Sour Cream Sugar Cookies (2025)

Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are soft and cakey just like Grandma used to make. Top with frosting and sprinkles for a treat everyone will enjoy.

This cookie recipe is so easy and no rolling or cutting required. These soft cookies will melt in your mouth and become a family favorite. They are not like traditional Cut Out Sugar Cookies and have a thicker cake consistency.

They are topped with delicious buttercream frosting and you can decorate in any color you want. We added sprinkles but that’s up to you.

Why We Love This

They taste delicious, and the texture is thick and cakey. You will love what the sour cream adds to the cookies, and these soft sugar cookies turn out perfectly.

Plus, the entire recipe is very easy and mostly includes pantry staples. You don’t have to chill the dough, and the preparation is so easy since these are not cut-out cookies.

You might also like to make Sugar Cookie Cake and Cake Pop Recipes.

Ingredients

Cookies

• All Purpose Flour. Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and don’t scoop the flour. You do not want to pack excess flour into the cup.
• Butter. Real butter and allow it to soften at room temperature.
• Egg yolks. You can discard the white or use it for something else.
• Vanilla extract. Pure vanilla extract will give the cookies the best flavor.
• Sour cream. Full fat sour cream is recommended.
• Heavy cream. You can use milk, but I think the heavy cream makes the cookies richer.

Frosting

• Butter. Soften the butter so it is easy to combine.
• Powdered sugar. It is best to sift the powdered sugar so the frosting will be smooth.
• Heavy cream. Gradually add the heavy cream until the desired consistency as you may not need all of it.
• Food coloring. This is optional.

Find the complete list of ingredients at the bottom of the page.

Variations

• Sprinkle with Sugar. Before baking top the cookie dough balls with sugar.
• Citrus flavor. Add lemon, lime or orange zest to the dough.
• Almond Extract. Swap the vanilla extract with almond extract.

Step By Step Instructions

• Step 1. Before you start making the dough, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Then line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

Step 2. Get out a separate bowl for the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside for later.

Step 3. Next, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. You can use a stand mixer with paddle attachment or hand mixer.

Step 4. Then add eggs one at a time.

Step 5. Once combined, add the sour cream, vanilla extract and heavy cream.

Step 6. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure all of the ingredients are mixed together.

Step 7. Gradually add the dry ingredients on a low speed.

Step 8. Mix until combined but don’t over mix.

Step 9. Form the cookies using a cookie scoop that is 1.5 Tablespoon. Then place on the lined baking sheet.

Step 10. Bake the cookies and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 8-10 minutes. Then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Step 11. Make the frosting while the cookies cool. Beat the butter in a large bowl until fluffy with an electric mixer. Then add the powdered sugar, heavy cream and vanilla. Combine until light and fluffy. You may need to adjust the amount of cream to get the desired consistency.

Step 12. Add food coloring to the frosting if you are using it.

Step 13. Top the cookies with frosting and sprinkles if desired.

Storage

Place the cookies inside an airtight container up to a week.

For longer storage, freeze the cookies. Just use a freezer container and they can be frozen for 2-3 months.

I like to flash freeze the cookies for 1-2 hours on a cookie sheet in the freezer and then place in the freezer container. This helps the cookies not stick together.

Pro Tips

• Cookie Texture. Keep in in mind, these aren’t the type of cookies you roll out on a floured work surface and use cookie cutters. They are soft and fluffy cake like cookies.
• Room temperature butter. Use butter that has been softened at room temperature. It will be easier to combine.
• Do not over mix the cookie batter. Mix until the ingredients are just combined, or the cookies will be dense instead of soft and fluffy.
• Heavy Cream or Milk. You can use milk instead of heavy cream in this recipe if you prefer. However, I prefer the creaminess that the heavy cream provides.
• Beat the butter and sugar. Don’t skip the step of beating the butter and sugar separately.
• Don’t add extra flour. The dough is sticky but don’t add extra flour or the texture will change.

Give these easy and delicious Sour Cream Sugar Cookies a try. Please leave a star rating and comment once you make them. I can’t wait to hear if you loved them!