November 30, 2012

Grandma Parker's Southern Cream Cookies

Do you remember my story about the recipe box my Grandpa gave me that belonged to my Grandma?  You can click here to read about it, if you are interested.  I found this recipe in that box.  As I was flipping through all the recipes, the name of these cookies quickly caught my attention, because come on, anything with the word "cream" in it has got to be good.  

They reminded me of a cross between a snickerdoodle and a soft sugar cookie.  They are so soft and yummy.

If you like the butter flavor that snickerdoodles have, you may want to use butter flavored shortening instead of regular.  The only thing I did differently was I added a little cinnamon to the cookie dough and I made a little extra cinnamon/sugar mixture for rolling the dough balls in.  
Grandma's Southern Cream Cookies
adapted from: Grandma Parker

1 c. shortening
2 c. sugar
3 eggs
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon, opt.
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 c. sour cream
5 c. all-purpose flour
1 1/2 c. chopped walnuts, opt.

Topping:
6 Tbl. sugar
2 tsp. cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Cream together shortening and sugar until very light and fluffy.  Add the eggs and beat well.  Add the salt, baking soda, baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and vanilla and beat well.  Mix in the sour cream until well incorporated.  Last, gradually add the flour and nuts and beat until fully incorporated.  Combine the 6 Tablespoons of sugar and 2 teaspoons of cinnamon in a small dish.  Roll about 1 Tablespoon of dough into a ball and toss in the cinnamon and sugar mixture until fully coated.  Add to a lightly greased baking sheet and flatten slightly using the palm of your hand.  Repeat.  Bake for 11-12 minutes.  Yield: around 5 1/2 - 6 dozen cookies. 

Jenn's Notes: You can use butter-flavored shortening instead of regular if you want the butter flavor that snickerdoodles usually have.  I typed the recipe above with my recommended baking time if using 1 Tablespoon of dough.    

20 comments:

  1. Yum! These look and sound delicious!

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  2. These sound delicious! My son LOVES snickerdoodles and this sounds like a great version!

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  3. It's cool seeing grandma's handwriting on her recipes. I need to make these!

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    1. I know, it makes me so happy. She had beautiful handwriting! - Jenn

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  4. This recipe sounds like what my grandmother used to make which she called sour cream softies, only your cookies look flatter and crinkly. Sour cream softies are more cake-like. Delicious!

    MGM

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    1. I tried baking a few without pressing the dough down and they ended up super fat and they were delicious, but I liked them better when they were a little flatter. Your grandmother's sour cream softies sound delicious. If you ever want to share her recipe, I would love to try them! - Jenn

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  5. Generational recipes are the best!

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  6. Yum! These sound delicious. I love baking recipes with sour cream in them. I often sub plain greek yogurt to cut the fat and you can't even tell! :)

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    1. I LOVE using greek yogurt too and I agree you can't even tell! - Jenn

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  7. What can I use if I don't have shortening? I just had surgery so I can't really go buy any (I have everything else this recipe calls for except that)... can I use butter or something?

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    1. I hope you are feeling okay after your surgery? You can use butter instead of shortening. It would still be the same amount (1 cup). Butter usually gives you a flatter and chewier cookie, but in this case, I think it would still be delicious. If the first batch ends up too flat, I would leave the next batch in balls and don't flatten them before baking. You might want to cut the recipe in half to make sure you like them with the butter. A large egg equals 1/4 cup. So, I usually crack my egg in a bowl and whip it with a fork and then measure out 1/8 cup for 1/2 an egg. Let me know how they turn out if you end up making them. -Jenn

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  8. These look and sound delicious!! What a treasure from your Grandma! Thank you for sharing and thank you for the visit and sweet comment at The Dedicated House. It means the world! Would love it if you would share this at my Make it Pretty Monday party at The Dedicated House which goes live at 8am CST on Monday. http://thededicatedhouse.blogspot.com Hope to see you at the bash! Toodles, Kathryn @TheDedicatedHouse

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  9. I have my mother's and grandmother's recipe boxes with their handwritten recipes. Even though I have retyped these in a family cookbook, I go back to check the original on occasion. They are so nice to have. Thanks for sharing one of yours. I used the ones I have as divider pages in my cookbook. They have the names of the person they got the recipe from on the corners.

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    1. There is just something about those handwritten cards that is so comforting! -Jenn

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  10. Hi Jenn, these look fantastic. If you don't mind, I'd love if you would stop by and share these on Sugar & Slice Sunday link party.

    -Lisa.
    Sweet 2 Eat Baking

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  11. I love recipes that are written in family's writing! These look delicious!

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  12. I have a recipe that uses buttermilk and they were my friend's gramma's recipe. They look yummy and especially with a cup of tea.

    We may have met by chance...but we become friends by choice.
    http://simpleesue.com/honduras-missions-making-bread-in-a-mud-oven

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  13. Mmm! My husband was just saying how he wanted snickerdoodles yesterday. I want to try this!

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  14. These sound delicious! And what a great story to go with them. I'd love for you to share this at Tuesday's Table for the Holidays - http://zentmrs.blogspot.com/2012/12/tuesdays-table-countdown-to-christmas.html!

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  15. These look and sound soooo yummy. I will be giving these a try, for sure.

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