Sour Cream Cookies

This recipe comes from a good friend of mine named Jeano. We met in college and she was and is just the coolest girl ever. Whip smart, funny as hell, well read, a skilled baker, totally devoted to her big extended Nebraskan family, and has great great personal style. The last time we got together she had on her dad's old (but well-preserved) army dress shirt complete with insignia and honors, sparkly jewelry, a pair of slinky rock and roll black pants and fabulous shoes (always fabulous shoes). I could never pull it off but she wore it lightly and confidently. Makes me smile, a ballsy outfit like that.  She's one-in-a-million.

She sent me this recipe for sour cream cookies with a note that said she sometimes makes a Nutella sandwich out of them. Strange mash-up, but knowing her I figured it was probably very tasty. The cookies by themselves are delicious, soft and crispy with a whisper of lemon flavor. I was feeling daring so I brushed half with chocolate and pressed them in coconut flakes. Impossible to eat just one.




Note: The batter needs to be refrigerated overnight.

Sour Cream Cookies

Makes 2 dozen

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1 heaping teaspoon lemon zest (from one lemon)
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup buttermilk
3 3/4 cups AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
Pinch kosher salt

Chocolate Coconut Topping (optional)
1/2 semi-sweet chocolate chips
1 cup flaked coconut (sweetened or raw)

1. Whisk buttermilk and sour cream together. 
2. Beat butter, sugars, lemon zest and eggs until fluffy. Add sour cream/buttermilk mixture and mix until incorporated. Sift in dry ingredients and stir just until combined.  Cover bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350º. 
4. Roll chilled dough out onto a heavily floured surface (and flour the rolling pin too - it's sticky) to 1/4" thickness. Cut with 2-3" cutter and place on parchment lined baking sheets. Sprinkle with sugar and bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Transfer to wire racks to cool.
5. Melt chocolate chips in a bowl set over simmering water or in the microwave (in 30 second increments, stirring in between). Brush melted chocolate onto cookies with a spoon then press into coconut. Cool completely.