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Stacks of cookies with brown icing on a tray.
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Aunt Clara’s Glazed Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

These cookies are unique thanks to their soft texture and sweet topping. Aunt Clara's Glazed Sour Cream Sugar Cookies are a tasty, old-fashioned treat.
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time18 minutes
Setting Time for Glaze30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 23 minutes
Course: Christmas, Cookies, Dessert
Cuisine: American
Servings: 38 cookies
Calories: 163kcal
Author: Nancy Mock

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 1 cup butter, softened
  • 1½ 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
  • ½ teaspoon salt

For the glaze:

  • ½ cup Vermont maple syrup
  • 1⅔ cups confectioner's sugar, sifted
  • Optional: grated nutmeg and orange zest for tops
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Make the cookies:

  • 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, baking soda, and salt. 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.
  • If you want the tops to be smooth, run a wet finger over the scoops of dough.
  • *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 16-18 minutes until they are set and have a little color around the edges and on top. The cookies should only spread a little if at all.
  • Move them to a cooling rack and 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.

Glaze the cookies:

  • Use a spoon or icing spatula to spread glaze over the tops, and then place them on a cooling rack or a sheet of waxed paper.
  • Allow the cookies to rest until the glaze has set: about 30 minutes.
  • Makes about 38 cookies. Store the cookies in a sealed container for up to 5 days.

Notes

  • Unglazed cookies freeze very well: Once the baked cookies are completely cool, place them in a single layer in a freezer-proof Ziploc bag. Store the cookies in the freezer for up to three months. 
  • Let the cookies thaw still in the bag in the refrigerator. They can now be glazed and served.

Nutrition

Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 163kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 26mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 0.4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 202IU | Vitamin C: 0.3mg | Calcium: 25mg | Iron: 1mg
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