If you love sugar cookies then these sour cream cookies are going to be your new favorite. Soft, fluffy and super easy you will be making this for every holiday and just because.
Why You Will Love This Sugar Cookie Recipe
Every time we make these they are devoured in seconds. They are a huge fan favorite.
- Make cut outs or simple round cookies.
- Frost them with buttercream, royal icing, or cream cheese frosting.
- It makes enough to share! Perfect for friends, family and neighbors to all enjoy.
Ingredients for Sour Cream Cookies
- SUGAR
- SHORTENING- this is a must, this helps keep them fluffy.
- SOUR CREAM- the secret ingredient! makes them super moist.
- NUTMEG adds just a hint of depth to the flavor of these cookies.
Can I substitute the shortening?
There are substitutions for the shortening, HOWEVER shortening is used for a specific reason in cookies especially. Shortening in cookies makes the cookies fluffy and flakey. If you substitute it for butter or oil the cookies will be more flat and dense. These are not the most wanted qualities you want for sugar cookies, but you can try substituting it with butter.
How to make these sour cream sugar cookies
- Add room temp butter, shortening, eggs and sugar into a large bowl.
- Cream it together so its nice a fluffy.
- Slowly add in your dry ingredients and sour cream while mixing.
- Form your dough into two balls, COVER with plastic wrap and place in fridge for at least 2 hours
Why Is There Sour Cream in Sugar Cookies?
The sour cream in these sugar cookies add a delicious flavor but more importantly it makes this cookies ultra moist. SO GOOD.
Do I Have To Chill The Dough?
If you are doing sugar cookie cut outs then chill the dough. If you are rolling them into simple circle cookies then you can immediately cook. If forming any shape :
CHILLING THE DOUGH DOES 2 THINGS
- Chilling the dough helps with handling the cookies so they are not too sticky and much more easier to handle- to roll out and transfer to the cookie sheet.
- if you want your cutouts to be perfect the cold dough helps them to keep their shape. Even after you have cut them out place them into the freezer for 10 minutes and they will keep their form so much better while cookie.
Can I use this recipe to make copycat swig cookies!?
YES! I've made them as "copycat swig cookies" and everyone "loves them better than swig" !! true story. I love making them this way becuase they're so easy, fast and the perfect fluffy thickness. Simply take your chilled dough and roll it into 1 inch balls.
- Take a glass cup and spray the bottom with cooking spray
- dip in granulated sugar
- Press down on the ball of dough and slightly twist.
- repeat for other cookies.
How to make sugar cookie cut outs
If you are using this dough to make sugar cookie cutouts here are the steps:
- still CHIILL THE DOUGH
- flour your surface
- roll the dough on to the flour surface keep it ½ inch thick
- cut out your cookies into their shapes using cooking cutters
- place on cookie sheet and bake.
Don't Over Bake Your Sour Cream Cookies
Don't Overcook!
Just be careful not to overcook them! right? Isn't that always the trick with sugar cookies? If you wait till they are golden brown and look like your typical chocolate chip cookie you have cooked them too long. Keep an eye on them in the oven and be sure to remove them before they have browned. You want to remove them just when they're set.
Frosting your sour cream sugar cookies?
You can use your favorite frosting with sugar cookies when they have cooled. If you are making basic buttercream frosting try adding a few drops of almond extract for flavor. IT IS THE BOMB!
Frosting Recipe
- BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- CHOCOLATE BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- ROYAL ICING
- CHOCOLATE PEANUT BUTTER MAPLE FROSTING
- Add crushed peppermint and peppermint extract for a holiday twist!
FAQ's
Before baking you can do a few things, 1. spray with a non-stick spray. 2. Use parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Place them in the freezer for 10-30 minutes.
it depends on the size of your cookie cutters. I used fairly large cookies and got about 20-24 cookies from the dough.
yes! It's best to freeze them before you frost. Make sure you wrap them in an air tight container or plastic wrap to keep out any frost bite or smells in the fridge.
Looking for other cookie recipes?
TRY THESE!
If you don't want to heat up your oven, try this no bake cookie recipe!
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Sour Cream Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening
- ¼ cup Butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ⅔ cups flour + more for surface
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ cup sour cream
BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
- 1 cup room temperature butter
- 4+ cups powdered sugar*
- 3 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 3-4 Tablespoons of Evaporated Milk can use milk
Instructions
Cookies
- Mix shortening and butter, sugar, egg and vanilla thoroughly.
- Blend in remaining ingredients. Divide dough, cover, and chill for a two hours up to overnight.
- FOR "SWIG COOKIES" roll into 1 inch balls. With a glass cup spray with cooking spray dip in granulated sugar and gently press while slowly twisting. Lift slow. FOR CUTOUTS: Roll out on floured surface, about ¼-1/2 inch thick. It takes some more kneading and rolling to get the dough to a stiff but pliable state.
- Cut into desired shapes and place on ungreased baking sheet. Bake in pre-heated oven at 350º F for 6-8 minutes for cut outs. 10-12 for swig style cookies
Frosting
- Beat butter on medium speed for and slow add in sugar, vanilla. Turn mixer back to medium speed and add milk one tablespoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- If frosting is too thin, add powdered sugar to stiffen back up. Add more milk to thin.
- Add food coloring if desired.
Kayla V. says
Perfect cut out cookies for decorating. Will use these every year!
Sylvia deWolde says
Just made these last night for our annual cookie decorating with my friend and our kids. They turned out great! I didn’t have them in the fridge for the full two hours so I popped the wrapped balls in the freezer for a bit to firm them up and they were quite easy to work with! They turned out so fluffy and we loved them! Thank you for this great recipe!!
Emily Kemp says
These are the cutest holiday cookies I've seen, can't wait to make them!