Frosted Sugar Cookies

Who else is absolutely addicted to those Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies that are readily accessible at grocery stores?! Do not tell me that I am alone here!

I have been eyeing this recipe for the longest time and finally decided to make them with the urging of my sister. This recipe can be found on Lisa's blog! Be aware that the dough is VERY sticky and soft, so it is highly recommended that you work in small batches while keeping the rest of the dough refrigerated! I suggest chilling the dough for a whole day so it is easier to work with. I like how you can color the frosting to your liking, be creative with sprinkles, and shape these any way you would like! Just make sure to adjust the baking time if you are making smaller sized cookies. I understand that this recipe makes a ton of cookies, so what you can do is freeze the rest of the dough in large discs that are about 1 inch thick. Put each disc into its own freezer bag and try to get as much air out as possible. Frozen cookie dough will be good for 6 - 12 months so it is okay to make a lot and just store the rest for whenever you are in the mood to pop them in the oven! Allow the disc to warm up on the counter until it can be easily rolled out. These are definitely scrumptious, but the texture is way different than the Lofthouse cookies. They are a little more bread-like. I will have to play around with the ingredients next time to get that very same texture! Happy baking!

Yields: 5 to 6 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
Cookies
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups sour cream
2 tsp. vanilla extract
6 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt

Frosting
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar
6 tbsp. heavy cream
Several drops of food coloring or gel paste, optional
Sprinkles of your choice, optional

Directions:
1. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

2. (Can use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, but I only have a hand mixer at the moment so the directions will reflect that.) In a large bowl, cream the butter and granulated sugar with a hand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Add the eggs, one at a time and beat until incorporated before adding the next egg.

Add the sour cream and vanilla extract and mix on low just until incorporated.

3. Add the dry ingredients into the wet and beat on low just until combined. Make sure to scrape down the bowl as needed. The dough will be sticky. Divide the dough into two sections, flatten into rectangles about 1 1/2 inches thick, and wrap in plastic wrap separately. Chill in the refrigerator overnight or at least a few hours until it is more firm.

4. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat mat. Set aside.

5. Take out one of the chilled dough rectangles and unwrap. Dust both sides generously with flour and keep it on the plastic wrap.

Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness using a rolling pin. Use a 2 1/2 inch round cookie cutter to cut out circles and transfer to the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the dough. Any extra dough that is not being immediately baked should be returned to the refrigerator to be kept cool.

6. Bake for 7 minutes, until pale golden in color. Immediately transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack.

7. Frosting: In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and vanilla extract on medium speed. Slowly beat in the powdered sugar. Once smooth and creamy, add in the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the desired spreading consistency is achieved. Add food coloring and beat until combined.

8. Once the cookies have completely cooled, frost and add sprinkles. Allow frosting to set, then store in an air-tight container. Let the cookies sit for several hours before serving to allow the flavors to develop.