Old Fashioned Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
These Old Fashioned Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are soft, thick, and cake-like, and they are slathered with creamy vanilla buttercream. They are perfect take-along cookies for parties and kids will love them, especially with added sprinkles. If you like those old-fashioned big fat sugar cookies like the ones Grandma made, you’ve come to the right place!
What kid doesn’t love to sneak a good sugar cookie from Grandma’s cookie jar! Back in the day, big, soft sugar cookies with lots of creamy frosting, filled lots of kitchen cookie jars. These cookies are similar to my Sour Cream Brown Butter Cookies. Both cookies are soft and thick and resemble tiny cakes with frosting. Both cookies also contain sour cream, which adds moisture to them.
Ingredients
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds moisture and softness along with a bit of tanginess to the cookie dough.
- Butter: Butter adds a lot of rich buttery flavor to cookies.
- Vanilla: Is an essential flavor in ALL sugar cookie recipes.
- Baking Powder: A leavening agent to help cookies rise.
- Baking Soda: A leavening agent that needs an acid such as sour cream to activate it. It works as a leavening agent to help the cookies rise.
- Salt: Brings out the other flavors in the cookies.
- Eggs: Add structure and moistness.
- Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness to cookies.
VANILLA BUTTERCREAM FROSTING
I made a basic vanilla buttercream frosting here. The same one I use for cupcakes. This frosting makes plenty if you want to pile it high on the cookies. If you prefer a thin layer of frosting, feel free to cut this recipe in half. You don’t have to tint the frosting, but I added Wilton Pink Rose gel coloring here. I used 5 drops from the tiny squeeze bottle. I like these better than the little jars of coloring. It’s easier to control how much you are using. Then I used some rainbow sprinkles from nuts.com.
TIPS FOR MAKING THESE COOKIES
- Use chilled dough: Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. The chilled dough spreads less and makes a thicker, taller cookie.
- Use un-greased cookie sheets: It’s not necessary to grease the cookie sheets for these buttery cookies. Buttered cookie sheets enhance the spreading of cookies and we don’t want that here. We want big thick cookies. You can use a Silpat if you prefer, (it’s not necessary) but does assist in preventing cookies from spreading. But again, that’s why we chill the dough.
- Don’t use sugar sprinkles: Sugar sprinkles will bleed and melt into this buttery frosting. I suggest using nonpareils or sprinkles. Sprinkles love to show off the most on top of frosting!
- Don’t over bake cookies: When the cookies are golden brown on the bottom and spring back when lightly touched with your finger, they’re done.
COOKIE SCOOP
I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop for these cookies and the yield was 40 cookies. I sometimes use a 2 tablespoon scoop for drop cookies, but I think the 1 1/2 tablespoon makes a perfect size cookie. If you’re not sure what size your cookie scoop is, use a tablespoon measuring spoon, and measure water or sugar into it to see how much it holds.
Here are a few more delicious cookie recipes,
Butter Cream Cheese Almond Cookies
Sour Cream Brown Butter Cookies
If you make this recipe please rate it, and leave a comment on how you liked it. I love getting your honest feedback!
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I have made a very similar recipe since I was a kid (I’m in my 70’s now. It is a tradition in my family to make these every Christmas. The only difference is we make 3 batches, one we add mini chocolate chips, one gets raisins and one gets dried cranberries. I also do not use baking powder. My entire family near and far request a box of all the different kinds.
You might want to look at your instructions–
#1 In a medium bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
The remainder of the instructions these ingredients are not mentioned…nor added to the dough. Ooops
Hi Dje, Thanks so much for the feedback. The flour is mentioned in the instructions, but I changed it to “dry ingredients” as to not cause any confusion. It was not listed in the beginning though. Thank you for catching that!
Absolutely.
Making these now…will let you know how they turn out 😉
Cindy,
Love these cookies!!! My husband said they are fluffy sugar cookies.
We put chocolate frosting on half and coconut cream cheese frosting on the remainder…DELISH!!!
Thank you for sharing this recipe…definite keeper. 🙂
They look great..can Greek yogert be used for the sour cream?
Hi Rose, Yes it can.
I love these cookies because they rise so cute in the oven and they are spongy! Very flavorful. Yum yum. I didn’t do the frosting, I chilled the dough and rolled them in sprinkles and they came out delicious!
Hi Elizabeth, I’m so glad you liked them! 🙂
These look wonderful I am trying to decide on sour cream or cream cheese christmas cookies.
I want the fluffy cookie. With frosting.
Do you have any advise on which ingredient is best? Or what the difference in the two cookies are?
Hi Desiree…make the Sour Cream Sugar Cookies if you want the real fluffy. Merry Christmas!
I have been using the same sugar cookie recipe for over 30 years (and it’s a good one!)
HOWEVER…after serving these cookies at our family Fourth of July celebration, I am making a change. Everyone that tried these cookies said they were amazing. They loved how soft and cake-like they were.
Thank you for what will now be my go-to sugar cookie recipe!
Hi Tina, You’re so welcome! I’m glad they were a hit! 🙂
I haven’t make your recipe yet, but grew up eating these cookies. The recipe my Mom used came from the back of a bag of C-I sugar. The only thing different between Mom’s recipe and yours are the measurements of the flour, sugar, and baking powder. We have never chilled the dough. It is a very soft dough, and if you don’t handle it to much the cookies turn out big, thick and soft. It has been a family favorite for decades. I made 11 dozen yesterday. Of all the research I have done over the years, looking for this recipe yours is the closest.
Hi Sharon, Wow…you’ve been busy. I’m glad they turned out for you. Merry Christmas!
I make these cookies 3 or 4 times a year, my husband’s favorite cookies. But instead of frosting I mix a little of pumpkin spice in it. He absolutely loves them. I’m actually making them now.
Hi Tammy, I’m so glad he loves them. Adding pumpkin spice sounds like a great idea. I hope you’ll give it a rating. 🙂
Can these be rolled out after chilling and then cut?
Hi Mavis, I don’t suggest rolling these out. They would need more flour to be able to roll and cut them. I would use a different recipe for roll out cookies.
Thank you for your prompt reply!
I made these for Christmas cookies yesterday. It made 44 cookies. I had two unfrosted. This morning I had 18 cookies left. I think my husband liked them. Haha! They were still unfrosted.
Hi Violet, That’s funny. At least you know he liked them. Lol. My friends beg for these cookies and my butter cookies. Happy Holidays!
What type of cookie scoop should you use?
Hi Treasure,
I used a 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop. It makes the perfect size.
Could I substitute Greek yogurt for the sour cream
Hi Lin, Yes you sure can.