Soft Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

M y cousin once told me that my grandmother never gave out her actual recipes. She would alter them just a bit or leave something out, to ensure that she still made the very best of whatever the recipe was. I am not going to lie, I found this hilarious. Hilarious, until I was accused of the same thing. I have been asked for this sugar cookie recipe so many times I have truly lost count, but what I do remember is the number of people who have told me their sugar cookies did not taste like mine, so I must have given them the wrong recipe. This, my friends, is simply not the case. Although I have inherited almost every other trait from my grandmother, I do not give out false recipes. The truth is, there are many recipes that the technique is as important as the ingredients…and this is one of those recipes. So, indulge me and read the detailed instructions on this recipe, so that your cookies turn out amazing and perfect every time.

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 1/2 cups granulated sugar

2 eggs

1 T. vanilla

3/4 cup sour cream

4 cups flour

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. salt

*For a simple Buttercream… Click the link below!

https://sweeterthymes.com/2019/10/20/buttercream-frosting

Instructions:

1. Place soft, room temperature butter in mixer. Beat on high, scraping down sides of the bowl to insure all of the butter becomes light and fluffy. Beat until butter doubles in size.
2. Add the granulated sugar and beat until well mixed.
3. Add 2 eggs and beat on high until eggs thicken and add volume to mixture.
4. Add vanilla and sour cream. Beat just until incorporated.
5. In a separate bowl combine remaining dry ingredients. Once thoroughly mixed slowly add to the wet mixture. Beat on high scraping sides of bowl until all flour is incorporated into wet mixture. This dough will still look “sticky”…do not add additional flour
6. Scoop out dough and place in the bottom of a gallon-sized zip-lock bag. Refrigerate dough overnight. This dough is too soft to roll without being chilled at least 5 hours.
7. When you are ready to bake cookies, cut zip-lock bag down the sides and remove plastic. Place dough on a very lightly floured surface and knead until dough is malleable. Prepare a heavily floured surface by distributing flour evenly with a sifter.
8. Roll dough out to 1/3 inch thick and cut shapes. Toss cut shape between hands to knock off excess flour and place on parchment-lined cookie sheet. Do not re-roll scraps of dough. This incorporates too much flour into the dough and changes both the flavor and texture.
9. Bake cookies for 6-8 minutes or until edges start to show a golden color in an oven pre-heated to 375 degrees. You have under baked the cookies if when cooled they deflate and have a wrinkled skin on top.
10. Cool completely before frosting. Cookies may be frozen up to 6 months.