Old Fashioned Sugar Cookies

Filed under: RECIPES - Treats

I have searched and searched for THE sugar cookie recipe. Some are too wet to handle. Others too bland. Still more are good but I want a keeper. One that will be passed down. For Halloween the kids wanted to make Halloween shaped sugar cookies. So determined with a purpose I set out to uncover a decent sugar cookie recipe. It is so hard to know if a recipe is worth the trouble. Especially if there are not any comments from tried and true viewers and then there is always the difference of taste and opinion.

I decided on this recipe because of the caption, “after trying dozens of sugar cookies that are too bland…” I figured she was in the same boat of I was. We do not like frosting or icing on our sugar cookies so the basic cookie has to be soft with a hint of crispness and just the right amount of sweetness. The dough came together nicely. It was firm enough to roll out right away but I went ahead and chilled it as the directions stated.

3 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup white sugar
1 cup butter
1 egg, lightly beaten
3 tbsp cream, or milk
1 tsp vanilla, or almond extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Sift together all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar and salt. Cut in butter and blend with a pastry blender until mixture is crumbly. Stir in lightly beaten egg, vanilla and cream. Blend well. Chill dough for one hour for easier rolling.

On a floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into shapes. Place on ungreased baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar (optional). Bake for 6 – 8 minutes, or until the bottoms turn lightly brown. Do not over bake.

Icing:
1/3 cup softened butter
3 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 cup milk

Beat ingredients until smooth. Divide the icing into separate bowls, and add food colorings to each to the preferred color intensity. Paint the icing onto the cookies or pipe with decorator icing tubes and tips. Top with candy decorator balls, holiday sprinkles or any other festive design.

Joe’s Sugar Cookies:
This is a family recipe from my sister-n-law Emily. This particular recipe produces a lovely buttery sugar cookie that has a nice crisp bite on the outside. The dough is rather sticky; therefore, refrigerating for the 2 hours is a must. If the kids cannot wait try the scoop and drop method.

1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1 cup softened butter
1 egg
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar

In a large bowl mix butter, sugar, vanilla, and egg. Mix well. Add flour, soda, and tartar. Wrap dough in plastic wrap or waxed paper and refrigerate for at least two hours.
Roll out on floured surface to 1/4 to 1/8 inch thick. Cut to shape, place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F until lightly brown, about 8 minutes.

Icing:
2 teaspoons milk
1 cup confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons light corn syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
assorted food coloring colors

Technorati Tags: christmas cookies, cut out sugar cookies, Fun Family Fun, heavy cream, holiday cookies, loft cookies, old fashioned sugar cookies, powdered sugar, Royal Icing

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