Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
You and your family are going to love these delicious, old-fashioned cake-like cookies! Sometimes called sour cream softies and sour cream drop cookies, they will wow you with the first soft, sweet bite. These soft sugar cookies are so delicious and you don’t even need cookie cutters!
These old-fashioned sour cream cookies and their cake-like texture are a family favorite and have been in our regular rotation for years. My Grandpa was Amish so maybe we got our love of these cookies from him! I routinely see them in Amish or Mennonite bakeries, but rarely other places. They are simple cookies to make on your own and are a great alternative to cut-out sugar cookies while keeping a similar, but distinct flavor.
The sour cream gives them their soft texture; they almost look like biscuits or muffin tops–but the flavor and texture are way different!Â
Tips for making the perfect old fashioned sour cream cookies
- Let your eggs, sour cream and butter come to room temperature by leaving out on the counter for about an hour.
- Keep an eye on the cookies towards the end of the bake time–they cook quickly at 400 degrees. You can always do a test cookie alone to feel out the perfect length of bake time for your oven.
- I only placed 9 cookies per tray due to their size and spread.
- I adore the unique toffee-like flavor of the brown butter icing, but if you prefer buttercream frosting you can make your own or use store bought. (No shame in the game!)
Sour Cream Cookie Recipe with Brown Butter Frosting
Sour Cream Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
You and your family are going to love these delicious, old-fashioned cake-like cookies! Sometimes called sour cream softies and sour cream drop cookies, they will wow you with the first soft, sweet bite.Â
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 cups all purpose flour
Instructions
- Cream sugar and butter using an electric mixer or your stand mixer's paddle attachment.
- Add eggs and vanilla and continue to beat wet ingredients until well combined.
- In separate bowl combine dry ingredients (salt, baking powder, soda, flour).
- Add sour cream alternately with flour mixture into wet ingredients until it forms a soft dough.
- Drop onto ungreased cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. Sprinkle with cinnamon sugar mixture (1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon) if you aren't going to frost them.
- Bake at 400 for 10-12 minutes until golden brown towards the bottom and a nice golden color on top.
- Let cool on a wire rack or on a sheet of parchment paper.
Brown Butter Icing:
1/2 cup butter
1 teaspoon vanilla (or a healthy "glug" if you're a wild child like me)
1 cup powdered sugar
Brown the butter of medium high heat by cooking until it boils and then past that point until you can see the bubbly separation and just can scrape up some caramel-ish bits on the bottom of the pan. Mix together brown butter, vanilla, and powdered sugar until smooth frosting forms, adding more powdered sugar to achieve desired stiffness. If you prefer more of a glaze add some hot water a teaspoonful at a time. Spread icing on tops of the cookies once they've cooled. Top with cinnamon sugar mixture (1/4 cup granulated sugar + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon) if desired.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 18 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 220Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 42mgSodium: 91mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 3g
Nutrition information isn't always accurate.
Toppings and Icing:
Top with cinnamon sugar mixture or your favorite sprinkles! You can also use food coloring to match the cookies to your holiday or mood! Easily make them green or red for Christmas cookies topped with holiday sprinkles! Or as orange pumpkins for Halloween or decked out for your favorite birthday boy or girl in their favorite colors.
How to store these cookies
Airtight container for up to one week on the counter. If you want to freeze them place them completely cooled in a freezer bag and then wrap in aluminum foil. Let defrost at room temperature for 12+ hours until soft.
To make this recipe you will need…
Cookie scoop — I normally use the 2 inch size for cookies, but I like these with the 3 or a very full 2.
Cookie sheet — a classic for a reason. Mine have held up over 15 years and are still going strong!
Timeless apron — I find cookie baking always involve a bit of mess.
Can’t live without it tool for cookie baking — Really, are you even a baker if you don’t have one of these on your counter? But seriously I love mine and highly recommend.
These delicious cookies will have you coming back for more until the cookie jar is empty! These Amish sour cream cookies are a delight and such an easy cookie to make and eat!
Browned butter icing – with the butter slightly “burned” prior to adding the rest of the ingredients – is heavenly.
I love all cookies, but have never heard of this style. I think I will have to give them a try!