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Soft Sour Cream Drop Cookies

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These soft sour cream drop cookies are simple to make and oh so good. We fell in love at first bite with these yummy cookies so many years ago and they are still one of our favorite cookies!

Soft and thick sour cream cookies topped with swirls of buttercream on top.

These tender cookies have a rich flavor and cake-like texture. They are quick and easy to make, have a slight tang from the sour cream and they are always a hit at parties.

Old-fashioned sour cream cookies are the softest cookies you can imagine. My Aunt Marlene made these for us for the first time when we were still small kids.  

She brought out a plate of round cookies topped with cream cheese frosting and we instantly fell in love.

We had never eaten cookies quite like them!  They are still very much a family favorite and go quickly when Marlene makes them.

When I needed a base for Grinch cookies for Little Dude’s Dr. Seuss party, I immediately knew these would be the perfect cookie. They don’t have to be relegated to only holiday cookies.

They are easy to make too, which is a definite plus when you have a lot to do and a little time to do it.

round sour cream cookies with green icing and heart candies.

I just made a simple powdered sugar glaze and colored it green as a nod to the Grinch.  Then I put large heart sprinkles on them to drive the point home.

The Grinch’s heart grew three sizes after all! They were a great addition to his Grinch cupcake cake.

soft round sour cream cookies on cooling rack.

Making the cookies for that party reminded me how much we all like them.  So I made another batch and a half for my little brother’s wedding.

This time I piped on some buttercream frosting and added some gold sanding sugar to fancy them up for the party.  They were really delicious that way too and the leftovers were still soft and luscious a few days later!

How to Store Soft Sour Cream Cookies

Cookies can be stored at room temperature for several days. Put them in an airtight container to keep them fresh.

Adding a slice of sandwich bread to the container helps keep them softer for longer. The bread will help keep a higher level of moisture in the container.

Thick vanilla sour cream cookies topped with swirls of bright white buttercream.

Store them in a single layer, or place a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper between the layers to keep them from sticking together.

Freezing Cookies or Cookie Dough

These cookies freeze well. You freeze baked cookies for several months in a freezer bag.

You can also freeze balls of sour cream cookie dough on a cookie sheet and then transfer the frozen dough balls into a freezer bag. You can bake the dough from frozen, just add a minute or two to the baking time.

Hand holding freshly baked sour cream sugar cookie topped with frosting.

More sour cream cookie recipes: 

Rolled sour cream cookies can be cut with cookie cutters like cut-out sugar cookies, but they are softer. They make for a perfect Christmas cookie.

Bite taken out of sour cream cookie showing soft and airy middle.

Chocolate sour cream cookies can also be cut into shapes or baked as drop cookies. They are soft like these, but boast a nice chocolate twist.

You may also like my soft sugar cookie bars. You can save yourself time baking baking all of the dough at once and you get soft bars that are perfect topped with frosting and sprinkles.

Love this recipe? Give it a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review in the recipe card below!

Soft and thick sour cream cookies topped with swirls of buttercream on top.

Sour Cream Drop Cookies

Carlee
These slightly sweet sour cream sugar cookies are soft and delicious. They are perfect for almost any occasion and may just become a holiday tradition.
4.88 from 33 ratings
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 60 Cookies
Calories 99 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups granulated sugar
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3 large eggs
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • cups all purpose flour
  • ¼ teaspoons salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F.
  • Cream together sugar and room temperature butter.
    2 cups granulated sugar, 1 cup unsalted butter
  • Stir eggs, sour cream, and vanilla into creamed mixture.
    3 large eggs, 1 cup sour cream, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • In a separate bowl, mix flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda.
    4½ cups all purpose flour, ¼ teaspoons salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just incorporated. The dough will be soft.
  • Drop rounded tablespoons full onto a cookie sheet. Using a small cookie scoop makes this task easier.
  • Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should be set, but you don't want them to take on much color.
  • Cool on baking sheet for 3-4 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Feel free to add a little bit of lemon zest or almond extract to your cookies to give them a little different flavor.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1CookieCalories: 99kcalCarbohydrates: 14gProtein: 1gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 75mgSugar: 7g
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Recipe Rating




Val

Monday 15th of November 2021

My mom made sour cream cookies back in the 50s. I loved them. Sour cream was sold in a glass container that you would then use as a drinking glass. She lost the recipe and that was that. I hope this is the same recipe. Her's were much flatter though, with slightly brown edges and kind of sticky on top. We'll see!

Carlee

Monday 15th of November 2021

I hope it's the same recipe too! How cool that it came in a container that could be repurposed. I love that!

Daphne

Tuesday 18th of December 2018

Hi! Have you ever had a problem with these getting flat? I’ve continued to have mine go flat when I use my recipe. I’m going to try yours. Any tips?

Carlee

Wednesday 19th of December 2018

I hope you have better luck with this recipe. Chilling the dough for a bit would help them from going too flat as well.

Carlee

Wednesday 22nd of July 2015

Thank you!

NewMrsAdventures

Tuesday 21st of July 2015

YUM!!

Carlee

Tuesday 21st of July 2015

Thank you!

Rachael

Friday 17th of July 2015

These sound delicious! I love sour cream. My husband is doing low carb right now, so I'll have to wait to make these. I'm going to pin this so I don't forget it!

Carlee

Friday 17th of July 2015

Thank you! I'm not sure I'd make it on a low carb diet ;-)