Get ready to rediscover a classic with these incredibly Soft & Frosted Sour Cream Cookies! If you fondly remember those pillowy sugar cookies from the grocery store bakery but wished they had more flavor and a truly homemade touch, this recipe is your answer. We’ve taken that nostalgic soft, cake-like texture and elevated it with rich butter and the secret ingredient – sour cream – ensuring every bite is bursting with flavor and unmatched tenderness.

Why These Sour Cream Cookies Will Become Your Go-To Recipe

There are countless reasons to fall in love with these homemade frosted sour cream cookies. They are not just cookies; they are a delightful experience, easy to prepare, and a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. Here’s why this recipe stands out:

• Simple Ingredients: You’ll only need about 10 common pantry ingredients to create these incredible old-fashioned sour cream cookies, making them accessible and straightforward for anyone to whip up at a moment’s notice.
• Unbelievably Soft & Sweet: Thanks to the magical touch of sour cream, these drop sugar cookies are exceptionally tender, moist, and boast a perfectly balanced sweetness that isn’t cloying. Their melt-in-your-mouth texture is truly addictive.
• Quick Baking Time: With a mere 9-12 minutes of baking, you’ll have a batch of perfectly golden, soft cookies ready in no time, leaving more time for frosting and enjoying!
• Decadent Buttercream Topping: Each cookie is crowned with a rich, velvety vanilla buttercream frosting that complements the cookie’s texture and flavor beautifully. It’s the perfect sweet finish that takes these cookies from great to extraordinary.
• Perfect for Any Occasion: Easily customizable with food coloring and sprinkles, these versatile cookies are ideal for any celebration, from festive holidays to casual get-togethers.
• Superior Flavor & Texture: Forget the bland store-bought versions! This homemade recipe is packed with real butter and sour cream, delivering a depth of flavor and a wonderfully cakey softness that simply can’t be beaten.

Essential Ingredients for Perfect Sour Cream Cookies

Crafting these delectable sour cream cookies requires a few simple, high-quality ingredients. Each component plays a crucial role in achieving the signature soft, cakey texture and rich flavor. Here’s a closer look at what you’ll need:

• Unsalted Butter: Used in both the cookie dough and the luxurious buttercream frosting, room temperature unsalted butter is key for a rich flavor and tender crumb in the cookies, and for a smooth, creamy frosting. Using unsalted butter allows you to control the overall salt content in the recipe.
• Granulated Sugar: Provides the perfect level of sweetness and contributes to the soft texture of these delightful sour cream sugar cookies.
• Sour Cream: This is the star ingredient that truly sets these cookies apart. Full-fat sour cream adds incredible moisture, richness, and a subtle tang that enhances the flavor profile, making the cookies exceptionally soft and wonderfully cakey. Ensure it’s at room temperature for optimal mixing.
• Large Egg: Acts as a binder, adding structure and moisture to the cookie dough, helping to create that desirable cake-like consistency.
• Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavoring agent that significantly amps up the sweet, comforting aroma and taste of both the sour cream cookie dough and the accompanying vanilla buttercream. Don’t skimp on good quality vanilla!
• All-Purpose Flour: The primary structural component of the cookies. For best results, measure by weight using a kitchen scale or use the spoon-and-level method to avoid adding too much flour, which can lead to dry cookies.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work in conjunction with the sour cream (which is acidic) to help the cookies rise beautifully in the oven, giving them their characteristic light and fluffy texture.
• Salt: A small but mighty ingredient that balances out the sweetness, enhances all the other flavors, and prevents the cookies from tasting flat.
• Powdered Sugar: Essential for achieving a smooth, lump-free texture in the vanilla buttercream frosting.
• Milk or Heavy Cream: Used in the buttercream to adjust consistency to your liking, ensuring it’s perfectly spreadable.

For precise measurements and detailed instructions, please refer to the complete recipe card below.

Creative Twists & Variations for Your Sour Cream Cookies

While these sour cream cookies are absolutely perfect as is, they also lend themselves beautifully to customization. Feel free to get creative and tailor them to your taste or occasion!

• Almond Delight: For a delightful almond flavor, introduce ¼ teaspoon of almond extract into the cookie dough. Once frosted, sprinkle a generous amount of toasted, sliced almonds on top of the buttercream for an elegant finish and a lovely textural contrast. This creates a sophisticated twist on the classic sour cream drop sugar cookies.
• Frosting Freedom: You can certainly enjoy these soft cookies plain, without any frosting, for a simpler treat. Alternatively, swap out the vanilla buttercream for other delicious options like a tangy Raspberry Cream Cheese Frosting, a bright Strawberry Lemon Frosting, or even a rich chocolate ganache. The possibilities are endless!
• Festive & Fun: Elevate the fun factor by dyeing the buttercream frosting with vibrant food coloring. Gel food colorings, such as Americolor gels, are recommended as they provide intense color without altering consistency. Finish them off with a generous dusting of colorful sprinkles – Watkins rainbow sprinkles are always a hit – to match any holiday theme or celebration!
• Citrus Zest: For a bright, zesty note, add 1-2 teaspoons of fresh lemon or orange zest to the cookie dough along with the vanilla extract. This complements the subtle tang of the sour cream beautifully.

Please note: This recipe has primarily been tested with the listed ingredients. If you experiment with other substitutions or additions, we’d love to hear how they turned out in the comments section below! Your feedback helps other bakers in our community.

Step-by-Step Guide: How to Bake Perfect Sour Cream Cookies

Baking these delightful sour cream cookies is a straightforward process, even for beginners. Follow these detailed steps to achieve a batch of perfectly soft, cakey, and frosted treats.

Expert Tips for Baking Perfect Sour Cream Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality sour cream cookies is easy with a few insider tricks. Keep these expert baking tips in mind for consistently soft, delicious, and perfectly frosted treats every time.

1. Proper Spacing is Key: When dropping your cookie dough onto the baking sheet, ensure you leave ample space – at least 2 inches – between each cookie ball. These soft sour cream cookies will spread slightly as they bake, and proper spacing prevents them from merging into one giant cookie.
2. Don’t Overbake: This is perhaps the most crucial tip for maintaining the signature soft and cakey texture of these sour cream cookies. Keep a close eye on them; they are done when the edges are just barely set and starting to turn a light golden color, while the centers still look pale and slightly underdone. The cookies will continue to cook slightly from residual heat once removed from the oven.
3. Cool Completely Before Frosting: Patience is a virtue when it comes to frosting. Ensure your sour cream cookies are entirely cooled to room temperature before you apply the buttercream. If the cookies are even slightly warm, the delicious vanilla buttercream will melt, slide off, and create a messy, unappealing result.
4. Achieve Perfectly Round Cookies with “Cookie Scooting”: For those who love a professional-looking, perfectly round cookie, try the “cookie scooting” technique. Immediately after removing the hot cookies from the oven, use a larger round object, like a biscuit cutter or the rim of a glass, and gently scoot it around the edges of each cookie to reshape them into a perfect circle while they are still warm and pliable. This simple trick, demonstrated in this TikTok video, makes a big difference in presentation.
5. Room Temperature Ingredients: Always use room temperature butter, eggs, and sour cream. This ensures that all ingredients cream together smoothly, creating a uniform batter that bakes evenly and results in a superior, tender texture. Cold ingredients can lead to a lumpy batter and denser cookies.
6. Measure Flour Correctly: For the best consistency in your sour cream cookie dough, measure your all-purpose flour by weight using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have a scale, use the spoon-and-level method: spoon flour into your measuring cup and then level it off with a straight edge, rather than scooping directly from the bag. This prevents compacting the flour and adding too much, which can make cookies dry.

Frequently Asked Questions About Sour Cream Cookies

Got questions about making these soft and frosted sour cream cookies? We’ve got answers to help you bake with confidence!

Storing Your Delicious Sour Cream Cookies

To keep your soft sour cream cookies fresh and enjoyable for as long as possible, proper storage is key. Here are the best ways to store both frosted and unfrosted cookies:

Room Temperature Storage

Frosted sour cream cookies should be stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They will remain wonderfully fresh, soft, and flavorful for 3-4 days. To prevent the frosting from sticking together, you can place a piece of parchment paper between layers of cookies if stacking them. Make sure the container is truly airtight to maintain their moisture.

Freezing Instructions

These sour cream cookies freeze beautifully, both with and without the buttercream frosting. To freeze, arrange the cookies (frosted or unfrosted) in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Once firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag, separating layers with parchment paper. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, simply defrost the cookies at room temperature. If they were frosted, the buttercream will thaw nicely.

More Irresistible Cookie Recipes You’ll Love

Soft and Easy Sour Cream Cookies with Frosting

Kayla Burton