These sour cream sugar cookies are unique thanks to their soft and pillowy texture, and they're topped with a sweet maple glaze.
These Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are a family recipe handed down through my great-Aunt Clara, grandmother and mom. They were always on hand at holiday time when we were kids.
They're unlike regular thin sugar cookies which have either a crispy or chewy texture. These cookies have a bite that falls somewhere between a cookie and a biscuit, very soft and pillowy.
They're flavored with a hint of nutmeg and orange. I added my own twist to the family recipe: a sweet maple glaze. Drizzled over the tops, this glaze puts these cookies right over the top!
Why you'll love these cookies
That soft texture makes them unique and the spice blend give them that holiday feel.
The batter mixes up lickedly split in your stand mixer or with a hand mixer. And the glaze is a simple one, too!
🔪 How to make these cookies
Step 1: Mix the batter
Cream the butter and sugar, then mix in the eggs and other wet ingredients. Stir the dry ingredients together in a separate bowl and then add them into the wet mixture.
Step 2: Scoop the cookies and bake them
Use a cookie scoop to place mounds of batter on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake the cookies in a 350 degree F oven until they're lightly browned.
Step 3: Add the maple glaze
Mix together the ingredients for the maple glaze. Once the cookies have cooled, dip the tops into the glaze. Let the cookies rest on a cooling rack until their tops are set.
You will really love these favorites of my family - they'll become a fave for your family and friends, too!
The recipe for Aunt Clara's Cookies is below. Here are some other cookie recipes you should try as well:
💬 Have you tried this recipe? Scroll down to leave a comment and let me know how you like it!
Aunt Clara’s Sour Cream Sugar Cookies with Maple Tops
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, lightly whisked
- 1 tablespoon orange juice
- 1 cup sour cream
- 4⅓ cups all-purpose flour unbleached
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅓ cup Vermont maple syrup
- 1½ cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Beat together the softened butter and sugar for 5 minutes until they are light and fluffy. With the mixer running add in the whisked eggs and mix to combine them. Mix in the orange juice and then the sour cream, until the batter is smooth.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg and baking soda. Add this dry mixture to the batter in two or three additions, mixing after each addition to incorporate it. The batter will be thick and sticky.
- Use a 1½ tablespoon sized scoop to drop mounds of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet, about two inches apart. If you don't have a scoop do rounded tablespoons of batter.
- *Note: keep the rest of the batter waiting in the fridge between bakes. If the batter gets too warm the texture of the cookies will be affected.
- Bake the cookies for about 18 minutes until they are set and beginning to lightly brown around the edges. The cookies should only spread a little if at all. Allow the cookies to cool completely.
Prepare the glaze
- Use a mixer or a whisk to combine the maple syrup and the confectioner's sugar in a medium bowl, until the mixture is smooth.
- Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the glaze, or use a spoon to drizzle it over the tops, and then place them on a cooling rack.
- Allow the cookies to rest until the glaze has set: about 30 minutes.
- Makes about 40 cookies. Store the cookies in a sealed container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- Use pure maple syrup - Vermont Maple Syrup is the absolute best! The flavor of real maple syrup gets to shine on these cookies, so don't use the fake stuff!
Nutrition
Originally published November 2017. Recipe and post updated 12/2020.
I made these to go on cookie platters for Christmas gatherings, and they were a big hit. I loved the fact that they were not cutouts like the other cookies. The light texture, hint of nutmeg, and maple glaze were a great combination. Thanks for sharing the recipe, Nancy!!
Kristy I’m so glad you liked them and made them for your gathering! Thank you for sharing here, you made my day!
These look so good, Nancy! I noticed the Underdog glass in one of the pictures and I used to love that show when I was really little.
Same here! I have tons of character glasses, I should include more of them in my posts. Thanks Heidi!