Homemade Lofthouse Valentine’s Day Cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes | Course: Dessert | Servings: 12 large or 20 medium cookies
You know those cookies that you find in the grocery store around each holiday and you (or someone you know) either love or hate them? Well, I love ‘em! So I decided to make my own homemade version and they did NOT disappoint! If you love ‘em, too, these will certainly exceed your expectations like they did mine (they’re just soo good!). If you’re a fan of frosted cookies, this one is for you. Here’s what you’ll need:
Cookie Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs room temperature
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. corn starch
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. salt
Frosting Ingredients:
1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. almond extract
2-4 tbsp. milk (room temperature)
1/2 tsp salt
2-3 drops food coloring (optional, can be whatever color you’d like it to be!)
sprinkles (optional, can be switched to match any holiday you have in mind!)
Instructions:
Preheat the oven to 350°. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar for 3-5 minutes, or until light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla, almond extract and eggs. Mix on low until just incorporated.
While the mixer is on low, slowly add in the flour, corn starch, baking powder and salt and mix until everything is just incorporated. Do not over mix.
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons of dough per cookie) to make dough balls. Space 2-3 inches apart. Use a round glass and press the bottom onto the cookie dough to flatten. Bake for 10-11 minutes or until the edges are just set. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the pan for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cookie rack to cool completely.
While the cookies are cooling make the frosting. In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter, powdered sugar, vanilla and almost extract until smooth. Add in heavy cream 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired consistency. If using, add in food coloring now.
To decorate, spread about 2 tablespoons of frosting onto each of the cooled cookies and add sprinkles (optional).
Serve and enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Notes:
Quantity: This recipe makes about 12 large cookies. To make perfectly rounded cookies, I recommend using a cookie dough or an ice cream scoop (~3 tbsp. of dough per cookie). This recipe makes about 20 medium cookies if you use a smaller cookie dough or ice cream scoop (~2 tbsp. of dough per cookie). Adjust your baking time to 8-9 minutes if you’re going the smaller cookie route.
No Standing Mixer: Medium/large bowls and a hand-mixer (using the same speed settings) will work perfectly fine if you don’t have a standing mixer! If you have a regular old rubber spatula, that would work, too.
Baking Time: Underbaking these cookies is the key to getting the texture right. When I bake these, they’re in the oven 10 minutes on the dot and then removed from the oven to let cool on the cookie sheet. Letting them cool on the hot pan will keep cooking them but at a lower temperature, not drying out the cookie entirely.
Corn Starch: Don’t skip out on the corn starch! This ingredient is essential to give them their chewy texture (along with proper baking time) and allows for their soft middle.
Dough Chilling: This is not necessary and is another positive of this delicious recipe. You can make the dough and it can go right into the oven, giving you delicious cookies in under 30 minutes. Because they don’t really spread, before you bake them you will want to take a glass with a flat bottom and press the cookies down. They should be about 1/4-1/2 inches thick.
If you did try these out, I’d love to hear what you thought of them! Comment below.