Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

Total Time Prep: 70 min. + chilling Bake: 10 min./batch + cooling
Yield about 4-1/2 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
Make sour cream sugar cookies for the most tender, melt-in-your-mouth sugar cookies you’ve ever had.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup shortening
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 cup sour cream
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1-1/2 teaspoons baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • FROSTING:
  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 9 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2/3 to 3/4 cup 2% milk
  • Paste food coloring

Directions

  1. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Beat in the egg, sour cream and vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture and mix well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour or until easy to handle.
  2. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 3-in. round cookie cutter.
  3. Place 1 in. apart on baking sheets lightly coated with cooking spray. Bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes or until set. Cool for 1 minute before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
  4. For frosting, in a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in confectioners' sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Tint with food coloring. Decorate cookies as desired.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 198 calories, 8g fat (4g saturated fat), 16mg cholesterol, 76mg sodium, 31g carbohydrate (23g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein.

I make these cookies for my family and our neighbors every Valentine’s Day. The heart-shaped treats stay soft for at least a week, and they look so pretty frosted bright pink and then piped with lacy frosting. —Carolyn Walton, Smoot, Wyoming
Recipe Creator

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