These Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness — they’re perfect with or without frosting and make a great freezer-friendly holiday cookie! Includes step by step recipe video
Looking for more Christmas cookies? Try these Soft Sugar Cookie Bars, these Chocolate Crinkle Cookies or The Best Snickerdoodle Recipe next!
I have never liked sugar cookies.
Maybe it’s because my mom was never a fan of sugar cookies, and never baked sugar cookies, and we never had sugar cookies growing up.
Maybe it’s because the dough can be finnicky and trying to cut it into those cute snowflake and Christmas tree shapes without leaving half of the dough behind in the cookie cutter gives me anxiety.
Maybe it’s because there are no chocolate chips. (Although they do have frosting — I’ll give them that).
Whatever the case, they’re just not something we have often ever.
But the holidays come and I start to flip through family cookbooks and think back to Christmas gatherings at Grandma and Grandpa’s. And as I came across this one in my cookbook my one Grandma had made for me when I was married, I knew I had to share it.
These Sour Cream Cookies are not the difficult, finnicky cookies that require hours of rolling, cutting, baking, and decorating.
They are a soft sugar cookie made with sour cream, and they have a fluffy, delicate texture that I find much more appealing. They are a cakey cookie — like little, frosted hand cakes.
If this is not what you’re looking for, try a different recipe.
Please note that these are not cutout cookies — you can chill or freeze the dough all you want and you still will not get shapes from these cookies.
The flavor is mild and slightly sweet, so they are made to be frosted. If you feel the need to add some lemon zest or extra vanilla, go for it.
Yes, they are cakey. This is just the way the recipe is.
If your Grandma writes recipes the way my Grandma wrote recipes, you know that they’re a little…. well, open to interpretation. And since I’ve never made these with Grandma, I’m just going to say that these are my best guess at what her recipe actually means.
You may or may not get exact measurements.
You may or may not get mixing or baking instructions (in this case, there were none).
These turned out so soft and luscious and perfectly sweet, that I decided to share the recipe my way.
A simple colored frosting and maybe a few sprinkles is really all they need to make them extra special for Christmas, though they are easy enough to make for any occasion…. Or no occasion. Sometimes you just need a cookie!
Can I freeze sour cream cookies?
Absolutely! These freeze perfectly.
In an hour or two, the frosting should set to the point where you can stack and freeze them, but if you want to be extra safe, you could flash freeze them on the baking sheet for an hour before stacking.
Freeze up to 3 months.
Can I use this recipe for cut out cookies?
Not this recipe, but after so many requests, I created a new cookie recipe based on these Sour Cream Cookies that is perfect for cut out cookies, with no chilling and a thick soft sugar cookie.
You can find my Christmas Sugar Cookies recipe here.
Can I add more flavor to these Sour Cream Cookies?
Definitely! If you read the comments, you’ll see that a lot of people love these cookies, and some people it seems are not sure what they are getting with this recipe.
Like I said earlier, these cookies are made to be frosted. The cookie itself is not very sweet. Here are some ways to customize this recipe to your tastes:
- Add the zest of a lemon or orange
- Add 1 teaspoon of almond extract
- As a reader mentioned, you could reduce the baking powder to 2 teaspoons if you want them less fluffy. They will still be very cakey.
- Sprinkle the cookies with granulated sugar before baking.
More sour cream cookies:
These have been so popular that I’ve added two more versions to the family!
Grandma’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies
written by Ashley Fehr
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups granulated sugar (400g)
- 4 eggs
- â…” cup sour cream
- 2 teaspoons vanilla*
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 4 cups all purpose flour, fluffed and levelled (520g)
Frosting
- ½ cup butter
- 2 ½ cups powdered icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons milk
- food coloring (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl with an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar on high until light and creamy.
- Add eggs, sour cream and vanilla, and beat until smooth.
- Add baking soda, baking powder, and salt and mix until combined. Add flour and beat on low until no white remains — dough will be soft, almost like cake batter. This is how it should be.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Drop by rounded tablespoons onto baking sheets 2-3 inches apart and bake for 10-12 minutes, until edges are golden and centers are set. They do puff and spread quite a bit so don't make them too big!
Frosting
- With an electric mixer, beat butter until smooth. Add sugar, vanilla and milk and beat until smooth, adding additional sugar or milk to reach desired consistency (you don't want it too thin!).
- Color if desired and spread on cooled cookies.
Notes
Nutrition Information
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Pam says
These taste like a biscuit to me. I had to double the frosting. Not what I expected.
Ashley Fehr says
That’s not something I ever would have expected — they are definitely sweet and I’m sure I had extra frosting. You must like things very sweet!
Michele says
Just made these with my kiddos and they are so good! I used almond extract instead of vanilla because I’m a big almond fan and they turned out excellent! Can’t imagine why these wouldn’t turn out for others. SO yummy! Thanks for sharing your grandma’s recipe!
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you Michele! I’m so happy to hear that (love the almond addition!) 🙂
Loretta says
These cookies are a new favourite for my family! They mix up so smoothly and are perfect with some icing and sprinkles on top. They remind me of the cookies my mother used to make. Thank you for this excellent recipe!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Loretta! I’m so happy to hear that!
Lauren says
I made these yesterday and they baked up well but they are extremely bland. I had hoped for more tang from the sour cream. If I make them again I will add lemon or orange zest.
Ashley Fehr says
The sour cream adds more to the texture than the flavor, since there is only a small amount. They are a mildly sweet vanilla cookie — I wouldn’t say they are bland, but they are definitely not over the top.
Stephen Ward says
Add some NUTMEG to the mix, that’s what’s been our family recipe for 4 generations, and feel free to throw some RAISONS in there, adds natural sweetness!
Kathy Moore says
I’m in the “these didn’t turn out” camp. I used about 5 and a half cups of flour because with the four it called for, it was like cake batter. Even with the extra flour, the dough still feels weird. They’re not even cake-like. I cooked the nine minutes as directed and they were still doughy. Not sure how people are getting good results as I originally followed the recipe to a t. They’re almost like little hot rolls. I’ve never had a recipe come out this far off base for me. What a huge waste of ingredients ? .
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Kathy! Yes, the dough is soft and sticky. From 4 cups to 5.5 cups of flour is a BIG jump and I’d prefer you not to leave a review here if you didn’t make the recipe. I hope you find other recipes you enjoy more!
Melanie says
Exact thing happened to me with 4 cups of flour but I think my problem was in the butter – I belted down cold sticks 30 seconds to soften it but the butter and sugar mixed together was not a creamy consistency for me in step 1
Sharon says
These look great. My mom has always used sour cream in her sugar cookies and they turn out like the ones you buy in the bakery at the store. I can’t find my copy of her recipe so I was hoping these would be the ones but they aren’t. They recipe she has you can roll out and cut different shapes. I will try these cookies also, but for now I need to find the ones I can roll out. I promised my granddaughter that we’d make Christmas cookies today. lol
Sharon says
Ok….my granddaughter and I made these cookies and I think they are wonderful. They are not overly sweet which is nice because when you frost them they will be perfect. I would eat them plain with my coffee. lol I did a little experiment on them and it turned out great. We doubled the batch and I added a 1/2 cup milk and 1/2 cup sugar cookie coffee creamer and it worked great. We will be decorating them as soon as they cool off. My 17 yr old son hates cookies (he’s not a sweet eater) but I think he’ll like them unfrosted. We are having my granddaughters 10th birthday party tomorrow so we’ll be serving them then. Thank you for the recipe…..I LOVE IT!!!
Ashley Fehr says
Oh I love that idea! A great way to add different flavours! I’m so glad you and your family are enjoying them! Happy birthday to your granddaughter 🙂
Mary says
I know. I realized these aren’t rolled out after I read so many and started putting ingredients in.
My mom had a sour cream recipe that used juice from small Orange and a little grated orange peel in it. Hope I can find it
Ashley Fehr says
You could likely reduce or skip the milk and add the orange juice to these. I’d love to hear if you try them!
Irma Bell says
You may want to check out a recipe on Pinterest called ” No Fail Small Batch Sugar Cookies.”
They have sour cream and you roll them out and use cookie cutters.
Irma Bell says
Sharon,when you say you doubled the recipe and added 1/2 c milk and 1/2 c sugar cookie creamer, was that on top of the original amount of milk for a doubled recipe? Did that change the texture of the dough , or cooking time?
Claire says
I just wanted to say these turned out beautifully! I grew up with these cookies and couldn’t find the recipe to make this year–this is the closest one to it! So, so happy you posted it 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that! I’m glad I gave them a try! I’ve only ever had them when Grandma made them 🙂
Ka says
Just wanted to say they are delish! First batch was a little to close to each other but have the hang of it now. Don’t need any icing only if you want them a little more decorative. Brava?
Ashley Fehr says
Yay! So happy to hear that! Thanks for coming back to leave a comment 🙂
Martha says
Does the frosting set up enough to be able to stack the cookies? And have you ever frozen them after baking and frosting? I will need to make at least 3 batches of them and would love to ;make them now and freeze!
Brandy says
I’m wondering the same thing!
Ashley Fehr says
The frosting does set up pretty well but if you want to stack them at room temperature with no sticking, you may want to add a bit more sugar or reduce the butter or liquid a bit to start, then thin more if you need just so you can spread it. Let me know how you like them!
Lady loo loo says
Just made cookie batter yesterday refrigerated over night hard as a rock. Impossible to make a cookie out of this
Ashley Fehr says
Well I never recommended refrigeration.
cm says
i have been an avid baker for most of my life, i love soft vanilla cookies, and these are the best, and easiest!!! i have to admit, i have already made them 2 times this holiday season. the first time i made them as directed and i was so worried about how loose the dough was, but they turned out GREAT! the second time i decided to make them with greek yogurt because i ran out of sour cream, and they came out wonderfully. thank you for sharing this recipe, it def makes it into MY family recipe book. 🙂 oh and the frosting is amazing and buttery and all things wonderful 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
That makes me so happy to hear! I think Greek yogurt would work perfectly — I will have to try that the next time I make them!
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Kelly. If you are going to leave such a negative review I’d appreciate you explaining what happened. This is my Grandma’s recipe, and no they are not a traditional sugar cookie recipe but they are not a waste of time or ingredients, unless of course you don’t like soft vanilla cookies. They have actually had plenty of positive reviews on social media and a reader just commented that they were the best sugar cookies they’d ever made, so I’m not exactly sure what went wrong when you made them, or if they are just not your style.
Lindsay says
These were hands down the best sugar cookies I have made! So light, fluffy and perfectly delicious! My kids are awesome little kitchen helpers and suggested we make a “lemon flavored” frosting. So, we squeezed the juice from half of a lemon in and it was the most perfect twist! Topped with a bit of orange zest….PERFECTION! I am also a huge fan of almond extract, so we added a tis bit of almond to the cookie dough….YUM!
Thanks for sharing this recipe….we will for sure be using this over the holiday season!
Ashley Fehr says
I’m so happy to hear that! Thanks so much for coming back and leaving a comment. It’s so nice to hear how things turn out for people! We love lemon so I am definitely going to have to try that next!
Norma says
The cookies are delicious!! Soft & easy to make. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Norma! I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed them!
Fletcher says
I completely agree. I just tried them and they turned out horrible. Waste of time and ingredients. I just wish I had read your comment beforehand.
Taylor says
One hundred percent. Just wasted an hour. These turned out like cake and tasted like paste. And I followed the recipe exactly.
Not sure why.
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Taylor, they are a soft and cakey cookie, so it does make sense that they would turn out a lot like cake. Maybe soft, cakey cookies are your thing — fine. Just read the description and then find another recipe, maybe a more traditional sugar cookie is what you’re looking for. This is not it.
Taylor says
Hi Ashley,
I really wasn’t trying to be rude, I was just frustrated because I made these for my niece hoping for Lofthouse type cookies, which I gathered they would be from the description. These did just not turn out at all for me, the dough was extremely sticky and the cookies really had no flavor. I am just not sure why my cookies turned out so bad, and I made sure to follow the directions exactly.
Ashley Fehr says
Yes, the dough is sticky and they are likely softer and more cakes than a Lofthouse cookie. If the recipe isn’t for you, fine. Just remember that there is a real person behind every blog, sharing family friends and things they love. Next time try searching “lofthouse copycat cookie”
Ashley Fehr says
Hi Fletcher, if you are going to leave a negative review, then explain what happened. This is not the place for unnecessary negativity — especially on one of my family’s favorite recipes. Maybe you don’t like soft vanilla cookies, then no, they won’t be for you. But they are far from horrible, unless something happened when you made the recipe.
Linda says
Hi,
I just made these cookies, and I thought they are Delicious. I haven’t even decided if I will frost them or not, as they are great just the way they are. I have learned that you are always going to have people that are never Satisfied no matter what. It’s their loss. Ashley,
I Love the cookies. Now I think I will go and frost 1/2 off them Thank you for sharing your grandma’s recipe, as I never had the opportunity to bake with my grandma. Have a Very Merry Christmas.
Ashley Fehr says
Thank you so much Linda for your kind words! I agree — not everybody will like every recipe and that is totally fine with me! It can be hard to know exactly how something will turn out. I am not a big fan of sugar cookies but I really like these with and without frosting too! I hope you have a great Christmas too 🙂
Jenn says
I don’t know what happened but these SO id not turn out at all for me.
Ashley Fehr says
I’m sorry to hear that? Can you tell me what happened? Then maybe I can help you figure it out.
marcie says
These look so soft and fluffy! I’ve never used sour cream in a sugar cookie and that sounds like a terrific idea, plus I love that there’s no rolling out dough here. I need to try these!
dawn swenson says
my mom used a reciepe like this but she did roll them out and used cookie cutters for her cookies –they are gooood…..
Laura says
Finally a sugar cookie I don’t have to stand over to flour the surface, roll the dough out, cut out the cookie, transfer it to a cookie sheet, then bake it. This is so easy. Just mix it up, drop by tabl full and just bake. “Then frost or not. Wow what could be easier. Thanks for making my Christmas baking a lot easier..
Ashley Fehr says
I’m glad you’re as excited about them as I am! They are so soft and delicately sweet — a new favorite here for sure! (Or an old one, however you look at it 🙂 ) Thanks Laura!
Nim says
Hey Rachel just wondering are these cookies easy to cut out and all?
Thanks xxx
Nim says
Omg I mean Ashley***
Ashley Fehr says
Haha, no worries! But no, these are not cut out sugar cookies. They are soft, moist and fluffy, so they won’t keep a shape. We like them better than the cutout kind!
LeeAnn says
No! They are soooo sticky! No amount of flour will help. However, the flavor of the round cookies are absolutely delicious!
Alyssa @ My Sequined Life says
Family recipes are always vague! I think moms and aunts and grandmas have magic in their fingers. 🙂 These sugar cookies look like the real deal!
Ashley Fehr says
Haha! Right?!? I have to admit it is kind of fun to try to interpret them though!
Rachel @ Bakerita says
I’m usually not the biggest sugar cookie fan but these look outstanding!! They look soooo soft and delish, and the colored frosting is super cute 🙂
Ashley Fehr says
Thanks Rachel!
Mary Pisarkiewicz says
omg it honest is the best secret for keeping cookies soft!
Ashley Fehr says
Yes! And normally I like my cookies chewy, but sugar cookies are different!
Dorothy Dunton says
Hi Ashley! I love a soft sugar cookie with frosting! These sound so easy and so good! And frosting is always a good thing! Definitely putting these in my “must make for Christmas” folder!
Ashley Fehr says
Frosting makes everything better I think! Thanks Dorothy!