Sour Cream Cookies
These Sour Cream Cookies are the ultimate low-effort, high-reward kinda deal! They’re soft but not like, mushy soft, you know? And have this perfect balance where they’re sweet but won’t have you bouncing off the walls from a sugar rush. Honestly, you can eat the sour cream cookies on their own – that’s how I always ate them. But slap some frosting on these bad boys, and wow, they just get even better!
Let’s talk about sour cream in cookies for a sec. I know it sounds kinda weird, but it’s such a great addition. You won’t even notice it’s there, and it makes the cookies incredibly moist and addictive. Actually, when I was first trying out this sour cream cookie recipe, I invited over a friend who’s usually all about over-the-top desserts. Guys… She couldn’t stop munching on these cookies! She was like, “What did you do to these? They’re amazing!” and all I did was add a bit of sour cream and a whole lot of hope. So, if you’ve never made sour cream drop cookies before… Now’s the time!
Sour Cream Cookies Overview
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Feeds: 24 People (2 each)
Number of Ingredients: 9 (sour cream cookies only – does not include optional frosting)
Average Cost of Ingredients: $5.00 (sour cream cookies only – does not include optional frosting)
Average cost per serving: $0.21 (about 10 cents a cookie!)
Total Cook Time: 32 – 35 minutes
Primary Cooking Method: Baking
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Sweet with a hint of vanilla
Skill Level: Beginner
Notable mentions
- Easy Prep: The dough is stupid easy to work with. You’re basically just dropping spoonfuls on a baking sheet and popping it in the oven. No need to roll anything out or chill the dough for ages!
- Only Needs the Basics: I’m almost 100% sure you already have everything you need in your kitchen right now. You may need to get the sour cream, but no fancy ingredients or expensive stuff.
- Batch-o-Cookies: This sour cream cookie recipe makes a ton, like 48 cookies! Perfect for sharing with your crew, bringing to a potluck, or, you know, a few days of snacking if you’re a cookie monster, like me!
- Anytime Treat: These cookies are the kind of treat that works anytime. Morning coffee? Check. After-dinner sweet? Yep. They just feel right, no matter the occasion.
Ingredients to make Sour Cream Cookies
My kids and I really do like these cookies with or without frosting, so it’s your choice if you want to add the frosting on top. You can do a mix of half “plain”, half frosted as well.
For the Sour Cream Cookies
- Unsalted Butter: You’ll want to use room temperature unsalted so you are able to control the amount of salt in the cookies. If you only have salted, just skip adding the additional salt.
- Granulated Sugar: I use just plain ol’ white sugar for this recipe, but if you do want use brown sugar you can for a different flavor.
- Eggs: If you have time let the eggs sit for 20-30 minutes to come to room temp.
- Vanilla Extract: For that warm hint.
- Full-fat Sour Cream: Makes your cookies unbelievably soft and adds a nice tang. Low-fat could work, but full-fat is where it’s at for that moist texture.
- Baking Soda & Baking Powder: The leavening agents that ensure our cookies puff up. If you can, go with aluminium-free baking powder.
- Salt: Just a pinch to balance the sweetness.
- All-purpose Flour: The queen of all flours! This is your cookie structure right here.
For the Optional Buttercream Frosting
- Unsalted Butter: Back at it again, making sure your frosting is super smooth and rich.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds that warm aroma and flavor to your frosting.
- Milk: Thins out the frosting to the perfect spreading consistency.
- Powdered Sugar: Sift the powdered sugar to get out any lumps before mixing for a smoother icing.
How to make Sour Cream Cookies
You do not have to chill the cookie dough to make sour cream cookies and that’s one of the best part for me. The fluidity of just mixing the sour cream cookie dough and tossing in the oven. I don’t have to worry about coming back later to bake – or worse forgetting to come back and back them in time to eat for dessert.
Step 1: Mix The Dough and shape it
- Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until just mixed.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour.
- Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or a spoon, portion the dough into balls and place them in the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
Step 2: Bake and decorate The Cookies
- Bake until the cookie edges are slightly golden. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Beat together the butter, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start slow, then whip it up to medium speed until soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again. Once the cookies are cooled, use a spatula or pipe the frosting onto the cookies in a swirling motion. Add sprinkles on top if you like.
Popular substitutions & additions
- Chocolate Chips: If you’re a chocoholic like me, tossing in some dark, semi, or white chocolate chips (or rough-chopped chocolate chunks) into the dough will make these cookies even better.
- Simplify the Toppings: The frosting is delicious, but if you want to skip it, you can give your cookies a light dusting of cinnamon or powdered sugar right before serving. It’s simple, but sometimes that’s all you need.
- Nutmeg Addition: Adding a teaspoon of ground nutmeg to your dough is just what you need for chillier days. Or for when you want to get autumnal vibes any time of the year!
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Want to make things zesty? Add the zest of one lemon and a tablespoon of lemon juice to your batter. You’ll have lemon sour cream cookies!
Tips for making the best old fashioned sour cream cookies
- Test Your Frosting: Before you go all in and frost every single cookie, do a test on one to see if the frosting’s consistency is on point. If it’s too runny or too stiff, you still have time to adjust.
- Check Your Leavening Agents: Make sure your baking soda and baking powder haven’t been sitting in the back of your pantry since the Stone Age. Fresh leavening agents mean your cookies will rise perfectly.
- Room Temp Ingredients: I can’t stress this enough – use room temperature eggs and butter! It makes everything mix together so much smoother, and it really does affect the end result.
- Cool Your Cookies: After baking, give your soft sour cream cookies enough time to cool down completely before going in with the frosting. Going all in with the piping bag will just make your beautiful frosting melt into a sad, gooey mess.
How to store Sour Cream Cookies
Since these cookies have that yummy frosting on top, you’ll want to store them in the fridge to keep everything nice and fresh. Just place them in an airtight container, and they’ll be good to go. Layering them with wax paper in between prevents them from sticking to each other.
How long will Sour Cream Cookies last?
In the fridge, your frosted cookies will stay fresh and tasty for up to 3 days. If you’ve got any of that frosting left over, it’ll keep in the fridge for about a week, in case you want to use it for decorating other cookies.
Can I freeze soft sour cream cookies?
You can totally freeze these old fashioned sour cream cookies! Frosted or unfrosted, place them on a baking sheet to freeze individually before transferring them to a freezer bag or container – they’ll keep for up to 3 months.
For the dough, scoop it into balls and freeze them the same way. Then, you can bake fresh cookies whenever the craving hits, no thawing required! They’ll also be good for up to 3 months in the freezer.
What to Serve with Sour Cream Cookies
- Warm Drinks: Nothing beats having one of these cookies with a hot drink in hand. Seriously, try dunking them in a mug of steaming milk or hot chocolate, or swirling them in your cappuccino.
- Sugared Cranberries: I had this idea during the holidays, and it was a hit – sugared cranberries on top of these cookies. The tartness of the cranberries with the sweet, soft cookie? Too good, y’all.
- Ice Cream Sandwich: Homemade ice cream sandwiches on a hot day? Yes, please! Just grab some ice cream, scoop it between two of these cookies, and you’re in for a treat.
Frequently asked questions
How do I know when the cookies are done baking?
You’ll know the cookies are done when the edges start to turn a light golden brown. They might still seem a bit soft in the middle, but they’ll firm up as they cool.
Can I use low-fat sour cream instead of full-fat?
Sure! Just keep in mind that the cookies might not be quite as moist, but they’ll still taste great. I’ve done this a few times when I realized too late that all I had was low-fat, and the world didn’t end – cookies were still devoured.
How can I ensure my frosting is smooth and spreadable?
The trick is to have your butter at room temperature and sift your powdered sugar to avoid lumps. If the frosting feels too thick, add a bit more milk, a teaspoon at a time, until it’s smooth. If it’s too runny, add more sifted powdered sugar to thicken it up.
Keep this Sour Cream Cookies recipe in your back pocket for those times you want something sweet without a whole lot of fuss. Play around with it or keep it as is – either way, it’ll give you soft, sweet, and tasty cookies each time!
More Easy Cookie recipes:
- Bisquick Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Whipped Shortbread Cookies
- Meltaway Cookies
- Pecan Meltaway Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
I want to hear from you! If you try this easy Sour Cream Cookies recipe or any other of my 5 ingredient or less recipes on Dinner in 5, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! I read all the comments and respond!
Sour Cream Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Sour Cream Cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup full-fat sour cream
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons baking powder aluminium free
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Optional Buttercream Frosting:
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 2 ½ cups powdered sugar
Instructions
For the Sour Cream Cookies:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Set aside.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in the bowl of a stand mixer until light and fluffy.
- Keep the stand mixer running on medium-low and add the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla extract and sour cream until just mixed.
- Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour. Mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, scraping down the sides of the bowl.
- Using a small ice cream scoop or a tablespoon, portion the dough into balls and place them in the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes or until the cookie edges are slightly golden.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Buttercream Frosting:
- Beat together the butter, vanilla, milk, and powdered sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer. Start slow, then whip it up to medium speed until soft. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and mix again.
- Once the cookies are cooled, use a spatula or pipe the frosting onto the cookies in a swirling motion. Add sprinkles on top if you like.
Notes
- Test Your Frosting: Before you go all in and frost every single cookie, do a test on one to see if the frosting’s consistency is on point. If it’s too runny or too stiff, you still have time to adjust.
- Check Your Leavening Agents: Make sure your baking soda and baking powder haven’t been sitting in the back of your pantry since the Stone Age. Fresh leavening agents mean your cookies will rise perfectly.
- Room Temp Ingredients: I can’t stress this enough – use room temperature eggs and butter! It makes everything mix together so much smoother, and it really does affect the end result.
- Cool Your Cookies: After baking, give your soft sour cream cookies enough time to cool down completely before going in with the frosting. Going all in with the piping bag will just make your beautiful frosting melt into a sad, gooey mess.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
