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Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies

These Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies are rich, soft cookies that are lightly sweetened with a hint of cozy nutmeg!

While there are all kinds of over-the-top cookies out there, I tend to gravitate towards the simple varieties.

Cookies where competing flavors and textures aren’t vying for attention. Just one or two flavors that shine.

Like these Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies!

Up close view of an old fashioned sour cream cookie topped with sprinkles on a wire cooling rack with more cookies in the background.

A simple dough that combines the richness of butter and sour cream with the warm, cozy spice of nutmeg to create a classic favorite.

The texture of these cookies is more soft and cake-like then chewy.

I’m usually all about chewy cookies, but there is something about the hint of nutmeg and the richness of the sour cream in these soft cookies that makes it hard to eat just one!

While they aren’t the most pretty cookie or full of all kinds of flavors and textures, these simple cookies will soon find a place on the list of your family favorites!

Side view of a cut out sour cream cookie on a wire cooling rack.

How to Make Classic Sour Cream Cookies

Just like the simple ingredients, the steps for making these cookies are simple.

Start by preheating your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and lining your cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Save yourself some frustration, and don’t skip prepping your baking sheets. The cookies will stick.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer, cream together your butter and sugar.

Add in your egg and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy. Don’t be afraid to let your mixer go for a minute or two to get the mixture creamy. Beat in the sour cream until well-combined.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.

Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Depending on the strength of your mixer, you may need to finish stirring with a strong spoon.

Sour cream cookie dough rolled out on a floured surface with a cookie cutter on the dough and a rolling pin off to the right side.

Turn cookie dough out onto a well-floured surface. It’s important to flour your surface. The dough is nice and soft. This makes it easy to work with, but it also means that it will stick to the surface and sometimes the rolling pin.

Flour the rolling pin, and roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness.

Cut dough with cookie cutters, and place on prepared baking sheets.

Top with sprinkles, if desired. Gently press the sprinkles into the dough to help keep the sprinkles from falling off the cookies when you’re stacking them or moving them around. This is an important step, especially if you’re using larger sprinkles.

Sour cream cookie dough cut outs on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet before baking.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until edges of the cookies are just starting to turn a light golden brown.

You don’t want to overbake the cookies as they dry out easily. Error on the side of underbaking them.

Remove cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store leftovers (if you have any!) in an airtight container.

Overhead view of classic sour cream cookies on a wire cooling rack.

Tips for Making Cut Out Sour Cream Cookies

  • The dough is really soft. Make sure you flour your work surface generously. You will also want to coat your rolling pin.
  • Bake the cookies just until the edges start to turn light golden. Overbaking will dry out the cookies.
  • If you’re using sprinkles (especially if they are large), gently press the sprinkles into the dough right before baking. This keeps them from falling off when you stack or move the cookies around.

Love classic cookies? Try these classic cookie recipes!

Side view of a cut out sour cream cookie on a wire cooling rack.

Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies

Yield: 4 dozen 2 inch cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes

These Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies are a rich, soft cookie that are lightly sweetened with a hint of cozy nutmeg! It's a classic recipe that's sure to become a favorite!

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup butter, softened
  • 1 Cup sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 Cup regular or light sour cream
  • 2 2/3 Cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • sprinkles, optional

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line baking sheets with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with an electric hand mixer, cream together sugar and butter. Add in egg and vanilla extract, and beat until creamy. Slowly beat in sour cream until well-combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg.
  4. Slowly beat dry ingredients into wet ingredients. Depending on the strength of your mixer, you may need to finish stirring with a strong spoon.
  5. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface. Roll dough out to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut with cookie cutters, and place on prepared baking sheets. Top with sprinkles, if desired.
  6. Bake for 8-10 minutes or until edges just start to turn light golden brown.Start checking for color at 5 minutes as you do not want to overbake the cookies.
  7. Remove to a wire rack to cool. Store leftovers in an airtight container.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 48 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 65Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 64mgCarbohydrates: 10gFiber: 0gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online calculator and may not always be accurate. Nutrition values can vary greatly based on brand used. It should not be considered a substitute for a medical professional’s advice.

Did you make this recipe?

Please leave a comment or rating on the blog to let us know or share a pic on Instagram and tag @akitchenaddiction

This recipe is adapted from the Betty Crocker Cooky Book.

Stack of soft sour cream cookies on a wire baking rack.

Beth Marie Kartchner Winters

Sunday 26th of December 2021

Rolled a bit thicker and frosted with butter cream frosting which makes the cookies softer. Yum!

Jessica@A Kitchen Addiction

Thursday 30th of December 2021

Great idea to add buttercream frosting!

Johnny

Sunday 29th of December 2019

My family have been baking this cooking for over 70 years and it is a favorite, It pairs well with coffee, Tradition in our family is to put 3 raisins on top

Juana Baruh

Tuesday 1st of October 2019

I have the original cookie book that i keep as a treasure. Some years ago, my son got me a new one through the internet., however i always used my old copy. Nowadays i enjoy baking with my granddaughters. It's a magical book.

Renee

Wednesday 17th of October 2018

I have been looking for an Old Fashion Sour Cream Cookie recipe like forever!...My Grandma used to make them when I was little and my cousins and brother and sisters (there were 8 of us) WE THOUGHT we were sneaking in to get some cookies but Grandma knew what we were up to...My mom said she'd sit in the front room and chuckel when ever she heard that old screen door slam shut...That door gave us away every time...????...(but we never thought about it slamming shut)

Don

Wednesday 7th of January 2015

Sour cream cookies; love em! However, my most fav was that baked by my grandma. She made a Maple syrup, walnut, sour cream cookie that was to die for. To date I have yet to find a recipe for that particular cookie. Those cookies were the rage on my birthdays some sixty years ago.

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