Gluten Free Lofthouse Frosted Sugar Cookies

Soft, thick, and covered in creamy frosting and rainbow sprinkles. That’s what these gluten free lofthouse frosted sugar cookies are all about.

I spent a lot of time getting this recipe just right, because these cookies need to have that specific pillowy, almost fluffy texture. And I’m happy to say this version nails it.

Everything in the recipe is gluten free, but the taste and texture are exactly what you’d expect from the classic version. Your friends and family won’t even notice.

The dough comes together quickly and only needs about an hour in the fridge before you can shape and bake the cookies. After that, it’s just frosting and sprinkles.

This is a great recipe to make with kids or to bring to a gathering where everyone can enjoy them. Simple ingredients, easy steps, and a result that always impresses.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Perfectly Soft and Cakey – These cookies bake up pillow-soft with a melt-in-your-mouth texture that rivals any bakery Lofthouse cookie.

No One Will Know They Are Gluten Free – The sour cream keeps them so tender that even gluten-loving friends will not taste the difference.

That Iconic Frosting Is Everything – The thick and creamy vanilla frosting with rainbow sprinkles gives these cookies that classic grocery store look and taste.

Ingredients

For the Cookies

• 2 3/4 cups Gluten Free 1:1 Flour Blend
• 1 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Fine Sea Salt
• 3/4 cup Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 1 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1 large Egg
• 2 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• 1/4 cup Sour Cream

For the Frosting

• 3 cups Powdered Sugar
• 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter (softened)
• 3 tbsp Whole Milk
• 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
• Rainbow Sprinkles (for topping)

How to Make

Step 1

Whisk together the gluten free flour blend, baking powder, and fine sea salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the egg and vanilla extract until combined, then mix in the sour cream until smooth.

Step 3

Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks remaining. The dough will be slightly sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm enough to handle.

Step 4

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 1 1/2-tablespoon balls and place them about 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each ball to about 1/2-inch thickness using the bottom of a drinking glass.

Step 5

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until the edges are barely set but the tops still look pale and soft. Do not let them brown at all. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet.

Step 6

While the cookies cool, make the frosting by beating together the powdered sugar, softened butter, milk, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until smooth and creamy. If the frosting is too thick, add milk a teaspoon at a time until spreadable.

Step 7

Spread a generous layer of frosting on each cooled cookie and immediately scatter rainbow sprinkles on top. Let the frosting set for about 20 minutes before serving.

My Tips

Chill the Dough Long Enough

One hour in the fridge is the minimum, but if the dough still feels too sticky to roll into balls, give it another 30 minutes. Gluten free dough tends to be stickier than regular dough, so it really needs that chill time to firm up.

If you try to shape the cookies while the dough is still soft and sticky, they’ll spread too much in the oven and come out flat and thin instead of thick and cakey like Lofthouse cookies should be.

If you’re in a rush, you can pop the bowl in the freezer for about 25 minutes instead. Just check on it so it doesn’t get too hard.

Flatten Them the Right Way

When you press the dough balls down with the bottom of a glass, lightly grease or dampen the glass first. Gluten free dough is sticky and will cling to the glass if you don’t.

Press them to about 1/2-inch thick and no thinner. These cookies barely spread in the oven, so whatever shape you press them into is basically what you’ll get after baking. If you flatten them too much, they’ll be thin and crispy instead of soft and puffy.

Pull Them Out Before They Look Done

This is the most important part. Take the cookies out when the edges are just barely set and the tops still look slightly underdone and pale. They should not have any browning at all, not even on the bottom edges.

They’ll look like they need another couple of minutes, but they don’t. They finish setting up as they cool on the baking sheet. If you wait until they look fully baked in the oven, they’ll end up dry and crumbly once they cool.

Gluten free cookies go from perfect to overbaked really fast, so start checking at the 9-minute mark.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Classic Sugar Cookies
• Gluten Free Soft Baked Funfetti Cookies
• Gluten Free Glazed Lemon Cookies
• Gluten Free Soft Snickerdoodle Cookies
• Gluten Free Funfetti Birthday Cake

FAQ

Can I use a different gluten free flour blend?

This recipe works best with a gluten free 1:1 baking flour blend because it already contains xanthan gum, which helps the cookies hold together and stay soft. Brands like Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 or King Arthur Measure for Measure are great options.

If your blend doesn’t include xanthan gum, you’ll want to add about 1/2 teaspoon to the dry ingredients or the cookies may spread too much and turn crumbly.