Do you love cookies as much as I do?
Today is going to be a lot fun for me because I’m sharing a cherished cookie recipe as a part of this wonderful “virtual” cookie exchange:
Some people are sentimental about things, others are sentimental about holidays but I am really sentimental about food.
I know, it may sound weird, but eating, cooking and baking recipes that were a part of my family makes me feel at home. The tastes and smells bring back good memories of special times and special people.
One of my favorite recipes from my Grandma (on my mom’s side) is a cookie recipe handed down to her from her mother – Farmer Cookies.
Ever heard of them?
Probably not.
I have honestly never had them anywhere else but in my own family. And, to be completely truthful, it feels a little weird to be posting about them here on my blog, but food is for sharing and today, I’m giving you the recipe.
So, first, let me describe a Farmer Cookie since you have probably never heard of them.
It is soft and cake-like and it has a very mild flavor — it doesn’t taste like a butter or shortbread cookie but it is along those same lines. It is a sour cream cookie but not like others I have tasted — all the others I have tried are usually crisp or chewy. These are not crisp and they are not chewy. They are not highly seasoned, and they don’t have an overpowering flavor. But, they are GOOD!
I have never met anyone who has tried them and not liked them. And, what is kind of funny is that they seem grow on you. What usually happens when someone tastes one is they try it, they’re not blown away first but they like it. Then, they ask for another one, and then another one. And, then one day they are asking me for the recipe or, they’re asking me to bake them! (My sister-in-law, who is gluten-sensitive, cheats on her diet with them.)
(As a side note, I did an Internet search for Farmer Cookies and came up “Swedish Farmer Cookies” that are buttery almond cookies. These are not the same. )
Here’s my family recipe:
- 1 1/2 C. granulated sugar
- 1 C. butter or margarine
- 2 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 1 C. sour cream
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1 tsp. vanilla
- Flour to make a soft dough (about 3 cups)
- Cream together butter and sugar. Add eggs.
- Add baking soda to the sour cream and stir together. Add to butter sugar and eggs.
- Add vanilla.
- Stir in dry ingredients.
- Roll out and bake in a quick oven.at 425 degrees F.
- (roll dough to about 1/4 inch)
I’ve added a video tutorial regarding the dough because it’s a little different to work with than regular cut-out cookies (the dough is sticky like a drop cookie but it is rolled out). In the video I say that you roll them about a half inch thick. I mis-spoke…it’s really about 1/4 of an inch. Regular cut-out cookies are rolled about 1/8 inch thickness, so these are thicker cookies.
*Also, please don’t judge me on the way I look. Bad lighting and an ice/snow day home with the kids is my excuse! (Also, thanks to my kids for putting together this little production on my iPhone for me!)
Ready for more inspirational and delicious cookie recipes?
You can find 29 more recipes during this week-long Virtual Cookie Exchange:
Please visit the following blogs to see what cookies
they have “brought” to the Christmas Cookie Exchange…
Monday, Dec. 9th
The Everyday Home
Atta Girl Says
Southern Color
All Things Heart and Home
Deja Vue Designs
Shabby Art Boutique
Tuesday, Dec. 10th
Worthing Court
Town and Country Living
Inspiration for Moms
Vintage News Junkie
Designers Sweet Spot
Wednesday, Dec. 11th
Marty’s Musings
Domestically Speaking
My Soulful Home
Sweet Pea
Our Southern Home
A Delightsome Life
Thursday, Dec. 12th
Cottage at the Crossroads
Pennywise
Major Hoff Takes a Wife
Country Design Style
House on the Way
Fresh Idea Studio
Friday, Dec. 13th
Confessions of a Plate Addict
Stone Gable
Create and Babble
So Much Better With Age
Cupcakes and Crinolines
The Happier Homemaker
This cookie sounds so good! I’ve never made a cookie with sour cream and am excited to find out how they taste. Thanks for sharing your family’s favorite cookie with us.
These look wonderful Julie, and I’m just like you- food conjures up nostalgia in me…thank you for sharing xo
Aren’t you so adorable. LOVE the video!!! It was so much fun to see you in action!!!! I love that you took the time to show us how to work the sticky dough! And thanks also for passing your treasured family recipe down to all of us too! I’m having my morning coffee now and am so wanting a few Farmer’s cookies to dunk!!! YUMMY!
Stopping by from the Cookie Exchange! What a unique recipe that I cannot wait to try! Great video, I’d be too scared to tape myself
I’m sentimental about food, too. Thank you so much for sharing your treasured family recipe. These look like a real treat, and unlike any cookie I’ve ever had before.
These sound awesome. My daughter made some cookies last year with sour cream, and we gobbled them right up! I need to try this recipe. So glad you joined the tour! ~Tammy
Love your cookies and always looking for great cookie recipes for the holidays…my granddaughter loves making them with me!…
I’m so going to make these. They sound perfect with a great cup of coffee.
Pardon my ignorance, but what is a “quick oven”?
Hi Dayle! Thanks for your comment. Another reader pointed out that I omitted the baking temp. so as a result a “quick oven” is pretty ambiguous – so sorry! The cookies bake at a high temperature for a short period of time. I have updated the recipe card to read: bake at 425 for 7-8 minutes. So sorry about the omission! Thanks for stopping by!
Thanks!
Couldn’t find it but did you mention at what temperature you bake at and for how long? Sounds like a delicious cookie and am anxious to make for my neighbors for christmas. Thank you for the video.
Hi Jackie! Thanks so much for catching the missing temperature on my cookie recipe. Ooops! One of the hazards of working by yourself — hard to self-edit! The cookies bake at 425 degrees for only 7-8 minutes (high heat, short time). I have made the update on the recipe card so it should now print out with all of the correct info. Hope you enjoy them!
Thanks so much for stopping by and taking the time to comment!
Cookies & a video! Fantastic!! Will definitely make these. Thanks fro sharing Julie!
I love your video! So much fun to see you in action. Thanks for the great recipe.
Great job on the video, you have little Scorseses on your hands. These cookies look wonderful. I love the idea of simply cutting the scraps. I could see my family grabbing for the weird shaped cookies first! Thank you for sharing a family recipe with us on the tour. ~Jeanette
These look yummy! Thanks for sharing a new recipe I would love to try.
I’ve never heard of these but I’m intrigued to try them. Thank you for sharing your family recipe.
I’ve never heard of them before, but they look delicious! It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the cookie exchange with you! Happy Holidays!
Leslie
Oh these look great-
Sometimes I really love a simpler, less sweet cookie during this season of sugar overload- I’ll be trying these !
Your a natural in front of the camera- Thanks for sharing!
These look so good and pretty! My daughter and I love making cookies together when she gets out of school for Christmas vacation. This will definitely be on the list! ~Christy
Julie, I so enjoyed watching your video so tell your children that I think they did a super job! I have never heard of farmer cookies but now I’m intrigued! Thanks for sharing your family recipe and it’s definitely on my MUST MAKE list! Pinning and sharing!
I haven’t heard of Farmer Cookies, but they sounds delicious! Can’t wait to try them.