Description
These Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are tender, subtly tangy, and perfect for decorating with a luscious cream cheese frosting. The dough is soft and delicate, yielding cookies that are lightly golden at the edges and melt in your mouth. Paired with a smooth, creamy cream cheese icing, these cookies are ideal for holidays, celebrations, or anytime you crave a classic treat with a delicious twist.
Ingredients
Scale
Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup sour cream
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
Cream Cheese Icing:
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 4 oz cream cheese
- 3 ½ cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Sift together baking soda, salt, baking powder, and flour in a bowl. Set aside for incorporation later.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the softened butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract, continuing to mix for another 3 minutes to fully integrate.
- Combine Flour and Sour Cream: Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with sour cream in three additions, beginning and ending with the flour, to maintain structure and moisture in the dough.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up for easier handling.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Dough: Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Remove dough from refrigerator and divide into two halves. Lightly flour your work surface.
- Roll Out Dough: Roll each half to approximately ¼-inch thickness. Brush off excess flour carefully to avoid dry texture on the cookies.
- Cut Cookies: Use lightly floured cookie cutters to cut desired shapes. Because the dough is soft, choose simple shapes like hearts or circles that retain form well.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place cut cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet. No need to grease the sheet as the cookies won’t stick.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until edges just start to turn golden. Avoid overbaking to keep cookies soft.
- Cool Cookies: Let cookies cool for 5-10 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Cream Cheese Icing: Beat softened cream cheese and butter in a bowl until smooth and creamy using a mixer.
- Add Sugar and Vanilla: Gradually mix in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the frosting is smooth and well blended. Add food coloring if desired.
- Decorate: Spread icing over cooled cookies with a thin spatula, or pipe with a decorated bag topped with a star tip. Optionally, sprinkle with sprinkles or sparkling sugars for festive flair.
Notes
- Use simple cookie cutter shapes, as this dough is soft and does not hold intricate details well.
- Refrigerate the dough thoroughly to make rolling and cutting easier.
- Watch cookies carefully during baking to prevent overbaking, which will make them less soft.
- For stiffer icing, add more powdered sugar; for softer, add a teaspoon of milk or cream.
- Cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 110mg
- Fat: 9g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
