Healthier Lofthouse Cookies Recipe
These homemade healthier copycat Lofthouse sugar cookies are soft, cakey, and topped with a simple buttercream. They're lightened up with oat flour, coconut sugar, and Greek yogurt, with a gluten-free option too. Better than the real thing; trust me!
Ingredients
The Cookies:
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 cup oat flour, spooned & leveled
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup coconut sugar, blended into powder
- 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ⅓ cup coconut oil, room temperature
- ⅓ cup Greek yogurt, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
The Buttercream Frosting:
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups powdered sugar
- pinch of salt
- Small splash of non-dairy milk, if necessary, start with 1/2 tablespoon
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together all dry ingredients (all-purpose flour, oat flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt).
- Create "powdered sugar" with coconut sugar by blending it in a blender on high for 15-30 seconds until it becomes a powder. Don't skip this step!
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and powdered coconut sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl with each addition of ingredients.
- Add coconut oil and Greek yogurt, beating until combined. Then, add the egg and vanilla, beating until just combined. Scrape the bowl sides with a spatula.
- Add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Fold in the last bit with a rubber spatula, ensuring not to over-mix the dough.
- Remove the dough, flatten it into a disk, cover it with plastic wrap, and chill for 1 hour or up to overnight.
- When the dough is ready, preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Lightly flour the surface and roll the dough out to about ¼ - ½ inch thick. Cut with a 2-inch circle cookie cutter (or any desired shape).
- Bake at 350°F for 7 - 8 minutes until just baked; they will look puffed up and a little underdone. Do not overbake. Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack.
- For the buttercream, beat the butter for 5-10 minutes until lighter in color and fluffy. Optionally, use 3 tbsp of solid coconut oil and 3 tbsp of butter to lighten the cookies further. Add powdered sugar and beat until combined, fluffy, and easily spreadable. Optionally, add food coloring. Add a splash of milk if necessary to achieve the desired consistency.
- Frost each cooled cookie with buttercream and decorate with sprinkles. Enjoy your healthy Lofthouse copycat cookies!
Notes
Chilling Dough: Don’t skip the chilling step. It firms up the dough and ensures that the cookies are thick and pillowy. If you skip the chilling process, your Lofthouse cookies will be flat.
Cookie Shapes: I used a 2-inch circle for these cookies, but feel free to use any similar size shape. Try a heart, a Christmas tree, a bunny, a Gingerbread man, or whatever fun shape you want.
Creative Decorating: Feel free to experiment with different food coloring for the buttercream and various sprinkle combinations to add a personalized touch to your cookies.
All-Purpose Flour: Substitute all-purpose flour with a white whole wheat or 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend if you want a gluten-free option. Do not use coconut or almond flour!
Coconut Sugar: Swap coconut sugar with brown or granulated sugar for a more traditional sweetness.
Butter: You can use vegan butter sticks for a dairy-free option or swap it with more solid coconut oil.
Coconut Oil: Use an equal amount of unsalted butter or vegan butter.
Greek Yogurt: Substitute Greek yogurt with plain yogurt, sour cream, or even applesauce for a dairy-free option.
Freezing Dough: You can freeze the cookie dough for later use. Shape the dough into a disk, wrap it tightly in plastic, and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months; thaw in the refrigerator before rolling and baking.
Storing: Store frosted cookies in a single layer or separated by parchment paper in an airtight container to prevent sticking for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
Calories: 241kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 14g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 34mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 78mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g | Vitamin A: 287IU | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 1mg
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