Sugar Cookie recipe?
 

I'm trying to be domestic today with my kiddos and bought Valentine's sprinkles and cookie cutter. Now I just need a good sugar cookie with icing recipe. :)

My absolute favorite cookie recipe is from Martha Stewart's cookie magazine from a few years ago. I'm at work right now, so I don't have access to it, but I can post it later tonight. Or, you can try searching for it on her website.

Icing is super simple: 1 pound powdered sugar, 1 stick of butter, 1 tablespoon milk. Mix together until fluffy. You may need to add more milk, if it's not thin enough for your taste. You can add flavoring - I like adding Vanilla, but almond and (artificial) rum are good choices as well. I have a set of colors from Wilton. I just get little glass bowls out and use toothpicks to stir the colors until I get the intensity I want.

Here is my favorite recipe. The make the best cut out sugar cookies. They don't spread while baking. I agree with the above icing recipe. Make the icing with a mixer of some kind and beat if for a few minutes. It will make it light and fluffy!! and yummy of course.!


Sugar Cookies

1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
1 cup shortening
3 cups granulated sugar
1 Tbsp. vanilla
6 eggs
7 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp. baking powder
1 Tbsp. salt

In a large bowl, cream the butter, shortening, and sugar. Add vanilla. Add eggs one at a time. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add these dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix just until blended—no more. Cover and chill dough for at least 1 hour.

Heat oven to 400˚F for at least 20 minutes to ensure correct oven temperature.

Lightly flour your countertop. Roll dough ⅜” thick, then cut into shapes. Place pieces on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 7-9 minutes—until the centers are opaque. Do not over bake! (The bottoms should be colorless or at most, have just a hint of color. If they turn golden, they are over baked.)

This recipe is large. You should get approx. 56 thick cookies.

(Note: the 2 most important things you need to do to get great sugar cookies are: 1) Roll the dough thick. I have rings that attach to my rolling pin to get them just the right thickness, which is why I have the anal-sounding ‘⅜” thick.’ 2) Do NOT over bake.)

Better Homes and Gardens cookbook has the best classic sugar cookie recipe, imo.