I would have to say sugar cookies are my favorite home made cookies. They are buttery and crispy, the way a cookie should be. I prefer them without icing although when we make them in class I do partake the ones with that extra bit of sweetness.

So I have been using this recipe for many years so much that I can’t even remember where I got the recipe. What I like about it is that it is not as sweet as most sugar cookies I’ve had. The older I have gotten, I have grown to love less sweet desserts, and this hits that spot.

For a variation, I sometimes add lemon juice and lemon zest. And when I have made icing, its always lemon based.

This version is all about vanilla. Check out the recipe below.

Pour the flour into a medium bowl. Add the baking powder and

Salt.

Mix well then set aside.

Cream the butter in a large bowl until fluffy.

Add the sugar and

Continue to mix until mixture is very fluffy.

Add the egg,

Milk,

Vanilla paste or extract, and mix until well combined.

Gradually mix in the flour. I did it in 3 stages.

Dough all done. I divided it in half. Rolled one into a log and then put it in the freezer to cook another time.

With the 2nd batch, I divided in half then rolled both into a 4 mm thick then placed them in the fridge to harden a little before I cut them.

Here is the first batch ready to be baked.

Perfect. On the cooling rack after I cooked each batch for 8 minutes.

All ready for a tea party …

Sugar Cookies

Ingredients
  

  • 3 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 1/2 st­icks unsalted butter softened
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon milk
  • 2 tablespoons vanilla paste

Instructions
 

  • Whisk together thoroughly the flour, baking powder and salt.
  • Beat the butter on medium speed until fluffy. Then add sugar and continue to beat until very fluffy.
  • Add the egg, milk and vanilla to the butter mixture until well combined
  • Gradually stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture until well blended and smooth.
  • For this tutorial, I divided the dough in half and rolled one into a log and placed in the freezer to cook another day then rolled and cut the other half. But normally when I make this recipe, I divide the dough into 3’s. Place each third between 2 large sheets of wax or parchment paper. Roll out to a scant ¼ inch thick, checking the underside of the dough and smoothing any creases.
  • Keeping the paper in place, layer the rolled dough on a baking sheet and refrigerate until cold and slightly firm, 15 to 30 minutes.
  • Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 375'F.
  • Working with 1 portion at a time (leave the others refrigerated), gently peel away and replace I sheet of the paper. (This will make it easier to lift the cookies from the paper later).
  • Peel away and discard the second sheet.
  • Normally I would cut out the cookies using 2-inch or 3-inch cutters but for this particular tutorial I used a 1.75" wide flower cutter.
  • With a spatula, transfer them to the cookie sheets, spacing about 1 inches apart.
  • Roll the dough scraps and continue cutting out cookies until all the dough is used; briefly refrigerate the dough if it becomes too soft to handle.
  • Bake, 1 sheet at a time, just until the cookies are lightly colored on top and slightly darker at the edges, 10 to 13 minutes; rotate the sheet halfway through baking for even browning.
  • Remove the sheet to a rack and let stand until the cookies firm slightly. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool.
  • Once cool, enjoy the cookies as is or ice as desired.


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