Old Fashion Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies are the BEST frosted sugar cookie with a cake-like softness, finished off with the most decadent and delicious buttercream!
The Best Cut-Out Cookies
These Old Fashion Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies are EPIC, like seriously the best cut-out sugar cookie I have every had, in my entire life! You know how you see those gorgeous cookies on Pinterest or Instagram that have the most intricate icing designs and the cookies look like they were laser cut to perfection because they don’t spread at all?
Yup, those cookies look spectacular…but guess what, they don’t taste all that great. That isn’t the case with these soft cut out cookies that are perfect for holiday cookie decorations!
Cut Out Cookie Recipe that tastes good!
Those “perfect” looking cookies are usually dense and bland. These Old Fashion Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies are neither of those things. The buttercream is laced with vanilla and almond flavoring and the cookies themselves have a hint of nutmeg for flavor and sour cream to keep their soft cake-like texture nice and moist.
Together, the cookies and buttercream have the perfect balance of sweetness with a soft and scrumptious bite. The buttercream also keeps the cookies nice and soft for many days stored in an airtight container.
Holiday Cookie Baking
I always enlist the help of my mother when I am making these Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cut Out Cookies, because to be completely honest, she is way better at rolling out dough than me.
Whether it is a perfect pie crust or these cookies, her years of experience serve her well in this department. So why not let the expert do her thing and let’s real, more hands make quicker work!
We typically double this recipe, because if I am going to go through all of the work of making these beauties, I may as well have a good amount of cookies to show for it.
This is the same recipe that my mother grew up making with my grandma and I grew up making with my mom. My grandmother perfected the cookie recipe and my mom and I have perfected the buttercream for the perfect piping consistency and flavor. It is the first cookie to fly off our Christmas cookie platter during the holidays. For me, it has nudged out Walnut Thumbprints as my all-time favorite cookie, Christmas or not!
Can I freeze cut out cookies?
These cookies freeze so well unfrosted, and you truly can’t tell the difference as they maintain their light cake-like texture after thawing. Pull them out of the freezer right before the holiday and let the whole family join in the fun frosting and decorating!
Just be sure to wait to frost these cookies until they are fully defrosted. The buttercream won’t freeze well on the cookies and you will miss out on the amazing texture of these sour cream cookies.
Frosted Sugar Cookies
You don’t have to pipe your buttercream onto the cookies. You can do it the old fashioned way and just slather it on there to make quick work of it all.
Either way, as the men in my family tell me EVERY.SINGLE.HOLIDAY, it tastes the same no matter how pretty you decorate them! #NoAppreciation
Tips and Tricks for rolling out the best cut-out cookies
When it comes to successfully rolling out cookie dough, it isn’t the easiest of tasks the first time you try it. Much like a pie crust, it takes some practice and patience. There are a few things you want to keep in mind that will help achieve the best possible result!
- Before you ever get started rolling out cookie dough, you need to let the dough CHILL! We always make our dough the night before and let it really get chilled. If you are in a pinch for time, I suggest letting it refrigerate for at least two hours. If you don’t chill the dough, it is going to be a big sticky mess.
- The first important thing to remember when it comes to rolling out dough, is that no matter what surface you are working on, it should be generously floured. You don’t want a pile of flour on the table, but it should be a healthy coating. I like to use a sifter or mesh strainer to coat the surface evenly and thoroughly.
- Coat everything that is touching the dough with flour!
- Your hands should be floured before pressing out the dough.
- The rolling pin should get dusted before touching the dough.
- Cookie cutters should get dunked in flour before each cookie is cut out.
- The spatula turner should get dipped in flour before picking up any cut out cookie from the work surface.
- FLOUR, FLOUR, FLOUR! I really can’t stress this point enough. If you skip the flour, you will need something for the headache later.
- Remove the pieces of dough around the cut out shapes with a butter knife before lifting the cookies off the floured surface. This helps prevent the cookies from becoming disfigured when you lift them if they aren’t perfectly released from the surrounding dough.
- After you have cut out all the cookie shapes you can from the dough, ball all of the scraps up with your hands and roll it out. You can get quite a few more cookies this way. Just keep in mind, this round of cookies isn’t quite as spectacular as the first rounds. The texture is usually a tiny bit dry and not as cake like. They are still amazing right out of the oven or slathered with buttercream. Just save these ones for your least favorite family members! 🙂
- When baking sour cream cut out cookies, you need to keep a very close eye on them. The cookies should not get golden brown overall. You just want the slightest golden color on the edges, but the tops will still be very light. You may even think they aren’t done yet, but I promise, if you pull them out at the right time, you will have the most amazing cake like cut out cookies. Take a peak at the photo above, for what your baked cookies should look like. See that Santa on the bottom right corner. That got overbaked… woops!
Favorite Old Fashioned Christmas Cookie Recipes
Slap on your apron, tune into your favorite Christmas music and get ready to get messy. These cookies may take an afternoon to make, but I promise you with everything I have, they are totally and completely worth it!
If you are looking for more amazing Christmas cookie recipes, be sure to check out some of our family’s favorite recipes for the holidays.
- Walnut Thumbprint Cookies – The combination of sweet and salty in these classic thumbprints is one of my favorites!
- Toasted Coconut Straw Hat Cookies – We grew up with these cookies as a staple on our cookie platter, but I’ve come to find out they seem to be unique to our family. If you are looking for something different this holiday season, I beg you to give these a try. You won’t be disappointed!
- Soft Molasses Cookies – These classic molasses cookies are a great addition to any cookie platter.
Old Fashion Sour Cream Cut-Out Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter flavored shortening
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- Buttercream for frosting
Instructions
Sour Cream Cookie Dough
- In a large bowl beat the shortening and sugar until smooth. Blend in the egg and vanilla. In a separate bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients.
- Blend in the dry ingredients into the eggs alternately with the sour cream, being sure not to overwork the dough.
- IMPORTANT: Refrigerate the dough covered with cling wrap overnight, or at least a couple of hours.
Baking Cut Out Cookies
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Place half of the dough on floured surface. Press the dough out with your floured hands. Use a flour coated rolling pin to roll the dough out evenly to about 1/8 inch thickness.
- Coat your cookie cutters with flour and cut out as many shapes as you can. Using a flour coated spatula, carefully transfer the cookies to parchment lined or non-stick baking sheets.
- Repeat steps 2 & 3 with the other half of dough. Don't waste the scraps of dough! Ball them up with your hands and roll them out for more cookies. (These cookies won't have quite as soft of texture as they get slightly overworked, but are still very good.)
- Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F or until just very slightly golden brown on the edges. Keep a close eye on the cookies, because you want them a beautiful light color for the best texture.
- Allow the cookies to completely cool on cooling wracks before frosting. Store in an air-tight container.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Marian says
My friend just gave me this (almost) exact recipe for cookies that she made and gave to me…so delicious! I had to have her recipe and she was kind enough to give it out since it is a family recipe handed down.
These cookies are bland without icing! They are made to be iced unless you just like a cookie that’s not really sweet. If they were too sweet, then with icing, it would be too much. Let me tell you, these cookies are so good! Everyone was raving about these. She doesn’t put the nutmeg in hers though.
Danielle Green says
Yes! My mom is an oddball and Luke’s these plain but they really should be eaten with frosting. I joke that they are just a fantastic vessel for buttercream. 😉
Marian says
My friend just gave me this (almost) exact recipe for cookies that she made and gave to me…so delicious! I had to have her recipe and she was kind enough to give it out since it is a family recipe handed down.
These cookies are bland without icing! They are made to be iced unless you just like a cookie that’s not really sweet. If they were too sweet, then with icing, it would be too much. Let me tell you, these cookies are so good! Everyone was raving about these. She doesn’t put the nutmeg in hers though.
Kit says
Thank you for sharing this cookie recipe! I have been researching the web looking for cute giveaways for my son’s upcoming birthday, Ill try and make this one. Ill use it also as part of my table centerpiece together with our favorite fruits.
Kit says
Thank you for sharing this cookie recipe! I have been researching the web looking for cute giveaways for my son’s upcoming birthday, Ill try and make this one. Ill use it also as part of my table centerpiece together with our favorite fruits.
Santini says
Thank you so much for sharing this! Definitely going to make this on weekend! Looks lovely!
Santini says
Thank you so much for sharing this! Definitely going to make this on weekend! Looks lovely!
Melissa L Williams says
You don’t say when to incorporate the sour cream.
Danielle Green says
In step 2, you add the sour cream alternately with the dry ingredients.
Andrea Dee says
How are they without adding any nutmeg? I’m not a fan of nutmeg.
Danielle Green says
They will still be good. It is totally fine to leave it out if you don’t like that flavor.
Amber Hampton says
You said they freeze well, are there any special instructions for that process? also, how long can they be frozen?
Danielle Green says
We store the baked (unfrosted) cookies in an airtight container frozen up to 2 months. We will sometimes make Halloween cookies and then cutout Christmas cookies at the same time to freeze.
Cely Stagl says
These are by far the best cut-out sugar cookie I have ever eaten! I thought that I had the best recipe until I made these for Valentines Day…delightful!! My recipe uses butter and milk, so the key is definitely the shortening and sour cream. Will use this recipe from now on.❤️ Thank you for the best recipe ever!!
Danielle Green says
So happy you loved them as much as we do!
Kim says
I Was so excited to try this recipe and messed up and substituted the shortening for regular butter not sure what’s going to happen I hope they still come out
Danielle Green says
They should still be good, just a little less cake like.
Mrs. James says
I just made these cookies, exactly as instructed. It was a very easy recipe. Although, I was not able to make the frosting this time because I don’t have all of the ingredients. Nevertheless, these cookies are amazing! They are so soft and chewy, with a really good flavor. The only thing I would do is swap out the nutmeg. Although the flavor is very subtle, I am not a fan of this particular spice. So, would it be fine to either omit it completely, or substitute cinnamon?
Mrs. James says
I just made these cookies, exactly as instructed. It was a very easy recipe. Although, I was not able to make the frosting this time because I don’t have all of the ingredients. Nevertheless, these cookies are amazing! They are so soft and chewy, with a really good flavor. The only thing I would do is swap out the nutmeg. Although the flavor is very subtle, I am not a fan of this particular spice. So, would it be fine to either omit it completely, or substitute cinnamon?
Lorelei O'Connor says
The temperature is too high. I thought it looked that way and went with 425..yup too high. Most cookies bake at 375. I turned down the oven to 375 and everything baked up much better.
Danielle Green says
I pulled out my recipe card I copied from my mom and it said 425. I called my mom to double check, so she pulled out her recipe card and it said 425. BUT, she preceeded to tell me she NEVER bakes cookie at 425 and actually bakes them at 350…SMH. So sorry about that! Thanks for pointing it out, I have updated the recipe to the accurate temp. ?
Shannon Taylor says
Would love to make these cookies but can’t seem to find the recipe on here. Plz help ?
Shannon Taylor says
Found the recipe thanks
Danielle Green says
Sorry about the temporary glitch!
Shannon Taylor says
Hi I would love to try your sour cream cut outs recipe but can’t seem to find the actual recipe on this page. Could you please send me the recipe. Thanks
Danielle Green says
I apologize, it looks like there was a glitch with the code. The recipe should appear towards the end of the post now!
Shannon Taylor says
Found it!!! Thank you ?
Angelena says
I don’t see the recipe?
Danielle Green says
I apologize, it looks like there was a glitch with the code. The recipe should appear towards the end of the post now!
Amanda says
Do you have to refrigerate overnight or for a few hours or not at all?
Danielle Green says
A few hours should suffice.
Leesha says
Hi there! I can’t seem to find the link for this old fashioned sour cream cookie recipe? Can you please help me?! ☺️
Natalie says
https://www.thecreativebite.com/old-fashion-sour-cream-cut-out-cookies/
Ashley says
For several years I’ve tried different recipes. I’ve never been super fond of the lemony type cutouts my family makes. I had almost re severed myself to the Betty Crocker mix in the store because I just couldn’t find a decent recipe. UNTIL NOW! This cookie is amazing. It holds its same when baked, is a beautiful color and is very delicious. Thanks so much for sharing your family recipe, it will probably become ours ?
Danielle Green says
Ahhh, I am so thrilled to hear that you finally found a recipe you love and I hope it becomes a family tradition for you as well!
Carol says
Been looking for a cakey cookie recipe that holds a cut shape and can’t wait to try your recipe. Some questions: (1) Would butter instead of flavored shortening affect the cake consistency? (2) If using miniature cutters (smaller than half the size of the star shape in your photo) should the baking time or temperature be altered? (3) How is the cookie flavor without the buttercream frosting?
Danielle Green says
Hey Carol, so first and most importantly I would stick to shortening. I know it is kind of the black sheep of baking, but it does effect the consistency. Here is a great article explaining the science behind it, “cookies made with shortening tend to be softer and more tender” http://www.thekitchn.com/shortening-vs-butter-in-cookies-whats-the-difference-213812
If you are making mini cookies, you will want to watch them and perhaps shorten the baking time slightly. I have found the thickness of the cookie impacts the cooking time far more than the overall size though. Be sure to keep the thickness of the dough at least 1/6″ thick or they will not stay cake-like and become more crisp. I’m afraid if you make too small of a cookie they won’t be the nice cake-like consistency you want.
I am personally obsessed with buttercream, so I would never skip it, but my mother actually prefers the cookies without frosting! She actually freezes a bag of unfrosted cookies to enjoy throughout the year because they freeze amazingly well. The cookies are subtly sweet with just a tiny hint of nutmeg for something a bit different but perfect for the holidays.
I hope you give them a try and love them!
Carol says
Just finished making the dough and have come upon the “refrigerate overnight” instruction. However, the recipe begins by setting the oven temperature, and your story indicates the cookies may take “an afternoon” to complete. How necessary is refrigerating the dough?
Danielle Green says
I apologize, that was an oversight on my part. I will update accordingly. It is not the end of the world if they don’t get refrigerated overnight. If you could refrigerate them for just a couple of hours it would definitely help them keep their shape though. Alternatively, you could roll them out, cut them and then refrigerate them for 30 to 60 minutes on the pans after being cut and that should do the job.
Meg Stooks says
What do you mean by vanilla? Like vanilla extract??
Danielle Green says
Yes, vanilla extract.