Sour Cream Cookiesrn

Name: Sour Cream Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 87 min
Ingredients: 2½ cups all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, (softened); ½ cup sour cream, (room temperature); 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 1 cup granulated sugar; 2 extra large eggs, (room temperature); ½ cup salted sweet cream butter, (softened); 1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring; 2¼ cups powdered sugar; 2 to 3 tablespoons half and half; 2 to 3 drops pink gel food coloring, (I used rose pink)

Extra soft with a slightly tangy flavor, these frosted sour cream cookies are a delicious, unique treat, offering a light and fluffy texture.

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Table of Contents

Let’s Dish: About These Cookies
Sour Cream Cookies Ingredients
Substitutions And Additions
How To Make This Sour Cream Cookies Recipe
How To Serve
Storage
More Cookie Recipes
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If you’re like me, you know that a soft, pillowy cookie is a true comfort treat, and these sour cream cookies hit all the right notes! They’re not overly sweet, making them the perfect canvas for a tangy frosting or even a light dusting of sugar. What sets this recipe apart is the way the sour cream adds moisture, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture that just can’t be beat. Whether you’re whipping these up for a special occasion or a cozy night in, these cookies are guaranteed to be a hit with the whole family.

a close up shot of Sour Cream Cookies on a plate

Let’s Dish: About These Cookies

Main Ingredients: Flour, baking powder, baking soda, butter, sour cream, eggs, vanilla.
Quick Steps: Mix dry ingredients, cream butter with sour cream, add sugar and eggs, combine with dry ingredients, chill dough, bake, then frost.
Total Time & Yield: 1 hour 27 minutes; yields 24 cookies.

Why This Recipe

Our recipe stands apart by calling for a chilled dough, which creates a cookie with an exceptionally soft, tender crumb that doesn’t spread too much in the oven.

This ensures a perfect balance between cakey and chewy.

Furthermore, instead of leaning on a sugary glaze alone, we offer a versatile frosting option that complements the cookie’s tang without overpowering its delicate flavor.

The combination of room-temperature butter and sour cream allows for a light yet rich texture, unlike recipes that use shortening or low-fat alternatives.

Sour Cream Cookies Ingredients

Sour Cream Cookies raw ingredients that are labeled

Sour cream cookies have an incredibly moist texture, with all the flavor of a traditional cookie but with extra zest.

The sour aftertaste lingers in your mouth, making each bite even more enjoyable than the last. On top of this sweet and tangy taste, these soft cookies also bake up to perfection with a nice crunch.

To make a batch of these soft, cake-like cookies,

You’ll need:

For The Cookie Dough:

2½ cups of all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon of baking powder
1 teaspoon of baking soda
½ cup of salted sweet cream butter, softened
½ cup of sour cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons of pure vanilla extract
1 cup of granulated sugar
2 extra-large eggs, room temperature

For The Frosting:

½ cup of salted sweet cream butter, softened
1 teaspoon of clear vanilla flavoring
2¼ cups of powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons of half and half
2-3 drops of pink gel food coloring (I used rose pink)

Substitutions And Additions

SOUR CREAM: You can substitute plain Greek yogurt for sour cream.

SPRINKLES: You can add sprinkles to the frosted cookies, or you can sprinkle the cookies with colorful sprinkles before baking.

FROSTING: You can substitute canned frosting for homemade frosting on these old-fashioned sour cream cookies.

How To Make This Sour Cream Cookies Recipe

You’ll want to give yourself extra time making this recipe since, once the cookie batter is mixed, you’ll chill the dough for about half an hour.

STEP ONE: Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set dry ingredients aside.

STEP TWO: Using a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and sour cream for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth. Creaming the ingredients as instructed is important to achieve the right texture for the cookie.

STEP THREE: Add the vanilla and granulated sugar. Continue mixing for another 1 minute.

egg added to the ingredients mixture and blended together

STEP FOUR: Lower the mixer speed to low speed and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg until no yellow streaks remain.

STEP FIVE: Increase the mixer speed to medium. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing just until well incorporated. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

flour mixture added and mixed with the egg mixture

STEP SIX: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

STEP SEVEN: Use a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Space the balls of dough 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Very gently depress the cookie dough ball.

Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or the bottom edge of the cookies is barely golden in color. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring the baked cookies to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

STEP EIGHT: For the frosting, add the softened butter and clear vanilla flavoring to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use an electric mixer on medium-high speed and beat the butter and vanilla flavoring for 1 to 1½ minutes.

STEP NINE: Lower the mixer speed to medium, and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with the half and half, until the frosting is smooth. Add the pink gel food coloring and mix just until the color is evenly distributed.

STEP TEN: Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost your cookies and serve.

How To Serve

Soft sour cream cookies make an indulgent treat and shine even brighter when paired with the right accompaniments. A warm cup of tea is a delightful choice – try one steeped in cloves or cardamom for extra-special flavor. Alternatively, offer a refreshing glass of cold milk, which pairs beautifully with the subtler hints of vanilla in the cookies.

For something even sweeter, try pairing the delicious cookies with your favorite ice cream or adding freshly-whipped cream with a sprinkle of cinnamon or cocoa powder.

One of the most delightful pairings is a warm cup of hot cocoa with a dollop of freshly made whipped cream. The sweet and creamy combination with the tanginess of the cookies will put a smile on your face.

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To add a variety of soft cookies to your recipe box, have a look at our soft sugar cookies and thumbprint cookies too.

Storage

Here are a few ways to store your sour cream cookies to maintain their deliciousness.

IN THE FRIDGE: Store any leftover cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to five days.

IN THE FREEZER: You can freeze the unfrosted sour cream sugar cookies for up to one month in an airtight container or freezer bag. Label the bag with the date you made them so that you enjoy these cookies with sour cream while they are the freshest.

Allow the cookies to thaw overnight in the refrigerator before frosting and serving.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What is the best way to transport homemade cookies, so they stay looking nice?

Store and transport these soft frosted cookies in a single layer so that the frosting and sprinkles don’t get flattened.

Does sour cream cookie dough need to be chilled?

Chilling this sour cream cookie dough is a necessary step in order to ensure the right texture for your cookies and that they don’t spread very much while baking.

Can I freeze this sour cream cookie recipe?

You can freeze this great recipe stored in an airtight container for up to 1 month.

These easy-to-make sour cream cookies get their subtle tangy flavor from sour cream and are sure to be crowd-pleasers. With a soft yet chewy texture, these treats make for the perfect snack or dessert.

Sour Cream Cookies

5 from 5 votes

Extra soft with a slightly tangy flavor, these frosted sour cream cookies are a delicious, unique treat, offering a light and fluffy texture.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 12

Total Time 1 27

Servings

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Ingredients

Cookie Dough

2½ cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
½ cup sour cream, room temperature
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup granulated sugar
2 extra large eggs, room temperature

Frosting

½ cup salted sweet cream butter, softened
1 teaspoon clear vanilla flavoring
2¼ cups powdered sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons half and half
2 to 3 drops pink gel food coloring, I used rose pink

Instructions

Add the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Whisk to combine. Set it aside.
Using a stand mixer or a medium-sized mixing bowl and a handheld mixer on medium-high speed, beat the softened butter and sour cream for 1 to 1½ minutes until smooth.
Add the vanilla and granulated sugar. Continue mixing for another 1 minute.
Lower the mixer speed to low and add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each egg until no yellow streaks remain.
Increase the mixer speed to medium. Add the flour mixture 1 cup at a time, mixing just until well incorporated. Cover tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
Use a 1½-tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the cookie dough. Space the dough 2 inches apart. Very gently depress the cookie dough ball. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or the bottom edge of the cookies is barely golden in color. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 2 to 3 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the frosting, add the softened butter and clear vanilla flavoring to a medium-sized mixing bowl. Use a handheld mixer on medium-high speed and beat the butter and vanilla flavoring for 1 to 1½ minutes.
Lower the mixer speed to medium, and add the powdered sugar 1 cup at a time alternating with the half and half, until the frosting is smooth. Add the pink gel food coloring and mix just until the color is evenly distributed.
Once the cookies are completely cooled, frost your cookies and serve.

Notes

For best results, make sure to use room temperature butter and eggs for this soft sugar cookies with sour cream recipe.
Creaming the ingredients as instructed is important to achieve the right texture for the cookie.
Oven temperatures vary and may need to be recalibrated periodically to ensure they are accurate. Make sure to check your cookies at the lower end of the recommended baking time.

Nutrition

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Sour Cream Cookies