Sink your teeth into these mouth watering Lofthouse Sugar Cookies. They're fluffy, puffy clouds of sweetness topped with smooth frosting and colorful sprinkles.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream sugar, butter, and shortening until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes on medium-high. Add vanilla extract, almond extract, and the whole egg. Mix, then add the egg white and mix until combined.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. With mixing speed on low, gradually add dry ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Place dough in an airtight container and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or a Silpat baking mat, and set aside.
Using a large cookie scoop (#20-approximately 3½ tbsp.), create balls of dough, and lightly roll them on a floured surface so that they cover the ball of dough completely. Press each ball of dough flat with the bottom of a glass so that it is ½" thick and about 2½" wide. Place 6 cookies onto each prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake for 10-11 minutes (the cookies will still look soft in the centers, do not overbake) or until the cookies become firm on the edges. Remove and allow to cool for 3 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
To Make the Frosting
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, cream butter until it becomes light and smooth. Add salt, food coloring, 2 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla. With mixing speed on low, gradually add powdered sugar. Once the powdered sugar is incorporated, bring the mixing speed up to high and beat for 2 minutes. Add more milk to reach the desired consistency. Frost onto cooled cookies and top with desired sprinkles.
Notes
Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them fresh.
Cookies can be made smaller using a standard-size scoop, which will most likely yield 24 cookies (2 dozen). Baking time should be the same.
The cookie dough can be rolled out to 1/2" thick and cut with cookie cutters; just note that ones with small details may not turn out the best.
To STORE Lofthouse Sugar Cookies, keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-5 days to prevent drying out. The dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 weeks, covered, but if left longer than 3 hours, let it soften slightly before scooping.For longer storage, FREEZE the dough in 2½ inch logs wrapped in plastic wrap and tinfoil for 9-12 months. When ready to bake, slice the logs into ½-inch thick cookies. Unfrosted cookies can be frozen in an airtight bag for about 3 months. Defrost them in the fridge and then bring them to room temperature on the counter, with the bag opened to avoid condensation.