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    Home » Recipes » Cookies, Brownies & Bars

    Sour Cream Cookies

    March 29, 2025 by Amee Leave a Comment

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    These Sour Cream Cookies are simple and delicious! Whether you're baking for a special gathering, a holiday dessert table, or just for yourself, this recipe may just be your new anytime favorite!

    Three Sour Cream Cookies on a white fluted plate, one with a bite missing.

    This post may contain affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I’ll never link to anything I don’t use and love! Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

    These Sour Cream Cookies are soft, chewy, and frosted with an irresistible sour cream frosting! They're the perfect canvas for festive sprinkles to dress them up for any holiday or occasion!

    If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Lemon Sugar Cookies, Sprinkle Cookies with Browned Butter, and Buttermilk Cookies!

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Storage
    • Other Recipes You May Like
    • Sour Cream Cookies
    • 💬 Comments

    Ingredients

    With some fridge and pantry staples, you'll be whipping up these cookies in no time! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.

    Top view of Sour Cream Cookie ingredients on a white background.

    Sour Cream Cookie Ingredients

    • Flour - Provides structure for the cookies. I used all-purpose flour.
    • Baking Powder and Baking Soda - For leavening.
    • Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the cookies.
    • Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the cookies moist.
    • Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be at room temperature so it incorporates better with the other ingredients.
    • Eggs - For moisture, richness, and a little leavening. You want your egg to be at room temperature.
    • Sour Cream - For flavor, richness, and moisture.
    • Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor and lovely vanilla bean flecks in your cookies! If you prefer to substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.

    Sour Cream Frosting Ingredients

    • Unsalted Butter - The base of your frosting! Unsalted butter so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want the butter to be at room temperature.
    • Sour Cream - For flavor and richness. You want your sour cream to be at room temperature.
    • Powdered Sugar - For sweetness, and because it dissolves completely, giving your buttercream a smooth, creamy texture. I sift my powdered sugar to ensure there are no lumps in the frosting.
    • Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor.
    • Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the frosting.
     
    Steps to making Sour Cream Cookies.

    Instructions

    Here's what you need to do to make these delicious cookies, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

    1. Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
    2. Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
    3. Add eggs one at a time, followed by the sour cream and vanilla bean paste. Mix to combine.
    4. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
    5. Scoop dough onto baking sheets and bake. **See recipe card, below for full instructions.**
    6. Combine sour cream frosting ingredients and frost cooled cookies.

    Variations

    These cookies, while completely delicious as written here, can be treated as a blank canvas for whatever flavor you're craving! Here are a few examples:

    • Change the frosting - Changing the frosting is such an easy way to completely change up the flavor profile! These cookies would be fantastic with Blueberry Buttercream, Strawberry Cream Cheese Frosting, or Honey Lavender Buttercream!
    • Add some spice - Both the cookies and the frosting would be lovely with some cinnamon or cardamom!
    • Experiment with extracts - Change up the flavor by adding different extracts instead of (or in addition to) the vanilla bean paste! Almond extract would be a fantastic addition!
    • Get zesty - Add some lemon, lime, or orange zest to the cookies and/or frosting for a citrus flair!
    • Use flavored sugar instead of regular granulated sugar - Check out my recipes for Vanilla Sugar, Lavender Sugar, Strawberry Sugar, and Blueberry Sugar--they would all be delicious!
    Sour Cream Cookies stacked, the top cookie frosted with sour cream frosting.

    Storage

    The cookie dough will keep, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for a few days, or up to six months in an airtight container in the freezer. Once baked, the cookies will keep for up to five days in an airtight container on your counter.

    Other Recipes You May Like

    Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:

    • Closeup of four Lemon Sugar Cookies on a white plate with white and yellow twine tied in a bow around them.
      Lemon Sugar Cookies
    • Three Buttermilk Cookies on a white plate, one with a bite missing.
      Buttermilk Cookies
    • Closeup of Brown Butter Sugar Cookie with bite missing, with more cookies stacked in the background.
      Brown Butter Sugar Cookies
    • Raspberry Cookies stacked on a white plate with fresh raspberries, one cookie with a bite missing.
      Raspberry Cookies
    Three Sour Cream Cookies on a white fluted plate, one with a bite missing.

    Sour Cream Cookies

    Amee
    These Sour Cream Cookies are soft, chewy, and frosted with an irresistible sour cream frosting! They're the perfect canvas for festive sprinkles to dress them up for any holiday or occasion!
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 10 minutes mins
    Total Time 35 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine Cookies
    Servings 36 cookies
    Calories 133 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheets
    • Nonstick Parchment
    • Cookie Scoop (medium; about 1.5 Tablespoons in volume)
    • Offset Spatula
    Prevent your screen from going dark while you bake!

    Ingredients
     
     

    Sour Cream Cookies

    • 2 cups flour
    • 1 teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup sugar
    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • 2 eggs, at room temperature
    • ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (see note)

    Sour Cream Frosting

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature
    • 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (see note)
    • pinch salt

    Instructions
     

    For Sour Cream Cookies

    • Preheat oven to 350° F. Line baking sheets with parchment (see note) and set aside.
    • Combine the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Set aside.
      2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Combine the sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
      1 cup sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • Add eggs one at a time, allowing the first to incorporate before adding the second. Add sour cream and vanilla bean paste (see note) and mix to combine.
      2 eggs, at room temperature, ½ cup sour cream, at room temperature, 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
    • With the mixer running on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
    • With a medium cookie scoop (see note), scoop dough onto prepared baking sheets at least 2 inches apart. Bake cookies until barely golden, 10-12 minutes. I turn the baking sheets around in the oven after 5 minutes to help promote even baking. Allow the cookies to cool on the pan for a few minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

    For Sour Cream Frosting

    • In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
      ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
    • Add the sour cream and mix to combine. Gradually add the sifted powdered sugar and mix until incorporated. Add the vanilla bean paste (see note) and salt and mix to combine.
      2 cups powdered sugar, sifted, 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste, ¼ cup sour cream, at room temperature, pinch salt
    • Once the cookies are completely cool, top with the frosting.
    • The cookie dough will keep, well wrapped in the refrigerator, for a few days, or up to six months in an airtight container in the freezer. Once baked, they'll keep for up to five days in an airtight container on your counter.
      Enjoy!

    Notes

    Note on parchment: I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.
    Note on vanilla bean paste: I love the flavor of vanilla bean paste, and the beautiful flecks of vanilla bean it leaves in both the cookies and the frosting! If you don't have vanilla bean paste or prefer not to use it, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.
    Note on cookie scoop: I used a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons in volume) to portion out my cookies so they’re all uniform in size (and my hands stay a lot cleaner). 

    Nutrition Estimate

    Serving: 1 cookieCalories: 133kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 65mgPotassium: 19mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 13gVitamin A: 201IUVitamin C: 0.04mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.4mg

    Nutrition information is provided as a courtesy and is only an estimate.

    Tried this recipe?I'd love to hear all about it! Leave a review below, then snap a pic and tag me on Instagram!
    Text "Click to shop my Amazon storefront" with images of baking tools and ingredients.

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