There are numerous events throughout the year that demand for the ideal cut-out cookie. Whether it’s hearts for Valentine’s Day or Santas for Christmas, piping icing onto holiday-themed cookies is one of our all-time favorite activities. However, it is frequently the case that the most gorgeous cookies do not taste as good as they appear. But do not be afraid. That is absolutely not the case with these cookies. These cookies are soft and almost cake-like, and they’re exactly the kind of trustworthy sugar cookie you want to keep in your back pocket.

Their secret is a small amount of sour cream added into the dough. It doesn’t actually impart any tart sour cream flavor, but it keeps the cookies fluffy and soft when baking, so when you take a bite of this adorned cookie, your teeth sink into it rather than crunch.While we usually just flavor cookies with vanilla essence, adding a little nutmeg around the holidays feels just right. It gives a slight flavor of festive spice, and while it is not required, we recommend you try it at least once. Similarly, chilling the dough is optional. It does make the cookies a little fluffier and the dough less sticky, but you can certainly skip it if you’re short on time for sugar cookies!