These Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting bake up soft and tender with a delicate, cakey loft, topped in a thick swirl of rich, luscious and tangy sour cream chocolate frosting. Each cookie is like a personal sized Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting. They are delicious any time but naturally feel celebratory, especially when topped with joyful sprinkles. Birthday parties or holiday gatherings instantly feel more fun when these easy sour cream drop cookies are on the guest list.
Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting taste just like classic Yellow Cake
Who doesn't love a classic Yellow Cake with Chocolate Frosting? It's a crowd pleaser for good reason. The rich and moist cake is enriched with the slight tang and creaminess of sour cream and that thick chocolate frosting is a perfect contrast of flavor and texture. These soft Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting have all of the qualities of the quintessential Yellow Cake but come in cute, hand-held, individual portions.
But wait, there's more! These cake-like cookies also taste reminiscent of hot chocolate which makes them the perfect wintertime cookie. Personally, I even get notes of chocolate and vanilla swirl soft serve, yum! These delicious cookies have loads of dimension and appeal to pretty much everyone. That's what makes this sour cream cookie recipe so special, it's a multi-faceted crowd pleaser.
More Frosted Cookie Recipes from Baking The Goods
Sour cream is the magic sauce in these tender Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting
Real California Milk Sour Cream works overtime in these cake-like cookies. The sour cream is actually multi-tasking in both the cookies and the chocolate frosting, adding the unique and special traits that only these Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting offer.
- Moisture. Sour cream adds a creamy moistness to the cookies, translating into a super lofty, moist and soft crumb.
- Flavor. The slight tang of sour cream adds depth to the cookies, giving them more personality than a plain soft cookie. Sour cream is also used in the Chocolate Frosting, elegantly contrasting the bitter cocoa notes with an ultra creamy and tangy balance.
- Texture. That sour cream also tenderizes the cookie dough, which means they bake up tender and airy, almost like a cake instead of dry or crumbly cookie.
Look for the Real California Milk Seal
Every product featuring the Real California Milk seal is made with nutritious milk from the Golden State. These Sour Cream Cookies use both sour cream and butter made with real milk produced by family run farms in California. Look for that seal to know you're using the quality ingredients your homemade bakes deserve. We're not just talking sour cream & butter here, seek out that seal for your milk or cream, cheese, yogurt, ice cream and all things dairy!
Ingredients for Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting
One of the best things about these Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting is that the ingredients are fairly minimal and mostly pantry staples. Just a few secret ingredients up-level these delicious cookies into their best, satisfying selves. Similar to the Cream Cheese Frosting in my iconic Big Pink Cookies and Big Maple Cream Cheese Frosted Cookies, sour cream transforms the frosting from straight sweet to elegantly creamy with a balanced, slightly tangy finish.
Sour Cream Cookies
- Real California Milk Sour Cream brings a rich and tangy flavor, locks in the moisture and tenderizes the dough to create a soft, moist and flavorful cookie. Full-fat sour cream is best, you need that fat and flavor for the best sour cream cookies.
- Real California Milk Butter enriches the cookies with flavor depth and an elegant texture.
- All Purpose Flour is the base that works to provide the airy structure of these soft and tender cookies.
- Eggs also enrich the cookie dough and give the cookies an airy loft.
- Granulated Sugar sweetens while providing structure to the soft sour cream drop cookies.
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract bring those deep vanilla cookie flavors. I like using the Vanilla Bean Paste in these cookies as the flavor is concentrated and pure, giving the cookies a ton of character.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder work in tandem to provide just enough loft to create the cake like cookies.
- Fine Sea Salt rounds out the sweet and tangy flavors.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- Real California Milk Sour Cream gives the chocolate frosting an ultra luscious and creamy texture. Full-fat sour cream will bring rich luxury and a naturally tangy taste that balances the deep cocoa notes from the chocolate.
- Real California Milk Butter also brings rich, smooth flavor to the Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting. The butter doubles down on the creaminess and when combined with the the other ingredients, makes for an almost fudgey bite.
- Bittersweet Baking Chocolate provides the deep chocolate notes that flavor the frosting with bittersweet contrast. I like using chocolate with 60% cacao, it leans on the darker side but isn't too intense. You could use chocolate chips in place of baking chocolate. But, chocolate chips are designed not to melt, whereas baking chocolate is meant to melt. So, I recommend using the bar form.
- Powdered Sugar sweetens the pot and gives the frosting a sweet structure.
- Vanilla Bean Paste or Pure Vanilla Extract rounds out the richness of the chocolate frosting.
- Espresso Powder is optional but the dimension it adds makes these Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting. Balancing that richness, sweetness and bitterness with warm coffee flavor. If you're making these for kiddos, omitting the caffeine is a good idea. But I'm willing to bet Santa and a whole lot of us holiday weary adults could use the pick me up of espresso.
- Fine Sea Salt comes in again to soften the edges and highlight the rest of the flavor stories happening here.
- Sprinkles are another optional offering. But, boy they sure do add festive charm, don't they?
Mixing the Sour Cream Cookie Dough
The Sour Cream Cookie dough is not quite as stiff as a cookie dough and not as runny as a cake batter, rather somewhere in between. It's a soft and sticky cookie dough that benefits from an hour long cat nap in the refrigerator before scooping and baking. The cookie batter will also develop more flavor as it hangs out in the fridge.
- First, whisk the dry ingredients.
- Then, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Next, blend in the eggs, vanilla and sour cream.
- Now, mix in the dry ingredients.
- Then, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour, up to 2 days.
- Finally, use a 1.5 TB sized medium cookie scoop to shape the chilled dough into cookie dough balls and place onto lined baking sheets, spaced 3" apart.
Baking the Cookies
These babies are so simple, no need to chill the cookie dough after scooping. Just scoop and bake! The Sour Cream Cookies bake up all soft and cakey at 350°F in 12-14 minutes. If your oven has hot spots, most do, rotate the cookies halfway through the bake time for an even bake. They should rise up into little domes as they bake and just barely form an dry outer surface on top. The bottoms of the cookies will look golden like a cake.
Mixing the Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
This frosting is full of flavor and just so happens to be one of the easiest frostings to make! The sour cream and butter give it structure similar to a cream cheese frosting, so it spreads onto the cookies like a creamy dream.
- First, melt the chocolate either in the microwave in 20-30 second spurts, stirring between until it's smooth and creamy texture. Stir in the espresso powder, if you are using it. Allow to cool slightly.
- Then, beat the butter and melted chocolate together in a stand mixer.
- Next, blend in the powdered sugar until fully mixed.
- Finally, beat in the sour cream and vanilla until the Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting is smooth texture with a creamy fluffiness.
Frosting & decorating the The Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting
We frost these cookies the easy way, by simply spreading a dollop of frosting on top of each cookie. Sure, they are a bit messy but that plays into the overall charm and character of these Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting.
- Start by adding about 2 teaspoons of Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting to the top of the cookies.
- Then, use an offset spatula or a small spatula to spread the frosting onto the cookies by swirling and swooping. Leave a little rim around the edge so you can see the contrast of that smooth frosting against the cakey cookies.
- Finish with a shower of your favorite sprinkles. Remember these cookies can shapeshift for any holiday or celebration. Choose your sprinkles to match your mood or event.
These festive cookies are party ready
There is an undeniably festive spirit to the comforting cush of the cookies and the soft swoops of the chocolatey frosting. A few joyful sprinkles on top add instant holiday magic. While I can't speak for Santa, I do believe these Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting would make his whole night. They definitely made our spirits bright. Bring the holiday magic to your home and share a batch of these cozy cookies with your loved ones this holiday season!
This post was proudly made in partnership with Real California Milk. All opinions are my own. Thank you for supporting me and the brands that I love. Follow @realcalifmilk on Instagram to learn more about the California dairy industry, farm practices, and discover new recipes!
Recipe
Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting
- Total Time: 2 hours
- Yield: 36 cookies
Description
These Sour Cream Cookies with Chocolate Frosting bake up soft and tender with a delicate, cakey loft, topped in a thick swirl of rich, luscious and tangy sour cream chocolate frosting. Top with sprinkles for added joy!
Ingredients
Sour Cream Cookies
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 cup Real California Milk unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup full-fat Real California Milk sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
- 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped
- ½cup Real California Milk unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 cup Real California Milk sour cream, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder, optional
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- Sprinkles for topping, optional
Instructions
Sour Cream Cookies
Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
In a large bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and granulated sugar together on high speed until light and creamy, about 3-4 minutes. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl with a spatula as needed.
Add the eggs, one at a time, stirring on a low speed until fully blended in. Then add the vanilla and sour cream, and blend on medium-high speed until combined. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed. If the mixture looks a little curdled, don't sweat it, things will smooth out when you add the dry ingredients .
With the mixer on low speed, mix in the dry ingredients until combined. The dough will smooth and creamy with a texture somewhere between a cookie dough and cake batter. Cover the bowl tightly plastic wrap and chill the dough for at least 1 hour, up to 2-3 days.
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
Remove cookie dough from the refrigerator. Using a 1.5 tablespoon sized scoop, form large cookie dough balls each, spaced at least 3" apart on the baking sheets.
Bake for 12-14 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through for an even bake. Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Chocolate Sour Cream Frosting
In a medium microwave safe bowl, melt the chocolate in 15-second increments, stirring often, until smooth and melted.
In a medium bowl when using a hand mixer or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together the chocolate and the butter until smooth.
Blend in the powdered sugar. Then beat in the sour cream and the vanilla. The frosting should be thick and creamy. *If the looks a little runny, refrigerate for 15-20 minutes, it's firmed up enough to spread. Then blend until smooth before spreading on cookies.
Use immediately for best results, or store covered in the refrigerator.
Assembling the Cookies
Use a small spatula or offset spatula to generously frost each cookie with swoopy swirls of the frosting. Then optionally top with sprinkles for a festive finish.
Notes
Keep frosted cookies chilled until ready to serve.
This recipe makes 36 cookies and can be divided in half.
Chill the cookie dough in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or freeze the shaped cookie dough balls up to 3 months. Then thaw the dough overnight in the refrigerator before baking.
Baked and unfrosted cookies can be frozen up to 3 months. Then thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before frosting and serving.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Cuisine: Cookies
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