbake. These cookies bake quickly. They need just 8 minutes in the oven! After a few minutes, transfer to a wire cooling rack so they don’t overcook on the trays.
- Don’t be shy with the frosting. Lofthouse cookies are known for their delicate tender texture and also the tall amount of frosting!
Video: Lofthouse Cookies
How to Store Frosted Sugar Cookies
- Storing leftovers. Lofthouse sugar cookies will last for up to a week when stored properly. They maintain the best texture when stored at room temperature, though you do want to keep them away from any sun, heat source, or moisture. You can also keep them in the fridge, though it will harden the frosting. If you refrigerate them, try bringing them to room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes before enjoying.
- To Freeze Lofthouse Sugar Cookies. These cookies can also be frozen, with or without the icing. I find freezing them without the frosting is easiest. You can just let the cookies cool, and transfer them to a freezer container, and freeze. With the frosting, I recommend parchment paper between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter and enjoy.
More Festive Cookies:
- Carrot Cake Cookies
- Italian Cookies
- Thumbprint Cookies
- Crumbl Chocolate Cupcake Cookies
- Funfetti Cake Mix Cookies
I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!
Mardi Gras Lofthouse Cookies
Ingredients
FOR THE COOKIES
- 3 cups cake flour , spooned and leveled
- 1 & 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream , room temperature
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
FOR THE FROSTING
- 1/2 cup salted butter , room temperature
- 2 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
- purple, green, and gold sprinkles (or sanding sugar)
- mini plastic baby figurine , optional
Instructions
Make the Cookies
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium mixing bowl, and set it aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, cream your butter and granulated sugar until it's fluffy. Mix in the sour cream, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Stir in the flour mixture just until combined.
- Divide the dough into two equal proportions. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 3 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Dust your counter with flour and roll the dough to about a 1/2-inch thick. Using a 3-inch round cookie cutter, cut out the cookies from the dough. Transfer the cookies onto the baking sheets about 1-inch apart.
- Bake for 8-9 minutes, until the edges just start to turn golden brown. Carefully transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.
Make the Frosting
- Cream the butter in the bowl of your mixer until it's light and fluffy. Slowly mix in the powdered sugar until all is combined.
- Add in the milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Blend over medium-high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag with a large straight piping tip.
- Pipe the frosting onto the cookies and then use a knife to smooth out the top of the frosting. (Lofthouse cookies are known for their delicate tender texture and also the tall amount of frosting!)
- Top the cookies with the sprinkles before the frosting hardens and add a mini plastic baby figurine, if desired. Enjoy!
