Save These soft sugar cookies get their incredible texture from sour cream, creating a tender, pillowy treat that literally melts in your mouth. The dough requires chilling for the best results, ensuring thick cookies that hold their shape beautifully while remaining soft inside.
The cream cheese frosting is perfectly balanced—sweet, tangy, and incredibly smooth. It spreads beautifully and sets just enough to stack without smudging. These are ideal for holiday cookie platters, birthday celebrations, or anytime you want a classic, crowd-pleasing sweet.
What makes these special is the combination of textures—the slightly crisp edges give way to an incredibly soft center, while the frosting adds a rich, creamy finish. The vanilla shines through, and the sour cream keeps them fresh for days.
The first time I made these cookies, my kitchen smelled like vanilla and butter for days. My roommate kept wandering in, asking if they were done yet, checking the oven like it held some kind of secret treasure. We ended up eating three warm ones right off the rack, frosting be damned, and I realized that sometimes impatience tastes better than patience ever could.
Last Christmas, my niece helped me decorate a batch and turned the kitchen into a confetti explosion. She carefully placed each sprinkle with surgical precision while I tried to teach her that imperfection is part of the charm. Those imperfect, generously-frosted cookies disappeared faster than any of the picture-perfect ones I had made earlier that week.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour: The foundation, providing structure while keeping things tender
- Baking soda and powder: These work together to give the cookies their gentle rise
- Salt: Just enough to balance the sweetness and bring all flavors forward
- Unsalted butter: Use it softened to room temperature for proper creaming
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens and helps create that perfect cracked surface
- Large egg: Binds everything together and adds richness
- Full-fat sour cream: The secret ingredient that makes these unforgettable
- Pure vanilla extract: Dont skimp here, it makes all the difference
- Cream cheese: Make sure its completely soft for silky frosting
- Powdered sugar: Sift it first to avoid any lumps in your frosting
- Milk: Just enough to reach your perfect spreading consistency
Instructions
- Whisk the dry ingredients:
- Combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until well blended
- Cream butter and sugar:
- Beat them together until the mixture looks pale and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes of honest work
- Add the wet ingredients:
- Mix in the egg, followed by sour cream and vanilla, until everything comes together smoothly
- Combine the mixtures:
- Gradually stir in the dry ingredients, mixing just until you no longer see white streaks
- Chill the dough:
- Cover tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or overnight if you are planning ahead
- Prepare for baking:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line baking sheets with parchment paper
- Shape the cookies:
- Roll dough into balls, flatten to about half an inch thick, and space them 2 inches apart
- Bake to perfection:
- Cook for 9 to 11 minutes until set with barely golden edges
- Cool completely:
- Let them rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack
- Make the frosting:
- Beat cream cheese and butter until creamy, then gradually add powdered sugar and vanilla
- Frost and decorate:
- Once cookies are completely cool, spread generously and add sprinkles if you feel festive
Save My dad called me after I sent him home with a dozen, asking for the recipe because his coworkers had begged him for details. There is something about a homemade sugar cookie that makes people feel like they are six years old again, sitting at a kitchen counter waiting for permission to lick the spoon.
Making Them Ahead
The dough actually benefits from an overnight rest in the refrigerator, developing deeper flavor and making it easier to handle. You can also freeze the shaped dough balls for up to two months and bake them straight from the freezer, adding just a minute or two to the baking time.
Frosting Variations
A drop of food coloring transforms these into holiday treats without changing the taste. I have also added citrus zest, almond extract, or even a splash of maple syrup to the frosting for different flavor profiles that still feel completely at home here.
Storage Secrets
These cookies keep beautifully in the refrigerator for up to five days, though I have never seen them last longer than three in my house. The unfrosted cookies freeze exceptionally well if you want to get a head start on holiday baking.
- Layer cookies between wax paper if you are stacking them for storage
- Bring refrigerated cookies to room temperature for about 10 minutes before serving
- Frost frozen cookies after they have thawed completely for the best texture
Save There is a particular joy in biting into a cookie that manages to be both substantial and ethereal, and I think these hit that perfect balance. Hope they bring as much warmth to your kitchen as they have to mine.
Common Recipe Questions
- → Why is chilling the dough necessary?
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Chilling the dough for at least one hour is essential for achieving thick, soft cookies that hold their shape during baking. The cold dough prevents excessive spreading, resulting in tender cookies with a pillowy texture. You can chill it overnight for even better results.
- → Can I freeze the cookie dough?
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Yes, you can freeze the unfrosted cookie dough balls for up to 2 months. Place them on a baking sheet to freeze individually, then transfer to an airtight container or freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 1-2 minutes to the baking time. Frost after cooling completely.
- → How should I store these cookies?
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Store frosted cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cream cheese frosting requires refrigeration for food safety. Bring them to room temperature for about 15 minutes before serving for the best texture and flavor.
- → Can I make the frosting ahead of time?
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Yes, prepare the cream cheese frosting up to 2 days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Let it come to room temperature and give it a quick stir before frosting your completely cooled cookies.
- → What makes these cookies soft instead of crunchy?
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The sour cream is the secret ingredient that creates an exceptionally soft, tender texture. Its acidity tenderizes the gluten while adding moisture. Combined with the proper baking time and the chilling step, this ensures cookies that stay soft for days rather than becoming hard or crispy.
- → Can I customize the frosting flavors?
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Absolutely! Add a few drops of food coloring for festive occasions, or mix in citrus zest, almond extract, or even cocoa powder for variation. Just add any flavorings gradually to maintain the perfect spreading consistency.
