Description
These Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting are tender, slightly tangy cookies perfect for any occasion. Made with a rich sour cream sugar cookie dough and topped with a smooth, creamy cream cheese icing, these cookies offer a delightful balance of flavors and textures. The dough chills overnight for improved flavor and softness, and the frosting can be piped or spread for a beautiful finish, making them ideal for gatherings or festive celebrations.
Ingredients
Scale
Sugar Cookie Dough:
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large 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 to ensure even distribution in dough.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a large mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar together for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy, creating the base of the cookie dough.
- Add eggs and vanilla: Beat in the eggs and vanilla extract for another 3 minutes to incorporate air and deepen flavor.
- Combine flour and sour cream: Add the sifted flour mixture alternately with sour cream in three additions, starting and ending with flour, mixing just until combined to maintain softness.
- Chill the dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight or for at least 8 hours to let flavors meld and firm up the dough for easier handling.
- Preheat oven and prepare dough: Preheat the oven to 375℉. Divide chilled dough in half and roll each on a lightly floured surface to ¼-inch thickness, brushing off excess flour before cutting.
- Cut out cookies: Using lightly floured cookie cutters shaped as hearts, circles, or similarly simple designs, cut out cookies. This soft dough is not ideal for intricate shapes.
- Arrange and bake: Place the cut cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet without greasing the pan. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges just begin to turn golden, preserving softness inside.
- Cool cookies: Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make cream cheese icing: In a large mixing bowl, beat together softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
- Add powdered sugar and vanilla: Mix in powdered sugar and vanilla extract until the frosting is well blended and smooth. Add food coloring if desired.
- Frost the cookies: Use a thin metal spatula or pipe the icing onto cooled cookies with a bag fitted with a star tip. Decorate with sprinkles or sugar decorations as desired.
Notes
- For best texture and flavor, refrigerate the dough overnight before baking.
- Use simple cookie cutters without intricate details, as the dough is soft and may lose shape.
- No need to grease baking sheets if using parchment paper; cookies release easily.
- Frosting can be customized with food coloring or added extracts for variety.
- Store cookies in an airtight container to keep them soft and fresh.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 115mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 6g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 35mg
