Sour cream cookies are ultra soft, fluffy cookies that are delicious plus fun to make and covered in an easy cream cheese icing! They are always a crowd pleaser and sure to stand out on any cookie tray!
If you are looking for a recipe for cut-out cookies that are soft, chewy, and hold their shape perfectly, then you will love these sour cream cookies!
Sour cream is one of my favorite ingredients that makes baked goods incredibly light and moist without adding extra liquid. You don't really taste the flavor once the cookies are baked, but it does help cut down on the overall sweetness, and the subtle tanginess pairs great with the cream cheese icing!
INGREDIENTS FOR SOUR CREAM COOKIES
- All-purpose flour: For the best results, I recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh the flour. If you don't have one, measure the flour by lightly spooning it into your measuring cup and then leveling off the top with the flat side of a knife.
- Baking powder: Baking powder makes the cookies soft, fluffy, and helps them rise up instead of spreading out flat and thin.
- Salt: Make sure you're using unsalted butter or the cookies will be way too salty. If all you have is salted butter reduce the added salt in the recipe to ¼ teaspoon.
- Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature. It should be firm enough to hold its shape but be easily pliable when gently squeezed.
- Granulated sugar
- Egg yolks: By only using the egg yolks these cookies are thicker and hold their shape beautifully!
- Sour cream: Sour cream makes the cookies ultra soft and puffy! Always use full-fat sour cream for baking!
CREAM CHEESE ICING
- Unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature.
- Cream cheese: Full-fat and softened to room temperature.
- Vanilla extract
- Powdered sugar
- Salt: Just a pinch to bring out the flavor of the icing!
- Gel food coloring (optional): Gel coloring gives a much deeper color and you only need to add a few drops. Instead of getting a standard 4-pack, try going to your local craft store, they have a ton of colors to choose from that come in individual bottles.
HOW TO MAKE SOUR CREAM COOKIES
MAKE THE COOKIE DOUGH
1. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter until smooth with no lumps. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well combined, light, and fluffy.
3. Add the egg yolks and mix until well combined. Wipe down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
4. Mix in about half of the dry ingredients, then add the sour cream, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough comes together.
CHILL THE DOUGH
Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour before rolling and cutting into shapes. Chilling makes the dough easier to roll out and cut into shapes. If you are making these into drop-style cookies you don't need to chill the dough before baking.
ROLL AND CUT OUT THE COOKIE DOUGH
Lightly sprinkle a clean surface and both sides of the cookie dough with flour. Dust your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to ¼-inch thick.
Dip your cookie cutters in sugar or flour and cut out as many shapes as you can from the dough.
Gather up the dough, re-roll and cut out more shapes until all of the dough is used. To keep the dough from sticking, try sprinkling it with granulated sugar instead of flour. That way you aren't adding too much extra flour to the dough, which can make the cookies dry.
Transfer the cookies to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a baking mat and bake in a 350°F oven, one baking sheet at a time, for 12 minutes, or until just starting to turn light golden brown on the bottom. Take the cookies out of the oven and allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing.
CREAM CHEESE ICING
1. Use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth with no lumps.
2. In 2-3 additions, add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated after each. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
3. Divide the icing between bowls and add a few drops of gel coloring to each, if desired.
Decorate: Use a piping bag and small piping tip to decorate the cookies with the cream cheese icing. Once decorated, lay the cookies flat in a single layer so the icing can set.
HOW TO STORE SOUR CREAM COOKIES
If you are making these ahead of time, I recommend leaving them plain (without icing) until the day before you are going to serve them. Unfrosted cookies stay fresh at room temperature and in an airtight container for 4-5 days.
Once decorated with icing, store the cookies in an airtight container and keep refrigerated for 2-3 days. Make sure they are completely sealed since the cold air will turn them hard faster.
To freeze baked cookies (without icing): Once cooled, arrange the cookies on a baking sheet in a single layer and set the sheet flat in the freezer until they are mostly solid. Transfer them to a large plastic bag or an airtight container with sheets of parchment paper between the layers. Keep frozen for up to 2 months. To recapture that fresh-baked cookie taste and texture, reheat the frozen cookies in a 275°F oven for 10-15 minutes.
To freeze cookie dough: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat. Roll the dough, cut out shapes, and arrange the shapes on the baking sheet. Set the sheet flat in the freezer until the dough is solid, then transfer the frozen cookie dough to a large plastic bag or an airtight container and keep frozen for up to 3 months.
When ready to bake, arrange the frozen cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet, about 2 inches apart. Bake straight from frozen (don't thaw) in a 350°F oven, until just starting to turn golden brown on the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely before decorating.
MORE COOKIE RECIPES
- Almond Flour Peanut Butter Cookies
- Italian Butter Cookies
- Lemon Curd Cookies
- Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
- Almond Flour Oatmeal Cookies
- Biscoff Butter Cookies
📖 RECIPE
Sour Cream Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 and ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ½ cup full-fat sour cream
Cream Cheese Icing:
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
- gel food coloring, optional
Instructions
- Whisk the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
- In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar and beat until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg yolks and mix until well combined.
- Mix in about half of the dry ingredients, then add the sour cream, followed by the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix until the dough comes together.
- Chill the cookie dough for at least 1 hour before rolling and cutting into shapes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Roll and cut the dough: Lightly sprinkle a clean surface with flour. Lightly sprinkle both sides of the dough and a rolling pin with flour and roll the dough out to ¼-inch thick.
- Dip your cookie cutters in sugar or flour and cut out as many shapes as you can from the dough.
- Gather up the dough, re-roll and cut out more shapes until all of the dough is used. To keep the dough from sticking, try sprinkling it with granulated sugar instead of flour. That way you aren't adding too much extra flour to the dough, which can make the cookies dry.
- Bake: Arrange the cookie shapes on your lined baking sheet and bake in the preheated oven for 12 minutes, or until light golden brown around the edges. Remove from the oven and let cool completely on the baking sheet.
Cream Cheese Icing:
- Use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and cream cheese until smooth with no lumps.
- In 2-3 additions, add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until incorporated after each. Mix in the vanilla extract and salt.
- Divide the icing between bowls and add a few drops of gel coloring to each, if desired.
- Decorate: Use a piping bag and small piping tip to decorate the cookies with the cream cheese icing. Once decorated, lay the cookies flat in a single layer so the icing can set.
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