Sour Cream Drop Cookies

Bake sales were a staple of fundraising at small, rural schools. Tables lined with an assortment of baked goods while “customers” looked for the names of locally known accomplished bakers before grabbing up those delicious treasures.

Cakes and cookies were the most popular, though it wasn’t unusual to see a pie or even a savory treat in the mix. Most had family history, made by Moms and Grandmothers through the years. This is one such treat you’d find in those collections.

It’s a tender puffed cookie, with a light, buttery bite and notes that remind us of a great tea cake. An old-fashioned cookie, somewhat “plain jane” in its appearance. But with wisps of nutmeg delivering an exotic fragrance, mingling with hints of orange and graced with a sprinkling of sugar across the top, it will leave you wanting just one more. And then another!

The ingredients are interesting and a bit intriguing. Butter is creamed with sugar and whole eggs. Flour whisk together with both baking soda and baking powder for a lift. Sour cream is stirred in for tenderness. Then the dough is flavored simply with layers of orange using both pure orange extract and orange zest and a generous amount of freshly grated nutmeg.

Baked until just set and with a light golden hue. Perfect to bundle up for a bake sale or to share with a neighbor.

It’s a lesson we’ve learned over and over. When you find the same recipe, albeit with minor tweaks, printed in a vast number of old cookbooks and your instinct tells you to give it a try, do it. We’re so glad we did!

Sour Cream Drop Cookies

1 cup butter, room temperature

2 cups sugar

4 extra-large eggs, room temperature

1 teaspoon pure vanilla powder or pure vanilla extract

1 teaspoon pure orange extract

5 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons nutmeg

Zest of 1 orange, about 1 teaspoon

1 cup sour cream

Preheat oven to 425-degrees. Beat the butter on medium speed until it is creamy. Slowly add the sugar, about ½ cup at a time on medium speed.

On low speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then stir in the vanilla powder and orange extract.

In a separate bowl, whisk the flour with the baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and orange zest.

Add the flour mixture to the butter and sugar, about 1 cup at a time, blending in on low speed.

Alternate with the sour cream, beginning and ending with the flour.

The dough will be somewhat sticky.

Using a small scoop or teaspoon, drop rounds of dough about 1” in diameter onto baking sheets lined with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.

If there are spiked peaks on the dough, you can wet your fingers lightly with water and tap them down. Sprinkle a bit of sugar over the top of each round of dough.

Bake in a 425-degree oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until set and just starting to become golden.

Makes 7 dozen cookies.

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Le Creuset’s Stoneware Batter Bowl is perfect for stirring up a batter, sauce or a vinaigrette. https://go.shopmy.us/p-24950904

This mini scoop is perfect for scooping out cookie dough. Measures Mini: 1 1/4″ diam., 7 3/4″ long. https://go.shopmy.us/p-22967129 Keep Silpat liners on hand for perfection when baking cookies and pastries – they’re an indispensable tool in the kitchen. https://go.shopmy.us/p-78005604

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