Peppermint Lofthouse Cookies Recipe

Name: Peppermint Lofthouse Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 11 min
Total time: 176 min
Yield: 20
Ingredients: For the cookie dough:; 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature; 1/3 cup shortening; 1 1/4 cup white sugar; 2 teaspoon baking powder; 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 1 large egg; 1 large egg white; 2 3/4 cup cake flour; For the frosting:; 1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature; 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon peppermint extract; 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 to 3 tablespoons real milk; 1 tablespoon red food coloring; To Finish:; White snowflake sprinkles or other white sprinkles

What's the trick to making a great Lofthouse cookie?

These cookies are soft, chewy, and cakey. They’re almost like the top of cupcakes!

To achieve that perfect texture, there are a few things to know.

First, you need to use cake flour, which is a low gluten wheat flour. All-purpose flour has a higher gluten content and will give these cookies a dry, tough texture, so try to get your hands on cake flour if you're able (it's readily available in well stocked grocery stores, as well as online).
Second, break out the shortening, which gives them the “bounce” and lift (loft?) that these cookies are known for. If you prefer not to use shortening, you can try substituting solid coconut oil in place of the shortening, but keep in mind this will shift the flavor and texture ever so slightly.

5 Tips for Baking Perfect Cookies Every Time

Can I use a natural food coloring ... or skip the food coloring?

The food coloring in the frosting is purely for decoration, so you can skip it or use less of it if you'd like.

Most natural red food colorings are heat sensitive and fade when you use them in baking, but since this frosting isn’t heated, you can use natural red food color if you’d like. Just keep in mind that natural food coloring tends to dull in color as it sits, so serve the cookies the day you make them to ensure they're looking their best.

Can I make these cookies ahead?

Yes! These cookies keep well. Just store them at room temperature for up to 3 days in an airtight container.

How do they freeze?

You can freeze Lofthouse cookies for up to 3 months. Just place them on a baking sheet in the freezer for 2 hours. Once they are frozen solid, move them to an airtight container and layer them between sheets of wax paper or parchment paper. Easy, and the gift that keeps on giving!

Peppermint Lofthouse Cookies

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 11 mins

Chill Time 2 hrs

Total Time 2 hrs 56 mins

Servings 20 servings

For the cookie dough:

1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/3 cup shortening
1 1/4 cup white sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1 large egg
1 large egg white
2 3/4 cup cake flour

For the frosting:

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon peppermint extract
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
2 to 3 tablespoons whole milk
1 tablespoon red food coloring

To Finish:

White snowflake sprinkles or other white sprinkles

Stand mixer

Mix the fats, sugar, and extracts

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, place the butter, shortening, sugar, baking powder, vanilla and peppermint extract and salt.

Mix on slow speed until most of the ingredients are blended, then increase to medium speed and mix until the butter is creamy and clings to the side of the bowl, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through mixing and then afterwards.
Add the eggs and flour

Add the egg and egg white to the bowl and mix until incorporated. Scrape down again.

Add the flour and turn the mixer to low. Once most of the flour has been absorbed, increase the speed to medium low until no dry flour remains. Scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure the dough is completely homogenized.
Prepare dough to chill

Scrape out the dough onto some plastic wrap. Pat the dough down into a 1-inch thick layer and then wrap tightly.
Chill dough:

Refrigerate the dough for 2 hours or overnight. Once the dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon baking mats.
Roll the dough into balls

Break off chunks of the dough and roll them into 1 1/2-inch balls, roughly the size of a golf ball. Place them on the baking sheet, about 2 inches apart, then press them down into a disk with the palm of your hand or with the bottom of a flat glass. You want them to be about 1/2-inch thick disks that are about 2 1/4 inches in diameter (the size of a standard pint glass bottom).
Bake the cookies

Bake in the oven for 10 to 12 minutes or until the bottom of the cookie is starting to turn golden brown and the top of the cookie looks dry and baked. Try not to overbake them, as you want these cookies to be moist and tender in texture.
Cool

Let the cookies rest on the warm baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Make the frosting

Once the cookies have cooled completely, make the frosting by placing the butter in the clean bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix the butter on medium low speed until it starts to cling to the side of the bowl.

Add the powdered sugar, peppermint and vanilla extracts, and salt to the bowl and mix on slow speed until most of the sugar has been absorbed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and increase the speed of the mixer to medium and beat until light and fluffy. Stop the mixer and add 2 tablespoons of the milk and the red food coloring. Be careful with the food coloring as it will stain.

Turn the mixer on slow and mix until the liquid is absorbed. Increase the speed to medium and beat the frosting until it is uniform in color. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure it’s completely homogenous in color. If the frosting seems too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time, to thin it down.
Frost the cookies

Frost the top of each cooled cookie, then decorate the cookies with the white snowflake sprinkles.
Pair with Real Milk:

Pour yourself a glass of real milk and enjoy!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
363	Calories
18g	Fat
50g	Carbs
2g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 20
Amount per serving
Calories	363
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 18g	23%
Saturated Fat 10g	50%
Cholesterol 48mg	16%
Sodium 90mg	4%
Total Carbohydrate 50g	18%
Dietary Fiber 0g	1%
Total Sugars 34g
Protein 2g
Vitamin C 0mg	0%
Calcium 38mg	3%
Iron 1mg	8%
Potassium 34mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.