Soft Batch Sugar Cookies (Veganized Copycat Lofthouse Cookies)
You know those iconic grocery store sugar cookies with thick frosting and cheerful sprinkles? These are those, just veganized and way tastier. These Soft Batch Sugar Cookies are thick, pillowy, and practically melt in your mouth. They’re frosted with a creamy, slightly tangy vanilla-lemon icing that gives them that perfect bakery-style bite.
These cookies are ideal for birthdays, holidays, or when you just need a little nostalgic comfort. They do need some chill time (sorry), but the dough is easy to work with, and the final result is worth every minute. Trust me, your non-vegan friends won’t even guess.
Before you get started
Have all your ingredients at room temperature before you start. Soft butter, room-temp sour cream, and prepped vegan eggs make mixing smoother. You’ll need to set aside at least 8 hours for chilling, so plan ahead if you’re baking for a specific event.
Use a sharp knife when slicing the chilled dough log to get clean, even rounds. Keep a close eye while baking: overbaking dries them out fast. And don’t forget to fully cool the cookies before frosting: otherwise the icing will just slide right off. You don’t want a cookie tragedy.
What You Need To Make Soft Batch Sugar Cookies
You’ll find the exact amounts in the recipe card below. Here’s what you’ll need for these dreamy, bakery-style treats.
The dough starts with vegan eggs, all-purpose flour, baking powder, and baking soda for lift. You’ll mix that with softened vegan butter, cane sugar, vanilla, and vegan sour cream to keep the texture soft and tender.
For the frosting, you’ll combine vegan butter, vegan cream cheese, vanilla extract, a touch of lemon extract, sea salt, and lots of sifted confectioners sugar. Sprinkles are optional but highly recommended for full copycat Lofthouse vibes.
How To Make Soft Batch Sugar Cookies
Start by preparing your vegan eggs and letting them sit for a few minutes. Mix your dry ingredients in one bowl: flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla, vegan eggs, and sour cream, and mix until everything is smooth and creamy.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients, one cup at a time, until fully combined. On a floured surface, form the dough into a 12-inch log that’s about 2 to 2 ½ inches thick. Wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 425 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the chilled dough into ⅓-inch-thick cookies, place on the baking sheet with space between, and bake for 5 to 6 minutes until the bottoms are just golden. Let them cool completely.
For the frosting, cream together butter and vegan cream cheese, then add vanilla, lemon extract, salt, and confectioners sugar gradually until smooth. Adjust the consistency as needed. Frost the cooled cookies and top with sprinkles if you like. Store in the fridge for freshness or serve at room temp once the frosting is set.
FAQs
Can I skip the chill time?
Not really. The chill helps the dough firm up and hold shape while baking. Without it, your cookies may spread too much.
Do I have to use vegan sour cream?
Yes, it’s what gives these cookies their soft, tender texture. If you don’t have it, vegan Greek-style yogurt might work in a pinch.
Can I freeze the dough?
Definitely. Just wrap the log tightly in plastic wrap and freeze it. Thaw it in the fridge overnight before slicing and baking.
How long do they stay fresh?
Up to 4 days in the fridge. For gatherings, let them come to room temp before serving so the frosting isn’t too firm.
What can I use instead of lemon extract?
You can leave it out or replace it with a little more vanilla. The lemon just gives a subtle brightness to the frosting.
Soft Batch Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 vegan eggs Bob’s Red Mill, Egg Replacer, EnerG, etc
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- 1 cup organic granulated cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup vegan sour cream
For the frosting:
- 1/2 cup vegan butter
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon lemon extract
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- 4 cups organic confectioners sugar plusmore as needed
- Vegan sprinkles optional
Instructions
- For the cookies, prepare the vegan eggs and set aside for at least 5 minutes. Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream together butter and sugar 2 to 3 minutes on medium speed. Add vanilla, vegan eggs, and sour cream. Mix until well combined.
- Slowly add dry ingredients with the wet, a cup at a time, until well combined. Transfer the dough to a clean surface dusted with flour and shape into a log that is 12 inches long and 2- 2 ½ inches in diameter. Roll on the surface to create the log shape and smooth out the sides. Wrap with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees and line baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the chilled dough from the plastic wrap and place it on a floured surface. Slice into ⅓-inch-thick rounds, taking care to maintain their shape.
- Arrange the slices on a baking sheet, spacing them at least an inch apart. Bake for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. Keep a close watch to prevent overbaking. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and allow them to cool completely before frosting.
- For the frosting, use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or mix by hand to cream together the butter and cream cheese. Add the vanilla, lemon, salt, and confectioners’ sugar, one cup at a time, mixing until smooth and the desired consistency is reached. If the frosting is too thin, add more sugar until desired consistency is reached. If the frosting becomes too thick, thin it out with a small amount of nondairy milk.
- Frost the cooled cookies and top with vegan sprinkles, if using. I like to keep these stored in the fridge for optimal freshness but you can leave them out at room temperature if you prefer, and also when serving for a gathering, you just want to be sure the frosting is firm enough to stay out at room temperature.