Super soft and delicious cookies inspired by a vintage recipe. An easy, old-fashioned treat for any time of year.
Table of contents
❤️ Why you’ll love this recipe
- A vintage favorite. These were my favorite cookies that my mom made when I was a child, and for some reason, they fell off the cookie rotation for at least ten years. I asked for the recipe after I got married, and it could not be recovered. And then, miraculously, it resurfaced, as a scanned document lurking somewhere. This is a recipe from McCall’s magazine from the ’80s that I’ve changed just a tiny bit.
- A little different. They don’t taste like sour cream, but they definitely taste different from a normal sugar cookie. They are less sweet and have a melt-in-your-mouth texture. So easy to make, there is no reason not to give them a try!
🧂 Ingredients
This is an overview of the ingredients. You’ll find the full measurements and instructions in the printable recipe at the bottom of the page.
You’ll need the following for these cake-like cookies:
- all-purpose flour
- baking powder
- baking soda
- salt
- butter
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- sour cream
- vanilla
- milk
- powdered sugar
- vanilla
- colored sprinkles
🥣 Equipment
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- mixer
- mixing bowls
- parchment paper
🍴Instructions
Step One
We begin by simply whisking together all the dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Set aside the dry ingredients and place the sugar, butter, and eggs in a separate bowl.
Step Two
Next, it’s time to beat the butter, sugar, and egg until they are light and fluffy. This takes about 3-5 minutes with an electric mixer on medium speed, so if you have a stand mixer than you can use, that would be very handy.
Add the sour cream and the vanilla to the butter mixture and mix on low for about a minute.
Step three
Once that is thoroughly incorporated, add the flour mixture in, a cup at a time. The dough will be very soft, almost like a thick cake batter. Tightly cover it with plastic wrap, and chill the dough for at least an hour to make it easier to work with.
Step Four
When the hour is up, it’s time to get ready to bake. This recipe makes about 30 cookies and you can usually fit them on two baking sheets. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and scoop out the cookie dough in heaping tablespoons. The dough is so soft that a spoon works better than a cookie scoop. Space them about two inches apart and bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges and bottom are light golden brown.
Step Five
Allow the cookies to cool completely before you make the glaze.
Mix the milk, powdered sugar, and vanilla together to form a thick icing. You’ll want to do a test cookie to make sure it’s the right consistency. The glaze should settle into a smooth coating but not drip off the sides too much.
Step six
Before the glaze dries, add sprinkles if you’re using any.
🥫 Storage instructions
If you have leftover cookies, it is best to store them in an airtight container. This will help keep them fresh and tasting great. You can also freeze them, but be sure to freeze them unglazed and decorate them after you defrost.
🔍 FAQs
No, the sour cream flavor is subtle and it just enhances the flavor of the cookie.
Yes, a classic buttercream is delicious with these!
Try adding chopped pecans or substituting almond extract for the vanilla.
👩🏻🍳 Expert tips
- Start with room temperature ingredients! Your eggs, butter, and sour cream should all be at room temp.
📘 Related Recipes
- Molasses Cookies, still number one in my heart.
- When you need a simple sugar cookie, try old-fashioned drop sugar cookies.
- And when you want to make cut-out sugar cookies, use a sugar cookie recipe that is actually tasty.
- Find more old-fashioned Christmas cookies here.
📖 Here’s the recipe
Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter salted
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
For the glaze
- 1 tablespoon milk
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- dash vanilla
- colored sprinkles or sparkling sugar optional
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large mixing bowl, set aside
- Beat butter, sugar, and egg with an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3-5 minutes.
- Add the sour cream and vanilla and blend on medium-low until combined. Mix in the flour mixture, I cup at a time, until just combined. Dough will be very soft. Cover and refrigerate the dough 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 375. Prepare baking sheet with parchment paper or cooking spray. Drop cookie dough by rounded tablespoons 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes until edges are golden brown. If baking two sheets at a time, rotate halfway through the baking time.
- After cookies have cooled completely, mix the glaze by combining all ingredients. Dip cookies in the glaze and sprinkle with sugar or sprinkles. Let dry and store at room temperature until serving.
They are weird in a good way! Not too sweet!