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1
Pour flour into a large mixing bowl.
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2
Cut butter into the flour using a pastry cutter or two knives until the flour resembles coarse crumbs.
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3
Alternately, you can pulse the flour and butter in a food processor until a crumbly texture forms.
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4
Do not over-process.
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5
Set aside in the large mixing bowl.
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6
Pour packet of yeast into a small bowl and cover with 1/2 cup lukewarm water (about 110 degrees).
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7
Stir in 1/2 teaspoon of sugar and stir until yeast and sugar are dissolved.
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8
Set aside for 10 minutes.
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9
The yeast should activate, meaning it will look expanded and foamy.
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10
If it doesnt, your yeast may have expired.
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11
Go buy some fresh yeast!
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12
While yeast is activating, stir 1 teaspoon of vanilla into the 2 beaten eggs till combined.
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13
Add the eggs, vanilla, and sour cream into the crumbly flour mixture.
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14
Right about now the yeast should be activated, meaning it will look expanded and foamy.
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15
If it doesnt, your yeast may have expired and you need to go buy some fresh yeast!
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16
Add the foamy yeast water to the mixing bowl.
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17
Stir all ingredients in the mixing bowl until just combined, switching to kneading when the mixture becomes too thick to stir.
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18
Do not overwork the dough; knead just a few times until a rough dough ball forms.
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19
Grease a larger mixing bowl with oil.
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20
Punch dough down into the greased bowl, then flip the dough so both sides are lightly oiled.
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21
Cover bowl with a damp cloth and refrigerate for 2 hours.
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22
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
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23
In a wide, shallow bowl, mix the remaining 2 teaspoons of liquid vanilla extract with 1 1/2 cups of sugar till the sugar is evenly scented with vanilla.
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24
Dust your rolling surface with 1/2 cup of the vanilla sugar.
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25
Take dough out of the refrigerator and place it on the sugared rolling surface.
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26
Roll out the dough into a rough 12x16 inch rectangle.
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27
If the dough sticks to your rolling pin, rub the pin with the vanilla sugar periodically.
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28
Cut the rectangle in thirds lengthwise so there are 3 long, thin rectangles of dough.
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29
Cut each rectangle of dough into strips roughly 1 inch thick (each strip will be about 4 inches long).
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30
Dip each strip into the vanilla sugar so that both sides of the strips are evenly coated in sugar.
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31
Twist the sugar coated strips two or three times each and pinch at the ends to taper.
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32
Place on an ungreased cookie sheet.
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33
Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes until golden brown and cooked through.
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34
Turn the tray halfway through baking to ensure even browning.
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35
The darker you let them brown, the crisper the cookies will be.
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36
Remove cookies from baking sheet immediately, otherwise the cookies will stick to the sheet.
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37
Place on a wire rack or plate to cool.
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38
These Sour Cream Twists go great with tea, coffee, or a glass of ice-cold milk.
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39
Store in a sealed tin or Tupperware container.
