Recipes and Cooking Almond Sour-Cream Sugar Cookies Be the first to rate & review! Ideal for decorating with royal icing, these sour cream sugar cookies are firm on the outside and tender on the inside. A dash of almond extract and ground nuts make these almond sugar cookies stand out from the cookie recipe competition. By BHG Test Kitchen BHG Test Kitchen The Better Homes & Gardens Test Kitchen has been in continuous operation for nearly 100 years, developing and testing practical, reliable recipes that readers can enjoy at home. The Test Kitchen team includes culinary specialists, food stylists, registered and licensed nutritionists, and other experts with Bachelor of Science degrees in food science, food and nutrition, or culinary arts. Together, the team tests more than 2,500 recipes, produces more than 2,500 food images, and creates more than 1,000 food videos each year in the state-of-the-art test kitchen. Learn about BHG's Editorial Process Updated on September 15, 2020 Print Rate It Share Share Tweet Pin Email Photo: Andy Lyons Prep Time: 40 mins Chill Time: 1 hrs Bake Time: 7 mins Total Time: 40 mins Servings: 30 Yield: 30 cookies Jump to Nutrition Facts Ingredients ⅔ cup butter, softened 1 cup sugar 1 teaspoon baking powder ½ teaspoon salt ¼ teaspoon baking soda 1 egg ⅓ cup sour cream 2 teaspoon vanilla ½ teaspoon almond extract ⅓ cup finely ground blanched almonds 2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour White or silver luster dust (optional) 1 recipe Royal Icing Royal Icing 1 16 ounce package powdered sugar (about 4 cups) 3 tablespoon meringue powder ½ teaspoon cream of tartar ½ cup warm water 1 teaspoon vanilla Directions In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in egg, sour cream, vanilla, and almond extract until combined. Beat in ground almonds. Beat in as much of the 2-1/4 cups flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining of the 2-1/4 cups flour. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill for 1 to 2 hours or until dough is easy to handle. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a well-floured surface, roll one dough portion at a time to 1/8 to 1/4 inch thick. Using 2-1/2-inch cookie cutters, cut dough into desired shapes. Place cutouts 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 7 to 8 minutes or until edges are firm and bottoms are very light brown. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. If desired, use a small new paintbrush to brush cookies with luster dust. Pipe Royal Icing on cookies in snowflake designs. Let stand until icing is set. Royal Icing In a large mixing bowl stir together the powdered sugar, meringue powder, and cream of tartar. Add the water and vanilla. Beat with an electric mixer on low speed until combined; beat on high speed for 7 to 10 minutes or until icing reaches a stiff piping consistency. If not using right away, cover bowl with a damp paper towel and cover paper towel with plastic wrap; chill for up to 48 hours. To Store: Layer cookies between sheets of waxed paper in an airtight container; cover. Store at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. To serve, thaw cookies, if frozen. Decorate as directed. Tip: Look for meringue powder in the cake decorating aisle of a hobby or crafts store. Rate it Print Nutrition Facts (per serving) 172 Calories 5g Fat 30g Carbs 1g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 30 Calories 172 % Daily Value * Total Fat 5g 6% Saturated Fat 3g 15% Cholesterol 18mg 6% Sodium 106mg 5% Total Carbohydrate 30g 11% Total Sugars 23g Protein 1g Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 18mg 1% Iron 0.5mg 3% Potassium 25mg 1% Folate, total 18.8mcg Vitamin B-12 0mcg Vitamin B-6 0mg *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.