Mom's Sour Cream Cookies

These old-fashioned sour cream cookies are the kind grandma pulled out of the oven on a Tuesday afternoon for no reason at all. The sour cream does something special to the dough, keeping these cookies soft and almost cake-like with a slight tang that balances out the sweetness.

The technique here is what sets them apart. You drop the dough onto the sheet, then press each one flat with a sugar-dipped glass. That coating of sugar on top caramelizes lightly in the oven, giving you a thin, crackly crust over an impossibly tender center.

Shortening instead of butter is the old-school move that keeps the cookies from spreading too thin. They hold their shape and stay soft even after a day or two on the counter.

Kitchen Tips

• Dip the glass in water first, then sugar. The water keeps the dough from sticking to the glass.
• Don’t overmix after adding the flour. A few streaks are fine. Overmixing makes the cookies tough.
• Bake on the shorter side (closer to 12 minutes) if you want them extra soft. The edges should be barely set.
• Store in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll stay tender for up to 3 days.

Variations

• Roll the sugar-dipped glass in cinnamon sugar for a snickerdoodle-style twist.
• Fold in chocolate chips or dried cranberries for added texture.
• Replace vanilla with almond extract for a more fragrant, bakery-style cookie.