Description
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are soft, tender, old-fashioned cutout cookies with a light vanilla flavor and a subtle tang from sour cream. The dough chills well, rolls out easily, and bakes into fluffy cookies that stay moist for days. Finished with a creamy vanilla frosting, they are ideal for holidays, parties, and everyday baking.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 9 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2/3 to 3/4 cup 2% milk
- 1 small amount paste food coloring, as needed
- Cooking spray, as needed for baking sheets
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the shortening and granulated sugar for 5 to 7 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, sour cream, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture and mix until a soft dough forms.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour, or until it is easy to handle.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- On a lightly floured surface, roll the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut the dough with a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter.
- Place the cookies 1 inch apart on baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly browned on the bottoms.
- Cool the cookies on the pan for 1 minute, then transfer them to wire racks to cool completely.
- For the frosting, beat the softened butter until light and fluffy.
- Add the confectioners’ sugar and 3 teaspoons vanilla extract, then beat until combined.
- Add enough milk, a little at a time, to reach your desired frosting consistency.
- Tint the frosting with paste food coloring if desired.
- Decorate the cooled cookies with frosting and let the frosting set before serving or storing.
Notes
- Chilling the dough makes it easier to roll and helps the cookies hold their shape.
- Do not overbake; these cookies should stay soft and tender.
- Use full-fat sour cream for the best texture and flavor.
- If needed, full-fat Greek yogurt can be substituted 1:1 for sour cream.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
- Unfrosted cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months.
- You can swap vanilla extract for almond, lemon, or orange extract for a flavor variation.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 290
- Sugar: 28g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 42g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 20mg