Soft, Lofthouse-style sugar cookies flavored with festive peppermint! These sweet, cakey cookies are topped with a peppermint buttercream and tons of sprinkles!
Peppermint Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
If you’re looking for a homemade version of the soft, cakey grocery store cookies, then I’ve got the recipe for you! With a festive, holiday twist, my Peppermint Lofthouse Sugar Cookies are big, sweet, and all decked out with the perfect peppermint frosting (and, of course, sprinkles, too!). The secret to the pillowy soft texture of these cookies is simple: powdered sugar + corn starch. Instead of using a granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten the dough with light, soft powdered sugar. The corn starch helps keeps things soft so these cookies stay tasting fresh for days.
Not a fan of peppermint? You can replace it with your favorite extract to get the exact Lofthouse-style cookie you’re dreaming of. Orange, lemon, and vanilla are a few classics that would taste amazing in this cookie dough. Flavor the frosting the same as your cookies, and then top it all off with your favorite sprinkles!
Ingredients You’ll Need + Substitutions
- Plant-based butter helps make these cookies buttery soft (and delicious!). If you aren’t dairy-free, regular butter will work just fine in this recipe. For the frosting, plant-based or regular butter will work as well.
- Powdered sugar is a key ingredient to get the cakey, soft texture we want in these cookies. You won’t want to use any other sugar. Same goes for the frosting – only powdered sugar will work.
- Eggs bind the ingredients. I haven’t tested this recipe with any egg replacers.
- Peppermint extract brings that festive, holiday flavor to both the cookie and frosting. Feel free to use your favorite extract in its place: orange, lemon, maple, vanilla, etc.
- Baking powder + baking soda work together to perfectly leaven these cookies; I don’t recommend any substitutes.
- Corn starch keeps these cookies fresh and soft for days. You should be able to use arrowroot or tapioca starch in its place, though I haven’t tested either of these myself.
- All-purpose flour is part of the cookie dough base. I like to use an unbleached variety when I bake. A gluten-free all-purpose flour may work here, but I haven’t personally tested it.
- Plant-based milk thins out the frosting to make it smooth and easy to spread. You can use your favorite “milk”, water, or regular milk.
More Peppermint Recipes
Peppermint Brownie Sandwich Cookies
Peppermint Hot Cocoa Brownies
Chocolate Peppermint Cupcakes with Marshmallow Mint Buttercream
Peppermint Lofthouse Sugar Cookies
Deliciously soft & cakey, Lofthouse-style sugar cookies topped with a peppermint buttercream and festive sprinkles!
Ingredients
Peppermint Sugar Cookies
- 2/3 cup (75g) plant-based butter (or regular butter), softened (see Note 1)
- 2 cups (240g) powdered sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract (see Note 2)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 cup (32g) corn starch
- 2 3/4 cup (358g) all-purpose flour
Peppermint Frosting
- 1/2 cup (57g) plant-based butter (or regular butter), softened
- 2 tsp peppermint extract
- 3 cups (360g) powdered sugar
- ~1 Tbsp plant-based milk (or regular milk)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet (or two) with parchment paper. Bring your eggs to room temperature by placing them in a glass of warm water for around 10 minutes.
- In a large bowl, beat together the butter and powdered sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and extracts. Next, beat in the baking powder, baking soda, and corn starch. Finally, add the flour and use a large spoon to mix until the dough comes together.
- Scoop and roll dough balls 3 Tbsp in size - it's important to roll them smooth. Add 6-8 dough balls to your prepared baking sheet. Slightly flatten the dough balls. Bake at 350°F for 8-11 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat until all cookies are baked.
- Once the cookies are baked and totally cooled, you can make the frosting. It's important for the cookies to be totally cool so the frosting doesn't melt. In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and peppermint extract. Add in the powdered sugar and milk and beat until all is combined. If you find the frosting too thick, add more milk; if it's too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.
- Frost the cookies using your preferred method - I used a small, angled frosting spatula. While you're frosting the cookies, top each one with sprinkles immediately after frosting. Make sure you add the sprinkles as you go along, or else the frosting will be too stiff for the sprinkles to stick.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in a single layer.
Notes
- Butter: you can use plant-based/vegan butter or regular butter for this recipe. Stick butter must be softened before beating, while tub "butter" can be used straight from the refrigerator (it's already soft).
- Peppermint: make sure you buy peppermint extract for these cookies - not mint extract.
Did you make this recipe? I would love to see!
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