Sour Cream Cookies

By
Morgan Baker
Morgan Walker
Morgan Baker
Morgan is a recipe developer and photographer. She is also a gardener and exceptional hugger.
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Published on 02/21/24
Sour Cream Cookie Recipe

Morgan Baker

Prep: 2 hrs 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 2 hrs 27 mins

These thick, soft, sweet cookies are the perfect canvas for holiday baking. Traditionally paired with super sweet American buttercream frosting, this recipe takes a different approach with a balanced cream cheese frosting that pairs perfectly with the tinge of sour cream flavor coming through the cookies. The touch of almond extract in the cookie dough brings a delicious nuttiness making these cookies not only beautiful but also delicious and addicting!

These cookies are a great freezer-friendly option. They hold up well due to the amount of fat in the cookie given by the butter and sour cream. Thus, they hold their shape almost perfectly. Try this recipe for holiday baking as an alternative to the traditional sugar cookie. You can cut out stars, Christmas trees, Holiday sweaters, or simple circles and then decorate as you please with an icing flood or colored, fluffy frosting and fun holiday sprinkles.

Tips for Success

A big tip for success in this recipe is to chill the full recommended two hours. While you may be tempted to cut corners to save time, doing so will result in a mess. The fat in this dough needs time to firm up again after being mixed, and the only way to do that is to let it chill.

Also, remember simplicity is best when choosing a cookie cutter! While you may be tempted to choose the cutter with a lot of small edges or a more intricate design, for best results avoid these. These cookies do puff in the oven and you will loose a slight bit of definition. Remember, to keep these cookies soft make sure not to over-mix!

Freezing

To freeze, take the recipe to the point of cutting out the shapes and freeze the shapes on a parchment paper lined baking sheet in an even layer, separated by parchment paper. Once finished, wrap the entire baking sheet tightly with plastic wrap and store in the freezer for up to 3 months. Take out cookies and place onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake as directed. This means you have prepared cookie dough shapes anytime! You could double this recipe and freeze half to save yourself the trouble later.

Ingredients

For the cookies

  • 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 2 cups granulated sugar

  • 1 large egg

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1 teaspoon almond extract

  • 5 cups all purpose flour

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 1 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1 teaspoon salt

  • 3/4 cup sour cream

  • Sprinkles, for decoration

For the cream cheese frosting

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature

  • 8 ounces cream cheese, at room temperature

  • 3 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar together for about 2 minutes, until light and creamy.

  3. Add egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract and mix again until fully incorporated, about 45 seconds.

  4. Add in the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix on low speed until no more flour patches remain and all ingredients are incorporated. Add in the sour cream and mix on low again until fully incorporated, do not over mix.

  5. Dump the dough onto a large sheet of plastic wrap and form into a disc a few inches thick. Wrap tightly and refrigerate the dough for at least two hours.

Make the Frosting

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. While the dough chills, make the frosting by creaming the butter and cream cheese together with a handheld mixer in a large bowl until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

  3. Slowly add the confectioners’ sugar, about 1/2 cup at a time, mixing after each addition until fully incorporated and smooth.

  4. Add the vanilla and salt and mix a final time for about 2 minutes, until very light and fluffy. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside in a cool dry place until ready to use.

Bake and Decorate the Cookies

  1. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.

  2. Roll the dough out onto a lightly floured surface to about 1/4 inch thick. Cut out desired shapes with floured cookie cutters, then transfer to the prepared baking sheets.

  3. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until slightly puffed but not yet golden brown.

  4. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

  5. Once completely cooled, frost and top with sprinkles, if desired.

How To Store

Store finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Make the cookies a day ahead of decorating and store them in an airtight container then decorate them the day of your event to help save time the day of!

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
8797 Calories
399g Fat
1,231g Carbs
92g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Amount per serving
Calories 8797
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 399g 511%
Saturated Fat 238g 1,189%
Cholesterol 1249mg 416%
Sodium 6304mg 274%
Total Carbohydrate 1231g 448%
Dietary Fiber 17g 60%
Total Sugars 740g
Protein 92g
Vitamin C 2mg 8%
Calcium 1149mg 88%
Iron 32mg 176%
Potassium 1371mg 29%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)