The Little Bagel House

These soft and fluffy sourdough lofthouse sugar cookies are everything I want in a frosted sugar cookie: buttery, sweet, tender, and covered in creamy vanilla buttercream and colorful sprinkles. They have that soft, almost cake-like texture that makes those cookies so hard to resist, but they’re made from scratch with sourdough discard.

Sugar cookies have always been one of my favorite desserts, and I have a very specific kind of sugar cookie in mind when I think about them: those soft, frosted cookies you find at the grocery store with the frosting and sprinkles that change with every holiday.

I remember having them in elementary school when someone would bring them in for a class celebration. The frosting would always match the season, and I was so excited whenever I saw them. There was just something about those soft cookies covered in colorful frosting and sprinkles that felt like a special treat.

So when I started developing these cookies, I wanted to make my own version—but better.

And, of course, I wanted to find a way to use some of my sourdough discard, too.

These sourdough Lofthouse-style cookies have that same soft, tender texture I love, but they taste homemade instead of overly sweet or artificial. They’re buttery and lightly sweet, with a creamy vanilla buttercream and just enough sprinkles to give them that little bit of crunch.

They’re also especially fun around the holidays because you can change the frosting color and sprinkles for literally any occasion.

Why Make Sugar Cookies With Sourdough Discard?

If you have a sourdough starter, you probably know how quickly discard can pile up. I love finding recipes where the discard isn’t just something you’re trying to use up, but actually becomes part of what makes the recipe special.

The sourdough discard adds a subtle depth of flavor to these cookies without making them taste like sourdough bread. I use discard that’s up to about three days old and has a pleasant, wheaty smell rather than a very acidic one. If you use older discard, it may give a more unpleasant, sour flavor to the cookies.

You also have the option of refrigerating the dough before baking if you want a little more sourdough flavor, but it isn’t necessary for the recipe to work.

What Makes These Cookies So Soft?

The texture was one of the most important things I wanted to get right with this recipe.

I use both sour cream and cornstarch to create that incredibly soft and tender texture. The combination gives these cookies the fluffy, almost cake-like quality that makes Lofthouse cookies so recognizable.

And one ingredient I wouldn’t skip is all-purpose flour. I tested the recipe with this specifically in mind, and all-purpose flour is essential for getting the texture I wanted.

The cookies also don’t spread very much in the oven, so you have a lot of control over the final size and thickness. This is actually something I learned while testing the recipe: I originally rolled them thicker, but they rise quite a bit, so I found that rolling them thinner gave me the result I was looking for.

Ingredients You’ll Need

For the Cookies

All-purpose flour: This is important for the texture of these cookies, so I recommend sticking with all-purpose flour.

Sourdough discard: You don’t need an active starter for this recipe. Discard is perfect, and I like using discard that’s up to about three days old.

Butter: Softened unsalted butter gives the cookies their rich, buttery flavor.

Granulated sugar: Just enough to make the cookies sweet without making them overwhelmingly sugary.

Sour cream: One of the ingredients that helps give these cookies their soft, tender texture.

Cornstarch: This is my other secret for getting that soft Lofthouse-style texture.

Baking powder and baking soda: These help the cookies rise and become light and fluffy.

Vanilla and almond extract: Vanilla gives the cookies their classic flavor, while a little almond extract adds another layer of flavor. The almond extract is optional, but I really like it.

For the Buttercream

The frosting is a simple vanilla buttercream made with powdered sugar, butter, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. You can leave it white, tint it any color you like, and then finish everything with your favorite sprinkles.

This is where you can really make these cookies your own.

Pink frosting and red sprinkles for Valentine’s Day, pastel colors for Easter, orange and black for Halloween, or red and green for Christmas—the possibilities are endless.

How to Make Sourdough Lofthouse Cookies

1. Cream the butter and sugar

Start by beating the softened butter and granulated sugar together until smooth, light, and creamy.

Add the vanilla and almond extracts and beat until combined. Then beat in the sour cream and sourdough discard until everything is incorporated.

Don’t worry if the mixture looks a little curdled or separated at this point. Once the dry ingredients are added, it will come together.

2. Add the dry ingredients

Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt directly into the bowl.

Use a spatula to gently fold everything together until you have a soft, uniform dough. Try not to overmix—the goal is simply to get rid of the dry streaks of flour.

Depending on the hydration of your sourdough discard, your dough may be a little stickier than expected. If that happens, a little extra flour is all you need to make it easier to work with.

3. Roll and cut

Lightly flour your work surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ inch thick.

I recommend erring on the thinner side because these cookies a lot in the oven. They don’t spread much, so cut them close to the size you want the finished cookies to be.

Use a round cookie cutter to cut the dough and transfer the cookies to a parchment-lined baking sheet.

If your dough feels too soft or sticky to roll out, place it in the refrigerator for about 20–30 minutes before continuing.

4. Bake

Bake the cookies at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

You want the tops to look set while the bottoms are just beginning to turn lightly golden. Don’t wait for the cookies to become deeply golden all over. Lofthouse-style cookies should stay soft and fairly pale.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Make the vanilla buttercream

While the cookies cool, make the frosting.

Beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually add the powdered sugar. Mix in the milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt and beat until the frosting is light and fluffy.

You can add a few drops of food coloring if you’d like to make your cookies match a holiday or celebration.

One little frosting tip I learned while testing: make sure your butter isn’t too cold. If your buttercream looks grainy, the butter may simply be too cold. A quick 3-second trip to the microwave followed by another mix can help bring it back together.

6. Frost and decorate

Once the cookies are completely cool, spread a generous layer of buttercream over the top.

Then comes my favorite part: the sprinkles!

Add your favorite sprinkles while the frosting is still soft so they stick. The sprinkles add the perfect little crunch against the soft cookie and creamy frosting.

My Tips for the Best Sourdough Lofthouse Cookies

Don’t roll them too thick. These cookies rise quite a bit, so thinner dough gives you that classic Lofthouse-style shape and texture.

Use all-purpose flour. This recipe was specifically developed around all-purpose flour, and it’s important for the final texture.

Don’t worry if your discard makes the dough sticky. Sourdough discard can vary in hydration. If your dough is a little too sticky to roll, add a small amount of flour until it’s workable.

Don’t overbake them. The cookies should remain soft and pale. The bottoms should only just begin turning golden.

Use softened butter for the frosting. Cold butter can make the buttercream look grainy rather than smooth and fluffy.

Have fun with the decorations. This is one of those recipes that can be changed for every holiday just by switching up the frosting color and sprinkles.

Can I Let the Dough Ferment?

Yes! This is completely optional.

You can wrap the dough and refrigerate it if you’d like to develop a little more sourdough flavor. However, you don’t need to ferment the dough for the recipe to work.

Since this recipe uses sourdough discard rather than active starter as the primary leavening, there’s no need to wait for the dough to rise before rolling and baking.

Can I Use Active Sourdough Starter?

I developed this recipe using sourdough discard, so that’s what I recommend using. You don’t need an active, bubbly starter for these cookies. (but you can use it)

How Long Does Sourdough Discard Last for This Recipe?

I recommend using discard that’s up to about 3 days old and smells pleasantly wheaty rather than strongly acidic.

Why Are My Cookies Sticky?

The consistency of sourdough discard can vary quite a bit depending on its hydration. If your discard is thinner, your cookie dough may also be a little stickier.

If you have trouble rolling or cutting the dough, Sprinkle a little extra flour on the top of the dough and on the surface below it. You may also refrigerate the dough for 20–30 minutes to make it easier to handle.

Can I Freeze These Cookies?

Yes! You can freeze the baked cookies and make the frosting once you’re ready to serve them.

You can also flash-freeze the shaped cookie dough and then transfer the frozen pieces to a gallon-sized freezer bag. The shaped dough can be kept frozen for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to bake, bake them as you normally would.

How Should I Store Sourdough Lofthouse Cookies?

Store the finished cookies at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For the best texture, keep them in an airtight container so the cookies stay soft and the frosting stays fresh.

A Special Thank You to My Recipe Testers!

A huge thank you to my wonderful recipe testers who took the time to make these sourdough Lofthouse cookies! Your feedback, time, and effort helped me perfect this recipe. I’m so grateful for your support and for helping me make my recipes the best they can be! ❤️