There are plenty of occasions throughout the year that call for the perfect cut-out cookie. Whether it’s hearts for Valentine’s Day or Santas for Christmas, piping frosting onto some holiday-themed cookies is one of our all-time favorite pastimes. But it’s so often the case that those cookies that look so beautiful don’t taste quite as great. But never fear. That’s definitely not the case with these cookies. These cookies are soft and nearly cake-like and they’re just the kind of dependable sugar cookie you want to have in your back pocket.
INGREDIENTS
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional)
PREPARATION
- Preheat oven to 375°F and lightly grease or line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until well combined. Mix in eggs and vanilla until thoroughly incorporated.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and nutmeg (if using). Add dry ingredients to the sugar/butter mixture, alternating with the sour cream, mixing well after each addition.
- Flatten dough into a disc, cover in plastic wrap, and chill for about one hour. (You can skip this step if needed, but it helps make the cookies fluffier.)
- Roll dough out on a lightly floured surface and cut into desired shapes. Place onto prepared baking sheet and cook until lightly golden, about 7 minutes for soft cookies, 10 minutes for crispier cookies.
- Let cookies cool on a wire rack and decorate with you favorite frosting. Enjoy!
Adapted from My Homemade Heaven.