This is a great sugar cookie recipe which has been in my family for a long time. The
stories are seemingly endless in connection with this recipe. It is a great one to use for both drop cookies and rolled/decorated cookies. I am making drop cookies here. I will try to post the rolled version at some time in the future – basically, you just
add more flour. This makes 2 ½ - 3 dozen depending on the size you make them.
Ingredients
3-3 ½ Cups Flour
2 teaspoons Baking Powder
1 teaspoon Salt
2 Cups Sugar
1 Cup Shortening (I tried butter this time on a whim – they had a much better texture with butter)
2 Eggs
1 teaspoon Vanilla
1 Cup Sour Milk (I use Buttermilk – you can make sour milk by adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to 1 cup of regular milk)
1 teaspoon Soda
Sugar Sprinkles – you could do colors here or just use plain white sugar.
Step-by-Step Instructions and Photos:
Preheat oven to 350
Mix flour (use smallest amount until you try this for yourself), Baking Powder, and Salt and set aside. (This will be referred to as Dry Ingredients.)
Mix Baking Soda into Buttermilk and set aside. If you are using vinegar to sour your milk, I would add it to the milk first and let it sit a couple minutes before adding the soda. (This will be referred to as Wet Ingredients.)
Cream Shortening and Sugar. This is a place where creaming with a beater and taking a couple extra minutes to beat some extra air into it will produce a finer texture.
Add Eggs one at a time and beat well after each addition. Add vanilla and beat well again. After this step, stop using the beaters and use a spoon to gently stir for the remaining steps.
Add Dry and Wet Ingredients alternately, beginning and ending with dry. It is not necessary to completely incorporate each addition as you go – just mix it until it is mostly incorporated and then make sure the batter is thoroughly mixed at the end.
Drop in large dollops (about 2-3 Tablespoons) onto greased or parchment paper covered cookies sheets. Experiment by cooking just one cookie to see if it needs more flour – if they come out flat and crispy, they need more flour. If it does, add 2-3 Tablespoons at a time and try again until you get the right amount (and remember to record what amount works for you).
Sprinkle with Sugar.
Bake at 350 for about 10 minutes. (Remember to check the first tray a couple minutes earlier to allow for oven variances.
Cool on wire racks.
Variations:
I like to add ½ teaspoon of Lemon extract. It is very good and does not taste like lemon really, it just adds a depth of flavor.
Stir in any of the following:
(Unfortunately, I did not measure. I would say about ¾ - 1 cup. Or you could stir in a little at a time and see what looks good to you.)
Chocolate Chips
Nuts
Raisins
Finely chopped fruit
Sprinkles
Tiny candy pieces or chopped candy bar.
