Orange Frosted Sour Cream Cookies

These soft, cake-like drop cookies get their tender crumb from sour cream and their bold citrus punch from fresh orange juice and zest mixed right into the batter. The same orange flavor carries through to the icing, so every bite delivers a double hit of bright, sunny citrus.

Sour cream does double duty here. It keeps the cookies incredibly soft while adding a slight tang that balances all that sweetness. The dough comes together fast since it’s a drop cookie, so there’s no rolling or chilling required.

The icing is just powdered sugar, butter, fresh orange juice, and zest thinned with a splash of milk. Spread it on once the cookies are fully cooled or it will melt right off.

Kitchen Tips

• Check cookies at 6 minutes. They bake fast at high heat and go from golden to overdone quickly. Pull them when the edges are just set but the centers still look slightly underdone.
• Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack before icing. Warm cookies will turn that frosting into a puddle.
• Fresh oranges are a must for both the dough and the icing. Bottled juice won’t give you the same fragrant zest or brightness.
• Store iced cookies in a single layer or with parchment between layers to keep the frosting from sticking.

Variations

• Swap oranges for lemons or a mix of lemon and lime for a tart citrus twist.
• Add a pinch of cardamom to the dry ingredients for a Scandinavian-inspired flavor.
• Fold in dried cranberries for a festive holiday cookie.