Cookie exchange!

By the name of this post you may assume it's yet another blog about a million and one great cookie recipes for those holiday office parties and classroom treat exchanges, but no! This is about a cookie exchange for me personally, as a baker who has very specific taste about cookie texture, no pun intended, an exchange of possibilities and ideas of what makes a good, appealing cookie. 

I was recently hit with the urge to do a little baking for our apartment management office and maintenance staff, wanted to make something different but with a cozy, comfortable yet light flavor profile and a soft, pillowy texture. 

After digging around in the fridge and pantry I made note of ingredients I thought would work well together, and started to mix the recipe. This recipe went against all my own taste and texture desires as it is soft and fluffy, with not a nut, bit or dark chocolate chunk in sight. I knew my husband would love it because of what it offered and what it was missing, as we have opposite cookie preferences, so I was excited for him to try the first batch. I also asked a friend to test the recipe and was thrilled when she and her family gave rave reviews. While I made them with warmth in mind, I heard tell are perfect for afternoon tea and "They taste like spring." Thanks, Mia! 

If you love a soft, smooth, melt-in-your-mouth treat made with a warm, slightly complex but familiar blend of flavors, these are the cookies for you. They are simple to make and bake, and perfect for sharing. And, as with many of my recipes, you can change up the flavor profile to suit your own desires. Please enjoy this recipe, read the notes at the end of the recipe, and comment with likes and dislikes!

(I have not attempted these with vegan or GF subs, but if you do, please share the results!) 

Brown Sugar Sour Cream Cookies

Preheat your oven to 375º

Mix until creamed together well:

1 cup softened salted butter

1 egg

1/2 cup sour cream 

1 1/3 cups light brown sugar, lightly packed

In separate bowl, combine:

1 2/3 cup ap flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 tbsp fresh orange zest OR 1 tsp orange emulsion (Not extract!)

       *You can add both for a more intense orange flavor!

1 tsp ground cardamom

Mix dry ingredient mixture into butter sugar mixture until completely incorporated. You can do this all by hand or use a hand or stand mixer. The batter will be light, fluffy, soft. 

Using a 1" scoop, or teaspoon, place drops of cookie batter onto an ungreased baking sheet with the dollops 2-3” apart as these do spread.

Bake for 7-8 minutes until a light caramel brown color. Let rest on the baking sheet for 1-2 minutes before using a thin metal spatula to move to a cooling rack. 

They should have a crisp underside and be soft and light, almost cake-like. 

NOTES: 

• Depending on how you store these, if there are any left to store after the initial bake and taste, they may get a more cake-like texture and can tend to get a bit sticky, so I recommend separating layers with wax paper or parchment in the container of your choice. 
• If you aren't a fan or orange, try lemon zest, or omit the citrus all together, though it pairs beautifully with the cardamom. I left cinnamon out of this recipe because I think cardamom needs some love and is an underrated spice, but you can always add a teaspoon of cinnamon, and for a little heat, you could add a tiny bit of cayenne or smoked hot paprika! Mix it up! 
• This is meant to be a delicate cookie, and the batter is quite light in consistency, so I do not recommend adding any chunky mix-ins to it, but would say if you're dying for a bit of crunch, a tiny sprinkling of finely chopped hazelnuts or pecans right on top of each cookie before baking would be a nice touch. 

Well?? Have you made them yet? What do you think!?