Holiday Cookie Exchange: Sour Cream Cutout Cookies

Sour crean cutouts offer a cakelike texture and lovely
surface for decorating with icing, sprinkles or other goodies.

Holiday Cookie Exchange: Sour Cream Cutout Cookies

This year, both Christmas and Hanukkah fall within the same date range. Many companies have carry-ins and cookie exchanges during this time of year, so here is a recipe that is easy to make, will satisfy sweet cravings and offers the dairy component that is part of the Hanukkah tradition.


Tools I use:
Metal cookie cutters: I find that the metal cutters have a nice, sharp cutting edge that creates well defined shapes. I have Christmas cutters, of course, but I also invested in a Star of David cutter for Hanukkah.

Silicon rolling mat: a silicon pastry mat comes in handy for rolling out cookie or pie dough. It has a slick surface which requires very little flour to keep your dough from sticking. It is also graded in inches, so you'll know how large your pastry circle is. These mats are easy to clean and roll up for storage.

Rubber rolling pin rings: These rubber rings allow you to roll your dough to a precise thickness. This avoids uneven pastry that may end up over or undercooked. It also gives your cookies or pie dough a more uniform appearance.


Sour Cream Cutouts
3 1/2 c. all purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. butter, melted
2 eggs
1 c. granulated sugar
3/4 c. sour cream
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

Place granulated sugar in large mixing bowl. Combine vanilla and almond extracts with melted butter, pour butter over sugar and cream together for 2 - 3 minutes or until sugar is dissolved. Let rest for 5 minutes. At low speed, add eggs, one at a time, mixing in thoroughly.

Alternate adding dry ingredients with sour cream. After adding the last of the flour, beat until dough just comes together. Cover mixing bowl with cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

The next day, divide the chilled dough into two halves. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and line two or three baking sheets with parchment paper. Shape one half of the dough into a disc, and roll out on floured mat to 1/4" thickness. Use cookie cutters to create desired shapes, and transfer gently to the cookie sheets. Try to get as many cuts as possible out of the first roll, because rerolling the dough can make it tough and your cookies won't rise as nicely. Do the same with the second half of the dough, then combine what is left of both dough halves, reroll and cut more cookies.

Place sheets on the middle racks of the oven. Bake 10 - 12 minutes total, rotating sheets from one rack to the other after 5 - 6 minutes. Slide the parchment off of the baking sheets and allow cookies to cool before packaging or decorating.

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