The Simple Addition Makes Sugar Cookie Mix So Much Better

Although Oreos may be the U.S.'s best-selling cookie brand (per Statista) and chocolate chip cookies are America's favorite cookie flavor (via Study Finds), when it comes to the holidays everyone knows sugar cookies reign supreme. But we're going to let you in on a few secrets about this classic dessert. Firstly, while sugar cookies may taste like an old-fashioned family Christmas, you're doing yourself a disservice by only eating them during the holiday season.

For example, Family Cookie Recipes noted you can decorate a batch of buttery sugar cookies like popsicles to celebrate summer. And Life Made Sweeter reports you can whip up a copycat version of Lofthouse's famous frosting-slathered sugar cookies at home to enjoy any day of the year.

Secondly, despite sugar cookies being almost synonymous with the word homemade, sugar cookies made from the store-bought mix can taste just as good as ones made from scratch. All you have to do to make your pre-made cookie batter taste irresistible every time is add in one simple ingredient.

According to Taste of Home, the key to taking your store-bought sugar cookie mix to the next level is to add a little sour cream into the batter. The outlet reports sour cream works so well in sugar cookies thanks to science.

Taste of Home explained that sour cream has a bacteria that produces lactic acid. This is the reason that very bacteria will activate the baking powder in your sugar cookie mix and ensure that your cookies turn out soft and fluffy. And adding sour cream to your store-bought cookie batter will even help balance out the sugar in your cookie mix so that your dessert will have the perfect level of sweetness.

But before you use this tip, Mel's Kitchen Cafe reported that bakers should keep in mind that adding sour cream to your store-bought mix will mean that your cookies will come out more soft than crisp. So if you're more concerned about cutting your cookies into perfect shapes, you may want to go lighter on the sour cream. However, tossing sour cream into your sugar cookie mix will guarantee that you bake up sugar cookies that will melt in your mouth every time.