Lofthouse Cookies

Oh yeah, these taste as good as they look.  Happy birthday to me.  I am not a super big cake fan, so for my birthday I made myself some lofthouse style cookies, good decision.  They were SO GOOD!  Before you make them make sure you have a ton of powdered sugar in the house, and be generous with the frosting, you will not regret it.

Lofthouse Cookies

4 1/2 cups flour
4 1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
3 sticks butter - softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
3 eggs
5 tsp vanilla extract

powdered sugar (up to 2 lbs)
1/3 cup butter - melted
1 T vanilla extract
1/2 cup milk
food coloring

Mix butter and sugar and beat on medium-high speed until soft and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.  Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.  Blend in the vanilla.  Add flour, baking powder and salt and mix just until incorporated.  Cover and chill the dough for 1 hour.  Use a large cookie scoop (about 2 T) and place 8 flattened balls per baking sheet.  Bake at 350° for 10-12 minutes.  Let cool on racks.  For the frosting, melt butter and stir in milk and vanilla and food coloring.  Add powdered sugar and stir until you reach the desired consistency - it should be stiff and just spreadable, more of a frosting consistency than icing.  Frost cookies and enjoy!  Makes 32 cookies.