There’s no denying that I love to bake (it’s in my blood; both my grandmas are excellent bakers) and recently I’ve been going crazy in the kitchen. This time I decided to stick with the classic sugar cookie. I got this recipe from my mom (even though though she isn’t into baking like I am) and let me tell you, it’s a winner.
Granny’s Sugar Cookies–
Cream together: ½ cup butter
1 cup sugar
Blend in: 1 medium egg, (this is what I used)
or
2 small egg yolks
Sift together and add to mixture: ½ tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
2 cups flower (sifted)
Blend into mixture: ½ tsp. vanilla
Cut the dough with cookie cutters, and bake on a lightly greased cookie sheet in 400° preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. (8 minutes was perfect in my oven.)
“You will have better results cutting cookies when you work with small quantities of thoroughly chilled dough. Roll the dough to a uniform thickness (approximately 1/8 inch makes the crispiest cookies) on a very lightly floured Tupperware Pastry Sheet. Dredge the cookie cutter in flour and shake off excess. Press the cookie cutter into the dough with a firm, even pressure and move it gently back and forth on the pastry sheet. Then lift the cookie cutter. The cut cookie will remain on the pastry sheet ready to be transferred to a cold cookie sheet with a thin-bladed spatula.”
Creamy White Frosting (recipe from Better Homes New Cook Book*):
½ cup shortening
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or ¾ vanilla plus ¼ lemon extract, orange extract, or almond extract)
2 ¼ cups sifted powdered sugar
2 tablespoons milk
Beat shortening and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Slowly add half of the powdered sugar, beating well. Add 1 tablespoon of milk. Gradually beat in the remaining powdered sugar and enough remaining milk to make of spreading consistency.
*The recipe I have listed is half of what Better Homes Cook Book calls for. Even with halving the recipe I still had leftover frosting.
To make the cookies more fun and colorful I added food coloring to some of the frosting and different colored sprinkles.
I will definitely make these cookies again. I brought some to work and they were a big hit. One of my co-workers now wants to pay me to bake for him!
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