Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting are unique and delicious sugar cookies. So much easier than rolling and cutting out cookies, but still just as fun to eat. The unique flavor and texture of the sour cream in the recipe are perfectly complemented by the slight caramel flavor of the brown butter frosting. The perfect Christmas cookie for Santa or to add to a treat plate.
I got this Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting recipe from my friend, Nicole. What she made them for, I can’t remember. I just remember begging her for the recipe. 🙂 A few months later, she brought the recipe to me along with a plate of cookies when my fourth child was born–one of my favorite memories from that time.Â
The frosting on these Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies is delicious and fun to make but can be a little challenging to spread. It has a different consistency than regular frosting. One of my kids told me it looked like playdough on top of the cookies. HA! Well, it sure didn’t stop anyone from eating them! I can’t wait for you to try these fun cookies. Make sure you add them to your holiday baking this year. They are perfect to take to a Christmas cookie exchange. And if you need more cookie ideas for the holidays or any time, here are some of my favorites.
Delicious Cookie Recipes
- Chewy Gingersnap Cookies
- The Best Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies
- Knock-off Swig Sugar Cookies
- Holiday Snowball Cookies
- Awesome Double Chocolate Cookies
- Soft and Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Grandma’s Monster Cookies
- The Best Banana Cookies
- Better Than the Bakery Peanut Butter M&M Cookies
How to Make Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
Tips for making Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
- Use shortening, if you have it. In the recipe, I tell you to use shortening or butter, but they puff better and have a different consistency if you use shortening. Don’t get me wrong. They still taste great with butter, but if you have shortening, use it in these cookies.Â
- Use a small cookie scoop (1 1/2 tbsp capacity) to scoop out the dough. A cookie scoop is much easier than using two spoons to place the drops of dough on the cookie sheet.
- Don’t overbake. Watch for the edges to be lightly golden brown, and touch the top of one cookie to make sure it isn’t doughy. The cookie should just barely spring back, if touched. It will stay indented when touched, if it’s not done.Â
- The frosting will not be smooth like traditional frosting. It can be tricky to spread. If the frosting is extra flaky or hard to spread, add 1-2 tbsp of VERY hot water and whisk it in.Â
- Store cookies in an airtight container and separate them with layers of wax paper.Â
- Cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months, if in an airtight container or Ziploc bag.Â
- These cookies taste even better on the second day!
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Old Fashioned Sour Cream Drop Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting
Prep time
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A unique sugar cookie that is fun and simple to make because you don't have to roll or cut out dough. The Brown Butter Frosting has a caramel-like flavor that compliments the cookies perfectly. This is a great cookie to make for Santa, to take to a cookie exchange, or to put on a Christmas treat plate.
Author: Recipe From My friend Nicole
Recipe type: Cookie
Serves: 3 dozen
Ingredients
- ½ cup shortening or softened butter, shortening is preferred.
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2¾ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- FROSTING
- 8 tbsp butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Prepare a cookie sheet with cooking spray, a silicone mat, or parchment paper. Set aside.
- With a hand mixer or in a stand mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar for one minute.
- Add eggs, sour cream, and vanilla. Mix until blended in.
- Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until incorporated, but do not overmix.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour or as long as overnight.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop cookies 2 inches apart onto the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 minutes or until edges are lightly browned.
- Remove from cookie sheet and cool on wire cooling racks.
- FROSTING DIRECTIONS
- Place butter in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until melted and browned. Careful not to over-brown. You want to see little brown specs on the bottom of your pan. Remove from heat.
- Whisk in first the vanilla and then powdered sugar.
- If the frosting is very thick or flaky, add 1-2 tbsp VERY hot water for a smoother consistency.
- Frost cookies. You can frost them while they are still slightly warm.
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I am an American living in Germany and wondering why the picture of ingredients includes Morton Salt (that I haven’t found in Germany and miss) as well as Zucker and Weisenmehl which are German. Do you live in the US and buy German products or are you living in Germany with the ability to buy some American products at a military PX? This recipe looks really yummy and I hope to try it soon. Thanks! MM
Hi, I am living in Germnay right now and my husband is a government civilian employee so we are able to shop at the commissary and PX. I love that you picked up on the mix of ingredients. 🙂 This recipe is really yummy! So glad you found my site. Thanks for leaving a comment.
I made this recipe for my “men folk”. Pink frosting and everything! They
devoured them. So satisfying and delicious. The recipe is easy to make and will be put in my
collection of favorites!
Yay! I love hearing that Miriam!
Maria,
I’m making some cookies ahead of time because we’re having company this week. I couldn’t quickly locate my recipe and I remembered you had on the blog! Perfect- thank you!
Yay! I so glad you shared it with me years ago and it came back to help you 🙂 We love these cookies!
This recipe is easy and delicious. I treat my “menfolk” to coffee every morning and this one was a big hit. The frosting recipe is “Spot On”.
A delicious cookie recipe! Crunchy on the bottom, spongy and tangy but also like a soft sugar cookie. I made powdered sugar icing using sour cream and powdered freeze dried strawberries and added finely grated lemon rinds with a few tablespoons of lemon juice with added flour. Super yum!
Yum! That combo sounds amazing!
I’ve made this same recipe for years but lost it. We always frosted
them using melted browned butter, powdered sugar , maple flavoring also us hot water to make a spreadable consistency. these are one of the family favorites.
Hi, Betty. So glad you found the recipe. Using maple flavoring sounds yummy! Thanks for the tip to use hot water in the frosting.