Soft Sugar Cookies

I learned something about myself last weekend: when it comes to decorating cookies, I have virtually no artistic ability. I’m not kidding when I say that what you see here is the best of the bunch…that’s how they made it onto the blog. It doesn’t help that I was in a rush, impatient, and ready to go to bed because I always seem to forget just how long it takes to make and decorate sugar cookies. Plus, the only cookie cutters I own are Christmas themed. I should have stuck with circles…they’re easier to frost.

Please don’t judge these cookies by their looks, however. My inability to properly decorate did not in any way detract from their taste. They’re delicious. Exactly what I was looking for in a sugar cooie. They’re soft and moist, and perfect when combined with creamy sugary icing. And oh, the icing… it’s no secret to those that know me that I love icing. I’ve been known to take a piece of cake, eat the icing off, and throw the cake away. (confession: I’ve done that with a few of these cookies as well). And Mike loves the icing on these cookies.  As he stated it, “put enough icing on the cookies and they’ll taste so good no one will care what they look like.”


p.s. I seem to have chosen red and green food coloring to compliment the Christmas themed cookie cutters. That was unintentional.

p.p.s. In the above pictures, Mike prefers the red decorated star to the green decorated star. The green one does not have enough icing. I’ll know for the future.

Soft Sugar Cookies

Ingredients:

Cookies:
1 cup sour cream
2 cups white sugar
1 cup butter
4 eggs
1 tsp vanilla or almond extract
6 cups flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt

Vanilla Butter Frosting:
2/3 cup soft butter or margarine
6 cups confectioners' sugar
3 tsp vanilla
About 4 Tbsp milk or cream

Directions:

For the cookies: Preheat oven to 350.

Combine sour cream, sugar, butter, eggs, and vanilla and mix well. Add dry ingredients until everything is mixed together. Let the dough chill in fridge for 2 hours, or until firm.

Roll out the dough and use cookie cutters to cut shapes.

Bake until light golden brown-no more than 10 minutes. When you take them out they will seem underdone but aren't. Let them cool on the pan and they will be perfect and moist. It you like them harder and more crunchy just bake them a little longer. If the cookies are still a little thin and crispy, just roll the dough out a little thicker.

For the frosting: Blend butter and sugar. Stir in vanilla and milk; beat until frosting is smooth and of spreading consistency.

from The Girl who Ate Everything and Betty Crocker

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16 comments

  1. I'm awful at decorating with icing! Yours better then anything I would do 🙂

  2. oh those are adorable!

  3. I think those cookies are cute!! And they sound delicious! Love, love soft cookies.

  4. Cute cookies!

  5. You are too hard on yourself, they are super cute!

  6. You guys are seriously so nice. I should have put up pictures of the rest of them haha. And have you seen the cookies on other blogs with royal icing and elaborate designs? Oh well…I can accept my decorating limitations. At least they taste good! 🙂

  7. They look great, girl! Seriously, I can't decorate cookies to save my life. I can do cupcakes with a pastry bag, but that is it!!

  8. Megan – they look great! I agree with everyone else, you are TOO hard on your self. You should see the ones I decorate – they look like my five-year old was in charge.

  9. Your sugar cookie recipe looks good… I'm always looking for a good, new recipe to try. My family demands decorated cookies for Easter (eggs, bunnies, etc), so perhaps I'll give this recipe a try next week!

    My hubby would have preferred the red cookie, too… He complains about what he calls "generic" cookies – under-iced or cookies with *gasp* no icing. He prefers loaded cookies with lots of chocolate chips, nuts, icing, etc. Must be a man thing 🙂

  10. This recipe looks delish–sour cream has got to make a great sugar cookie. I do love Anne of Green Gables, great read and movie!

  11. I'm not too good at decorating sugar cookies. There's definitely an art to it, but I think yours look good! I love soft sugar cookies, and I'm sure these are just perfect, with the sour cream in them.

  12. I think they look great!!

    God bless-
    Amanda

  13. Your sugar cookies look wonderful. I especially like the way you decorated the one star, with the red across it like that! Thanks for the recipe and the inspiration!

    jessyburke88@gmail.com

  14. i am going to use this recipe for a new creation i am concocting for christmas, candied bacon sugar cookies….should be a riot! thanks for sharing! i'll take pics!

  15. Nickole – Sounds interesting! I can't wait to hear how they turn out. Feel free to upload pictures to my facebook page! (What Megan's Making – link on the top right of the page)

  16. Pingback: Holiday Baking Inspirations {Cookies} - I Wash You Dry

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