Frosted Lofthouse-Style Peanut Butter Chip Cookies — Similar to Lofthouse Soft-Frosted Sugar Cookies, but these are for peanut butter fans! I added peanut butter and frosted them with peanut butter buttercream.
Frosted Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
I’ve been wanting to make these peanut butter sugar cookies for years. I just couldn’t quite nail them until now. I finally got the loosely defined recipe from my brain into a reality that could go into my stomach.
They’re buttery soft, tender, and worth the wait. Without a doubt, one of my favorite cookies on my blog to date.
If you’re not familiar, Lofthouse Cookies are the incredibly soft cookies sold in grocery store bakeries, with a signature layer of frosting and sprinkles. So good, so soft, and the frosting hooks me in for bite after bite.
My cookies are very similar to the real deal, but slightly less cakey, with just a touch more chewiness. They’re light, without being airy or crumbly. Nice and moist because I loathe dry, crumbly anything.
There’s no shortage of internet recipes for Lofthouse copycat versions for the classic soft sugar cookies, but I wanted to create a peanut butter-flavored soft sugar cookie. I kept toying with the idea of adding peanut butter, but that would weigh the cookies down, and they’re known for being lighter and soft.
So instead of peanut butter in the dough, the cookies get their peanut butter flavor from both peanut butter chips and peanut butter frosting. Melty peanut butter chips, peanut butter buttercream, and soft cookies that melt in your mouth. Check. And lace up those running shoes.
The cookies are easy to make and make a modest baker’s dozen. Most recipes I’ve seen for Lofthouse Cookies yield about 5 dozen, use 3 eggs (difficult to halve odd numbers of eggs), and use 5 or 6 cups of flour.
Whoa, no thanks. I love Lofthouse Cookies, but I want to be able to fit in my clothes. So in general, smaller-batch recipes are better for us.
The recipe calls for cake flour. Normally I shy away from using anything you may not have on hand, but in this recipe, it’s irreplaceable and creates a classic soft, light, airy Lofthouse-style cookie. You can buy it in any grocery store baking aisle, Target, or other big box stores. It’s $3 and you can make these cookies with it, too.
I also added cornstarch. It’s a true workhorse in cookie-baking because it helps create a super soft and supple texture. I’ve used it in at least 15 cookie recipes, including Soft and Puffy Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Cookies, M&M’s Cookies, Snickers Cookies, Twix Bar Cookies, Caramel Corn Chocolate Chip Cookies, and S’mores Cookies. You’ll love the softbatch-style results.
After the soft, sticky dough comes together, scoop it into mounds and chill your dough — no exceptions — so your cookies back up thicker and don’t spread into pancakes.
The peanut butter chips add texture and flavor, and because I used one bag for just 13 cookies, every cookie is amply dotted with chips. The peanut butter frosting is soft, fluffy, creamy, and buttery. It’s dangerously good. Hide the spoons.
It’s a good thing the batch size is small because I had to hide them from myself. They were that good. Most things I make I have one or two, and donate the rest. I hoarded these.
They’re going to be a tough act to follow.
What’s in Peanut Butter Chip Cookies?
To make these frosted peanut butter sugar cookies, you’ll need:
- Egg
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Vanilla extract
- Cake flour
- Cornstarch
- Baking powder and baking soda
- Salt
- Peanut butter baking chips
- Creamy peanut butter
- Confectioners’ sugar
- Cream or milk
- Chocolate sprinkles (optional)
How to Make Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
Add the egg, butter, sugars, and vanilla to a large bowl and cream together until light and fluffy. Then, add in the dry ingredients and beat until just incorporated. Gently fold in the peanut butter chips last.
Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds. Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
Once the cookie dough has chilled, bake until the edges have set and the tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool.
Let the peanut butter chip cookies cool completely before frosting.
How to Make Peanut Butter Frosting
This is such an easy peanut butter frosting recipe! Simply combine the butter and peanut butter to a large bowl and beat until light and fluffy (it’ll take about 3 minutes).
Slowly add in the sugar and salt and beat until the frosting comes together. You may need to add a splash of cream or milk to loosen it up a bit.
Add a generous dollop of peanut butter frosting to each cooled cookie, then top with sprinkles. This is the BEST sugar cookie frosting, you’re going to love it!
Can I Use a Cake Flour Substitute?
Yes! A makeshift DIY version of cake flour can be achieved by measuring out 1 cup all-purpose flour, removing 2 tablespoons of it, and in its place, add 2 tablespoons cornstarch. Then, sift the flour and cornstarch together at least 3 times for that ultra-fine, soft texture that cake flour is known for.
Do I Have to Chill the Cookie Dough?
Yes, you MUST chill the cookie dough. Do not bake with warm dough because the peanut butter sugar cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
Tips for Making Peanut Butter Chip Cookies
For the easy sugar cookie frosting, you’ll need to use a traditional peanut butter brand like Jif or Skippy. Don’t use homemade or natural peanut butter because they’ll cause the frosting to separate.
Note that there are no substitutions for the cornstarch or cake flour. You can make the DIY cake flour I mentioned above, but that’s about it.
These peanut butter chip cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I’m okay with leaving buttercream frosting at room temperature for a couple days, but if you aren’t, refrigerate the cookies, knowing they’ll dry out more.
Pin This Recipe
Lofthouse-Style Soft Peanut Butter Chip Sugar Cookies with Peanut Butter Frosting
Similar to Lofthouse Soft-Frosted Sugar Cookies, but these are for peanut butter fans! I added peanut butter and frosted them with peanut butter buttercream.
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups cake flour (no substitutions, I used Swans Down
- 2 teaspoons cornstach
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- one 10-ounce bag Reese’s Peanut Butter Chips
Peanut Butter Frosting
- 1/3 cup creamy peanut butter (use Jif, Skippy, etc. Not homemade or natural PB because they’ll separate and so will the frosting)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (half of 1 stick), softened
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- pinch salt, optional and to taste
- splash cream or milk, if needed to achieve proper consistency (I used about 1 1/2 tablespoons cream)
- chocolate sprinkles, optional for garnishing
Instructions
For the Cookies:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), cream together the first 5 ingredients (through vanilla) on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes.
- Stop, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the next 5 ingredients (through optional salt), and mix on low speed until just incorporated, about 1 minute; don’t overmix.
- Add the peanut butter chips and mix until just incorporated. Dough will be on the sticky and tacky side.
- Using a medium 2-inch cookie scoop, form heaping two-tablespoon mounds (I made 13). Place mounds on a large plate, flatten mounds slightly, cover with plasticwrap, and refrigerate for at least 3 hours, or up to 5 days, before baking. Do not bake with warm dough because cookies will spread and bake thinner and flatter.
- Preheat oven to 350F, line a baking sheet with a Silpat or spray with cooking spray. Place mounds on baking sheet, spaced at least 2 inches apart (I bake 8 cookies per sheet) and bake for about 8 to 9 minutes, or until edges have set and tops are just beginning to set, even if slightly undercooked, pale and glossy in the center. Do not overbake because cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooking. Meanwhile, make the frosting.
For the Peanut Butter Frosting:
- To the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or large bowl and electric hand mixer), combine the peanut butter and butter, and beat on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Slowly add the sugar, optional salt, and mix until frosting comes together.
- Add a splash of cream or milk as necessary to achieve desired consistency.
- Add a generous dollop (about 2 tablespoons) to each cookie, and smooth it as desired with a knife or spatula.
- Optionally garnish with sprinkles. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Cookies will keep airtight at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. I’m okay with leaving buttercream frosting at room temperature for a couple days; if you aren’t, refrigerate the cookies, knowing they’ll dry out more.
- Unbaked cookie dough can be stored airtight in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or frozen for up to 4 months, so consider baking only as many cookies as desired and save the remaining dough to be baked in the future when desired.
More Peanut Butter Cookie Recipes:
Chocolate Frosted Peanut Butter Cookies — Easy, soft, and chewy cookies that are full of rich peanut butter flavor!! The frosting is light, fluffy, AMAZING, and my new favorite! You’ll want to eat it by the spoonful!!
Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies (GF) – My favorite ‘basic’ peanut butter cookies on my blog. My other favorites are in my book. There’s NO Flour, NO Butter, and NO White sugar used! Soft, chewy, and oozing with dark chocolate!
Easy 4-Ingredient Perfect Peanut Butter Cookies — These 4-ingredient peanut butter cookies are made with a secret ingredient…and lots of peanut butter, of course! These are so easy and fast to make!
Soft and Puffy Peanut Butter Coconut Oil Cookies – No butter used in these soft, tender cookies with dough so good you won’t even want to bake them.
Thick and Soft Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies – Richly and intensely chocolate-flavored cookies with NO Flour, NO Butter, and NO White sugar used. They’re thick, dense, soft, chewy and almost brownie-like!
Big Soft and Chewy Peanut Butter Crinkle Cookies — These soft peanut butter cookies are the peanut butter version of a molasses crinkle. They’re soft, supremely chewy, and have an old-fashioned peanut butter cookie flavor!
The BEST Flourless Peanut Butter Cookies — Soft, chewy and they’ll be your new fave PB cookies!! One bowl, no mixer, no butter, naturally gluten-free! Love it when something so easy tastes so amazing!!
I just made these and yum! I am planning to freeze some dough. Can I also freeze the frosting?
Frosting generally freezes decently well. Sometimes upon thawing it can be a little hard around the edges (not always) but if you can live with that, then yes go for it.
You lost me at “cake flour no substitutions”….I’m gluten intolerant :( I may try these anyway….
From a texture standpoint, rice flour and cake flour aren’t that far apart. However, from a performance/behavior standpoint, they are…so…you may not get the rise and lift, but if you’re used to GF baking, and have a fave baking blend and flour(s) combo that you use, try it. See what happens and LMK!
These are absolutely freaking amazing!!! One of the best cookies I’ve ever made…however, sadly most of them were stolen by my daughter’s boyfriend after he tasted one. So light and moist and peanut butter-tastic!
Thank you for your glowing field report and I AGREE! One of the best cookies Ive ever made and I’ve made literally hundreds of diff types. This is in the top 5. The boyf is a smart kid it sounds like :)
Just wanted to say these cookies are fabulous! I stumbled across this recipe in the fall and have now made them 4 times! They are constantly requested!! Also, every time I make them, I double the recipe and they turn out wonderful (just to respond to the above blogger & you)! Thank you for sharing such a tasty recipe :)
Thanks for trying them (four times!) and for doubling them! Glad they’re always a hit & constantly requested!
Just made these. WOW. I reallyappreciate the easy recipe. The only issue I had was with the frosting. I probably added too much cream because it was very dry and crumbly at first but it is still delicious! These are amazing! Thank you! :)
If the frosting was dry, that means you didn’t have enough liquid. So you’d want to add more to smooth it out, not less. But sounds like you figured it out and are happy! These are my fave cookies (tied with 1 other) on my blog!
well I meant I added cream because itwas dry, but probably too much. :) they’re a hit!
Frosting can be touchy based on butter, PB, brands & how oily they are; sugar brands, climates, etc. so just tinker until you get it how you like it is what I always say & sounds like you found the right balance :)
Do you think these would double okay? Even the cornstarch? I plan on making a double batch and freezing, then thawing and frosting around Christmas! Thanks in advance!
Well if you double a recipe, you have to double every ingredient on it – you can’t just cherry pick what to double and not, it’s all or nothing – so yes, cornstarch too.
However, I haven’t made a double batch. For my small family and given how rich these are, a single batch is all I’ve ever made at once. LMK if you try a double batch or how it goes. They’re perhaps my favorite cookie on my ENTIRE blog! :)
Am I the only one that has always thought that the Lofthouse cookies are ALWAYS dry and feel weird (too dry and flaky) in my mouth?? I’ll eat them, they taste ok, just always off on texture and mouth feel….
Every now and then I get a dry batch but as a matter of record, not really. I love them. But homemade with PB are even better!
I just made these tonight and wow they are sugary rich delicious! It’s funny because that frosting recipe is actually very close to a peanut butter balls recipe base that I use!
Thanks for trying them and your PB balls sound delish – anything close to that frosting recipe is going to be a keeper :)
Just made these–they are to die for! I ended up piping the frosting on, and it looks very nice. The cookies are so soft they melt in your mouth. The frosting is sooooo good, too. Thanks for another fantastic cookie recipe:) This is the fourth one I’ve made from your site. You are the cookie queen!
Thank you for making these and LMK you have made 3 other of my recipes and love them all – thank you!! :)
These cookies are probably my faves of 2013 and I make 1 new cookie recipe weekly. So that’s saying something. Piping the frosting on – smart girl, I bet it’s gorgeous! So glad you love these as much as I do!
These cookies are incredible! I couldn’t stop eating them! YUM!!!
Thanks for trying them and glad you love them – I am the same way with these cookies!
These look delicious. Those Lofthouse cookies are evil. Add in peanut butter flavor and this is dangerous to know about.
Av-
OK to steal a photo and share on my friday link roundup?
All credit is given of course.
XOXO!
A photo and linkback to my site for your usual Friday roundup – go for it! Thanks for checking first but totally fine :)
I made these last night. There are No. Words. So, so amazing. They are sitting in a container on my kitchen counter taunting me every time I walk by!
I am so happy you love them. They’re some of the best cookies I’ve ever made. I have a repeat/recreation of them coming next week :) Stay tuned!
Never tried a Lofthouse cookie–may never need to try one now ;) I totally agree about getting a chewier rather than cakier cookie–I will definitely not pass this one up!
Chewy trumps cakey any day!
These look like the ultimate PB Cookie! I can’t get PB Chips where I am :( will it be horrible if I use Choc Chips? It doesn’t feel right! Any suggestions?
They won’t taste as strongly like PB cookies without PB chips.I would either order them; use white choc chips, or use nothing.
these look AHHHHmazing! Oh my gosh. I can’t wait to make these…I am going to try to share these…but from the sounds and looks of it it is going to be hard!
Holy mother of pete, I want to jump into these pictures and devour all that goodness!! Amazing cookies Averie!!!
these were and are some of the best PB-based cookies I’ve ever made. loved them!
OMG that melty peanut buttterrrr-these look SOOO soft and buttery and just amazing. Mmmmmmm
They’re crazy good. So soft & buttery, yes!
Anything with peanut butter has got my name all over it. My mouth is watering just looking at these cookies, cant wait to give them a try.
Enjoy them and if you try the recipe, LMK!
these look SO good…I am actually heading to the store now to get some pb chips;) Just wanted to double check- there is no pb in the actual cookies themselves…just the chips and the frosting? just wanted to be sure! can’t wait to eat one…or seven;)
Correct. No PB in the cookies themselves (PB chips only) and then the frosting is made with actual PB, butter, and confect sugar. ENJOY! Please LMK how they go for you! Don’t overbake them and be sure they dough is chilled well before you do bake!
I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen anything more beautiful Averie! Lofthouse cookies are a personal favorite of mine and I never, EVER thought to pari peanut butter with them! You are such a cookie genius :) Pinned!
Oh my gosh, these are making me hungry! They look amazing! I cannot wait to try these:)
thanks Shannon!
I could sell my soul to have to those twinkle-twinkle cookies :) How adorable they look and how intensely they are begging, “Eat me!”
I love your humor. Thank you!! :)
I have never been able to convince my husband on those Lofthouse cookies (he thinks they’re boring!), but I think adding peanut butter to the mix would make him a believer. :)
Some of the best cookies I’ve ever made. And if they don’t make a believer out of him, there’s no chance. Trust me, they are insanely good.
These look like my absolute cookie dream come true! That frosting!!!
Thanks, Mercedes. Yes, it was amazing!
YUM! I just saw these in the store, but I think your version is better looking. I also saw raspberry lemonade too the other day. going to try this recipe soon, it looks amazing!!
Rasp lemonade sounds incredible! But PB will always win :)
these could easily become a new favorite! mmmm….that frosting!
Averie, I’m in total LOVE with these cookies! These are definitely going on my asap list to bake. (I think I might be able to have time to put them in the oven while I’m canning tomatoes on the stove…)
I love having cake flour for sure, but I love when you mentioned how everyone else can sub for that kind of texture. Besides, why does cake flour have to be so super expensive?!
Are you going to put these in a “Part 2” cookbook? (= You are always just so creative…and I love it!
I would love to write a Part 2 cookbook to PBComfort. I don’t know if that will ever happen but fun to think about.
Cake flour – it’s only like $3 bucks a box maybe? Not as cheap as AP but I only use King Arthur for my AP and my bread flour, so buying cake flour, ounce for ounce, really isn’t any different. Now the flour that IS expensive is whole wheat pastry flour or whole wheat graham flour as its called. When I made homemade graham crackers, a bag of that was like $9-10 bucks for maybe 3 lbs!
Those melty peanut butter chips look like my kind of heaven! These cookies look totally irresistible and delicious.
INSTANT AVERIE “CLASSIC”…There…I have only said what you are ALL thinking …sure of it!! Question…for all of you readers “across the pond”…would anyone of you gentle readers know if “Type 45” flour (in France) is the equivalent of cake flour?…If I can’t figure it out…I’ll go ahead and do the fabulous tip on converting AP flour to cake flour…by removing some flour and adding cornstarch!! Thank you so much for making this recipe a “save” …even if I cannot locate SoftAsSilk flour in France!
Hmm, I dont know exactly but I bet the answer exists on google. Slammed with emails today and dont have time to poke around for you but LMK what you come up with and enjoy these!! I love that you said they’re an instant Averie classic :)
Wow, just look at those cookies! Lofthouse cookies were always a guilty treat for me during high school. So much frosting, but so delicious. I can’t wait to try this PB version. And I like that you made your version a little chewier – that’s my kind of cookie!
Just a smidge chewier is preferred for me too!
Your cookies look too sinfully good!
You have so many gorgeous cookie recipes on your site and this one is a great addition! They look fabulous :)
My running shoes are laced because I’m ready for the entire batch! Love the PB frosting!
Thanks Laura – they’re so worth it!
I love that you made a peanut butter version of these! I’ve never really noticed it before, but I guess all Lofthouse Cookies are that same sugar cookie flavor. Which is incredible on its own, but I never thought about how good other flavors would be! Love these!
Yes they’re all the same, which is fine but PB is..better!
Those Lofthouse cookies are freakin’ amazing! I ‘m pinning this, printing it, and makin’ it!! Can’t.Wait.
Awesome!! Please LMK how they turn out and thanks for pinning!
Fantastic! These cookies are one of the few mass-produced cookies I actually crave once in a while. So I’m sure making them at home would be right up my alley. Plus, using peanut butter is a stroke of genius…
Everything is better with PB! And yes, sometimes the mass-produced things are just so tempting!
you had me a frosting
“at frosting” looks so good my hands and brain can’t focus
LOL! Glad you’re liking them!
Who doesn’t want soft chewing peanut butter cookies with frosting at 9am …. I do I do !!!
I think I’ve lamented over the amount of flour called for in most Lofthouse recipes – anything over 5 cups makes me twitchy. I love your recipe!! A bag of peanut butter chips never lasts long enough to be used for baking (I’ve gone through a bag in one day!) but I think I can summon enough will power to make these cookies!
I think you’ll love them! And yes to PB chips disappearing :) And anything over 2-3 cups flour makes me twitchy!!
lofthouse cookies remind me of highschool…I don’t know many people who don’t love them! and peanut butter?! YES! I am a nut (I know…ha) for peanut butter everything.
Well I wrote a cookbook with 100 PB recipes & keep on posting more PB recipes every month (NINE in August – whoops) so I am a nut too :)
These look so good that I just want to leave work right now to go home and make them! Holy cow! :)
Tell them it’s an emergency and you have to go home – to bake cookies :)
OMG yum!!!! You have the most amazingly delicious recipes! CANNOT WAIT to try these!!!! Thanks :-)
Thanks, Lucy! What a sweet thing to say!
Averie, you really know how to not just good cookies, but the best cookies. All the cookies in the post make m want to eat everything. You know how to lure us! I am losing self control looking at these cookies at this late hour. :)
Ohmygosh, Averie…these cookies look phenomenal! Buttery, soft and tender frosted cookies without being cake-like is a huge challenge. Glad you persevered to get them from your brain into reality so they could get into your stomach…and, ours! Thanks for sharing, girl!
soft and tender frosted cookies without being cake-like is a huge challenge <-- I know. It took me 2-3 yrs to finally come up with a recipe I am 100% in love with!
Look at that gooey center..loving this one. Then again you have the best cookies here. Pinning.
You’re so sweet! And thanks for the pin!
You have me drooling and I cannot even eat this stuff! But, I know a few who could! I love how soft these look and the layers of peanut butter and frosting? OMG! Yes, I DO know about Lofthouse cookies. Every now and then, my boys will beg me to buy some, usually around the holidays when they look like pumpkin, all frosted orange. We don’t usually get them because A) I prefer to always bake my own and B) there are way too many ingredients in there that I don’t want my boys ingesting! But, they are delicious and soft, that’s for sure! I just love your cookie recipes. I make so many of them all the time that I have lost track. It is a good thing I have food intolerances to cane sugar, dairy and gluten or I would be in trouble with all the baking I do! :-)
I cannot believe you can bake all you can, not even cheat and taste the dough or a cookie, and just happily pass them off to your family. You are a saint! And if your boys like LH cookies, then they are going to loooove these. The small-batch will be taken down by your crew in 24 hrs I predict :)
WOW! You always manage to make me want your cookies RIGHT NOW :) I love that these make a small batch.
Thanks, Jenn! Yes, small batch recipes are where it’s at for someone who bakes for a living like me :) Otherwise we’d be drowning in the stuff even more than we already are!
I LOVE loft house cookies! These sound amazing with a whole bag of chips in just a dozen cookies.
They were just perfect in them! :)
Your photos look amazing! I have been reading for awhile and I remember way back when you just started:)
Printed this recipe and a few others:) Always enjoy the teaser pics you showcase in addition to the main attraction! Keep up the excellent work!
Thanks for sticking with me over the years, Carol! And glad you’ve printed a few and like the teaser pics. It reminds people (myself included) what else I’ve made along those lines!
Oh My Words… I need to get cake flour… ASAP.
Do.it. ASAP! :)
These look awesome, Averie! LOVE the addition of frosting!
A few of these and I could barely see my feet to put running shoes on :) Ahhh what the hell!
Gerry they are so rich but worth every last mile needed. I am so picky after baking for a living, and with PB no less – so for me to really get excited over another cookie, takes some doing :)
Glad you finally went for it. Now I wanna sit in a loft & eat these cookies!
Easy to make – this is something that always motivates me to make cookies :D
Oh my word, I’m in LOVE with these! Can’t wait to try them out on my peanut butter lovin’ family!
Ok well if you do, please LMK what they say! :) I bet your crew can take down the batch in 1 day :)
Oh wow. I am seriously craving these cookies now! Gotta make them. Pinned! :)
thanks for pinning Stephanie! :)
I have never had Lofthouse cookies, but I do see the copycat recipes on pinterest all the time. Your peanut butter version sounds better than the original! What a treat… & I love a small batch recipe too. As a fellow food blogger, I’m always overrun with desserts! :)
Over-run isn’t even the word for me. Recipe testing for cookbooks and blog, it’s just…insane! YES to small batch recipes over here!
Oh my gosh I love you for making these with peanut butter frosting!
I loooove these. I think they’re one of my favorites of yours too! And I love the small batch – I’m trying to do that more because of the pants. They aren’t fitting! :)
The only way Lofthouse can be better is with peanut butter! I love how incredibly soft and moist they are! Pinned! :)
Thanks for pinning & I agree with your sentiments totally!
Wow Averie, those looks delicious. Your cookie recipes always look delicious!
Thanks Eric!
These look so fluffy and yummy and soft and mmmmmm. I need to make them!
These look absolutely delicious! The cookies look so soft and gooey and that peanut butter frosting! <3
The frosting was to-die-for :)
I’ve never tried Lofthouse cookies, but these look amazing! I think I’m having an official peanut butter crazing :)
Normally I watch my language in comments, but HOLY SHIT girl. Damn.
They were probably the best PB cookies Ive made and are on my blog and not in my book. They should be in my book! Since writing the book, I’ve made at least 10 diff PB cookies (not just PB desserts, but strictly PB cookies) and these def should have been the star of the cookie chapter of the book. Give this recipe to your mom, etc. TOTAL midwest, potluck food!
Oh my gosh Averie my mouth is watering! These look absolutely flawless. They look so soft and chewy and not crumbly at all, which is a common problem with typical pb cookies that always bothers me. I love how much pb you used! It’s great. I bet they have a beautiful and robust pb flavor. Sounds like my kind of cookies! ;)
I have missed your blog over the past 3 weeks. I just haven’t had time to read it or post on my own blog. I’ve been so sad. Reading your blog is one of my favorite parts of my day- besides eating of course ;) I finally got your cookbook for my birthday and I love it already! The photography alone is fantastic and obviously I’m digging the recipes. It’s my goal to make them all. I also started making my own pb and now I’m addicted to the wonderful stuff! It far surpasses store bought.
Welcome back and thanks for the nice comments on my posts today. And thanks for picking up my book and glad you’re loving it! If you try recipes, LMK how they go! And yes, homemade PB is incomparably good compared to storebought!
These look so good…..I can’t wait to try them! Pinning! :)
These look so soft, totally peanut buttery, and absolute delicious. I love the tip for DIY cake flour – it’s definitely not something I have on hand but would love to try using it at some point!
For a few bucks, I am inclined to buy it but if you’re feeling DIY-ish, go for it!
Oh wow, I may have to save this recipe for Christmas! I don’t think I could be trusted not to eat all of these, they sound amazing! Interesting to hear about the conflict.
At least it’s a small batch recipe!
Conflict?
I had no idea those delicious grocery store cookies had a name. I always just looked for a recipe for “frosted sugar cookies” to recreate them. This is a revelation!! Actually, a double revelation since now I don’t even have to look anymore for a recipe, since I can’t imagine I’d find one better than yours.
You’re so sweet, Nora!! And yes, they have a trade name: Lofthouse. But it’s like saying Kleenex. There are so many version of tissues out there :) But yes, I am super pleased with this recipe after years of trying to get it the way I finally wanted it!
so, how do i get you to ship some of these to my house… divine!
Get out. Oh my gosh. Lofthouse are pretty good but homemade lofthouse with PEANUT BUTTER?! Oh my. You are a superstar, Averie. These look absolutely incredible. I love the line about lacing up your running shoes because I think we would all need to do that after not being able to stay away from these. You’re such a great blogging inspiration. :)
They’re super filling and rich, thus the running shoes, but so worth it :)
Beautiful cookies! Pinning :)
Thanks for pinning!
The normal Lofthouse cookies make me melt. These peanut butter ones. Oh la la!
My thoughts exactly :)
These look awesome!
Thanks, Maria! :)
Averie, these cookies look super yummy! I always wanted to make the Lofthouse cookies, but these sound even better. Can’t wait to make them!
You’d love them if you like Lofthouse b/c the PB just takes them to another level!
Yes! I seriously love those cookies and have to prevent myself from buying them because I would eat all of them. Single handedly. I love the soft texture and sweet layer of icing. So good!
Now I can’t wait to make these! And peanut butter and chocolate? What could be better?
I don’t buy them either for the reasons you just said. They’re irresistible to me! The homemade version is the same though :) Lol
Oh wow, Averie! I normally do not like those baker cookies because they tend to be a little cake and way to sweet for my taste. Just sugar and vanilla is too much for me, but sugar vanilla and and peanut butter? Now that sounds incredible and these do not look cakey at all! These look doughy (I LOVE underdone cookies and pretty much all other desserts) moist and full of incredible peanut butter chips and frosting! I have never baked with cake flour, but I have always wanted to. I even have a bag a in the pantry, so I cannot wait to try it out! Such and amazing job on these! These are stunning and I could totally eat one for breakfast!
they tend to be a little cake <--- YES!!! The same thing can happen when baking pumpkin cookies, but I digress. Sugar cookies and pumpkin cookies, or anything that's cakey (other than cake - I don't like as a general rule). I do love Lofthouse but sometimes they can get a smidge cakey for me. These are not at all cakey and are a touch underdone, which is how I love everything. I mean who wants dry and crumbly? Ick! And cake flour - well if you can make bread like you can and do, and churn out the crazy good looking desserts, you owe it to yourself to check 'baking with cake flour' off your list :)
These look awesome and thank you for scaling back the recipe. I’m getting married in a month and do not need 6 dozen cookies sitting around ;)
And I mean, who does?! It’s just nuts the quantity some of these recipes I see out there make. It’s just nuts! Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
These look amazing–and those centers! I don’t think I’ve ever had a Lofthouse style cookie, but after seeing this, I’d certainly opt to make these instead of buying them! You have so many incredible cookie recipes–ever thought about opening your own bakery?!?
I’d rather kill myself than open a bakery. Omg.No. The hours, the stress, the overhead, the fact that I’d be chained to the physical location, how to run my blog and have a life, oh god I would die. I know some people would give their right arm to do it, but not me. I wish though that I could go back and re-write PBC. I would definitely put these in there!! As well as a few other recipes I’ve made since then, about 10 or so, that I didn’t have formulated when I wrote the book. I think books and blogs are better for me than bakeries :)
And yes, just skip the storebought LH. Or ok, buy some for frame of reference. Then make these :)
I’m with you, Averie; typically I hate cakey, dry cookies, but something about Lofthouses is just irresistible! Must be the frosting ;). I actually love to freeze Lofthouses…they not only keep longer, but eating them straight from the freezer allows you to pretty much break off the frosting and have it by itself at the end, like fudge or something. This recipe is a very creative take on such a popular cookie!
Something about them is paradoxical for me – normally I hate light cookies but I love Lofthouse. And I loooove this homemade version. So good. Great about freezing LH’s. I always freeze everything else – may as well freeze those too! And I love the texture of chilled cookies anyway!
These look like an absolute dream and I cannot WAIT to make them! Yummy!!
Love these!!!! You’ve done it again and made a delicious peanut butter cookie recipe. I’m all for soft cookies AND peanut buttery goodness.
They’re one of my very faves – I have so many dense PB cookies. These are the first light ones!
I love a small batch cookie. Mostly because I can eat ’em all by myself (curled up in a closet), and then bake a second batch for the people I claim to care about. Win win.
These look amazing!
I wish I had more of those people. LOL I bake so much, recipe testing and stuff…that I am the person who shows up with 90% of a coffee cake to give away. The other 10% was used for photography. But I think people think I’m weird by now so I dont even know who to give things to any more!
Why do you think my neighbours would fight black bears for me? Recipe testing, yo!
Oh my gosh look at those centers! YUM!
melty.goodness.
I am thrilled that you created a peanut butter version of Lofthouse style cookies, Averie! I could eat the icing by the cup!
I did eat the icing by the cup :) Or spoon! And I have so many dense PB cookies. These are the first light ones and so happy with the way they came out!
Wow.. I want all! :D
Mmm I love that you made this peanut butter version of lofthouse cookies! Delicious!
Why have plain when you can have…PB!!
I have only used cake flour once in baking – several years ago to make this incredible ultra-soft cake. I don’t know why I don’t use it more often. The texture it provides is unparalleled! Averie, these cookies look fantastic and I am so glad you doctored them up with peanut butter. I have a cookie like this in my cookbook, but a tad different. I am in love with how soft they look! And that the recipe only makes a small batch size. Who needs 4 dozen cookies laying around? Not people who bake for a job, that’s for sure.
You are the soft-cookie queen!
I rarely use cake flour either. First the texture does make things…cakey. And I hate that! I am all about dense (and these cookies are lightweight without being cakey. I am SO PICKY about that and they came out so dreamy Sally – you’d love them) but the other reason is b/c ppl are so resistant to spending $3 bucks for some flour, I get so many well can I use…could I substitute…type of questions that it’s not even worth it. Same thing when I bake bread and bread flour. You know the drill :)
And a similar recipe in your cookbook? Can’t wait to see it!!!!! I.belabored.this.recipe. It’s the type of recipe that if I was still writing PBC, it would, 100% have gone in. It’s 18+ mos later and Im a better cook, more creative, etc and these would have been the stars of the cookie chapter!
No surprises when I first saw the title of this post on my feed. Thinking This has to be Averie!”. I am such a fan of frosted cookies , mainly because you can not get these types of cookie any where in Aussie!
Thank goodness I sort a chew now, because I need to make these!
LOL that you thought of me, just by seeing the title. People say that to me with my images on Pinterest or FG. Glad it’s the title now too :) These are the best homemade frosted cookies Ive ever tried. Finally got them just right! :)
I’ve never heard of Lofthouse! I did, however, grow up on a stellar soft sugar cookie recipe that used a touch of almond extract-to this day I sometimes make the cookies for gifts for my brother…
These cookies look like peanut butter amd textural heaven.
Id be interested to see how close your recipe is to these https://www.averiecooks.com/2013/07/softbatch-funfetti-sugar-cookies.html
A stunning EASY sugar cookie that’s soft,buttery, tender, fluffy. Also with almond extract and many similarities to today’s cookie in terms of the dough base itself, but just enough different, too. Your cookies sound excellent! I love almond extract!
I compared recipes, and we have aost exactly the same one-except mine doesn’t have te cornstarch, but does have 2 tablespoons of milk. Hmm, I wonder if they both accomplish the same thing…
Both milk and cornstarch tenderize. But milk adds the liquid volume whereas CS does not. So maybe your batter is even stickier? And/or your ratios are different and that’s accounted for with slightly more flour, less butter, etc. Good to know!
I actually have a recipe with milk in it – my Sugar-Doodle cookies, which also spun of the White Choc Cranberry Cookies (Cranberry Bliss bar in cookie form) https://www.averiecooks.com/category/dessert/cookies And I love adding a splash of cream to those recipes!