Sour Cream Sugar Cookies

In honor of spring (which I'm told is just 8 days away), St. Patty's Day, and basketball playoff season, I tried my hand at Sour Cream Sugar Cookies. We need a reason for cookies, right?

These cookies are moist, chewy and delicious. I modified the original recipe from Taste of Home to use butter rather than shortening, and didn't make the frosting, and they are still delicious. I made a half batch, and also reduced the butter and used an egg white rather than a full egg.

These are roll out cookies, and at first, I wasn't going to roll them. But, then I was tempted by the large box of cookie cutters we got from my mom and sister-in-law ....

Don't they look inviting? The shapes are so cute :) I picked out ones perfect for the season...
Sour Cream Sugar Cookies - Modified by Snow White from Taste of Home

Full batch (makes 4.5 dozen cookies)

1 C butter (you could likely use 12 T)
1 C sugar
1 egg (I used egg white)
1 C (8oz) light or fat-free sour cream
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract (be generous)
4 C flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt


Half batch (makes about 2 dozen cookies, depending on size)

6 T butter
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C (8oz) light or fat-free sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract (be generous)
2 C flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt

Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy
Add in sour cream, egg white, and vanilla. Mix to combine.
Mix together flour, soda and salt... and make faces in the flour with the measuring spoons (okay, the recipe didn't say that, but I had fun!)
Add flour to the creamed mixture and stir to combine
Refrigerate dough for 1 hour (alternatively, you can freeze it for 30 minutes or so), until dough is pliable
Roll dough out to about 1/4 inch thickness on a well floured surface
Cut cookies out using cookie cutters and place on a cookie sheet that has been lightly greased

In honor of basketball playoffs.... the NCAA Trophy
In honor of spring... tulips!

Bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes until cookies are set. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute and then remove to allow to cool on a cookie rack.
Then, admire your work... (bunnies... also in honor of spring)(in honor of our favorite team...)and, my own make-your-own clover... just for St. Patty's Day
Store in an airtight container to be enjoyed later
And, if you want to frost them... here's the recipe for the full batch frosting recipe.

Frosting
1 C butter, softened
9 C powdered sugar
3 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3-3/4 C milk
Food coloring, if desired

In a large bowl, cream butter until light and fluffy. Beat in powdered sugar and vanilla. Add enough milk to achieve desired consistency. Tint with food coloring, and decorate cookies as desired.

*If made as directed (without my modifications of reduced butter, egg whites and light sour cream), including frosting (assuming your cookies are 3 inches across): 1 cookie = 197 calories, 8 grams of fat (4 g saturated fat), 30 g carbs, 1 g protein.

These cookies are shared for Grocery Cart Challenge hosted by Gayle.