Last Updated on February 3, 2023
Who doesn’t love a classic cookie? Well, we are bringing back these old-school Betty Crocker sour cream cookies and giving them a second life!
They are easy to make and are relatively quick for old-school cookies. And, we have still retained their original tasty flavor and semi-crunchy texture- albeit not exactly like the original recipe. We all but guarantee that these cookies will once again become a household favorite!
Betty Crocker Sour Cream Cookies – A Classic Cookie That Never Goes Out Of Date
Betty Crocker is a household name in most countries. Even if you cannot find the products, you know what the recipes refer to. This brand was established in 1921, more than a hundred years ago!
The main reason they are still relevant today is possible because they evolved with the times, constantly meeting the needs of new consumers and trends.
Today, they still regularly bring out a ton of high-quality, yet affordable premix quick and easy products. Some are as simple as a vanilla sponge cake mix, whereas others are more elaborate like chocolate chip fudge cookie cups.
They are all designed to be easy to make and take the time out of baking homemade goods.
Now, you may also already know that Betty Crocker does release (and has been releasing) hundreds, maybe even thousands of recipes since 1930. And trust us, it’s highly likely that your mother has a recipe book or two from the massive collection of books released.
Our recipe today is inspired by one of the most iconic recipes ever created, the sour cream cookies by Betty Crocker.
Our take on the original recipe
Naturally, we always create our own recipes from scratch. However, all recipes are inspired by one another. And that’s exactly how we came to make today’s cookies.
These sour cream cookies are exceptionally easy to make and we’ve cut back on some, in our opinion, excessive ingredients. Cookies should be simple, delicious, and quick.
So, we made some alterations to the original sour cream cookies by Betty Crocker to create an even easier, more tender, and flavor-packed treat.
And, these cookies are versatile too! You can easily substitute almost any of the ingredients and even change up the flavor. Have a look at our tips and tricks section to get some inspiration for delicious additions to the recipe.
Well, without further or do, let’s get right to it!
What You Need to Make Betty Crocker Sour Cream Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Equipment
- Large cookie sheet or baking tray
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Plastic or saran wrap
- Ice cream scoop or cookie dough scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1: Prepare your equipment
Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with non-stick baking paper. Then, measure out all of your ingredients and make sure that they are softened as needed.
You should preheat your oven to 360ºF (180ºC). But, only do this once your shaped cookies are resting in the fridge. Otherwise, your oven will be on hour hours before you need it.
Step 2: Combine the wet ingredients
To start, cream together your butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl over high speed. Mix until they are light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Then, add the vanilla and one egg at a time. Mix well before adding the next egg.
Lower the speed of the mixer and add the sour cream. Slowly incorporate it until you have a uniform batter.
It may look a little separated. But don’t worry, it will come together when you add the dry ingredients. Set the wet ingredients aside.
Step 3: Finish off the cookie dough
Next, sift together the dry ingredients into a bowl and make sure they’re mixed well.
In three additions, add the flour mixture to the butter and egg base. Mix for roughly 2 minutes before adding the next portion of flour. Use a low speed to ensure all the ingredients incorporate well.
Step 4: Rest your dough
Once your dough is combined, place a layer of plastic or saran wrap directly on its surface. Then, rest it inside the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
Step 5: Shape the sour cream cookies
Scoop out dollops of chilled cookie dough directly onto your lined baking tray. Space them about 2 inches apart so they don’t bleed together when baked.
Then, allow each tray to rest for roughly 45 minutes before you bake them. This will help prevent the cookies from falling flat or merging in the oven.
Step 6: Bake the cookies
Bake each tray of cookies for about 10-12 minutes. The edges should start browning and the cookie should be set. However, don’t overbake them. they shouldn’t be hard when the time has elapsed. These cookies are soft.
Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to the wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Tips and Tricks
- The only alternative for sour cream is Greek yogurt. Otherwise, the recipe won’t function in the same way. Sour cream has a multitude of functions in this recipe, so it would be better to stick with it.
- Always scrape down the sides of the bowls to ensure all of the ingredients are equally incorporated and distributed. You don’t want pockets of flour or clumps of butter in your baked cookies!
- You have to rest your shaped cookies for at least 15 minutes before baking them. We recommend 45 minutes to an hour for the best results. But, we get that this makes the entire process take a lot longer. It is definitely worth the wait.
- Only bake one sheet of cookies at a time, even if you have a convection oven that circulated the air. You will get much better results this way. And, it will prevent some cookies from over or underbaking due to oven hot spots.
- You can add a bunch of additional flavoring and textural ingredients to the cookie dough. They can be mixed in with the final addition of flour. Some amazing ideas include chopped nuts, dried fruit pieces (small), chocolate chips, and toffee pieces.
- You can also top these Betty Crocker sour cream cookies with frosting as well. Cream cheese frosting makes a delicious addition to these cookies. Wait until the cookies have completely cooled before topping them with frosting.
How to Store Betty Crocker Sour Cream Cookies
Store the Betty Crocker sour cream cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for three to five days. Store them in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight to ensure they stay fresh for as long as possible.
You can also freeze the baked Betty Crocker sour cream cookies as well. Allow the cookies to fully cool before placing them in a Ziploc bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw the cookies in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for around one hour.
You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough so you can enjoy freshly baked cookies at any time. After forming the cookie dough into balls, place them in an airtight container and then transfer them to the freezer for up to three months. You can also wrap them in plastic wrap and then place the balls of cookie dough in a Ziploc bag.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 360 degrees Farenheit and transfer the frozen cookie dough to a baking sheet. Bake the cookies for an additional minute than what the recipe calls for, so 13 minutes. There is no need to thaw the balls of frozen cookie dough before baking them in the oven.
If your cookies have cream cheese frosting on top, store them in the fridge in an airtight container for three to five days. Since cream cheese frosting is perishable, the cookies will need to be kept cold when not serving. Cookies without cream cheese frosting do not need to be kept in the fridge.
Preparations Times and Servings
1950 Betty Crocker Cookbook Recipes
Betty Crocker is one of the oldest names when it comes to cookbooks. Her recipes have been popular for decades as they are flavorful and great for everyday cooking or even for parties.
Betty Crocker has a wide variety of recipes from the 1950s including desserts, meat, fish, eggs, cookies, frosting, pies, salads, soups, sauces, vegetables, and more. While popular back then, many of the recipes from Betty Crocker’s 1950 cookbook aren’t typically made today. Some of these recipes from the 1950s include fluffy meatloaf, tuna pizza, hot cross buns, raisin cake, fig cake, and much more.
While some of the recipes from Betty Crocker’s 1950 cookbook may not be popular today, there are plenty of great recipes on Betty Crocker’s website. There are a wide array of recipes from breakfast, lunch, dinner, appetizers, sides, and desserts. There are a wide array of options from easy, everyday dishes to party favorites.
Betty Crocker is also popular now for the line of baking and cake mixes the company produces. The company sells a wide array of mixes including cookies, cakes, brownies, frosting, and more. There are several cake mixes to choose from including chocolate, vanilla, white, yellow, lemon, carrot, strawberry, spice, and more.
Final Thoughts: Betty Crocker Sour Cream Cookies
As you can see, this version of Betty Crocker sour cream cookies is as good, if not better if we may say so ourselves. You don’t need a bunch of intricate and complicated ingredients, and they are relatively quick to make.
So, let us know how yours came out and if you tried any of our suggested additions!
FAQs
What does adding sour cream to cookies do?
It depends on the recipe you are making. But, in general, sour cream help create a very soft and tender texture in the cookies. They can also be paired with alkaline ingredients to create a chemical reaction, which ultimately creates a fluffier cookie texture. And finally, they help create a balanced unique flavor.
Do cookies bake with sour cream need to be refrigerated?
Cookies that are made using sour cream don't necessarily need to be refrigerated because of the sour cream. There are plenty of reasons cookies need to be set in the fridge before and after baking. Before baking, resting some types of dough in the fridge (regardless of whether it has sour cream or not) prevents them from falling flat or melting when baked.
Can I bake with sour cream?
You can definitely bake with sour cream. While it may not be the most used dairy ingredient for baked goods, it has its purpose. Sour cream can help balance sweet goods, create a tangy tart flavor, and help create a tender texture and leavening reaction.
What does sour cream replace in baking?
Sour cream has very unique properties. But, similar ingredients are rarely used in recipes. So, sour cream can substitute yogurt in any recipe. They both have a tart acidic flavor and will function in the same way. When paired with an alkaline, they can create a chemical reaction that will act as a leavening agent.
Sour Cream Cookies By Betty Crocker - Flexible & Easy Recipe
Equipment
- Large cookie sheet or baking tray
- Non-stick baking paper
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowls
- Electric or hand mixer
- Rubber or silicone spatula
- Plastic or saran wrap
- Ice cream scoop or cookie dough scoop
- Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs,room temperature
- 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 3 cups cake flour, sifted
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Prepare your equipmentLine a cookie sheet or baking pan with non-stick baking paper. Then, measure out all of your ingredients and make sure that they are softened as needed.You should preheat your oven to 360ºF (180ºC). But, only do this once your shaped cookies are resting in the fridge. Otherwise, your oven will be on hour hours before you need it.
- Combine the wet ingredientsTo start, cream together your butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl over high speed. Mix until they are light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Then, add the vanilla and one egg at a time. Mix well before adding the next egg.Lower the speed of the mixer and add the sour cream. Slowly incorporate it until you have a uniform batter.It may look a little separated. But don't worry, it will come together when you add the dry ingredients. Set the wet ingredients aside.1/2 cup salted butter, softened at room temperature, 1 1/2 cups granulated white sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract, 2 large eggs,room temperature, 1 cup sour cream, room temperature
- Finish off the cookie doughNext, sift together the dry ingredients into a bowl and make sure they're mixed well.In three additions, add the flour mixture to the butter and egg base. Mix for roughly 2 minutes before adding the next portion of flour. Use a low speed to ensure all the ingredients incorporate well.3 cups cake flour, sifted, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon baking powder, Pinch of salt
- Rest your doughOnce your dough is combined, place a layer of plastic or saran wrap directly on its surface. Then, rest it inside the fridge for about 20-30 minutes.
- Shape the sour cream cookiesScoop out dollops of chilled cookie dough directly onto your lined baking tray. Space them about 2 inches apart so they don't bleed together when baked.Then, allow each tray to rest for roughly 45 minutes before you bake them. This will help prevent the cookies from falling flat or merging in the oven.
- Bake the cookiesBake each tray of cookies for about 10-12 minutes. The edges should start browning and the cookie should be set. However, don't overbake them. they shouldn't be hard when the time has elapsed. These cookies are soft.Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to the wire cooling rack and allow them to cool completely.
Notes
Lindy Van Schalkwyk is a culinary specialist with a background in Advanced Cooking, Advanced Pâtisserie, Media Communications and Nutrition. She has gained invaluable experience in the culinary industry having worked in some of the top restaurants in Africa in 2016 and 2017. Her expertise in nutrition has enabled her to develop recipes for special dietary needs. In 2018, Lindy began working in the Food Media industry, focusing on recipe development, recipe writing, food writing and food styling.