Chocolate Lofthouse Cookies: Your New Favorite Soft & Fudgy Treat! 🍫🍪

These Chocolate Lofthouse Cookies are thick, incredibly soft, and utterly adorable, with a rich cocoa taste that’s far superior to store-bought versions. If you love those classic frosted sugar cookies, prepare to be amazed by this chocolatey homemade twist!

❤️ Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Nostalgic Flavor, Elevated – Just like the Lofthouse cookies you grew up with, but better, and with a delicious chocolate twist!
Perfectly Soft & Thick – These cookies boast an irresistible melt-in-your-mouth texture that stays soft for days.
Rich Cocoa Taste – They have a genuine cocoa flavor that isn’t overly sweet, providing a balanced indulgence.
Adorable & Customizable – Their charming appearance makes them perfect for any occasion, and you can use various cookie cutters to make them festive.
Homemade Goodness – Free from artificial ingredients and preservatives, these homemade cookies are a treat you can feel good about.

🛠 Tools You’ll Need

Medium bowls (for dry ingredients and frosting) 🥣
Stand mixer with paddle attachment 🎛️
Plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Large baking sheets
Parchment paper or nonstick baking mats
2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter (or any shape you prefer) 🍪
Wire rack (for cooling)
Sifter (for flour, cocoa, and powdered sugar)
Measuring cups & spoons 📏

🥄 Key Ingredients

For the Cookies:

All-purpose flour – The base for these soft cookies. 🌾
Baking soda & baking powder – For lift and tenderness.
Fine sea salt – Balances the sweetness.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – For the rich chocolate flavor. 🍫
Unsalted butter (room temperature) – Adds richness and tenderness. 🧈
Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cookie dough.
Large eggs – Binds the dough and adds moisture. 🥚
Vanilla extract – Enhances flavor. 🌿
Sour cream – The secret ingredient for incredible softness and a slight tang. 🥛

For the Frosting:

Unsalted butter (room temperature) – For a creamy, rich frosting. 🧈
Vanilla extract – Enhances frosting flavor. 🌿
Powdered sugar – Sweetens and thickens the frosting.
Unsweetened cocoa powder – For chocolate frosting. 🍫
Heavy cream – Adjusts frosting consistency and adds richness. 🥛
Sprinkles – For a fun, festive finish! 🎉

🍪 How to Make Chocolate Lofthouse Cookies

For the Cookies:

Sift Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, sift together 5 cups of all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, and 3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Set aside. 🥣
Cream Butter & Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat room temperature unsalted butter and granulated sugar at medium speed for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy. 🧈
Add Wet Ingredients: Add eggs one at a time, beating until incorporated after each. Beat in vanilla extract and sour cream on low speed until just combined. 🥚
Combine & Chill Dough: Gradually add the sifted flour mixture to the wet ingredients, beating until just combined. The dough should be pliable; if too sticky, add up to 1 cup more flour, 1/4 cup at a time, until it reaches a rollable consistency. Divide the dough into two sections, flatten into disks, wrap with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or overnight. ❄️⏱️
Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats. 🔥
Roll & Cut: Dust a work surface and rolling pin with a mixture of flour and cocoa powder. Roll the chilled dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets. 🍪
Bake & Cool: Bake for 7-8 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. ⏱️

For the Frosting:

Beat Butter & Vanilla: In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat room temperature unsalted butter and vanilla extract until smooth. 🧈
Sift & Add Dry: In a medium bowl, sift together powdered sugar and unsweetened cocoa powder. Gradually beat this mixture into the butter until well incorporated and smooth. 🥣
Add Cream: Add heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the frosting reaches your desired consistency. 🥛
Frost & Serve: Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost them generously and add sprinkles. For best flavor development, place the frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature overnight before serving. 🎉

💡 Tips for Success

Chill Time is Crucial: Don’t skip the chilling step! It makes the dough easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Don’t Overbake: These cookies are meant to be soft. Bake just until the edges are set and the centers are still slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure butter, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature for a smooth, well-combined dough and frosting.
Dusting Mix: Using a flour and cocoa powder mixture for dusting your work surface and rolling pin prevents the chocolate dough from looking dusty.

🆘 Cookie Troubleshooting Guide

Problem: Cookies are hard or dry.

Likely Cause: Overbaking, or too much flour.
Solution: Reduce baking time by a minute or two. Ensure you measure flour accurately, preferably by weight. Overmixing can also lead to tough cookies.

Problem: Cookies spread too much.

Likely Cause: Dough not chilled enough, butter too soft, or too little flour.
Solution: Ensure the dough is thoroughly chilled (6-8 hours or overnight). Make sure your butter is at room temperature but not melted. If the dough is still too sticky after chilling, add a little more flour.

Problem: Frosting is grainy.

Likely Cause: Powdered sugar not sifted, or not beaten long enough.
Solution: Always sift your powdered sugar before adding it to the frosting. Beat the frosting for several minutes until it’s completely smooth and fluffy.

👩‍🍳 Pro Chef Tips

Halving the Recipe: This recipe makes a large batch. If you need fewer cookies, you can easily halve the recipe. For eggs, you can whisk one egg and use half of it.
Make Ahead Dough: The cookie dough can be made ahead and stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
Festive Shapes: Use holiday-themed cookie cutters for different occasions (hearts for Valentine’s, stars for Christmas, etc.).

☕ Perfect Pairings: What to Enjoy with Your Chocolate Lofthouse Cookies

Cold Milk: A classic and comforting pairing that highlights the chocolate and creamy frosting. 🥛
Coffee: A hot cup of coffee or a latte complements the rich chocolate flavor beautifully.
Hot Chocolate: For the ultimate chocolate indulgence, serve with a rich hot chocolate.
Peppermint Tea: A refreshing peppermint tea can provide a lovely contrast to the sweetness.

📦 How to Store

Room Temperature: Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. The flavors develop beautifully overnight.
Freezing: Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Thaw and frost when ready to serve. Frosted cookies can also be frozen, but the frosting texture might change slightly upon thawing.

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Prep Time 30 mins

Cook Time 7 mins

Rest Time 7 hrs

Total Time 7 hrs 37 mins

Cooking Method: Baking

Cuisine: Cakes & Bakes

Courses: Dessert

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Temp: 220 C

Estimated Cost: 10

Best Season: All Seasons

Description

Chocolate Lofthouse Cookies are thick, soft, and adorable, with a rich cocoa taste. These homemade cookies are a superior version of the classic frosted sugar cookies, offering a delightful chocolate twist and a melt-in-your-mouth texture. Perfect for any occasion, especially when customized with festive shapes and sprinkles.

Ingredients

For the Cookies:

6 cups all purpose flour, divided, plus more for rolling
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
3/4 cup cocoa powder, unsweetened, plus more for rolling
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 cup)
2 cups granulated sugar
3 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups sour cream

For the Frosting:

2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (1 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/4 cups powdered sugar, or more to taste
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
6 tablespoons heavy cream
Sprinkles

Instructions

For the Cookies:

1
In a medium bowl, sift 5 cups of the flour, the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cocoa powder.
2
In the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and granulated sugar at medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, until incorporated. Add the vanilla and sour cream and beat on low speed until combined. Gradually add the flour mixture and beat until just combined. The dough should be pliable consistency for rolling, so add additional flour, about 1/4 cup at a time, until pliable (up to 1 cup more flour). Divide the dough into two sections and flatten each into disks. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 6 to 8 hours or overnight.
3
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking mats.
4
Dust a work surface and rolling pin with a mixture of flour and cocoa powder. Roll the dough out to 1/4-inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round cookie cutter, cut out circles and transfer to a baking sheet.
5
Bake for 7-8 minutes. Immediately transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

For the Frosting:

6
In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and vanilla. In a medium bowl sift together the powdered sugar and cocoa powder. Gradually beat in the sugar mixture until well incorporated and smooth. Add in heavy cream, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
7
Once the cookies have cooled completely, frost and add sprinkles. Place the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature overnight before serving to allow the flavors to develop.

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