This old-fashioned sour cream cookie recipe is a tea cake cookie that comes from the southern U.S. These are drop cookies so there is no rolling needed and they are so easy to make. They have a wonderful buttery nutmeg flavor and a cake-like texture and they get better with age.
About these sour cream cookies
If you have never tried these old-fashioned sour cream cookies (tea cake cookies), you are in for a treat. Much the same way that gumbo, sausage jambalaya, classic carrot cake, and pimento cheese are a Southern tradition, these cookies were made all the time in the South by many families.
These cookies are a traditional drop cookie that melts down when cooking so they come out thin and chewy and they store so well. I first came across these cookies in an old magazine clipping I found in a cookbook from a thrift store.
I love recreating old recipes like this. After adjusting a few things and making it a few times, I feel like I have perfected them.
If you love cake-like cookies, you will love these.
Ingredients you will need
Full ingredient list below:
- All-purpose flour.
- Butter: I use unsalted butter.
- Sour Cream
- Eggs: Large eggs
- Nutmeg: Make sure to use fresh nutmeg! If you have made my chewy nutmeg sugar cookies, you have read all about this.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Brown sugar: Light brown sugar works best.
- Salt
The combination of the brown sugar and nutmeg in these sour cream cookies is what really makes these cookies more cake-like and chewy. It is so light still and not heavy at all. You can easily eat a bunch of these cookies.
How To Make Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
Making these old-fashioned drop cookies is very easy.
- Mix: Just mix together your dry ingredients then cream your sugar and butter together, add your wet ingredients, and then mix everything together.
- Add To Sheet Pan: Drop the dough by the spoonful onto a sheet pan. Make sure to leave space for the cookies to spread when they are baking.
- Cool: After baking, let the cookies cool then plate them and dust with some powdered sugar.
Super simple! I hope you try these sour cream cookies and love them as much as we do. These definitely deserve a spot at your table for any occasion.
Tips And Variations
- Use full-fat sour cream: The fat in the sour cream is needed to make the cookie chewy. Try not to use low-fat or fat-free sour cream when making these.
- Add more spices: If you prefer, you can add in more spices like cinnamon or cardamom to spice up these cookies even more.
- Make sure to leave room between the cookies when baking: These cookies spread a lot so make sure to leave about 2 inches of space between them when they are on the sheet pan.
Storing
These cookies are so easy to store. Because they are so soft and chewy, they store well on the counter for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to one week.
I do not recommend freezing the cookies once they are baked since their texture is ruined after the freezing and thawing cycle. If you want to freeze any of this recipe, I recommend freezing the dough portion. To do this, wrap the dough in plastic wrap then place it in a freezer-safe bag. Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw gently in the fridge overnight.
More Classic Cookie Recipes
Old Fashioned Sour Cream Cookies
Equipment
- sheet pan
Ingredients
- 2 cups All purpose flour
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup butter room temperature
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 egg large
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees.
- In a medium bowl add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, nutmeg and mix together.2 cups All purpose flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- In a large bowl, add your butter and brown sugar and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes to cream.1 cup light brown sugar, ½ cup butter
- Now add your egg, sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.1 egg, ½ teaspoon vanilla extract, ½ cup sour cream
- Now add half of your dry ingredients to your wet and mix on low speed until combined.
- Add the remaining dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix again until combined.
- Drop a tablespoon of dough on to a sheet pan making sure to leave about 2 inches.
- Do this until all of your dough is used up.
- Place in the pre-heated oven for 12-15 minutes or until the edges just start to brown.
- Let cool completely.
- Dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition Values are estimates only.
See full nutrition disclaimer hereTried the Recipe? We Would Love To Hear From You In The Comments Below!
Megs says
Thank you for sharing this recipe