I have to admit that I love those Lofthouse cookies at the grocery store. You know the ones. The soft sugar cookies with thick frosting and sprinkles to coordinate with each holiday. So delicious. Even with all the baking I do, I have a hard time resisting them. But, I think next time it will be a little bit easier. Why? Because I have found some cookies that blow those out of the water. I came across a recipe for sugar cookies in The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook that were described as tasting like the grocery store cookies only better with the addition of chocolate chip cookie dough frosting. How could they not be better?
I must warn you that these cookies are a bit time consuming because of all the steps: making the dough, refrigeration, roll and cut the dough, bake them, make the frosting and frost them. But, each step is easy and the end result is oh so very worth it. Upon tasting them, both my son and husband exclaimed oh my god, which was barely discernible with their mouths stuffed with cookies. My daughter said they were the best thing I ever made. Now, these three are some very tough critics. If they say they are good, you can believe it. But really, what’s not to like? This is a super soft, not too sweet sugar cookie, smeared with cookie dough frosting and generously topped with chocolate chips. Sounds (and tastes) pretty perfect to me. 
Soft Sugar Cookies with Cookie Dough Frosting
Yield: 24 cookies
For the cookies:
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, at room temperature Use the sticks- easier to measure and less messy
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1/4 cup heavy cream
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
4 cups all-purpose flour (or more as needed)
For the frosting:
3/4 cups unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
4 cups powdered sugar, or more as needed
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips
Directions:
In a large mixing bowl, beat together shortening and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add heavy cream and vanilla and beat until smooth. Add salt, baking soda, and baking powder, followed by the flour, 1 cup at a time, mixing until dough comes together. Dough should be soft but not sticky. If it is sticky, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time as needed. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or overnight. I put the dough on Saran wrap and shaped it into a disk to make it easier to roll later.
Preheat oven to 350F. Roll out dough to 3/8 inch thick. I had to use a small bit of flour. Cut it into 3-inch circles (I used a biscuit cutter) and transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Bake 8-10 minutes, or until tops are puffed and no longer shiny and bottoms are just barely golden brown. Do not overbake. Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
To prepare frosting, beat together butter and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in flour and salt, followed by vanilla. Add 4 cups of the powdered sugar, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add heavy cream and beat until fluffy. Add more powdered sugar as necessary, 1/4 cup at a time, until frosting is thick yet spreadable. I had to add more cream to thin it out a bit.
With an offset spatula, spread 1 heaping tablespoon of frosting onto each cookie. You can be generous with the frosting. Sprinkle with chocolate chips, pressing lightly so chips adhere to frosting. Refrigerated in an airtight container, frosted cookies will keep for up to 3 days.
Source: The Cookie Dough Lover’s Cookbook
